of 2018, the Dutch and Belgian authorities remain discussing the route the Iron Rhine would take. However on 11 May 2007, and again in 2013-2014, the Walloon Region opposed the project for fear of seeing employment go down in case of reduced traffic on the Montzenroute. Then end 2014 an alternative route has been proposed, using the existing lines Roermond – Venlo and Venlo – Mönchengladbach, which are in regular use, rather than clearing the historical route from its overgrown vegetation and protecting by tunnels and/or soundscreens the part of it crossing the Meinweg National Park. This alternative route would have the same advantages as the historical one but at half the cost. The need for the train to change direction in Roermond and again in Venlo could be solved easily, e.g. by temporarily adding an additional locomotive at its former "tail" end, to pull it on that part of the line. References Literature External links Project IJzeren Rijn (in Dutch) Iron Rhine Arbitration Railway lines in Belgium Railway lines in the Netherlands Railway lines in Limburg (Netherlands) Railway lines in North Rhine-Westphalia Railway lines opened in 1879 Transport in Roermond Transport in Weert