# Čierny Hron Railway

The Čierny Hron Railway (in Slovak: Čiernohronská železnica or ČHŽ) is a narrow gauge railway in the Slovak Ore Mountains, built as a forest railway for logging operations.

## History

Planning for the railway began in 1898 and building began in 1908. In 1909 regular wood transport on the railway started, between Čierny Balog and Hronec. The network was extended to transport wood from the forests and by the middle of the 20th century the railway had a total length of 131,97 km, the most extensive forestry railway network in Czechoslovakia.
On 19 July 1927, passenger traffic was permitted on the railway between Čierny Balog and Hronec, which operated until 1962.
The railway was closed in 1982, but it has been granted national heritage status since. During the following few years it was repaired by enthusiasts and re-opened in 1992 as a heritage railway for tourists. The line is now 17 km long: Chvatimech - Hronec - Čierny Balog - Vydrovo.
The line is believed to be the only railway in the world to pass through the middle of a football stadium, the tracks running along the front of a grandstand at the stadium belonging to the TJ Tatran Čierny Balog club.
In 2021 the railway acquired the existing rolling stock from the Waldenburg railway in Switzerland.

## Motive Power

| Identity | Works Number | Type | Gauge | Builder | Year Built | Previous Operator | Status | Notes |
| BNE 50 Č | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Stavostroj Rodotínská | | | | |
| BNE 50 F | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Stavostroj Rodotínská | | | | |
| BNE 50 Z | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Stavostroj Rodotínská | | | | |
| BN 30 Azor | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | | | | | |
| DDB 75 | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Deutz | | | | |
| DDB 120 | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Deutz | | | | |
| Bn60H 900 | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | | | | | |
| PETKA | | 4wDM | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | | | | | |
| DH120 | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Poldi | | | | |
| TU24.001 | | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Stavostroj Rodotínská | | | | BN 50 |
| SČM 4 36 005 | | 4wDE | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Stavostroj Rodotínská | | | | |
| TU24 901 LIENKA | | 4wDM | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Škoda Works | | | Operational | |
| | | 0-4-0DM | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | ČKD | | | Plinthed | |
| ČHLD 2 Joy | 1679 | 0-6-0WT | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Budapest | 1909 | | | Not the original ČHLD 2 |
| PLD 2 | 4280 | 0-8-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | MÁVAG Budapest | 1916 | | Operational | U45.903 |
| 3 | 625 | 0-6-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Smoschewer | 1918 | | | |
| M21 004 | 54125 | Railcar | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Ringhoffer | 1939 | | Operational | |
| ČHLD 6 | 5277 | 0-8-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | MÁVAG Budapest | 1942 | | | U46.901 |
| 3 | 2209 | 0-6-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | ČKD | 1948 | Železene Podbresna | | |
| ČHLD 5 | 2611 | 0-6-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | ČKD | 1948 | | | U35.902 |
| 1 | 2609 | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | ČKD | 1948 | | | U35.901 |
| ČHLD 7 | 2610 | 0-6-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | ČKD | 1948 | | Plinthed at Vydrovo | U35.903 |
| | 3611 | 0-6-0T | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ČKD | 1957 | Železene Podbresna | Plinthed | |
| 764.407 | 604 | 0-8-0T | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Reghin | 1958 | | | Rebuilt at Kolin 2014 |
| | 024 | B-B DH | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Rába | 1961 | | | TU 45.003 |
| | 025 | B-B DH | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Rába | 1961 | | | TU 45.002 (green) |
| | 027 | B-B DH | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | Rába | 1961 | | Operational | TU 45.001 (Red/White) |
| TU 48.001 | 21583 | | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | | 1972 | | | Lxd2.302 |
| Bn60H | | 0-4-0DH | 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) | TSM | 1970s | Keramica Soukup S.R. | | |
| (Unnumbered) | 3853 | 0-4-0DM | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ČKD | 1956 | | Plinthed at Chvatimech | |