Leaderboard

Hvala, ali nismo još tamo... bit ćemo uskoro Videos for this part: July 2008: https://youtu.be/qbJPmZDRwjo?t=350 April 2008: https://youtu.be/MaCHkIpAZOo?t=83 July 2006: https://youtu.be/ymd3I-46_-U?t=52 April 23 2008 My usual accommodation at Varaždin was Sobe Jurinjak. Nothing fancy, but the rooms look out onto the rail yard. 2043-005 switched its InterCity train. May 2 2019 Last year, I stayed overnight in the same corner of the city - only a little further from the tracks - at restaurant B&B Garestin. On this cool morning I strolled outside before the break of dawn and was surprised by 2044-028 hauling Pu 3090 Konjščina - Kotoriba. 7122-002 in new HŽPP livery departed as Pu 3500 to Golubovec at 5:27 a.m. B 991 towards Zagreb consisted of a "Macosa" up to Zabok, due to construction work on the further line to Zaprešić only DMUs operated these services. Time exposure from April 23 2008. If you compare images from May 2 2019, you notice solar panels added to the semaphore signals. No more InterCity but brzi vlak (= express train): B 771 departed at 5:31 via Koprivnica to Zagreb. Hauled by express engine 2044-017 - you will see soon, why I call it that... I returned to the spot later in warming sunlight as Pu 3503 arrived punctually at 6:42 a.m. from Golubovec. Same time of day on April 24 2008. Departure of Pu 3502 to Golubovec on May 2 2019. Walking through the historic city center. Back on July 24 2006. Switcher 2132-003 (ex JŽ 732-105, Đuro Đaković #803 / built in 1969) on April 23 2008. View towards the engine shed including omnipresent 2044-004. An original GM in InterCity service: 2043-005 approached with IC 590 from Zagreb via Koprivnica at 6:12 p.m. Pu 3515 from Golubovec arrived. To the Croatian Highlands! 2044-007 pulling Pu 3007 Kotoriba - Zagreb took us to Podrute on July 24 2006 in the morning. The station is actually located a few yards further, but the train briefly stopped at a grade crossing and we mistakenly jumped out - oh well, so we got this additional picture for it. First regional rail express of the day: B 791 Kotoriba - Zagreb passed by without stopping. View from the grade crossing in the photo before: Pu 3019 Kotoriba - Zabok/Zagreb on May 2 2019. An elderly lady worked in the garden of the house. Voilà: B 205 "Maestral" Zagreb - Budapest including Ukrainian through car to Kiev at the rear on July 24 2006 hauled by - 2044-017, of course. Second behind the loco was a MÁV sleeping car from Split. Church Kraljice Mira ("of the Queen of Peace"). Nowadays with large concrete structure supporting the cut and Pu 3012 Zagreb/Zabok - Varaždin. Tractors can always be encountered in this region. B/W featuring 2044-006 from the year 2-006. Classic vehicle in front of a classic restroom - out of order but with new roof. Overgrown view at Podrute halt featuring Pu 3004 from Zagreb. The view onto the tracks was less obstructed on May 2 2019, but the vehicles in worse condition, only 7122-001 clear of graffiti. Pu 3014 Zagreb/Zabok - Varaždin departed Podrute punctually despite of rail replacement service at 6:52 p.m. The following putnički vlak took me back to the city. The morning excursion on April 24 2008 started at Mađarevo (Hungarian "Magyarlaka"), we follow the stations from Podrute back towards Varaždin. B 791 to Zagreb came by first. B 205 "Maestral" Zagreb - Budapest, of course hauled by 2044-017. However, shorter outside the summer season, but at least featuring a colorful mix... I urgently awaited the following Macosa due to a toilet situation, but it all went well to Sveti Ilja. Novi Marof, the next larger station. 