CZECH 4-8-2 SPECTACULAR! 26th/27th June 2010.

The Czechs have a phenomenal steam event lined up of the weekend of 26th/27th June 2010. Their museum at Luzna (not far from Prague) is hosting a festival that will see no less than FIVE class 475 4-8-2 tender loco’s arriving from various locations, including a ‘turn up and pay on the train’ service from Prague Masarykovo. (both days). On top of this, there will be some short runs from Luzna featuring museum loco's and at least one 475.

The 475’s http://www.zelpage.cz/fotogalerie/big/475049.jpg were built by Skoda in Plzen from 1947 – 1950 and numbered 172 locomotives. 25 of these were sent to The Peoples Republic of Korea as ‘economic aid!’ Most were fitted with French style smoke deflectors, roller bearings and kylchap exhausts/mechanical stokers. With a maximum speed of 100 kph they were used throughout the old Czechoslovakian network (CSD) on passenger and express freight diagrams. The last one was withdrawn in 1980. There are seven preserved; five in the Czech Republic and two in Slovakia.

I’ve never seen one of these beautiful locomotives, but if other Czech 4-8-2’s are anything to go by they will be equally impressive! My flight and hotel are booked already; cant miss this one!

I’ll post more information as I receive it, but in the meantime its always worth looking through the excellent ‘Zelpages’ to find out what is happening on the Czech rail scene.

http://www.zelpage.cz/

 

Which locos are expected, 60017? Just 498s & 475s? (I just love their blue 498.022) Are any coming from Slovakia as well?

 

It’s a Class 475 event so I doubt there will be an ‘Albatross (498)’ about.

The two Slovak machines are 475 096 and 475 130. The Czech ones; 475 101; 111; 179; 196; 1142; Class nickname ‘Noble Lady.’

Those attending the event (as far as I know at this stage) are;

101; 111; 179; 196; 1142; so neither of the Slovak ones.

Special trains are being run on both days to Lužná Rakovníka from;

Praha Masarykovo

Decin

Pilzen

No fine detail yet, but I expect one or more will be double-headed. It really will be a memorable event!

 

hi 60017 - am attending this event on at least one of the days - do you have the times of the specials from prague please? Not been able to find them on the net! if you want to meet up that would be great - mikeyg18@hotmail.com

 

Some info: the CSD Museum website and Email have been out of action since January. The Iron Monument Club of Plzen, custodians of 475 111, do not feature any trains over this weekend. 475 196 IS a Slovak locomotive. There is obvious confusion, as there is no locomotive numbered 475 096. If there was, it would be of a different class, as the class designition consists of the first FOUR digits, thus 475 196 is the ninety-sixth loco of the class. Railway Touring Company are advertising a tour that emcompasses this weekend along with two days of charters with 423 0123 and charters on ng in Czech Republic and Austria.
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There is indeed some confusion. The Slovak loco numbering is my fault; I mis-read a listing in the Jaromir Bittner et.al book Czech and Slovak Locomotives 2009 (sorry guys)!

Czech museum site is up and running
http://www.cdmuzeum.cz//

and also shows 475.111 attending

http://www.cdmuzeum.cz/muzeum/aktuality/-6425/

 

Hi Mike,

The museum normally produce a poster listing everything thats happening around their events, including the times of any special trains being run in conjuction. A pdf of the poster is normally linked from their website nearer the date - so keep an eye out for it. Czech Railways also put special trains into their on-line public timetable (linked from the museum website). They've usually been inserted 3 - 4 weeks in advance in the past so its another website worth checking nearer the time.

I'll post them in this thread if I spot them.

Should be a cracker! Be happy to catch you at some stage - there are a lot of Brits around for these events normally.

