...or if you prefer... "Moutzouris" 
The historical railway from Volos to Milies has been constructed in two stages, during 1894 and 1903. The legendary Moutzouris linked the commercial industrial Volos center to the rich and fertile area of Western Pelion, on the Centaurs mountain sides and olive groves. The train served the needs of the city too, functioning as the urban tram of Volos until 1950, with its Belgian engines Milaiai, Iason, Pelion, Volos Tsagarada and its smaller cars and engines. The train has been a reference point, a sight of the city of Volos for 80 years. After suspension of its service in 1971, efforts were done towards its re-operation as a museum railway of tourist interest in an environment of particular natural beauty. After significant reconstruction works, part of the substructure is operational again since 1996.
Its services were available to the public again after two months of landslide soil removal and erosion problems solving. Its line is 60cm wide, being the narrowest railway line in Greece and one of the narrowest in the world. The route from Ano Lehonia to Milies goes through green mountainsides, under picturesque stone arches overhanging the bay of Pagasitikos, it travels through the woods over eight brick bridges with two, three and five arches embellished with marble stone, as well as over a bend plotted on a straight metal bridge according to designs of famous bridge builders of the period. The Italian engineer Evaristo De Chirico was responsible for the construction of the line. He was the father of the famous surrealist painter Giorgio De Chirico who portrayed the figure of the small train on some of his most famous paintings. The train has been in service again at the 15-kilometer line between Ano Lehonia and Milies. The traditional traffic material is preserved; steam 1903 and 1912 locomotives, two-balcony wooden wagons as well as two new diesel locomotives acquired by the Greek Railways Organization (OSE) in year 2000.
|