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PRESERVED STEAM &
RAILWAY MUSEUMS

Sibiu Museum
Resita Museum
Subcetate
Locomotive Lists

FORESTRY RAILWAYS

Viseu de Sus
Moldovita
Covasna-Comandau

CFR NARROW GAUGE

Târgu Mures System
Turda-Abrud
Sibiu-Agnita

INDUSTRIAL LINES

Hunedoara
Brad - Criscior
Sotanga & Fieni (near Targoviste)
Govora (Near Ramnicu Valcea)
Lonea (Petrosani area)
Mining Railways of the Rodna Mountains
Turda Cement

RAILWAYS TODAY

Scenic Railways
Branch Lines
Diesels & Electrics

TRAMWAYS

Timisoara & Museum
Arad & Pâncota
Sibiu - Rasinari
Other Systems
Scenic Railways, Branchlines & the Present Day
Scenic railway journeys, sleepy branchlines taking you well off the beaten track
and a round-up of what to find on Romanian Railways
...

Preservd Steam and Railway Museums in Romania STEAM & MUSEUMS
Forestry Railways in Romania FORESTRY LINES
Narrow Gauge Railways in Romania NARROW GAUGE
Industrial Railways in Romania INDUSTRIAL LINES
Tramways in Romania TRAMWAYS

Trains, Transfers and Travel in Romania with Transylvania Uncovered RAIL TRAVEL
A branch line train for Sânnicolau Mare comprising three railbuses 'automotoare' dating from the 1940s prepares to leave
Timisoara Nord in September 2004

CONTACT US (Transylvania Uncovered - Romania Travel Specialists) CONTACT US


01900 838570


Please contact us for updates on operations - there have been serious cutbacks to timetables from 2011-2013 and these may continue.
In addition to the traditional locomotives of CFR outlined on this page there has been an influx of second-hand locomotives from other European countries, notably France and Germany, over the last few years. Some are painted in the various private operators now plying Romanian metals. Most are freight operations but there are also passenger services in private hands espcially those of Regio-Trans who operate former SNCF railcars on numerous branch lines and regional services especially in south and western Transylvania.
Details of the current and recent CFR fleet are shown below. Please note that locomotives are now divided between two divisions: CFR CALATORI - passenger trains,
and CFR MARFA - freight trains. There are also increasing numbers of private operating companies (mostly freight) and CFR type locomotives
working at industrial concerns (formerly designated as CFI - Caile Ferate Industrie or CFU - Caile Ferate Uzine)
SCENIC RAILWAYS
Romania offers excellent opportunities for scenic journeys through the Carpathians and along the Danube. Some of the best are a follows:

Sinaia - Brasov: dramatic crossing of the Carpathians into Transylvania
Brasov - Sibiu: along the Olt valley at the foot of the Fagaras Range
Brasov - Intorsura Buzaului
Ilva Mica - Vatra Dornei: climbing and twisting through the Bârgau and Suhard Mountains
Mestecanis Pass: Vatra Dornei - Campulung Moldovenesc
Salva - Sighetu Marmatiei: the viaducts of the Salauta Valley and the Maramures line
Transylvanian Heath; Turda - Cluj Napoca
Caransebes - Turnu Severin: the Semenic and Cerna mountains, and the Danube
Oravita-Anina: branchline which winds high up into the beautiful Semenic Mountains
Express train at Lunca Ilvei, Bârgau Mountains
Iasi - Timsioara local express crosses the Suhard and Bârgau mountains between Ilva Mica and Vatra Dorne / View from a train: the Danube near Orsova /
Local train at Mihesu de Câmpie
BRANCH LINES
The Romanian railway network still comprises numerous branchlines served by slow trains stopping at every wayside halt, penetrating deep into the countryside. Many of these lines are either scenic or interesting as a means of seeing the 'real' rural Romania - villagers travelling to work or market, often with sacks of maize, corn or the oaccasional goose. Trains are usually uncomfortable and not particularly clean but are the only means of exploring off the beaten track. In the Banat and the regions south and west of the Olt valley large numbers of vintage railbuses 'automotoare' are still in regular use, rattling along uneven tracks.
The ultimate backwater: automotor shares Liebling station
with geese, at theend of the overgrown line from Jebel.
Banat by-ways: Automotors arriving at Sânnicolau Mare from Timisoara / Automotors at Timisoara depot / Branchline train to Cenad
ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES
CFR standardised on two main classes of Co-Co and Bo-Bo electrics. Most numerous are the class 40 (former class 060-EA) which were built under licence by Electroputere after 10 prototypes based on the Swedish type Rb1 from the Swedish firm ASEA Swedloc in 1965-66. 922 were built from 1967-1991 for CFR and others were exported to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and China. Some of the class were upgraded with higher gearing for express work and designated class 41 (060-EA1 and class 42 (060-EA2). 24 of these locomotives were modernised by Electroputere in 1999 with Siemens equipment and reclassed 45. 130 locomotives constitute the smaller class 43 (040-EC) and higher geared 44 (040-EC1) were built in 1972 by Rade Koncar, Zagreb, under licence from ASEA. A few have been modernised and designated 46.

