The Čierny Hron Railway (in Slovak: Čiernohronská železnica or ČHŽ) is a narrow gauge railway in the Slovak Ore Mountains, built as a forest railway for logging operations.
History
Planning for the railway began in 1898 and building began in 1908. In 1909 regular wood transport on the railway started, between Čierny Balog and Hronec. The network was extended to transport wood from the forests and by the middle of the 20th century the railway had a total length of 131,97 km, the most extensive forestry railway network in Czechoslovakia.
On 19 July 1927, passenger traffic was permitted on the railway between Čierny Balog and Hronec, which operated until 1962.
The railway was closed in 1982, but it has been granted national heritage status since. During the following few years it was repaired by enthusiasts and re-opened in 1992 as a heritage railway for tourists. The line is now long: Chvatimech - Hronec - Čierny Balog - Vydrovo.
The line is believed to be the only railway in the world to pass through the middle of a football stadium, the tracks running along the front of a grandstand at the Tatran Čierny Balog stadium belonging to the TJ Tatran Čierny Balog club.
The management is seeking to restore the line as a working means of transportation through the resumption of commercial timber haulage and commuter service. For this reason, they acquired the secondhand 750mm-gauge interurban cars from the Waldenburgerbahn in Switzerland upon its regauging in 2021; test runs with diesel generators have been conducted with scheduled passenger service planned once the line is electrified.
Motive Power Identity Works Number Type Gauge Builder Year built Previous Operator Status Notes Image BNE 50 Č Stavostroj Rodotínská BNE 50 F Stavostroj Rodotínská BNE 50 Z Stavostroj Rodotínská BN 30 Azor DDB 75 Deutz DDB 120 Deutz Bn60H 900 PETKA 4wDM DH120 Poldi TU24.001 Stavostroj Rodotínská BN 50 SČM 436 005 4wDE Stavostroj Rodotínská TU24 901LIENKA 4wDM Škoda Works Operational 0-4-0DM ČKD Plinthed ČHLD 2Joy 1679 0-6-0WT Budapest 1909 Not the original ČHLD 2 PLD 2 4280 0-8-0T MÁVAG Budapest 1916 Operational U45.903 3 625 0-6-0T Smoschewer 1918 M21 004 54125 Railcar Ringhoffer 1939 Operational ČHLD 6 5277 0-8-0T MÁVAG Budapest 1942 U46.901 3 2209 0-6-0T ČKD 1948 Železene Podbresna ČHLD 5 2611 0-6-0T ČKD 1948 U35.902 1 2609 ČKD 1948 U35.901 ČHLD 7 2610 0-6-0T ČKD 1948 Plinthed at Vydrovo U35.903 3611 0-6-0T ČKD 1957 Železene Podbresna Plinthed 764.407 604 0-8-0T Reghin 1958 Rebuilt at Kolin 2014 024 B-B DH Rába 1961 TU 45.003 025 B-B DH Rába 1961 TU 45.002 (green) 027 B-B DH Rába 1961 Operational TU 45.001 (Red/White) TU 48.001 21583 1972 Lxd2.302 Bn60H 0-4-0DH TSM 1970s Keramica Soukup S.R. (Unnumbered) 3853 0-4-0DM ČKD 1956 Plinthed at Chvatimech
See also The Historical Logging Switchback Railway in Vychylovka List of transport museums in Slovakia List of museums in Slovakia
References
External links
Official site Čierny Hron Forest Railway ČHŽ Railway Map Photo collection of heritage railway operations on the ČHŽ bahnbilder.de