Wolsztyn - Steam Trains

It's been a long day. A faint beep-beep from my watch woke us up at 7:00 for an early breakfast. Even at 7:30, the scrambled eggs were cool but the coffee was decent and hot. At the foot of the street, we caught the #14 tram (2.8 zł each) to the train station. The tickets to Wolsztyn were slightly cheaper than we had expected, 29.7 zł for two. But it's not a steam train; it's a very modern 2-car electric one. Even some of the locals are disappointed. And it's mlkeo run for sure – 14 stops. Once there, we see steam locomotives littering the rail yard – some decrepit, some quite serviceable. The 100-year old round house and turntable are still in use.

2-10-0

Drive up and go for a spin

I have been forgetting to describe all the things that we have seen from the train windows. Mostly it's dead-flat farmland with planted forests of pine and birch. I guess that's where all that Baltic plywood comes from. But there is a lot of wildlife. We have seen small herds of deer and individual deer munching crops in the farmers' fields. This trip, a deer bounded away from the train and then we have a great view of a large white-faced owl. There are also unknown raptors, including one with red shoulders. We've seen gorgeous male pheasants, and once, a rabbit.

We did learn that there is a special steam train excursion leaving at 17:20 to Stefanowo returning at 18:23, missing the train back to Poznan by a few minutes. However, we did hope to see it come into the station.

Without a map and with no tourist office at the station, we walk toward town but miss the city centre until after we find a grocery store and delicatessen for yet another meat-on-a-bun lunch. The one-street 'downtown' is quiet as almost all the stores closed at 13:00. Back at the station, we found out where the “Folk Building Heritage Park” is – just 2-3km nw of the station. It's easy to find – just follow the train tracks and to one side, there's a paved people/bike path.

Another aside: almost all bikes are on the sidewalk and like the car drivers, are invariably polite about sharing. We've heard no car horns and no bike bells in the two weeks we've been here.

Just past the lake, we see the park looking like a smaller version of Toronto's Pioneer Village dominated by a huge windmill from 1603. It's a whopping 4 zł admission ($1.35 if you've lost track) and we spend a couple of hours there. The highlight is the windmill with its huge wooden cogged wheels and huge grindstones for milling grain. I hadn't realized that the entire building can be rotated to face the wind. Either they had strong animals or a lot of serfs. There are many other buildings and we are free to wander at will ogling the tools, furniture, and farm implements. Live goats and sheep round out the exhibits. Please also see http://youtu.be/Odpqelng0Vk

Antique Drill Presses

Windmill from 1603 - the entire structure could be rotated to face the wind

The main drive wheel with vidcam for scale

More wooden gears and the governor

Back in town, we wait for the steam train to arrive, picking a perfect spot on a pedestrian bridge over the tracks. Surprise! The train came from the other direction and of course, stopped at the station. It didn't take long to walk over and have a look. The cars are from the same era with wooden seats, curved wooden ceiling, laminated wooden ceiling lamps, and a wooden toilet seat in the loo (with no water).

For a longer video in hi-res, please see http://youtu.be/IXS2E1UcSfk

Our engine taking on 25,000 litres of water

Tourist in the original carriage

Our Train

The 2-6-2 steam locomotive

Yes - It Snows Here

The engine uncouples, changes tracks, and backs up to pick up its load of 25,000 litres of water – good for 300km. Another very helpful local checks the schedule of trains back to Poznan and tells us that the train we had expected to take only ran on April 27 (note to self: learn more Polish). That means we have time to take the excursion and after a moment's hesitation, we jump on board. (You can always buy tickets on board btw). It's steep by normal PKS standards and cheap for us – 24 zł each for the one-hour out-and-back trip. It's hard to tell who was more excited, the young children or their parents.

Of course, it's loud, stinky, smoky, and I love it. However, the 23 minutes each way is enough and in retrospect, we're glad not to have taken it for the 2+ hours each way from and to Poznan. The only decent restaurant in Wolsztyn is closed so we end up at a kebab/pide/pizza place that's really busy. It was a good choice. A baguette with meat and cheese, a tortilla with kebab stuffing and frytki (french fries) and a bottle of water is 27 zł. I also have some of the wine that I bought at the grocery store earlier. This seems to be quite acceptable in places that don't serve alcohol.

And then it's back to Poznan on the 19:40 train getting in at 21:20. As we get halfway to the tram stop, the #14 arrives and leaves. It's a 20 minute wait, then a few minutes walk to the hotel. We make it 22:00 for a much needed shower.