Hunsrückbahn (Hermeskeil - Simmern)

The line from Hermeskeil over Morbach to Simmern was a logical connection from the railways of Trier to Hermeskeil and Langenlonsheim, Stromberg to Simmern. After many arguments about which towns the railway should connect to and where stations should be build it was opened 1903. It was of military importants in WWII. After repairs the line reopened in 1950. Passengers were now tranported with railbusses while goods transport mainly consisted of wood and NATO military transport. As with many local railroads the number passengers dwindled until passenger traffic was halted in 1976. Goods transport kept the line open until 1990, when the military left and the airbase was transformed to civil airport Hahn. From 1993 trains no longer travelled between Hermeskeil and Morbach while Morbach (- Simmern) - Stromberg) kept going for a while longer. The stretch from Stromberg to Morbach was closed for traffic in 2003 for safety reasons, mainly resulting from lack of maintenance. There are plans to put the line back into use, for wood transport and passengers from Hahn airport which have saved the railway from being transformed into a bicycle road for now.

22,23,24,25-10-2005
At breakfast in hotel Jacobs in Hermeskeil, hearing the wind and seeing the rain outside I had serious doubts about my decision to continue hiking along the old railway tracks in the Hunsrück. I had already spend the previous days (see: Ruwertalbahn) in plenty of rain and the weather forecast promised nothing but rain with periods of rain and rainshowers. While I don't mind a short rainshower, continues rain gets really annoying. It is especially evil in the morning when you have to put on the wet and cold clothes of the day before (because otherwise you will be stuck with a set of wet clothes which will never dry in your backpack).
But I'm glad I did not give up as it seems the weather gods approved of my uncharacteristic burst of perseverence and gave me mostly dry weather and even some sunshine.

For the first three kilometers the rails to Simmern run pallallel to the now bicyclepath to Trier. You can see pictures of this and station Hermeskeil in the report on the Ruwertalbahn.