After the 1989 Revolution and the opening of our borders,
Romanian tourism was oriented toward the Occident as well. The opening was even greater as
foreign tourists knew about our tourist sightseeing in Romania. Enjoying complete services
from tourism agents who were trying to appeal the clients by offering Occidental
standards, more and more tourists came here visiting Romania’s beauty.
Among the traditional attractions, such as medieval castles and cities, among which, the
most important ones could be Peles, with its fortified monasteries and the Danube Delta,
railways too may be considered as an attraction for foreign tourists. The enthusiasts of
the western technical achievements were eager to discover, or to review filled with
emotions, locomotives, carriages and works of art contemporary with those from the old
European West. If in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Italy, Ireland or Spain exist
for decade’s lots of specialized railway history museums, for Romania the time has
come for valorizing a potential that hasn’t been exploited yet.
Ever since 1960-1970 railways had a lots of friends who knew in detail every kind of
locomotive, carriages and rails. Those steam marvels from Romania have been periodically
displayed in specific magazines issued in Germany, France or Austria. But now, after
dismissal of the restricting political regime, people were allowed to travel outside the
borders, cultural exchanges could be performed without any one stopping them.
Visiting the railway routes within the country, either for taking pictures or for the mere
pleasure of traveling, the numerous tourists could be guided or could be organized in
groups. This is the way touristic companies developed; latter on in collaboration with
profile companies from abroad, they managed to offer tourists various holiday and
documentary programs. Touristic programs had been organized at the beginning by dedicated
friends of Romanian railways, who wanted to see the way the old steam engines were
crossing once more our railway routes. The nostalgia feeling of seeing each other again
was relieved one more time, once the first trains especially ordered and commissioned
within Brasov Regional Department, stood on tracks, as they used to.
Enjoying more touristic facilities as ever, counties as Sibiu and Brasov could offer their
tourists lots of various programs, both for those who wanted to travel by old trains and
for those who were interested in arts and history. The most picturesque sightseeing and
railways in the country may be found in Sibiu and Brasov areas, but also in areas nearby
Cluj, Tragu Mures or Timisoara. Thus, the most interesting cities in Romania had to become
one more time, places for pilgrimage for a new category of tourists - those we call the
friends of the railways. At the moment, training programs for such trips are performed
during several weeks, when tourists get the chance to get accustomed with Valea Oltului,
Brasov and its neighborhood areas, Sovata, and Tragu Mures. Statistics show that the most
numerous old trains have been commissioned on the railway network with the Regional
Department of Brasov, both on normal rails and on narrow ones as Sibiu - Agnita, Targu
Mures - Sovata, Targu Mures - Lechinta. Another attraction point is represented by the
Regional Department of Timisoara with its routes from Oravita to Anina, from Arad to Brad,
by the Regional Department of Cluj with its routes from Cluj to Ciucea, and the Regional
Department of Iasi with its routes from Varna to Moldovita.
In every such place, special old trains with the afferent rolling stock material for each
traffic departments are organized and put on route almost every day. Thus the “cal
line that runs from Oravita to Anina is highly appreciated for the special circulation
conditions. The uniqueness of this line is given by the rolling stock, especially built,
still in mint condition. The Pacific locomotive can be admired on lines like Brasov -
Sibiu or Sibiu - Calimanesti. The décor and props are the same as in the descriptions of
Geo Bogza in his book “Cartea Oltului.” The power of a “steamer” like
142.044 can be unleashed like before on the line Cluj - Ciucea.
Among the routes that can be traveled only those historically intact are chosen. The
modernity and exceptional facilities of modern tourism, luxury cars, beautifully restored
museums etc, are just accessories that come to complete a day filled with nostalgia. The
special architecture of Cluj, Sibiu, Brasov or Timisoara are not less “tasted”
by the railway fans but the main attraction remains railway tourism. During the middle of
the last decade, great pains were taken to insure the repairs of a series of steam engines
and ancient cars and some are still awaiting funding at the Steam Locomotive Museum in
Sib. Although steam engines are generally speaking a history subject, the photographs that
can be taken or the films and studies are the basis for the development of railway
tourism. Aside from regular railways, vast networks of narrow lines existed once and are
still active for the more passionate, although the lines are suffering from weather and
time. The lines in the Targu Mures, Covasna or Viseu areas are the main attractions. Year
after year, tourists crowd to enjoy the sound of a steam engine and also to study the
Romanian villages where the people are still “brothers of the forest” and where
life is in strict connection with the nature.
For Americans and Asians especially but also for Europeans, the Romanian railways are
history lessons for the technical civilization, things they met only in books and they can
now experience live. The main gain is the fact that all these help the image of Romania
and the patrimony. These are still fragile in our country and as in any business, the most
important thing is synchronizing the elements.
Daniel Secarescu reporting
