The Tuzla area in Bosnia is home to some of the last surviving steam locomotives in real industrial use in Europe. In this video narrow gauge steam and diesel locomotives can be seen at Banovici loco works (where overhauls are seen) and the Oskova washery in 2009. This was not a charter trip.
Banovici is near Tuzla in Central Bosnia and is the location of a large brown coal mine. The mine and railway system were opened in 1947. At the terminus of the standard gauge line there is a coal processing plant, this is adjacent to the standard gauge Banovici station. On the other side of the plant is the narrow gauge yard on a higher level which is called Oskova.
From Oskova (where the washery is located) the line goes uphill to Banovici, where the loco depot is situated. After another three kilometres the open cast mine of Grivice is reached. Between Oskova and Grivice the line is double tracked. Although both tracks are in good condition, only the southern track is used for the trains. The second track is a spare.
Most of the traffic today at the Banovici coal mine is in the hands of the 740 class diesel engines. The narrow gauge engines of the class 740 look like the little brother of the SNCF class BB-63000.
The 83 class steam locomotive was very popular on the former narrow gauge lines in Yugoslavia. This class is seen working at the depot and at the coal separation facility in Oskova
Part 2 of this video will show the standard gauge railway in the Tuzla area.
