The Valley Train site – Kfar Yehoshua

Near the entrance to moshav Kfar Yehoshua, on the western part of the Jezreel Valley, is a narrow road running along a line of old and impressive stone houses, lying at the heart of tall eucalyptus grove. It was here that the station of Al-Shamam operated for nearly 50 years – one of the first and impressive stations of the mythological “Valley Train”.

The railway, which was laid down in  the beginning of the 20th century by the Turks, under German supervision, connected Haifa and Daraa in Trans-Jordan, and connected from there to the route of the Hejaz railway – from Damascus via Amman to the Arabian Peninsula. The railway’s branch in Land of Israel was called the “Valley Train”.

What’s at the site: seven impressive stone buildings in Templar style, among which are a water tower, a toilet building and a water well; at the site are three freight cars – two dating from the time of the British Mandate and an authentic one from the time of construction of the Valley Train; a visitor center: in the rest orated single storey building is a spectacular display that recreates the story of Valley Train and its main stations, through a moving miniature train which is an exact replica of the Valley Train; an eight minute movie titled “The Valley Train is back”.

For the general public: guided tours of the site and its surroundings, expanding heritage circles as well as cultural events and Hebrew singing, Bar-Mitzvah parties, birthdays in the style of the site’s heritage.

For children: various activities regarding trains of all times, such as: creation workshops, table games, dramatized story hour adjusted to all ages.