d. From Metz to Coblenz by Neunkirchen, Creuznach
and Bingen.
Railway to Bingen in 6½, to Coblenz in 8 hrs.; fares to Bingen
22 fr. 60, 15 fr. 95, 16 fr. 85 c.; from Bingen to Coblenz 50, 37½, 22 Sgr.
Scenery and construction of railway very interesting between Neunkirchen
and Bingerbrück.
From Metz to Neunkirchen see p. 267. Hence by the
Rhein-Nahe line to Ottweiler, St. Wendel and Wallhausen, the
culminating point (1200 ft.) between the Moselle and the Rhine.
Then Birkenfeld (Medicus) capital of a small isolated territory
belonging to Oldenburg. Next stat. Heimbach and Kronweiler,
beyond which the construction of the line is less remarkable.
Oberstein (*Heindl, on the r. bank; Scriba, on the l. bank),
the most picturesque point of the Nahe Valley, with its church
curiously inserted in the face of a cliff, is noted for its agates,
in polishing which most of the inhabitants are occupied. The
stones themselves are now largely imported from America. Next
stat. Fischbach and Kirn (Post) with the ruin of Kyrburg. To
the l. a valley opens, in which the imposing ruins of the castle
of Dhaun are situated.
Then Monzingen, Sobernheim and Staudernheim (*Salmen).
To the r. rises the Dissibodenberg, with the ruins of an abbey
founded as early as 500 and deserted in 1560. Above Waldböckelheim
rises the ruin of Böckelheim. The next important
station is
Creuznach (Palatinate Hotel; Eagle), with 11,000 inhab.,
noted for its saline baths (6000 patients annually). The environs
abound in beautiful walks (Münster am Stein, Rheingrafenstein,
Ebernburg, Gans, Rothenfels).
At Bingerbrück the line unites with the Rhenish Railway.
Bingen (Hôtel Victoria; White Horse; *Bellevue), a Hessian
town with 6000 inhab., lies opposite Bingerbrück, on the r. bank
of the Nahe, at a considerable distance from the terminus of the
Nahe line, and is not entered by passengers proceeding down
the Rhine.
Then stat. Bacharach, Oberwesel, Boppard, St. Goar, Capellen
(Stolzenfels) and Coblenz, all interesting points (comp. Baedeker's
Rhine).