 

Blimey ! I see now that 434.2186 is out on the Saturday with one of the regular-route Praha Branik - Postupice special trains. What a weekend !

http://www.zelpage.cz/jizda/2010062...eneho-kostelce-a-navsteva-zamku-jemniste.html

 

Hallo,
Yes, I have noticed the Museum website is up and running but it, rather surprisingly, doesn't give much more info other than 475 101 of Brno will not attend. No mention of trains from Decin or Plzen. Hopefully these trains will run but I would have thought the owning societies will have published something by now. This is my point, how are these locos going to get to Luzna? Four locos on one train from Prague? All after running light engine from their home bases to Prague? This may happen, but it will be a first, as the owners always like to raise funds by running their own trains, as has happened at Luzna festivals in the past. Also operating, so I am told, will be 354 7154 along with another engine, doing the shuttle trains from Luzna. So, even more locos working that weekend!
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Hallo,
An amendment, 475 101 from Brno does attend, it is 474 1142 from Prerov that is the non-attendee.
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yes if someone could please post the times of the specials from prague on both days that would be v v useful please

 

The website still hasn't got the timings up, but it was only the week before the event that they appeared last week.

The same weekend (and weekdays either side), there is something going on at Chomutove, though as the gen is in Czech language, search me what is actually happening. It aopears that an outpost of the National Technical Museum is open and that a 498 is involved somewhere. Anyone who speaks the language, your help would be appreciated.

 

A ROUGH translation (google driven)

Open Days at the railway depositories of the National Technical Museum in Chomutov

On 24 to 27 June 2010 will be held in the depository of the Railway museum in Chomutov NTM Open Days. The general public will have a unique opportunity to visit normally inaccessible areas where they are deposited historic rolling stock of National Technical Museum.

The Open Day is preparing NTM together with Czech Railways, and with backing from CD Cargo, and the opening ceremony on Thursday 24 June will be at the hejtmanky Ústí Mrs. Jane Vaňhové.

On display will be steam locomotives, two Pullman cars, historic hand car, but also newer rolling stock, which recently dosloužila in regular operation at the Czech Railways and are now ready for the conservation of the collection of NTM. Total visitors will be able to see over 80 rail vehicles - such as the trolley from the 1850 steam locomotive manufactured in 1870 or railway snow plow in 1980.

A big attraction will, inter alia, express locomotive 498.106 "Albatros", which in August 1964 created a steam locomotive speed record - 162 km / h at the then-Czechoslovak State Railways. For the attention will certainly become the saloon car Ústí Teplice-track from 1900 or saloon car Adolph Rothschild in 1906.

NTM depository is located on the premises of the Czech Railways depot in Chomutov. The access road will be marked from the street from the Chernivtsi area shopping mall Globus (direction Karlovy Vary).

The depositary will be open:

Thursday, the 24th 6th 8:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Friday, the 25th 6th 8:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, the 26th 6th 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sunday from 27 sixth 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

Hallo,

Your translation is correct inasmuch that this is an "open door" event of the reserve collection of the National Technical Museum. 498 106 was a working locomotive through the 1990s and possibly into the 2000s. When it ran out of "ticket", it was just retired. I wondered where it went and I think you've supplied the answer. One day it may be restored to working order again, one can only hope. If you wish to see/travel with a 498.1 class you must travel to Slovakia where 498.104 has recently been restored and often is out on the main line.

 

Hallo,

You will find that all the times are now detailed on the CD Muzeum website. Basically 475 101 +475 196 work Praha Hln to Luzna on 26.6, returning to Praha Mararykovo via a different route from Kladno. The reverse applies on Sunday, out from Masarykovo, return to Hln. Always a nice photo of steam in Hln with the overall roof. This locos also do a round trip from Luzna to Zatec at different times each day. 475 111 works from Plzen to Luzna via Beroun on Sat 26.6, returning via same route on Sunday 27.6. 475 179 works from Decin/Usti to Luzna via Most out on Sat 26.6, return on Sun 27.6. I'll be there, hope to see others, possibly in the rough, but entirely genuine bar opposite the station. 475 1142 will also attend, but not in steam.
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It's an ambitious programme thats for sure ! The full timetable is now up at

http://www.cdmuzeum.cz/assets/muzeum/aktuality/jizdni-rad.pdf

I'll be travellling from Hln on the Saturday and up to Zatec too. May travel ahead on /Sunday and catch the train at Kladno. Really looking forward to this event and will be callling in at Chomutov on Thursday to see the NTM stuff. All in all a great Czech extravagansa! DOBRY !

