The Mountain Destroyers

Generation Y1 dawn encounter - Between Varaždin and Golubovec, the 7122 series motor coaches operate, which were purchased second-hand by Croatian Railways from Sweden. The timetable for the passenger trains is not synchronous; instead, it is tailored to the needs of commuter traffic to Varaždin. On this railway line, passenger and freight transport coexist well, with open-line freight loading typically taking place between 7 and 11 a.m., so it does not interfere with the operation of passenger trains. -- Ivanec, 12 September 2023, 6:07

Turning the second third – Today's freight train consists of twenty-four cars, each carrying six small containers. This special train is used in railway construction, supplying material for the track-mounted formation rehabilitation machine like Plasser & Theurer PM 1000 URM. The train is divided into three parts for loading, and before it enters the loading area, it is turned back at the terminus. This avoids having the loaded cars climb the steep gradient, which reaches up to 27‰. The first third of the train has already been loaded and is now waiting at Ivanec station. (Golubovec / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 8:51 CET)

Arrival in Očura – The Ivanšćica Mountain range was once known in the Middle Ages by the ominous name of Očura, which now refers to a village and the surrounding quarries. The name Očura has become synonymous with environmental destruction, caused by mining activities and the related truck traffic. The road running along the valley floor also serves as a mining route, as it connects the quarries, the weigh station, and the truck parking areas. In comparison, the railway can be considered the lesser of two evils, as trains do not burden the traffic of the road. (Očura / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 9:06 CET)

Gardens instead of quarries – The loaded wagons are only taken as far as the nearby Lepoglava station, where the third section of the train was left in the morning. Beyond the mining zone, the valley turns into a peaceful landscape. The southern slopes even produce wine, and although it's not easy to reach, the view is truly breathtaking. (Muricevec / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 9:34 CET)

Same place, 12 minutes later – At the nearby Lepoglava station, the train made an incredibly quick turnaround, speeding back with empty wagons just 12 minutes later. How were they so fast? The train arrived with the loaded wagons on the same track where it had previously left the empty ones, so the locomotive was positioned right in the middle of the train. The loaded wagons were uncoupled, and the empty ones were coupled on almost at the same time. The empty train had to be pushed back to bypass the loaded wagons on the other track, but after that, they left without stopping, leaving the waving traffic manager behind. No administration, no fuss, no coffee break—just go! (Muricevec / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 9:46 CET)

The Mountain Destroyers -- The dolomite blasted from the walls of the mine is processed using mobile crushers and collected in a stockpile in the mine yard. The loading process is exceptionally fast and precise. There is very little material scattered next to the containers, and any remaining material is cleaned off the trucks during loading, so no time is wasted elsewhere. -- Očura / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 10:21 CET

Time’s up, the train is ready -- The time window for loading is closing soon. The freight train must reach Lepoglava station a few minutes before 11:13, or the oncoming passenger train will be delayed. It seems this won’t be a problem today, as passenger traffic and open-line loading can coexist smoothly -- Očura / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 10:43 CET

Minor road traffic dominance -- The freight train has left the loading area, but trucks will continue to transport the stone throughout the day. The level crossings on the main road are protected by half barriers, but at the industrial roads, there are only light signals, or sometimes even nothing at all. Here, the railway's dominance is not so clear, and in the event of an accident, even a lightweight railcar could come off worse. -- Očura / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 14:08 CET

Golubovec

Muricevec

Service for Every Need - Customers are continuously arriving at the Očura quarries. As we observed today, some are hauling hundreds of tons with an entire trainload, while others come with a small trailer, simply looking to refresh the garden path. (Očura / Croatia, 12 September 2023, 16:46 CET)

Macosa meet Ličanka - Sometimes, plans go awry, and the loading at Očura gets postponed. The brown freight trucks are here (visible in the background of the picture), but LogRail’s locomotive has other tasks at hand: a few wagons needed to be taken in for repairs. Nevertheless, there's no shortage of action, as the HŽ Cargo freight train is waiting at the station, and passenger trains keep arriving and departing. Compared to the Swedish railcars, the 7121-series Macosas really stand out with their impressive looks. (Varaždin / Croatia, 20 October 2023, 10:36 CET)

Kucan Marof

Čakovec

Kotoriba

Golubovec

Muricevec / Croatia, 15 November 2023, 

Practiced precision -- The fog still clings to the valley floor, but the rising sun already lights up the upper terraces of the quarry. The front loader works with practiced ease, while the locomotive waits, ready to roll forward if needed. -- Očura, 15 November 2023, 8:48

Loading is complete for today -- This time, there’s no third train section, allowing for an early finish well before the passenger trains arrive. The second half of the train is now rolling towards Lepoglava station to be coupled with the first part. -- Lepoglava, 15 November 2023, 9:20

Leaving Očura -- In the top left corner, the faintly visible half-hewn peaks of Očura appear, their material crushed into fine pieces and loaded into wagons, heading towards a distant construction site. Our story ends here, but as long as Očura gives its stone, the trains will come for it. -- Lepoglava, 15 November 2023, 9:36