The journey aboard the steam forest train
The tourist railway starts from the old sawmill of the Forge which belonged to the O.N.F.
The Association du Chemin de Fer Forestier d'Abreschviller has rented most of the old buildings such as :
The starting area was transformed, drawers built, as well as the station counter pavilion.
Toilets were set up In a wing of the old workshop.
At the time of logging, a track connected the network to the SNCF track by passing in front of the station.
Another track ran along the Sarre to the west for about 2 km to the Marcarie sawmill.
From the departure station, the train goes east, going up the Sarre rouge Valley.
To the right, you first follow the campground bordered to the south by a pond allowing swimming in summer.
On the left, an overview of Abreschviller ; dominated by the cemetery chapel, the 1400 inhabitants village was known from 715 under the name of Ermenbertovillare, and in 1015 Elberswylel.
A whistle announces the crossing of the rue du Moulin, to the right the communal lodging.
Then you see the sports complex on the right : football, basketball and tennis.
At 600m from the start, we join the forestroad of the Basse-Frentz.
A quick pause for a suggestion :
The Association du Chemin de Fer Forestier d'Abreschviller has rented most of the old buildings such as :
- the depot for locomotives,
- maintenance workshops,
- and various sheds.
The starting area was transformed, drawers built, as well as the station counter pavilion.
Toilets were set up In a wing of the old workshop.
At the time of logging, a track connected the network to the SNCF track by passing in front of the station.
Another track ran along the Sarre to the west for about 2 km to the Marcarie sawmill.
From the departure station, the train goes east, going up the Sarre rouge Valley.
To the right, you first follow the campground bordered to the south by a pond allowing swimming in summer.
On the left, an overview of Abreschviller ; dominated by the cemetery chapel, the 1400 inhabitants village was known from 715 under the name of Ermenbertovillare, and in 1015 Elberswylel.
A whistle announces the crossing of the rue du Moulin, to the right the communal lodging.
Then you see the sports complex on the right : football, basketball and tennis.
At 600m from the start, we join the forestroad of the Basse-Frentz.
A quick pause for a suggestion :
Come live your dream :
Driving a locomotive more than a century old...
Why not find yourself next to the mechanic...
Information : in the section: Gift Idea
or at 03.87.03.71.45.
Driving a locomotive more than a century old...
Why not find yourself next to the mechanic...
Information : in the section: Gift Idea
or at 03.87.03.71.45.
The journey continues :
On the right side, the foresthouse of the Basse-Frentz dominated by the wooded croups of the Sauvageon, carrying the rocks «desBoeufs» and «laVerrerie» (and sign posted routes by the Club Vosgien, with panoramic views).
A little further to the left, the fish farm, place of an intense animation in summer : fishing contest and purchase of trouts among others.
After a wooded way, the view widens at km1.4, at the road crossing to wards St-Quirin and on the right the hamlet of Lettenbach (La Verrerie), former glass factory founded in the 15th century and transferred in 1888 to Cirey-sur-Vezouze.
The line now leaves the road to sink into a forest landscape, at the foot of the Streitwald massif, along the Sarre rouge.
At km 3.5 to the left, the medical center St-Luc (former departmental sanatorium opened in 1900 in place of an old glassware and cellulose factory).
The train runs along its deer park.
After crossing the forest along the romantic stream, a very tight turn in a small rocky place takes us to the junction from where left, to the right, one of the two old main branches of the network, the one towards the bottom of the Donon (about 10 km to the bottom of the Sarre Rouge valley, with many branches in the side valleys : 15-20 km ).
If two trains are on the railway, their crossing is done here.
The ascending train then enters the 100 m siding of the old line to wait for the descending train.
From this junction (Rommelstein) from which also start many walks, the train starts on the old preserved track up to Grand Soldat.
After crossing the Sarre rouge on a winding bridge, you cross the valley, then the Donon road (on the right side, the forest house «L'Hermitage»).
Aboard the steam train, we now take a swing to cross the 7% short ramp that makes us climb on the sides of the Grand Soldat valley.
At km 5.3 we arrive in the hamlet of Grand Soldat (elev.350m), where an old glass factory was founded in 1722.
On the left in the middle of the village, the birthplace of the writer Alexandre Chatrian (1826-1890).
The train leaves the hamlet to arrive at its terminus 300 m further, in the middle of beautiful pine tree forests.
Before 1966, the line continued until the bottom of the valley at 2 km, then by a double turn climbed to the Breschpunkt pass, 4 km further (elev. 540 m). From there, it went down into the valley of the Zorn.
It went up to the right for about 4km, togo down again for 10 km to Neustadtmühle Schaeferthal below Dabo.
At the current terminus, you will find a souvenir counter, a picnic area and a sawmill with its high saw aswellasa paddlewheel.
On the right side, the foresthouse of the Basse-Frentz dominated by the wooded croups of the Sauvageon, carrying the rocks «desBoeufs» and «laVerrerie» (and sign posted routes by the Club Vosgien, with panoramic views).
A little further to the left, the fish farm, place of an intense animation in summer : fishing contest and purchase of trouts among others.
After a wooded way, the view widens at km1.4, at the road crossing to wards St-Quirin and on the right the hamlet of Lettenbach (La Verrerie), former glass factory founded in the 15th century and transferred in 1888 to Cirey-sur-Vezouze.
The line now leaves the road to sink into a forest landscape, at the foot of the Streitwald massif, along the Sarre rouge.
At km 3.5 to the left, the medical center St-Luc (former departmental sanatorium opened in 1900 in place of an old glassware and cellulose factory).
The train runs along its deer park.
After crossing the forest along the romantic stream, a very tight turn in a small rocky place takes us to the junction from where left, to the right, one of the two old main branches of the network, the one towards the bottom of the Donon (about 10 km to the bottom of the Sarre Rouge valley, with many branches in the side valleys : 15-20 km ).
If two trains are on the railway, their crossing is done here.
The ascending train then enters the 100 m siding of the old line to wait for the descending train.
From this junction (Rommelstein) from which also start many walks, the train starts on the old preserved track up to Grand Soldat.
After crossing the Sarre rouge on a winding bridge, you cross the valley, then the Donon road (on the right side, the forest house «L'Hermitage»).
Aboard the steam train, we now take a swing to cross the 7% short ramp that makes us climb on the sides of the Grand Soldat valley.
At km 5.3 we arrive in the hamlet of Grand Soldat (elev.350m), where an old glass factory was founded in 1722.
On the left in the middle of the village, the birthplace of the writer Alexandre Chatrian (1826-1890).
The train leaves the hamlet to arrive at its terminus 300 m further, in the middle of beautiful pine tree forests.
Before 1966, the line continued until the bottom of the valley at 2 km, then by a double turn climbed to the Breschpunkt pass, 4 km further (elev. 540 m). From there, it went down into the valley of the Zorn.
It went up to the right for about 4km, togo down again for 10 km to Neustadtmühle Schaeferthal below Dabo.
At the current terminus, you will find a souvenir counter, a picnic area and a sawmill with its high saw aswellasa paddlewheel.
Birthplace of Alexandre Chatrian
