Mocănița - Maramureș

Vișeau de Sus, where the Mocănița train starts has a strong logging tradition. Wood has been brought down the mountain since the steam train was built in the 1940s. Today, most of the wood comes down the mountain in a diesel locomotive but the Mocanita Steam Train still takes visitors up the mountain to the logging camps. This train is one of the last remaining steam rails still active in Europe and the only one in Romania still used for logging. The journey has unbelievable views of the mountains and villages along the river only accessible by the train. Today, the train is owned and run by a Swiss company. During the journey, several fueling stops are made to collect water from the river for the train.Before the journey, you are also told that the train can fall off the tracks but with the slow speed there is no danger. You just have to wait for them to put it back on. Thankfully we didn't have to go through this.

These bridges are the only way for the villagers to get to their homes from the train and small road.

The villagers were all very happy to wave to the throngs of tourists especially the kids. At the kindergarten all the kids ran to the windows and doors to wave.

Skinny horses. The train had to stop and blare its horn many times for the lazy cows to get off the tracks. It was kinda funny that the cows could care less for the disruption of their day.

There were plenty of waterfalls along the way.

A few years ago, the rail line was destroyed by flooding. Romania is known for river floods so bad they wipe out entire villages. There were passengers on the train at the time and they all had to be rescued by helicopters and brought down the mountain since the tracks were crumpled. This cabin is a result of the flooding.

This was funny. They put an old truck on the train wheels and drove it up the mountain. There were a lot of these trucks carrying loggers to work and back.

Water break. You can see the hose going to the river for water.Cristian in his Michigan sweater

We were really promoting Michigan that day because I had a Detroit sweater on.Attention! Climbing on and off the train while it is in transit is strictly prohibited! I don't know if you can see the little guy with one leg and crutches. haha

At the logging camp waiting for the return trip.

There were a ton of small puddles full of tadpoles. They were at all stages of life which was neat because the ones with legs and tails kept going back and forth between puddles for no reason.

Breathtaking Views

We hardly ever get many pictures of us together.

Conductor who looks like a cartoon character. We were wondering what he was doing. You will see.

He put the log between the passenger wagons and the engine and then the engine pushed us backwards so that we were going the right way. Kinda funny.

We ran this cable over in the process.

We were in the last wagon on the way up but on the way back down we were right behind the engine which was facing backwards. It looked like it was crashing into us.Babei. Old women.