Jerusalem railfan club visits railroad museum and Carmelit funicular subway in Haifa

[daveklepper]

Steve Sattler, originally from Australia, organized the visit.  I have downloaded his excellent photos and will post them, hopefully, tomorrow. My own were via my Leica and I am awaiting development and scanning.

Ths was last Thursday, 8 November.

Here is Steve's own report:

*THE TRAINS & TRAM SOCIETY of ISRAEL.*

 

*Dear all, *

 

    A great thanks to *all* for the very successful trip to HAIFA and the

National TRAIN MUSEUM, 8-11-2018:  We left Jerusalem [Navon] at 09.30, [it takes 6 mins to get down the escalators to the platform], got to Ben Gurion Airport, [22 mins]  and then hopped the train to TLV-HaHaganah that continued to Haifa with endpoint Naharia, and met in the last carriage with the crowd coming from Modiin.

 

For the hour+  trip to Haifa Central:  we got updates on train-ology and a

poly-chat about news/transport in Israel and the USA/Switzerland.

 

At Haifa Central some of the group took the Metroline-bus (at age 85, I took the bus, Dave) to the Museum, and a few, walked the 1 Km. We met on the  curvery  metal bridge overlooking the railway yard and all the various trains and carriages, and then Chen [the manager of the museum] took us for a full-blown and personal tour of the complex.

 

We got a history, sociology and technical tour of the indoor and outdoor

exhibits-there are hundreds, including the oldest train in Isreal, [Turkish;

or Hejazzian ] and many restored [old] trains.  We got literature.

 

Then an in-depth review of the extensive  and very old archives -in the HQ

building. Les, our super-expert was our Madrich. They also have a very big

professional libery.  We then descended the dangerous metal steps, crossed the bridge, taking our lives in our hands crossed the  main road-with endless traffic,

and got to our 'classic 60s', Kosher-restaurant-on Kibbutz Galuyot St,  "KATI," spelled with capital western letters, for a *gourmet* meal [meat or fish] and a 2 hour discussion on train-ology.  (Dave: I rate it as Israel's very best restaurant!)

Each member had to give a [short] talk--while we ate.  {and a big glass of

hot tea with Nana!!}

 

 We then made it to the second half of the Museum-the intellectual section [a different set of building in the railway yards (it's a very big complex)], past the closed gate [for insiders only] , and then the review of the exhibits by prof. Les, and Prof, Sybil, and *the* special and unique [archeological ] sign -of HarTuv.

A model train set is also on display. [actually 2].

 

One section deals with railway and old Palestine /Israel stamps.  After Mincha, we then split into two groups.  One group took the city bus, for a whole spin around Haifa and the special and unique views- especially from 'up there' and then to the train station for th 18.36 train >to the South.

 

Another group walked the 650 meters to the Paris Square station of the re-born Carmelit.  {Past the enormous Bituach Leumi Empire building and the impressive and modern Muslim High Court building . Sharia courts}

 

We took the (FREE!) Carmelit [clean, new, efficient and shiny,-1/2 full], to the top of Haifa-[the 5th stop], and then a great walk around the Gan HaEm

section [where there are also 6 Kosher eateries], , then the Carmelit down again to Paris Square, the we walked to our train and caught  the 18.36 to Tel

Aviv. [and then Jerusalem].

 

The mechanics and mechanism of the Carmelite are new, clean and out in-the

open to see!    I was home by 21.45.

 

*Many thanks to Chen* for a great and in-depth talk and the unique and old

MOVIE of ISRAEL trains -in the passenger train carriage.

 

A full ,*thank you to LES *  who is a volunteer at *the* RR museum and a

hard working restorer of old documents and photos.  A special mention to Sybil, Marion, and Dave for  their professional input.

 

Steve is being kind in not mentioning one fly in the ointment.  When we got to the Haifa Central Station, we learned that just on that particular day the new electric train from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem was quitting early, and the last connection from Tel Aviv was leaving at 6pm, the same time as we were arriving at the Haifa Station!  So it was the old routine again, train to T. A., then the hike past all the disruption of the Tel Aviv Metro construction, to the platform for the 480 Egged bus to Jerusalem.  The second dissapointment for both Streve and me was that the Jerusalem Central Bus Terminal synagogue was closed.  Glad that the bus trip was uneventful.  The trains we rode included both double-deck and single-deck and were comfortably filled.  And clean and on-time.

 

At the Central Haifa station, a train of covered hopper cars was paaing on an adjcent track.

 

Photos 

In a few days I will send photos.

