Assessing the Value of Railway Heritage for Sustainable Development: The Case Study of the Oraviţa–Anina Railway, Romania (original) (raw)
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HoST - Journal of History of Science and Technology, 2020
The wide railway universe, with its particular and peculiar characteristics, requires the implementation of criteria to improve the identification and conservation of cultural goods. Recently concepts of authenticity, integrity and cultural significance have been identified as fundamental in the selection of the cultural heritage of humanity. Although we find these concepts being analyzed in theory as independents, through a theoretical-methodological reflection, this PhD research argues that, in practice, they are interconnected, and therefore should be approached together. Following the contemporary theory of conservation, my doctoral research aims at contributing to the conservation of railways’ heritage using this new approach, by proposing new indicators as assessment tools so that conservation institutions will be able to identify railway goods as cultural heritage. The research uses the Railway Complex of Barreiro, in Portugal, as a case study.
The value of railway heritage for community development
WIT Transactions on The Built Environment, 2013
The progressive modernization of the railway infrastructure has caused many lines (both active and disused) to progressively leave apart a series of railway buildings (some of them, architectural and civil engineering elements of great value), with their use already obsolete or without the main function which they were intended for. The high cost of maintenance leads them to a progressive state of margination, neglect and decay. This paper discusses various elements of the railway heritage, particularly the stations and their auxiliary buildings, their context and the way to put them in value, according to the needs of the society and the territory in which they are set. The railway heritage represents potentially an added value that can be assumed, correctly managed, be the drive shaft of a new function that ensures the future of the stations and serve as the main driving force and enhancer for the active development of a community or territory. For this, the analysis of the territorial strategy, the new energetic and social model and the existing potential in the closer areas will play a key role in achieving, through a new strategic role demanded by society, a self-management of architectural (constructed) railway heritage.
The Regional Impact of Heritage Railways
Ersa Conference Papers, 2005
Acknowledging the significance of heritage railways as key local attractions contributing to sustainable tourism, the paper presents an 'in-progress-exercise' aiming to arrive at some quantifiable measure of their impact on regional development.
Synergies between tourism-oriented railway development and cultural heritage in the Peloponnese
ECTP-CEU Young Planners workshop, 2020
Peloponnese synthesizes a unique spatial entity of landscapes of exceptional natural beauty, significant archaeological and historical sites, monuments, outstanding cultural events for all kinds of tourists and travellers. In addition to this, the railway network in the Peloponnese had been considered a key driver of economic and spatial development of the peninsula since 19th century. However, due to the socioeconomic crisis in Greece, most of the network was closed down in 2011. Hence, the concept of tourism-oriented railway development delineates the twofold role of railway; first as a driver to develop new models of sustainable tourism and to explore the existing cultural heritage, and second, as part of the cultural heritage of the Peloponnese. Since such a multi-functional concept involves a great number of actors and social groups, the attainment of synergies between railway, tourism and cultural heritage highly depends on decision-making. The Albula/ Bernina Railway Lines in Switzerland is seen as a valuable example of synergies among sustainable tourism, cultural heritage and key actors from which the lessons for the Greek context can be learnt. After an introductory section, a brief overview on the spatial conditions of the Peloponnese identifies those potential tourism and cultural enclaves. Observed through the lens of informal planning as supplement to formal planning processes, the paper finally highlights the required synergies for enhancing cultural heritage experience, improving future dynamic alliances among key-stakeholders and promoting sustainable regional development.
ICC20CH, International Conference on Conservation of 20th Century Heritage from Architecture to Landscape. DOCOMOMO, Tehran, Iran., 2019
During the years, the concept of value had been directly related to changes in biological and social structures. The concept of cultural heritage values has evolved through understanding the modern era and the conflict between the industrial revolution values and historical values and also society development. The construction of railways, is one of the symbols of technology and modernity in various societies and known as a tool for expanding and transferring the goods, man and their ideas which has reminded of a wide range of legacies for future generations. Recognizing and analyzing the values of the railway heritage requires a precise examination in evolution of the concept of values, which is explained by an integrated and comprehensive understanding of its cultural dignity. Due to the variety of works and concepts in railway heritage field, the concept of this type of heritage for a better understanding of the boundaries of cultural dignity is a little difficult. According to previous studies in the field of world heritage, industrial heritage and railways, this paper tries to recognize and explain the conceptual framework for railway heritage and present a practical and comprehensive guide for expressing the different aspects of railway values. Trans-Iranian Railway which is registered as the UNESCO World Heritage's tentative list, contains outstanding universal values not only as a communication path, but also as a significant part from memory of a committed engineering and a masterpiece of construction. Trans-Iranian Railway is the name of the first modern Iranian railway of Iran which connects northern part of the country to the south. This railway was operated in 1937. Therefore, this paper examines the concept of the Railway World Heritage and its related concepts through trans-Iranian railway as a case study.
