Top 10 Railways in Germany, Germany

From a historical schoolhouse to a cooper’s workshop, from a sheep farm to a community brewery – explore and visit more than 20 rural homes and buildings, mainly constructed in half-timbered style, resembling a typical Franconian village set in a beautiful landscape in the tri-border area of Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia. Apart from a number of residential buildings and a large variety of non residential buildings, which have all been preserved in their original form, our collection includes a wide range of furniture, farming tools and everyday objects that tell the story of a bygone era. Move freely around our spacious family-friendly and dog-friendly museum area, shaped by farmland, pastures, orchard meadows and gardens, follow the little brooks, take a rest in our picnic area next to the pond or enjoy a break in the museum restaurant or cafeteria. Finally, don’t miss visiting the old railway station outside the museum and take a ride on the historical steam train "Rhon Zugle".

The centrepiece of the Oberweissbach mountain railway and Schwarza valley line is the funicular line between Obstfelderschmiede and Lichtenhain. Now a protected structure, it measures 1.4 kilometres in length and covers a vertical distance of 323 metres. The funicular takes about 18 minutes to complete a trip, and the gradient of the slope it travels is 25%, making it the steepest funicular capable of transporting normal-gauge rail vehicles. Two separate rail vehicles operate on the funicular line: a passenger carriage with a stepped interior, and a cargo transporter made up of a base with wheels and an additional carriage (either a freight wagon, open-top carriage or closed carriage). Open-air travel is possible from May to October: during good weather, an open-top carriage – our "convertible" – take the place of the closed-top wagon.