Railways in Lebanon
 

I have just completed the major part of a new website on the railways in Lebanon: http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/380/385/railways/ Hope you might find it of interest.

- Børre Ludvigsen

Hi Borrel,welcome to the forum. Some very sad photos on your new web site. Now that the wars are almost over do you think they will rebuild their railways. I'm sure that some of those locos can still be saved if they want to. The railways in my own country are almost as bad but that was not due to the bush war, more a mad leader.

Syd, For one horrible moment I thought you were talking about Britain :D

Don't know that I would be far wrong if I had John.:D Just read back at all the moans and complaints on this site alone about the state of some of the services. :rolleyes:
Over crowding, late trains, hold ups due to maintaines, non arrival of trains, no ticket offices, staff shortages etc.:( I'msure you could add a few more.;) As for the mad leader, well we have a whole house of them, two in fact, an upper and a lower house.

While it is quit clear that more than ever Lebanon would benefit greatly from a rapid rail system along the coast, I somehow doubt that it a restoration of the NBT (Naqoura-Beirut-Tripoli) line will ever become a reality. Most of the roadway is there, although some of it was built so close to the shore line that in some places, especially south of Beirut, it is actually falling into the sea where the shore is being eroded and in others it has disappeared in the sand. It should be remembered that the HBT (later NBT) line was a "quick job" for the war effort. The stretch that passes through Beirut has in some places (as many others along all the lines) been converted to streets. The stretch from Beirut to Nahr el Kelb (the Dog River) is completely swallowed by the new highway. (Cars are very "important" in macho Lebanon.) The line from Beirut to Riyaq would be the absolutely most difficult as it is a very steep climb and I doubt that it could ever be made economical although some stretches might at some distant future date be quite successful as a tourist attraction. The only line that could be restored with not too much trouble would be Riyaq - Homs (in Syria) as it is that which is least impeded by building after it fell into disuse, but that is also the stretch with the least traffic potential today. While the roadway can be traced quite clearly on Google Earth in almost all lines in their entirety, there is very little track left. Most it has (and still is being) sold for use elsewhere in countres somewhat more understanding of the advantages of rail.

- Børre

Welcome Borre

A very nicely laid out website. Thanks for posting the link.

Welcome to the Forum Borrel and thanks for the link to your website. Looks great!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Yes, I echo the above comments. I hadn't really thought about the railway systems in the Middle East before, so good to see something different. I wonder if any of the locos will make it into preservation there or elsewhere around the globe? I suspect many will end up in the smelting works of China though.....:(

Welcome to the forum Borrel.
Paul.

Thanks for all the kind comments. If any of you know of anyone that ever travelled on the railways in Lebanon (the coastal line was constructed by British forces in 1942, so someone might have a father or grandfather who was involved or travelled the line) I would be grateful for stories and first hand experience.
- Børre