Vál Valley Light Railway

Vál Valley Light Railway
Vál Valley train at the Arboretum station in Alcsút
Overview
Native nameVál-völgyi Kisvasút
Locale Hungary
Termini
Stations3[1]
Websitehttps://www.valvolgyikisvasut.hu/
Service
Route number6
History
Opened2016
Technical
Line length5.693 km (4 mi)[2]
Track gauge760 mm (2 ft 5+1516 in) Bosnian gauge

The Vál Valley Light Railway (Hungarian: Vál-völgyi Kisvasút) is a 6 km long 760 mm gauge railway in Hungary. It is built on part of the Bicske–Székesfehérvár railway line. The building of the line was supported by the European Union, who have since launched an OLAF investigation into the funding.[3]

Controversy

[edit]

Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary has been accused of misusing €2M of EU money contributed to the construction of the railway. The funding request was based on 2,500 passengers using the line daily. The true ridership is one thousandth of this,[3] and the village of Felcsút only has a population of 1,812.[4]

Motive Power

[edit]
Identity Works Number Type Gauge Builder Year Built Previous Operator Status Notes Image
98 55 8244 212-7 035 B-B DH 760 mm (2 ft 5+1516 in) Rába 1961 Nyírvidéki Kisvasút Operational Mk48 2012
98 55 8244 216-8 039 B-B DH 760 mm (2 ft 5+1516 in) Rába 1961 Nyírvidéki Kisvasút Operational Mk48 2016

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Vál-völgyi Kisvasút". Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  2. ^ A Nemzeti Közlekedési Hatóság UVH/VF/2927/2/2014. számú hirdetménye
  3. ^ a b Nolan, Dan (19 June 2016). "Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban investigated over €2m EU funding spent on 'absurd' vintage train line". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  4. ^ Foster, Peter (7 October 2016). "A village fit for a king: how Viktor Orban had a football stadium and a railway built on his doorstep". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 May 2017.