Rail transport in Montenegro

Rail transport in Montenegro

EMU CAF train at the Bar Rail Station
Operation
Infrastructure company ŽICG
Major operators ŽPCG, Montecargo
System length
Total 250 km (155 mi)
Electrified 225 km (140 mi)
Track gauge
Main 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)
Electrification
Main 25 kV, 50 Hz AC
Features
No. tunnels 121
Tunnel length 58 km (36 mi)
Longest tunnel Sozina (6,170 m)
No. bridges 120
No. stations 7 stations, 41 stops
Highest elevation 1,032 m AMSL (at Kolašin)
Lowest elevation 3 m AMSL (at Bar)
Map

Rail transport in Montenegro is operated by four separate companies, which independently handle railway infrastructure, passenger transport, cargo transport and maintenance of the rolling stock. The four companies were a part of public company Railways of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Željeznica Crne Gore / Жељезница Црне Горе (ŽCG)) until it was split up in 2008.

Montenegro is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Montenegro is 62.

Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro

Railway infrastructure of Montenegro
Željeznička infrastruktura Crne Gore
Жељезничка Инфраструктура Црне Горе
Government-owned
Industry Rail Transport
Founded 2008
Headquarters Podgorica, Montenegro
Services Rail Transport
Website http://www.zicg.me/

Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Жељезничка Инфраструктура Црне Горе / Željeznička Infrastruktura Crne Gore (ŽICG)) is a joint-stock company that handles operation and maintenance of the railway infrastructure in Montenegro.

History

First railway in the territory that today belongs to Montenegro was narrow gauge (760 mm (2 ft 5 15⁄16 in)) Gabela - Zelenika line in 1901. This railway was built by Austria-Hungary, as it governed the territory of Boka Kotorska at the time.

However, the works on first Montenegrin railway, the Bar - Virpazar line, begun in 1905. This 750mm gauge, 43,3 km long railway was opened in 1908. The extension of this line from Virpazar to Cetinje was planned, but never came through, due to the lack of funding, and the beginning of the First World War. This historic mountain railway line overcame a rise of 550m over a 22 km run on the Sutorman mountain, with a maximum grade of 40‰. Despite the steep gradient, the railway was not using rack technology, due to the innovative route design by Italian engineers. The operating speeds on the line were 18 km/h for passenger transport, and 12 km/h for freight movement. In 2008, on the 100th anniversary of the line opening, and at the same time the anniversary of Montenegrin railways as a whole, it was planned to transfer the steam locomotive Lovćen from Podgorica Rail Station to Virpazar. This locomotive, which operated on the line, should become a part of a Montenegrin railway museum in Virpazar, which, due to lack of funds, never came through.[1]

The railway network in Montenegro expanded during the period of Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1927, the Podgorica - Plavnica line (600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)) was opened, followed by Bileća - Nikšić line in 1938. At that time, the railway network of Montenegro measured 143 km in length, with 760 mm (2 ft 5 15⁄16 in) narrow gauge as a most common standard. However, the railway network was not integrated, and 600 mm, 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) and 760 mm were present, additionally complicating the network operations. Multimodal transport was used for freight transport between Bar and Podgorica, as goods were transported by rail from Bar to Virpazar, then ferried across the Skadar Lake to Plavnica, followed by rail transport to Podgorica once again. Thus, it is fair to say that railway network in Montenegro was underdeveloped and unorganized prior to World War II.

Following the World War 2, the railway line Podgorica - Nikšić was completed (1948), with 760 mm (2 ft 5 15⁄16 in) gauge. The first real advance towards modernisation of railway network was the start of construction of the Montenegrin section of Belgrade-Bar railway. The first section from Bar to Podgorica was completed in 1959, and this is the first section of standard gauge railway in Montenegro. At the same time, narrow gauge Podgorica - Plavnica and Bar - Virpazar lines were decommissioned.

In 1965, the Podgorica - Nikšić corridor was upgraded to standard gauge, thus standardizing the entire connection from Bar to Nikšić via Podgorica. The section from Nikšić to Bileća was decommissioned at the time, as well as the Gabela - Zelenika line. The Montenegrin section of colossal Belgrade-Bar railway project (from Bar to Vrbnica, border with Serbia) was completed in 1976, connecting Bar and Podgorica with the northern Montenegro, Serbia, and European rail network. At that time, the length of Montenegrin railway network was 225 km, with transition to standard gauge complete.

The latest addition to the Motenegrin railways was Podgorica–Shkodër line, which opened in 1986. This was a freight-only line since its opening.

Overview

The total network is 250 kilometres long and is 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) for its entire length, with 225 of them electrified at 25 kV, 50 Hz AC. Almost 58 km of lines are situated in 121 tunnels. There are also 120 bridges, 9 galleries and 440 culverts. The network consists of three railway lines that converge in Podgorica, making it a junction of Montenegrin X-shaped rail network.[2]

Montenegro only has passenger railway links with Serbia. The link with Albania is only in use for freight. There are currently no railway connections with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Railway transport of Montenegro

Railway transport of Montenegro
Željeznički prevoz Crne Gore
Жељезнички превоз Црне Горе
Government-owned
Industry Rail Transport
Founded 2008
Headquarters Podgorica, Montenegro
Services Rail Transport, Services
Website http://www.zcg-prevoz.me/

Railway transport of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Жељезнички превоз Црне Горе / Željeznički prevoz Crne Gore (ŽPCG)) is a joint-stock company that handles passenger transport within Montenegro, as well as operation of the Montenegrin rolling stock.

Montecargo

Montecargo
Montecargo
Government-owned
Industry Freight rail transport
Founded 2008
Headquarters Podgorica, Montenegro
Services Freight rail transport
Revenue 10 million EUR (2010)
1,5 million EUR (2010)
Number of employees
 209
Website http://www.montecargo.me/
MONTECARGO 644-015 shunting at Podgorica station.

Montecargo (Montenegrin: Montecargo) is a company that handles freight transport within Montenegro, as well as operation of the Montenegrin goods wagons and freight locomotives.

Rolling stock of Montecargo consists of 17 locomotives (15 active) and 713 freight wagons:

Rolling stock maintenance

Rolling stock maintenance
Održavanje željezničkih voznih sredstava
Одржавање жељезничких возних средстава
Government-owned
Industry Rail Transport
Founded 2010
Headquarters Podgorica, Montenegro
Services Rail Transport, Services
Website http://ozvs.me/

Rolling stock maintenance (Montenegrin: Održavanje željezničkih voznih sredstava / Одржавање желјезничких возних средстава (OŽVS)) is a joint-stock company that handles maintenance of the Montenegrin passenger and freight rolling stock. It was a part of Railway transport of Montenegro company, but was split into separate company in 2011.

Railways of Montenegro in fiction

James Bond travels on Railways of Montenegro in Casino Royale. The actual train seen in the movie is the Pendolino tilting train of Czech Railways.

See also

References

  1. ↑ ""Lovćen" se vraća kući". Pobjeda. 2008-01-06. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
  2. ↑ "ŽICG Network Statement 2010" (PDF).
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