0 Hatvan | ||
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Line number 81 in Hungary
164 in Slovakia Line length 66.1 km (41.1 mi) in Hungary Number of tracks 2 from Hatvan to Selyp
1 from Selyp to Somoskőújfalu Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄2 in) Operating speed | ||
Hatvan– Fiľakovo railway is a main railway line without electrification in Hungary and Slovakia. Once it was part of the international connections, nowadays there are only local Regionalbahn and freight transport on the line. It is a double track line between Hatvan and Selyp and single track between Selyp and the border at Somoskőújfalu. It is made of tracks signed I and there may be 20 tons on one spindle. It is a 3rd class line between Selyp and Somoskőújfalu both in freight and passenger traffic as well. It is a 2nd class line from Hatvan to Selyp. There is a clock-face scheduling on the line since 2008. This is the time since there is no direct express train connection with Budapest.
Contents
- The plans
- Beginning of the construction
- Handover
- Around World War II
- From the end of the war
- Modern usage
- Vehicles
- Signalling control
- Attractions near the line
- References
Hungarian part is signed 81 and Slovakian is 164.
The plans
The idea for the line arose when coal mines were opened in Nógrád County. János Bellich, an engineer of the state-owned railway company made a proposal for a horsecar route between Salgótarján and Balassagyarmat. He worked together with Winsteig Gerog, an owner of a stone-pit from Wien. At the same time Brelleich proposed the creation of a steam railway line as well. At the end the idea was modified, as Brellich wanted to build the line to Hatvan.
Beginning of the construction
On 19 January 1863 license was issued for the building of the railway line between Pest and Besztercebánya. Construction was made with the involvement of the Hungarian Northern Railways. At the planning they wanted to build 14 stations and 65 sentry boxes. Primary plans included a 700 m long tunnel as well on the line between Salgótarján and Somoskőújfalu, but the line was built without it from 1871.
There were some prestigious people working on the line, for example Lajos Tolnai, first chief officer of the MÁV.
Handover
First part of the line (from Pest to Salgótarján-József station) was handed over on 19 May 1867. First railway used the line on the same day through the 126 km long rail from Losoncz Railway Station.
Hungarian Northern Railway went bankrupt in 1868, and the line was transferred to the newly founded MÁV. Second part of the line between Salgótarján and Losonc via József station was handed over in 1871. It was a one-way track line.
There has not been station in Salgótrján. The nearest one was in Pálfalván. The station of the city was opened in this year.
Around World War II
The railway was mostly used during the 1930s as a consequence of the rising demand for the mining. Most of the stations (for example Selyp) had industrial lines or there was coal sorter there.
World War II was the end of the prosperous line, because Germany destroyed the two-track line. Soviet army arriving to Hungary made the line fully renovated by the local citizens.
From the end of the war
There was heavy traffic on the line during the 1980s. Several international trains used the line. Most well-known was the Polonia Express between Warsaw and Beograd via Budapest. The train operated up to the beginning of 1990. It used the line from Hatvan to reach and cross the border between Hungary and Slovakia.
During this period there were some direct trains to and from the capital and there were direct connection through wagons to Debrecen as well. In this period there was direct rail connection between Salgótarján and Kál Kápolna, and Mátranovák.
There was less frequent traffic during the 1990s, but there were numerous international expresses on the line yet. Some of these were Salgó, Bem or Ulpin. There were domestic express trains and direct connection between Hatvan and Losonc.
The timetable was thinned during the 2000s as well. Some express trains were left in the timetable, e.g. Sajó and Urpin. Last of them, the Urpin was cancelled in 2008. There were for example 2 international express trains, 13 pairs of express trains and direct connections with express trains between Hatvan and Salgótarján and direct regional trains between Hatvan and Losonc in the early morning and late afternoon or early evening hours.
Modern usage
It is in a mainly wrong state compared to the other lines in the country. There is a face-schedule timetable on the line since 2008, and this is the time since when there is no direct express train connection with Budapest, the capital of Hungary. There is only one fast train there on every Sunday, it is mainly for the students of the region, who learn in the capital. MÁV 6341 multiple units run on the track.
Vehicles
The Belgian Cockerill’s stocks were the first on the railway. They ran as long as the 1920s. It was changed to MÁV 424 and later to MÁV 411 series. In the 1980s there came the first diesel engine locomotives, such as MÁV M40 and MÁV M62 series. They were used for passenger and freight trains respectively. There was a time when there ran some MÁV M41 trains as well.
Since the change of the timetable in 2008, there run MÁV 6341 units on the line, which belong to the Engineering Office of Szentes. MÁV M62 locomotives are used for freight transport, and MÁV M41s were moved to the Southern Great Plain.
Signalling control
There are several types of signalling controls at the line. Domino55, a production of Telephone Factorz of Budapest based on the license of Integra and Siemens is in use between Selyp and Hatvan, but it may be found at Salgótarján-külső and Somoskőújfalu as well. Here guards are changed automatically, and traffic lights are guarded ones.
At Apc-Zagyvaszántó, Pásztó, Nagybátony and Kisterenye station guards are Siemens & Halske type. Railroad switches are turned through a pulling line traffic lights are insured signers.
At stations of Szurdokpüspöki, Tar and Zagyvapálfalva railroad switch positions are changed at the place.