7023-001 also operated on the "mountain line" in May 2019, more of these Končar-built DMUs followed soon. A maintenance facility for the new trains has been erected at Varaždin. I arrived at Krušljevec in the afternoon of warm summer day July 2 2008. Commuter trains from the capital towards Varaždin dieseled by with a lot of bass, see video. First, ubrzani vlak ("accelerated" = semi-fast train) 992. Then, B 790 passed by the rural life. "I am also a little mad". Sunbathing or driving an engine? - Both possible! I boarded Pu 3010. Next spot before noon on April 24 2008: Sveti Ilja church behind Pu 3011 to Zagreb. Clash of (former) local products on May 2 2019 with Pu 3006 Zagreb/Zabok - Varaždin. One of the regionally typical corn-drying-racks on the bottom left. Time to examine a tractor close-up: A foundry founded in Belgrade in 1947 became company ITM in 1954 (Industrija Traktora i Mašina), renamed to IMT (Industrija Mašina i Traktora) in 1965. IMT 533 (deluxe, please) are license built Massey Ferguson 35 produced 1959-88. The well-known photo-S-curve was quite grown over with trees, also it featured a 20 kph speed limit. Pu 3013 towards Zagreb. Deutz tractor in action on April 24 2008. Comparison of the same spot from May 2 2019 with Pu 3015. I only stayed shortly at the vineyard for Pu 3010 from Zagreb as poison was just being sprayed. Sveti Ilja halt to the left in the background. Arrived at the halt for the evening session on July 2 2008. Ub 995 to Zagreb dieseled up the grade without stopping, the vineyard from the picture before in the background. During the following train gap, I wandered down the line to the straight towards Turčin. Exactly in the curve before reaching it, 2062-014 thundered past hauling freight. Another freight caught me at Sveti Ilja in April 2008, of course when I was already waiting at the station. I barely could react and pull out the video camera as 2043-002 came up the grade: https://youtu.be/MaCHkIpAZOo?t=524 I chose the contre-jour view for the evening, Pu 3019 to Zagreb passed by at 7:15 p.m. Lacking train traffic: a track-biker. My reason to come here: B 204 "Maestral" Budapest - Zagreb could be captured during daylight only around the summer solstice, conveying a MÁV sleeping car to Split. The same morning I had arrived with such from Perković at Varaždin - including sleep in a single compartment until 9 a.m., a luxury on photo tours. You can hardly travel in more style. As nice conclusion of the day, 2044-007 hauling Pu 3014 took me back to the accommodation at Varaždin.

Zdravo! Serija do sada: Regional Rail Express - 1: Vindobona I (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 2: Vindobona II (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 3: Vindobona III (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 4: Vindobona IV (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 5: Vindobona V/Zagreb I (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 6: Zagreb II (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 7: Zagreb III (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 8: Debrecen (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 9: Valea lui Mihai (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 10: Jibou (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 11: Buşteni (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 12: Braşov (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 13: Medgidia - Eforie (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 14: Suceava (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 15: Adria, Istria I, Bosnia & Herzegovina (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 16: Transsylvania I (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 17: Transalpin (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 18: Voralpen-Express I (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 19: Voralpen-Express II (50 p.) Regional Rail Express - 20: Voralpen-Express III (50 p.) Južno od Alpa 2019 The video for this part: https://youtu.be/ScW83dutdjc May 1 2019 I took InterCity 18 from Ljubljana at noon, consisting of a Desiro EMU. On the way, several track rebuilding projects delayed the train but the connection at Pragersko waited. I arrived by LP 3858 at Ormož before four o'clock and was welcomed by a gorgeous "Green Train"... 