Railway and Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review
Tourism and Hospitality, 2022
From the second half of the 20th century, numerous railways, especially in industrial and mining areas, were abandoned for economic reasons. The activism of the “railfans”, who are fond of trains, has made it possible to set up voluntary associations that have been the lifeblood of the beginning of projects for the recovery of the historic railway heritage and the promotion of it in a touristic sense. This topic is worthy of attention, and during recent years it has been the focus of several research papers. A systematic literature review was performed using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes) methodology. This tool is a minimal set of evidence-based elements aimed at helping authors to carry out a systematic literature review. This systematic literature review sought to consolidate knowledge on the subject. The research team formulated three research questions related to the dynamics of railway heritage recovery, the dynamics of railway t...
The progressive modernization of the railway infrastructure has caused many lines (both active and disused) to progressively leave apart a series of railway buildings (some of them, architectural and civil engineering elements of great value), with their use already obsolete or without the main function which they were intended for. The high cost of maintenance leads them to a progressive state of margination, neglect and decay. This paper discusses various elements of the railway heritage, particularly the stations and their auxiliary buildings, their context and the way to put them in value, according to the needs of the society and the territory in which they are set. The railway heritage represents potentially an added value that can be assumed, correctly managed, be the drive shaft of a new function that ensures the future of the stations and serve as the main driving force and enhancer for the active development of a community or territory. For this, the analysis of the territorial strategy, the new energetic and social model and the existing potential in the closer areas will play a key role in achieving, through a new strategic role demanded by society, a self-management of architectural (constructed) railway heritage.
Industrial railway heritage trains: the evolution of a heritage tourism genre and its attributes
Heritage tourism forms a specific genre within the wider field of tourism; however, this genre itself encompasses a wide range of different types of heritage attractions, of which industrial attractions, military attractions, stately homes and attractions associated with historic people are all examples. This paper discusses the evolution of industrial railway heritage attractions from their original railway operations to visitor attractions; second, it examines the key attributes defining successful industrial railway heritage attractions; and third, it compares and contrasts these attributes for three industrial railway heritage attractions, spanning three separate locations and two countries (Australia and Malaysia). The findings from the study identify and support ranges of success factors and suggest a framework for examining the genre of industrial railway heritage attractions and their attributes. This framework can direct future studies that investigate the nature of industrial railway heritage trains, and contribute to enriching understanding and knowledge of this genre of attractions.
Chemical Engineering Transactions, vol. 107. 37-42. p., 2023
Nowadays, sustainability is a term that has been analysed many times in public life, among the technical and social sciences alike, examined from several sides, but at least often voiced. In the study, in relation to the sustainability of a healthy human life, it is examined how railways and their historic preservation contribute to this. As the basis of the research, it was chosen the only standard-gauge railway line in Hungary that is under monument protection railway line No. 11 between Győr and Veszprém. The research is based on the methodology of historical-architectural research: starting from the history of the railway, it explores its architectural and historical values, discusses the creation and importance of protection, and then tries to draw conclusions about the role of the railway line in sustainability by analysing social phenomena, and finally makes proposals for the role of sustainability regarding its increase. The novelty of the study is that it connects the ways of thinking of specialised fields that previously existed side by side. The purpose of monument protection is the preservation of values, which, according to the 20-th-century way of thinking, primarily serves cultural purposes. The monument protection of some parts of the analysed railway line clearly contributed to the preservation of the infrastructure. As an environmentally friendly and sustainable means of transport, the railway plays a prominent role in the healthy preservation of natural areas. This is proven by the history of the examined railway line.
IJHSD- International Journal of Heritage and Sustainable Development, 2015
Recent times have seen the concept of heritage expanding to include a range of buildings and objects, among them the relatively young and seemingly ordinary buildings relating to Railway heritage. This paper will present the case of the Israel Railways Corporation (ISR), which in recent years had repeatedly faced outbursts of public protest over demolitions of historic railway buildings, resulting in delays in the planning and execution of projects, as well as a compromised public image. In response, in 2012 the ISR initiated an inventory of the railway system, from the late 19 th century Jaffa-Jerusalem Line to the shore line of the mid 1950's, identifying, characterizing and prioritizing their historic stock, assessing the impact of future development, and developing a comprehensive heritage management plan. In the rapidly transforming environment of the 21 st century, ever-increasing public demands to protect seemingly unremarkable built objects and landscapes whose values are not immediately evident cannot easily be justified. Moreover, due to the scale and distance between the various fragments, railway heritage is rarely treated as the linear and serial entity which it is, a misconception which leads to the formation of localized legislative protection focused on single sites or buildings. The broader social and cultural contexts are lost; giving rise to doubts about the significance of these fragments, the legitimacy of the costs invested in their maintenance, and the limitations their conservation imposes on development. The paper argues the case for a holistic values-led conservation policy which protects the attributes which best manifest the values of the historic railway, while allowing for the calculated removal of less valuable components.