There have also been a couple of prototypes: 47.0001 (originally 45.0001), a large centre-cab co-co designed as a heavy shunting locomotive and now out of use at Craiova, and 50.0001, a conversion from one of the unsuccessful class 70 'Alco' diesels. CFR also operated a fleet of electric multiple units (EMUS) built in the 1980s and early 1990s as classes 55-57 (080-TEA). It is understood that all of these heavy units are now withdrawn or scrapped.
Smartly turned out 060-EA-106 (class 41) electric
at Baile Herculane, with a Timisoara - Bucharest express
Class 43 electric with a Iasi-Timisoara 'Accelerat' arrives at the Mestecanis Pass / Class 40 electric at Ilva Mica /
Unique 50.0001 electric, rebuilt by Electroputere in 1994 from one of the unsuccessful class 70 'Alco' diesels, at Brasov in 1998.
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES
The CFR Diesel fleet is divided into two main categories, The workhorses are the class 60 (formerly 060-DA) Co-Co diesel electrics built by Electroputere to a well-proportioned Swiss 'Sulzer' design. The prototypes (060-DA-001-6) were built in 1959 bt ALM/BBC/Sulzer. Over 1400 of these locomotives entered service with CFR from 1960 to 1981, while others wnet to various industrial concerns. They are used throughout the country on passenger express trains and heavy freights. Numbered in the same series are the upgraded class 62 (060-DA1/062-DA). Since 2000, some have been rebuilt with GM engines as class 63. Two 'Sulzers' were built in 1971 as a twin unit for the Isalnita powerstaion near Craiova and classed 060-DB.

