2nd - 6th July 2005

Along Different Lines
Slovak Steel Rails

Locos Used MAV: V43 1346 & V43 1370
ZSR: 163 060-7, 362 009-3, 362 014-3, 363 101-7, T679 1168 & TEVD 22
Childrens Railway: steam U36 003
DMU's Used ZSR: 812 015-6, 812 026-3, 820 086-7, 905 952-8, M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145
EMU Used ZSR: 460 039-1
Trams Used DPMK: 523, 536, 606 & ZSR: TEVD 22

Route:

Date Traction Route
02/07 V43 1346 (1) 15.00d Budapest Keleti - Hidasnemeti
02/07 362 009-3 (1) Hidasnemeti - Kosice
03/07 T679 1168 08.10d Kosice - Margecany (2)
03/07 T679 1168 09.15d Margecany - Cervena Skala (3)
03/07 TEVD 22 Poprad Tatry - Strbske Pleso
03/07 905 952-8 (4) 17.53d Strbske Pleso - Strba
03/07 362 014-3 (4) 18.18d Strba - Kosice
04/07 U36 003 09.40d Cermel - Pioneer
04/07 U36 003 10.30d Pioneer - Cermel
04/07 163 060-7 (4) (5) 14.09d Kosice - Presov
04/07 812 015-6 Presov - Presov Depot (2)
04/07 460 039-1 (4) 16.43d Presov - Kosice
04/07 DPMK 523 (6) Zeleznicna Stanica - Moldavska Cesta
04/07 DPMK 606 (7) Moldavska Cesta - Vstupay Areal US Steel
04/07 DPMK 606 (6) Vstupay Areal US Steel - Nam Oslaboditelov
05/07 812 026-3 08.30d Kosice - Haniska pri Kosiciach
05/07 820 086-7 Haniska pri Kosiciach (8) - Haniska pri Kosiciach Depot
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 09.45d Haniska pri Kosiciach Depot - Haniska pri Kosiciach SRT
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 Haniska pri Kosiciach SRT - US Steel Kosice (9) 10.35d - 1km west of Hutniky station
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 1km west of Hutniky station - Haniska pri Kosiciach SRT
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 Haniska pri Kosiciach SRT - Matovce SRT Depot (2)
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 Matovce SRT Depot - Matovce ST1 signal box (10)
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 Matovce ST1 signal box - Matovce SRT
05/07 M13/1/25 + CLm5-2145 15.20d Matovce SRT - Haniska pri Kosiciach Depot (2) (11)
06/07 DPMK 536 Nam Oslaboditelov - Zeleznicna Stanica
06/07 363 101-7 (1) 07.55d Kosice - Hidasnemeti
06/07 V43 1370 (1) Hidasnemeti - Budapest Keleti

Notes :
(1) Hungarian royal coaches attached to service train.
(2) For depot visit.
(3) For bus to Poprad Tatry depot.
(4) Service train.
(5) Depot visit made at Kosice before departing.
(6) Service tram.
(7) Chris Totty comments: There are various tram routes from Kosice to US Steel; we went on route R1. When we got to the works, the tram laid over there for about 20 minutes. There were notices both in English and Slovak forbidding any photography, which was interesting as the terminus was next to a public road, so we asked the driver if he would take us round the turning circle. He was very reluctant at first but when we pointed out that we would all be waiting for his return journey, and all armed with cameras, videos, etc. he changed his mind but kept the doors closed whilst we waited the 20 minutes on the turning circle.
(8) From level crossing just south of station.
(9) Opposite Hutniky station. Chris Totty comments: The highlight of the tour - we chartered a motor car and trailer on the broad (Russian) gauge line from the steel works to the Ukraine border. You will see from the timings sheet that we had fun with the US steel officials as to where we could and couldn't go and what we could photograph and what we couldn't photograph. Apparently the tour had been all the way up to the main board meeting of US Steel in Chicago as they thought we were trying to steal their manufacturing secrets. Considering that there is a public station, Hutniky, right in the middle of the works what was the problem? Then off towards Ukraine on the broad gauge freight only line which brings in the raw materials to the US Steel works. The Ukraine authorities had tried to insist that we didn't get closer than 2.5 kilometres to the border. In the end a few of us went on the railcar right up to the bridge over the river (not named in my atlas) which forms the border between the two countries. This was done in order to run round the trailer car. The km posts were gradually getting down towards zero but at the bridge the one there still said 1.4 km. I believe this is so that one railway, the ZSR, has full maintenance rights over the bridge. Anyone following this line in the Ball atlas should be aware that it is shown in the wrong position. Ball shows it correctly as far as Planec then has it going via Slovenske Nove Mesto and Cierna nad Tisou to Chop. It actually goes via Trebisov, where it runs through the station and has its own platform, and onto Matove which is the Slovak border town. It then goes over the border, parallel to the standard gauge line, to Uzhgorod in Ukraine.
(10) 'Box situated on bank of river forming border between Slovakia and Ukraine. ZSR maintain line for another 1.4 km to cover the bridge.
(11) Train went into depot.

Source : Chris Totty

Service Train/Tram Details

Date Time From - to Comments
02/07 15.00d Budapest Keleti - Kosice service train
03/07 17.53d Strbske Pleso - Strba service train
03/07 18.18d Strba - Kosice service train
04/07 16.43d Presov - Kosice service train
04/07 route 5 Zelenicna Stanica - Moldavska Cesta Kosice tram system - service tram
04/07 route R1 Moldavska Cesta - Vstupay Areal US Steel Kosice tram system, service tram. Via turning circle - no photographs allowed!
04/07 route R1 Vstupay Areal US Steel - Nam Oslaboditelov Kosice tram system - service tram
06/07 route R1 Nam Oslaboditelov - Zeleznicna Stanica Kosice tram system - service tram
06/07 07.55d Kosice - Budapest keleti service train


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