The Diakopto - Kalavryta Rack ("Odontotos") Railway

The creation of the rack railway line, that is, the route connecting Diakopto to the small town of Kalavryta, is closely linked to the development of the railway network in 19th-century Greece and the need to overcome the challenging terrain of the Vouraikos Gorge. Alexandros Fotilas, a member of parliament for Kalavryta, highlighted the high cost of transporting wheat from the region to Aigio, and proposed the construction of a rack railway to traverse the steep and inaccessible landscape. The construction of the narrow-gauge railway line, just 75 centimeters wide, was undertaken by a French company in 1891 and completed five years later, being considered a triumph of engineering. The rack railway, which began operating in 1896, covers a distance of approximately 22 kilometers, passing through six tunnels and numerous bridges due to the steep terrain. Until 1959, the trains ran on steam power, after which they were replaced with French railcars. In 2009, the old blue-green trains were replaced by state-of-the-art Swiss-built trains. Today, the line primarily serves a touristic function, with many travelers choosing to cross the Vouraikos Gorge aboard this train to enjoy the area's stunning natural beauty. Additionally, a historic "museum train" is preserved for commemorative purposes, adding yet another layer of interest to the story of this remarkable railway project. Pictured: The steam-powered train "Moutzouris" that once connected Diakopto with Kalavryta, in a pre-war photograph. ©Municipal Museum of the Kalavryta Holocaust.