Steam in Serbia, October 1999

Keith Chester reports (29th October 1999):

There have been almost no changes to the steam situation due to the recent war and the reports dating from 1998 still hold true.

October 25 : "Zelvoz" Smederevo : shunting at this carriage & wagon repair works is still in the hands of a (leaky) 62-088, with 62-073 (in an even worse condition) as the standby loco. A diesel has recently been acquired but has been proved underpowered - most shunting thus remains steam.

October 26 : "Sinvoz" Zrenjanin : steam locos are still being overhauled at this repair works, currently no. 13 from Kostolac, 62-671 from Obilic and 600mm 0-6-0T DD 88/1949. Obilic is in Kosovo and the loco had arrived before the war started; it has been dismantled but no other work has been carried out on it. Whether it ever returns to Kosovo is a moot point. The repair of the two ng locos is well advanced; the DD 0-6-0T is intended for the Mokra Gora museum project.

Though not visited the situation elsewhere in Serbia is as follows:

Kostolac : the Davenport 0-8-0s continue to work into the opencast pit. No. 10 returned from Zrenjanin in January but has done little work; the frames are somewhat stiff and the loco tends to derail on the poor trackwork.

Jagodina : 62-642 returned from Zrenjanin in mid October 1999; due to a lack of both diesel and coal fuel, duties at Jagodina are shared by both steam and diesel locos working alternative trains.

Cuprija Sugar Factory : not working this season.

Cacak : 61-023 is occasionally steamed to work at any factory in Cacak which requires some shunting.

Resavica : the 120 class 0-6-0 has seen use in 1999 on regular shunting turns due to a lack of diesel fuel; if and when this will happen in the future is unpredictable.

Kolubara, Vreoci : standard gauge shunting is still in the hands of two 62s working 24 hours a day; Decauville no. 53-017 works occasionally, but is essentially in reserve.

Kolubara, Rudovci : the two Decauville 0-6-0Ts (53-018 & 29) are now both serviceable and have seen some use during 1999 in the opencast pit at Ceroviti Potok; both are also basically in reserve.

Lucani : this armaments factory was hit during the war & is currently not working; it is anticipated the 0-6-0F will however be returned to service.

Loznica : 0-6-0F no. 53-47 working and 53-46 OOU waiting to go to Zrenjanin.

Preservation : All the active JZ museum locos survived the war unscathed; 2-6-2 no. 01-088 is currently working special trains from Belgrade three days a week(!! - is Belgrade the steamiest capital in the world??)

The Mokra Gora project is proceeding at full speed. Professional track laying was due to begin on 25 October and it is hoped to complete three km going down the hill from Sargan station before the winter begins; a considerable amount of track material is stored at Sargan. The DD 0-6-0T at Zrenjanin will shortly be complete and removed to Mokra Gora to work on a 600mm forestry line to be laid on the trackbed of a former horse worked forestry railway which operated very close to the JZ 760mm line. An 83 from Visegrad and CKD 0-6-0T no. 25-27 will both shortly go to Zrenjanin for overhaul for this project; the 0-6-0T should be used on reconstruction trains - ironically just over a decade ago it worked the lifting trains!