711-003 & -004 (constructed by WMD Donauwörth in 1970, a modified DB 624 / reconstructed by MBB Donauwörth in 1978 with Mercedes Benz OM 404 engine as "Green Train", another nickname: "Mercedes") took me as LP 3836 at 4:49 p.m. to Obrež - one stop before Slovenian border station Središče. The first roundtrip of the afternoon terminated at Središče, so I ate my snack next to a rape field and waited for LP 3835 Središče - Ormož. The DMU approached at 6:05 p.m. as cross-border MO 7806 Ormož - Čakovec to Croatia. Luxurious interior of the "Mercedes" - it even features a conference room with executive chair, now used by the conductor. My first visit at Središče ob Dravi dates to August 18 2004. Back then, Fiat-built railcar 813-131 (reconstructed from 813-025) returned to Ormož at 10:18 a.m. Semaphore signals still standing on April 23 2008. In the process of being replaced by light signals on June 20 2009. On PTG Tours charter "Slovenian Španka" hauled by SŽ 644-005 (GM-EMD type G22U constructed in license by Material y Construcciones S.A. (MACOSA) #1438 / built in 1973 / "Španka" = "Spanish Woman" after the location of the builder). Arrival at Čakovec on May 1 2019. Čakovec looked like this on hot summer day August 18 2004 at noon. On a spontaneous visit, I did not have a photo permit back then - so a more covert operation. Original GM HŽ 2043-002 (ex JŽ 661-021, GM-EMD G16, GM #26214 / built in 1960, rebuilt as 646-002 by TŽV Gredelj in 1990). More about the class: https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/HŽ_serija_2043 The signalman had spotted me, but it did not matter. 2044-005 (ex JŽ 645-008, constructed in license of GM-EMD type GT22HW-2 by Đuro Đaković #1132 / built in 1981, nicknamed "Mala Karavela" = "Small Caravelle", class 2063 (EMD GT26CW-2) are "Large Caravelles", another nickname for GMs in general is onomatopoeic "James"/"Džems") departed towards Kotoriba. Nowadays, 2044-005 as well as -003 belong to Finnish company Skinest Rail and haul freight trains in Croatia for PPD Transport: https://railcolornews.com/2016/09/09/hr-ppd-transport-is-testing-their-new-mainline-diesel-locomotives 7121-001 (ex JŽ 712-106, Đuro Đaković in licence from MAN/MACOSA / built in 1980, nickname "Macosa") approached from Kotoriba. I walked through town to the line towards Varaždin. 2043-002 passed the grade crossing, returning later. Four railroad lines radiate straight from Čakovec. To the left from Varaždin, Hrvatsko Zagorje (Croatian Highlands) in the background which we will visit in the next report part. To the right from Kotoriba and Hungary. The second track on the left branches off at Čakovec-Buzovec towards Mursko Središće in Croatia and Lendava in Slovenia. On the June 20 2009 PTG Tours trip we reversed at Slovenian border station Lendava on the other side of Mura/Mur River. The train was hauled by HŽ 2062-056 (former JŽ 664-014, GM-EMD G26C built in license by Đuro Đaković, nicknamed "Ličanka" after the Lika rail line). Rédics in Hungary would have been reached only two miles further, but that rail connection had been dismantled after WWII. Changing back to SŽ 644-005 at Čakovec. Finally to the namegiving express of this series: G/B 204/205 "Maestral" Budapest - Zagreb - Budapest. During some timetable periods it took the diesel line via Varaždin, during others the mainline via Koprivnica, for the last time under that name in December 2012. Sleeper cars from Split or Rijeka were often conveyed, like these MÁV cars on July 8 2007 with G 205 at Nagykanizsa in Hungary. A railroad junction where Balkan trips originating in Vienna usually properly started. The last sleeping car belonged to Russian RŽD: Zagreb - Moscow. We boarded G 204 "Maestral" Budapest - Zagreb for the ride to Varaždin on July 23 2006, Ukrainian UZ through car Kiev - Zagreb behind "Giant" V63.036. International freight hauled by 2044-004 ready to depart on April 23 2011 at Hungarian border station Murakeresztúr. Due to new borders drawn in the 20th century, the electrified mainline follows a strange kink south along the Mura to Gyékényes, where the river is crossed to Koprivnica. The line straight from