European Railroad Discussion > Sidetrip to Slovenia

Back in early June 2024 I took a sidetrip from Milan for a brief 3-day look at the railways in Slovenia, and in particular the very scenic mountain railway between Koper and Divača.  As 86235 has prevously reported, SZ is building a new line which will bypass most of the current scenic route, though the current route may still be retained as a secondary line.  This line was opened in 1967 to connect the port at Koper to the Yugoslav Railways network.  Today it continues to be the preferred port connection for much of Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, reflecting the shared Austro-Hungarian Empire traditions and history. 

1)  Starting out on the western end of the line at Dekani, near the port of Koper.  Here's an eastbound intermodal behind an SZ Taurus rolling through the orchards. 
2)  Moving east to Cepki - here's an eastbound intermodal behind one of SZ's Class 363 "Nez Cassé" (Broken Nose) locomotives.   For my money, these are the coolest locos on the railroad.   These were built in 1975 by Alsthom in France, and the original class was 40 locomotives.  I think 39 are left running today.
3)  Moving into the more mountainous portion of the line, here's a westbound hopper train behind an SZ Vectron coming downgrade past Zanigrad, though I'm standing across the valley in Dol pri Hrastovljah to shoot the photo. 


 



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/24 10:23 by dwatry.

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4)  And here's that same train popping out of the tunnel at Dol pri Hrastovljah, after the line has made a large horseshoe curve around the end of the valley.
5)  Another Class 363 coming upgrade at Dol pri Hrastovljah, this time on a tank train.
6)  The tank train stopped at the red signal to wait for some westbound traffic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/24 17:42 by dwatry.

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7)  A Metrans loco on an eastbound hopper train grinds upgrade past the Cerkev sv Trojice in Hrastovlje. 
8)  Another Class 363 on an eastbound intermodal crosses the large fill viaduct at Dol pri Hrastvljah.  Photo taken from Hrastovlje.
9)  Same train after it has flipped around 180 degrees on the horseshoe at Dol pri Hrastvljah, and is now heading upgrade toward Zanigrad, with the Cerkev sv Trojice in Hrastovlje in the foreground.  The Cerkev sv Trojice is either from the 12th or the 15th Century, depending on which origin story you believe, and there are amazing frescoes inside of the "Dance of Death".  It was built by the Venetian Empire to resist Turkish invasions.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/24 17:43 by dwatry.

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10)  Three helpers dropping downgrade across the fill viaduct at Dol pri Hrastovljah. 
11)  Eastbound intermodal heading upgrade behind a Class 363 approaching Hrastovlje. 
12)  SZ Taurus helper pushing on the rear of the intermodal.
 

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13)  Class 363 dropping downgrade westbound with a train of export autos at Zanigrad.
14)  SZ Stadler Flirt EMUs on a Ljubljana to Koper train at Zanigrad.
15)  First of a fleet of westbounds at the west end of the siding at Črnotiče with a Class 363 on a tank train.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/24 17:52 by dwatry.

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16)  Second train in the fleet - another Class 363 on an intermodal. 
17)  And then a Taurus on a westbound intermodal. 
18)  The prime photo spot on the alignment is the "ledge" at Črnotiče, where you can watch trains grind upgrade toward you for about a half hour before they actually get to you.    This location is best for afternoon shots.   Power for this empty hopper train was two Vectrons - ÖBB and Metrans.   You'll meet lots of international railfans at this location.  When I was there on this day there was a Dutch guy, a Swiss guy, a Czech couple with a very lavish picnic, a Slovenian guy on a bike, and me (American).    The railfan lingua franca here is, of course, English.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/24 17:47 by dwatry.

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19)  Another eastbound hopper train at Črnotiče behind an SZ Taurus.
20)  East of Črnotiče the landscape flattens out.  Here's a Class 363 on an intermodal heading east.
21)  Same location with a Class 363 on a westbound intermodal. 
 

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22)  Here's the new line under construction.  The upper bridge is the motorway, but the lower bridge is the new rail alignment. 
23)  If you get hungry while railfanning in this area - I can recommend Viki Burger in Črni Kal.
24)  Moving further east, here's a Class 363 on an eastbound intermodal at Divača, which is the junction with the line from Trieste, Italy.    This train is an eastbound from Koper.

 

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25)  Eastbound train EC135 at Divača, which is a Trieste to Vienna train.  Power is one of the former Yugoslav Railways Class 342s, with a rake of 3 ÖBB coaches. 
26)  Further east - a grain train at Postojna behind double-headed Tauruses. 
27)  Another Class 342 at Postojna on the westbound EC134, a Vienna to Trieste train.  As with it's counterpart, all ÖBB coaches.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/24 17:49 by dwatry.

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28) And the furthest east I got was this level crossing in Ivanje Selo.  This train surprised me - it was running late so I thought I had missed it and so was not well set up for it.  It's the EC483 from Ljubljana to Rijeka, Croatia, behind another Class 342. 
29)  Class 312 Siemens EMUs on a Ljubljana to Koper train. 
30)  And SZ sent a parade of 6 eastbound grain trains all running right on each other's red blocks.  Here's a sample of one - an Adria Transport Vectron with a very colorful consist of all brand new GATX yellow hoppers.  

A very fun place to watch trains!
 

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Thanks for posting all of these!  They are absolutely amazing!  This isn't a land that I'll probably ever get to see (never say never!), so your pics are my visual way to connect with it.  What a fairy tale place to visit and to make train pics!

Jerry
ATSF5669

That is one heck of a side trip. I saw exactly one Slovenian freight come up into Austria on the Tauern tunnel line but I was packed up waiting for my next train and could not get the camera out fast enough. Two electrics on a container train if I remember correctly. Speaking of bypassing scenic lines, Austria is hard at work tunneling to bypass both the Brenner (south from Innsbruck) and Semmering (south from Vienna) passes so get there in the next few years to enjoy the freight action.

Excellent Duncan, you've inspired me to start planning a return, 2025 will probably be the last full year before the new line opens.

A wonderful post and an amazing piece of railroad.  I get a little bored by picture after picture of passenger trains around the continent, your thread really looks like railroading done right: commodities, containers, and passengers.
IIRC a friend put me on to a You Tube video of a cab ride there.

Great post.  Thanks!

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