The remaining diesels in service are the Bo-Bo diesel hydraulic 'hood' locomotives constructed by Uzina 23 August, later Faur, and split into several classes according to their power output and size: 80 (060-DHC) - 632 built from 1969-1989 at 1250hp; 81 (040-DHC) - modified 80s for shunting; 82 & 83 - 80s modernised by Alstom in 2000; 84 (040-DHC) - broad gauge version for frontier work with former USSR; 85 (040-DHB) - 81 built from 1965-1983 at 750hp; 86 (040-DHA) - 48 built from 19675-1983 at 450hp. Many more of these diesels also entered service with industrial concerns throughout Romania. A narrow gaugeversion (Class 87; L45H) was also constructed for CFR and industrial lines. 28 U.23 August hood locomotives werefitted with Sulzer diesel-electric engines and classed 69 and employed on routes in the south-west including the steep Oravita-Anina line. They are used for local and branch line passenger services, local freights and shunting duties.Many more were built for industry and classified LDE-125. A few were subsequently modified and reclassed 73.
Class 80 'Faur' diesel hydraulic in revised livery departs
Timisoara Nord with a double-deck local train (9 / 2004)
Other diesel locomotives in service two classes of 2-axle diesel mechanical yard shunters: Class 85 (prev.20) built by Malaxa in the 1930s, and Class 96 built by U.23A from 1968-78. There may also be a few of the unsuccessful 'Alco' Co-Co diesel electric locomotives still rusting on sidings or in industrial locations, though the dumps at Oradea and Iasi have now been cleared of them. These comprised several classes: 61 (060-DG) - 2 built by Electroputere in 1984-5 with Alco 2640hp engines and standard 'Sulzer' type bodywork; 64 (060-DF) - 17 built by U.23 August (as type LDE-150) in 1981-86 with Alco 1521hp engines; 66/67 (060-DC) - 23 by Electroputere in 1978-82 with Alco 3000hp engines, separate freight and passenger versions; and 70/71 (060-DD) - 35 by Electroputere in 1976-81 with Alco 4000hp engines, separate freight and passenger versions. Also worth mentioning is CFR 97.0001-2 (DE-241), a huge 4-8-2+2-8-4 double unit diesel electric locomotive built by Henschel in 1936 with Sulzer/BBC engines which worked the Predeal Pass. It now resides in the railway museum at Dej.
Class 60 'Sulzer' approaches Jebel with a stopping train 'Persoana' to Resita / Pair of 'Faur' class 81 diesel hydraulic on branch line duties at
Sânnicolau Mare / 64.0002 'Alco' between Oradea and Cluj in 1988
'AUTOMOTOARE'
Railcars can be found throughout the railway network, from the brand new Siemens 'Desiro' units employed on fast 'Blue Arrow' inter-city services, to the much rebuilt railbuses which are still heavily used on rural services in areas such as the Banat or the lower Olt valley area.'
Of special interest are the class 77 (Bm mot 900) 58 seat 2-axle railbuses "automotoare" built by Malaxa from 1935. many of these are still in service operating the network of branch lines of western Romania from Timisoara and Arad, and those in the south in the area of the Olt and Arges rivers around Craiova, Piatra Olt and Pitesti. These were rebuilt with new engines in the 1960s and 1970s by Marub at Brasov, and some have subsequently been further refurbished. Several still sport the old green livery, and some have been brightened up with red, grey and ivory. The most recently refurbished vehicles carry smart maroon and grey paintwork. There are two distinct designs of bodywork with curved or angled dashes.
Of equal interest are the rather unusual, streamlined 8-axle railcars (class 78 - Abammot) and 2-car 8-axle railcars (class 78.1 - Abmmot) built by Ganz and Malaxa from the 1930s. There may still be one or two units in original condition at Sibiu or Arad, or converted for departmental use. Some of these have been recently refurbished and modernised to a very high standard and may be seen in several places including Iasi (Urziceni services), Tecuci and Medgidia near the Black Sea coast.
1940s Malaxa Automotor 77.970 , rebuilt by Marub, forms
the local service fromCenad to Sânnicolau Mare in 2004
Several other railcars have been built: 75 (Ade) - envisaged as a special express for tourists from Vienna to the Black Sea, the 'Blue Train" built by Astra in 1959 comprised two motor cars and four coaches, one of the four cars was recently rusting in Arad; 79 - two rather angular 2-axle cars built by U.23Aug. in 1984 (withdrawn); 97 - four 2-axle cars built by U.23Aug. with trailers in 1989 (withdrawn); 91.0001 (ex.93.0001, built as 96.0001! ) - 2-axle diesel mechanical railcar built by Marub in 1993, used at Oradea but now at Timisoara; 99.0001 (built as 95.0001) - 2-axle diesel hydraulic railcar built by Marub in 1995 and used in the Brasov area.
There are also second hand vehicles including a couple of ex DB VT628.4 Düwag DMUs used in the Cluj area (class 98), and the expanding class 97, ex DB 771/2 and prior to that DR, 2-axle railbuses and trailers. These have been refurbished by Marub and are painted blue and grey or silver. Finally, the latest deliveries are the Siemens 'Desiro' fast commuter trains used on limited stop intercity services. These have been allocated class 96 and are known as "Blue Arrows: (Sageata Albastra).
Unique Marub automotor 95.0001 at Brasov in 1999 / Class 77 automotor in original green livery at Periam, 2004 / 1941 Ganz class 78 2-car unit at Sibiu in 1998
FURTHER READING
"Eastern European Narrow Gauge" Keith Chester (Locomotives International, 1994)
"The Railways of Romania" Chris Bailey (Locomotives International, 2002)
"Wälder und Dampf I & II" Hans Hufnagel - the last days of the Romanian Forestry locomotives (German, English summary)
"Eastern European Narrow Gauge" Keith Chester
"History of Steam Locomotives & Railkways of the Banat" Dan Perianu (Editural Timpul Resita, 2000) - Romanian, English summary - includes Resita works lists
"European Traction - 1 Romania" Dale W. Fickés (Rail Europe)






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