A 260-year-old castle and the route of a narrow-gauge train that celebrated its centennial in 2015 will be the main attractions of a collaboration of the Association of Transylvanian Narrow-Gauge Trains to be unfolded at Comlod and Teaca, Bistrita-Nasaud County, September 2-4.
Called “Days of Narrow-Gauge Train at the Castle,” the event will be conducted on the Teleki Castle’s platform at Comlod; the castle was built in 1756 and is registered as a class A historic building managed by the Bistrita-Nasaud County Council.
“We will design a special place for the music; we will relax in hammocks, watch movies and get to know each other. In addition we will take our Mocanita, the narrow-gauge train driven by a diesel engine from Teaca to Comlod and back. The event was devised in order to promote the fabulous route of the Transylvanian small-gauge train, especially Teleki Castle at Comlod, a collapsing class A historic monument that needs immediate repairs,” organisers say in a press statement.
The event started on Friday after-noon with a party on the train, where about 70 passengers were able to dance for two hours, the time it took for the train to travel from Teaca to Comlod, to the tunes of DJs.
Saturday and Sunday, the train trips will continue, and those arriving at Teleki Castle at Comlod will be able to rest in hammocks set up in the shade of centuries-old oak trees, taste the gulas stew and balmos cheesy polenta and even remember the games of their childhood on a nearby soccer court.
Also Saturday, nationally and internationally acclaimed “Usturoi” (Transylvanian Garlic) directed by Lucian Alexandrescu will be screened.
At Teaca, the visitors can tour a railway museum in the marshalling office at the local train station designed by volunteers of the Transylvanian Narrow-Gauge Train Association and an Evangelical church of the village, winding down their stay with a wine tasting.
The organisers are inviting the attendees of the “Days of Narrow-Gauge Train at the Castle” to trek through the village to interact with locals to find out their stories and even stock up on winter supplies.