 

Wading through the mass of information now available, my interpretation (not saying I'm correct!) is this;


Saturday 26th June 2010


475.196 + 101

Arrive Praha Hln with the stock at 07.40

Depart Praha Hln at 08.14
arriving Luzna at 10.05
(via Kladno 09.13 – 17)

475.111.

Arrives Luzna from Plzen at 10.55.


475.196 + 101

Leave Luzna @ 11.00
Zatec arr 11.54.

475. 179 arrives Zatec 11.55 from Decin.

All three leave Zatec at 12.50 then triple head back to Luzna
Arriving there at 14.39.

The special train for Praha returns from Luzna at 18.00; arriving Masarykovo at 19.40. NOTE: This appears to be heritage diesel hauled by the museums ‘Goggles’ T 478 3101.

There are some steam hauled ‘shuttles’ between Luzna and Krupa throughout the afternoon.

Sunday 27th June 2010

The outbound special train from Praha Masarykovo at 08.10 arriving Luzna at
10.05 appears to be heritage diesel hauled by T 478 3101.
(there is a service train at 08.02 (faster) if you want to beat the early crowds at Luzna)

475.111
Works a train from Luzna to Zatec and back, leaving at 12.15 and arriving back at 14.50.

She then leaves Luzna for Plzen at 16.45.

475.179 leaves Luzna at 16.50 for Usti NL and, I presume connects there for Decin.


475 101 + 196 leave Luzna at 16.55 with the return special to Praha Hln, arriving there at 18.48.

Three main line steam hauled departures from Luzna in ten minutes !

All of these trips are 'turn up and pay on the train' most range from £5 - £10 max !

CAN'T WAIT

 

John

Thanks for the continued information on this. There is some confusion as to whats working what train, as the information sheet and the detailed timings disagree with each other.

The information sheet (that will be used to advertise the event) shows both days working in and out of Praha as being the pair of 475's, where as the timing sheet shows it as a diesel on Saturday night / Sunday morning. The Saturday morning and Sunday evening trip working into HLN (which both sheets agree is steam) goes via a route that we were told last year wasn't passed for steam (weight restrictions I think, and may have only applied to the 477 tank we were booked for) and so was diesel instead. I must say that I'm suprised that they are using diesel on Saturday night / Sunday morning with such a big event, and disapointed as it rather kyboshes my planned Decin - Luzna - Praha - Luzna - Plzen move! I am however inclined to beleive the timing sheet as the advert sheet would have you believe that 475 179 converges on Zatec from two different directions at the same time on the Saturday! One of the Krupas looks suspect as well, showing two trains in from Krupa to Luzna without an outward working. I suspect the first one is Luzna to Krupa not the other way round as advertised.

Suprises can happen at Luzna, two years ago we found ourselves being banked by the museums Krieg out of Luzna, when the day befores trip was assisted by the same diesel advertised here.

Regards

Jonathan

 

The Czech event at Mseno,nr Melnik,was excellent last weekend with a 423 (282T )+ 310.0134 hauling trains of 4 wheel coaches at low prices full of relaxed friendly families. 01.509 Prague to Dresden was a wonderful finale to a wonderful day with fast running to Usti
Publicity for Luzna appeared not to be finalised at Prague Hl.v where posters can generally be found(+ at many other Czech stations)

498.104 hauled the IGE/RTC train over new year in Slovakia + was awesome. Good to see it back in service!! 498.022 is often found wkg on Prague excursions both long distance(ie Brno,Kosice,Bratislava) + "local"trips esp to Krivoclat(?) Castle which are AAA.......Never seen 498.106--thanks vv much for the info!!!

Cannot make Luzna this year. RTC are taking a group+continuing to Jaromer/JHMD/Gmund + I suspect other grps will be there as its a TOP EVENT

I hope you all have a v good time + "bash/phot" as many 475's as you can. Oh,yes, the 141R s ARE related to the 475 s,a batch of which went to N.Korea.....

Have fun Czech loco fans RAY

 

Thanks for your input Jonathan and Ray Yes, there is confusion, but in some ways it makes the event even more attractive! Whichever way it pans out I'm sure i'll have an amazing time! I have Thurs/Fri to explore other part of the CD system too - gonna be a good 'un !