I hope our next meeting will be -at the Jerusalem City Hall, and their

big-big model of modern Jerusalem, in 2019.

keep well

Shabbat Shalom and Hodesh TOV,

Steve

[daveklepper]

Among the models are a Norfolk and Western J and a UP Big Boy.  Both HO. both superdetailed. 

[daveklepper]

Apologies, did not get to the HU Library today because of an important matter.  Hope to tomorrow.  But a question:  Should the Carmelit have a separate thread from the Museum?

Possibly in the Transit Forum?

[daveklepper]

Got to the HU Library at last!   First the brochure that is given to every English-speaking visitor to the Israel Railways Musuem:

Here is one steam locomotive in the collection, which served the Hijas Railway under the Turks and was in Haifa on occasion, Steve Sattler photos.

A British adoption for military defense purposes

Above is a 600mm-gauge dump car used on farms.

Below, faces of some 1230ers railway workers:

Above, one of Israel's first diesels, a diesel-mechanical switcher.  Below, the  N-gauge model railroad,

Below is Ben Gureon Airport Station,with the electric lcomotive at the lwft.

[daveklepper]

Here is a photo of the Carmelit, taken by Steve Sattler, with me on the right and Chen Millsem, Director of the Museum we visited, in the Israel Ry's hat, on the left/   I hope to discuss the Carmelit more thoroughly on the Transit Forum in a few days, possibly after receiving a reply to a letter sent them.

Meanwhile, does anyone recognize the major technological change with the recent renovation?

And note the close clearance of the left tunnel wall, with the side of the walkway on the right similar.

[daveklepper]

Some of my photos, those that don't duplicate Steve's:

Part of the plaque on the Museum's Main Building:

Narrow-gauge gasoline switcher needing lots of work for restoration:

Old boxcar and diesel swither:

Handcar, propelled by pumping the handle at the side.

And another view (but Steve's picture, above, is better) of the only steam locomotive left in Israel at the moment.

[daveklepper]

Israel Railway MUSEUM

 

Inbox

 

 

 

 

Steve Sattler	Oct 6, 2022, 10:15 PM (11 hours ago)
to bcc: me

 

 

 

IT IS FREE.

To mark 130 years of trains in Israel : The Railway Museum invites the general public to a free visit for 3 days on Chol HaMoed Sukkot, 11-13/10/2020.

On September 26, 1892 the first railway line in the country was inaugurated, and throughout the Levant area, the Jaffa-Jerusalem railway line. Since then, the railroad network in Israel has undergone many incarnations and upheavals, expanded, shrunk & expanded again, under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the Mandate and the re-born Jewish country. The Railway Museum presents the whole story, with an extensive collection of historical trains & trailers, many of which are accessible, & hundreds of additional small items that reveal more & more getting stuck from the existence and work of the railway in Israel

At the event we will hold special activities for the audience of families:

On the first two days of the event, Tue-Wed 11-12/10, we will be presenting the train model activity of the museum volunteers and host the little ones in a play area with wooden trains. On these days the train museum will be open between 09:30-15:00 and arrival will only be possible by the museum train that will operate free of charge between Haifa Center Hashmona station and the railway museum.

On Tuesday, 13/10, we will host the annual exhibition of the Israeli Lego Lovers Association LUG . On this day the museum will be open until 18:30 (last entry: 17:30). Between 09:30-15:00, arrival will only be possible via the museum train that will be operated free of charge between Haifa Center Hashimona station & the train museum.

Departure hours of the museum train from Haifa station, the center of Hashmona:

09:35

10:05

10:35

11:05

11:35

12:05

12:35

13:05

13:35

14:05

14:35

The trains back from the museum will run every half an hour, from 09:55 to 14:55.

Visitors with mobility difficulties are asked to coordinate with the museum in advance of their arrival to ensure accessibility - 04-8564293.

* In the event of overload, the Israel Railway Administration reserves the right to suspend visitors' entrance to the museum or the museum train without prior notice, for safety.

Translated by Steve

 

[Convicted One]

sextant

What is a  funicular subway? I know what a funicular is like the Incline lifts in Pittsburgh but  not a funicular subway...

A subway 1.1 miles long with 6 stations, that climbs 899 ft in elevation. Sounds like a "chair lift" on steroids.

Wikipedia

[daveklepper]

This photo of mine posted earlier on this thread, should answer your questions.

Single track with central passing siding, located between stations three and four.  Locations of stations symmetrical about center of siding.  Switching at siding handles by one train having flages on the outside of the wheesand one conventional.  Points not movable, justc essentially long "frogs."