Oberweissbach Mountain Railway

The Thuringian Mountain Railway consists of three lines – a funicular, a line running along the plateau and the Schwarza Valley railway. The funicular was constructed between 1919 and 1923 and connects Obstfelderschmiede and Lichtenhain. The 1.4-km track rises 323 m at an incline of 25 per cent, making it one of the world’s steepest standard-gauge funiculars. It is hauled by cable on a curving route. The line operates a 1920s passenger carriage with tiered seats and a wagon that converts into an open-air vehicle during the summer.

At Lichtenhain, visitors can board the second line, which travels 2.5 km to Cursdorf. It is electrified and has two railcars that date from the 1960s. The Schwarzatal Railway from Rottenbach to Katzhuette, opened in 1900 and renovated in 2002, leaves passengers at the funicular’s bottom station. It runs for 25 km and has a maximum gradient of 32 per cent. Hiking trails start near the stations. A small museum at Licthenhain, the Maschinarium, explains the technology of the railways.