01.10.13 Nikšić 6111.101 (10101158945)

Balkans Rail Trip, Autumn 2013 - Day Nine

After best part of week travelling around Serbia, it was a stark contrast to arrive in neighbouring Montenegro. Again formerly part of Yugoslavia, upon the breakup in the early 1990s was formed Serbia and Montenegro governed from Belgrade (Beograd). It was only in 2006 that the region of Montenegro declared independence. Subsequently the some of the former Serbian Railways (ŽS) fleet was passed over to the newly formed Montenegrin Railways, ŽCG. The hub of the system is Podgorica, the capital and largest town.

However it didn't stop there. The Montenegrin rail network on independence was basically just the main line from Beograd in Serbia crossing into Montenegro through the capital Podgorica and onto the Adriatic seaport of Bar. In addition to a freight only line from Podgorica to Shkodër in Albania, the only other remnant was the then closed line again from Podgorica through to Nikšić.

Originally built in 1948 to 760mm gauge and re-gauged in 1965. Soon after the breakup of Yugoslavia the line was closed due to poor track condition and insufficient funds to repair it. However around the time of independence, funding was provided to fully reconstruct the line along with electrification. Once reopened, passenger train services commenced operated mainly by locomotive and old rolling stock. However in 2012 an order was placed for new 3-car EMUs built by CAF.