Murakeresztúr leads past semaphore signals straight across Mura River onto the diesel track towards Kotoriba and Čakovec. Image from April 20 2011. Freight traffic at Čakovec on April 23 2008. A "Green Train" arriving at Čakovec on May 3 2019. How times are changing: the sign in 2004 stated that "staying and walking on the tracks is forbidden, but only in case a train is around"... I had not seen it beforehand, but now found out that part of the line Varaždin – Zagreb - the Zaprešić – Zabok section - was being electrified and completely closed with rail replacement buses April 1 - November 1 2019. So, almost all trains on the "mountain line" Varaždin - Zabok were composed of DMUs while unusual services on the "flatland" lines ran GM-hauled. Like Pu 3307 Kotoriba - Varaždin here. Loco-hauled rakes included some couchette cars. Pu 3090 Konjščina - Kotoriba was the only one with GM on the "mountain" (in the dark), but it offered the opportunity to capture it during sunrise at 5:25 a.m. on the Drava/Drau River bridge at Varaždin. It rained the rest of the day, so I returned home via Ormož and Maribor. Behind the river bend lies Dubrava reservoir. Departure of a classic rake from Varaždin towards Zagreb on April 23 2008, when the station building was being restored. In good condition eleven years later, on May 2 2019, as Pu 3307 arrived. Railcars to Golubovec and Koprivnica on the dead-end tracks. It pays off to exit the station at Varaždin, image from July 8 2007. More about the baroque old city: https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varaždin In the morning at half past six on July 24 2006, when the station had not been modernized yet. A star of the report series - 2044.007 in original JŽ-livery - approached from Čakovec. The old direction signs still border-less from Yugoslavian times... In the morning of April 23 2008. Break for the switchmen, the Adriatic coast featuring Dubrovnik in the background. Plenty of work on July 24 2006 at noon, 2062-055 in front of a gravel train towards Zagreb. It was about to be hauled over the "mountain" in two parts, we will meet it again in a later report part. The same engine in heartbreaking condition at the railyard on May 2 2019. Freight traffic on July 2 2008, this time pulled by 2044-016. Evening mood on May 2 2019 with Pu 3618 Koprivnica - Kotoriba. The American-style lit engine numbers have been reactivated in the recent modernization. Also, the decorative lines on the livery resemble the original JŽ-design again more closely. Including couchette car. We had arrived at Varaždin by B 204 "Maestral" with Ukrainian sleeper car on July 23 2006 at 9 p.m. Of course this means that the train hardly continues on the line to Zagreb in daylight. After taking the pictures, a security guy approached wanting to prohibit photography. He did not count on us having the necessary permit. So, it did pay off to get the permit, even if it was never checked there again. The departure with GM-sound can be watched here: https://youtu.be/ymd3I-46_-U More "Maestral"-adventures next time!

Danas je još jedan pokvareni dan, ljeto nikako da zavlada pa imam vremena za slikovnice. Kad se dođe do ulaza u Bašku tu stoji slovo B Još dalje su 2 kamena Vidi se da je Baška iz godine u godinu sve uređenija, zelenilo se redovno njeguje Kod stare škole je slijedeći kamenčić

Puna ih je Baška i okolica, pokazat ću ih skoro sve no preko reda idem na nekadašnja dječja odmarališta... Danas prijepodne vrijeme nije bilo poticajno za namakanje Neki su ipak pokušavali dobiti boju? Pošao sam do prvoga odmarališta Još je zatvoreno, jedan domaći mi reče da već dugo vremena ljeti služi za smještaj učenika ugostiteljskih škola otoka Krka... ....koji su na praksi u restoranu Galeb koji je odmah do doma Galeb je jedan od najstarijih restorana u Baškoj Sačuvao je originalni izgled jer je već dugo pod zaštitom ministarstva kulture Kako je na strani plaže trenutno nered slikao sam njihov letak I reklamu Ima malo dalje još jedno nekadašnje dječje odmaralište o kojem ću kasnije