Steam on the Narrow Gauge

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A special train leaves Agnita for Sibiu in 1995. Although the normal service has declined there are still opportunities for steam specials.

Sibiu also has an excellent railway museum with numerous historic locomotives.
Until Recently Romania had a variety of narrow gauge (760 mm) railways including the following systems:

Targu Mures
Targu Mures - Sovata
Targu Mures - Mihesu de Campie
Targu Mures - Lechinta
Future uncertain - last remaining scheduled passenger service ceased in 1998 but all in situ;
the lines to the north are especially interesting as they climb up into the Band hills; steam locomotives and refurbished carriages retained at Targu Mures for special trains
2001: several enthusiasts trains have run as far as Band and there is still an option to repair and reopen the line as far as Mihesu de Campie if demand increases. The line to Lechinta is becoming overgrown and derelict with lines of abandoned bogie wagons rusting on sidings, however there are once again rumours of reopening the Lechinta line and track repairs were made during 2002. There was flood damage on the Sovata line in the Spring and its future is uncertain. Chrzanow Px48 "Duna" type locomotive 764.053 is the main steam loco used for hauling preserved trains.

Sibiu - Agnita The line from Agnita onwards to
Sighisoara was closed in the 1970s;
daily passenger service on the remaining 62km section finally ended at the end of 2001, freight working to a landfillsite near Cornatel - bids to preserve the line.
steam locomotives preserved for special trains;
original locos at Sibiu museum

For further information take a look at Julian Nolte's
excellent website dedicated to the
Sibiu - Agnita railway

(also contains other useful railway links)
Turda - Abrud 94 km through the beautiful Aries valley south of the Apuseni Mountains - track in situ/ future uncertain;
steam locomotive and refurbished carriages at Turda for special trains. Renewed talks to reopen the line for tourists by the Cluj county administration took place in 2002 ... watch this space!

Alba Iulia - Zlatna Regauged as standard gauge in 1984

Odobesti Closed in 1979; one of the locos is plinthed at Galati.

Satu MareThe final line of this once extensive system, from Ghilvaci to Ardud closed in the 1990s

Sighetu Marmatiei Extensive system up to 70km long northwards along the Mara valley; it became a CFF forestry line in 1948 but a passenger service continued until closure in 1976
A train departs Târgu Mures on the narrow gauge system to Lechinta in summer 1995 - although this extensive system was recently closed, locomotives have been preserved for running special trains as far as Band
388.002,which was built by Wiener Neustadt in 1896 for the narrow gauge Sighisoara to Sibiu line, is now preserved at Sibiu
Also preserved at the Sibiu Railway Museum is 389.001, built by Wiener Neustadt in 1885 for the Taraczvölgy railway, which also worked between Sighisoara and Sibiu.
Nowadays, trains on the remaining section to Agnita are hauled by standard 23 August L45H diesels (CFR class 87).


This daily service is the last remaining scheduled passenger train on the CFR narrow gauge.
Turda - Abrud:
Chrzanow Px48 "Duna" type locomotive 764.052 with a special train at Ocolisel in the Aries valley in 1995.
Târgu Mures:
Chrzanow Px48 "Duna" type locomotive 764.053 with a special train en route to Lechinta in 1995
Târgu Mures:
A Carpati lorry converted into a draisine at Teaca - these vehicles are a speciality of the Romanian narrow gauge and forestry lines. At CFF Viseu de Sus a VW transporter has received the same treatment.