Tatra Electric Railway

As Tatra Electric Railway (Slovak Tatranská elektrická železnica, TEŽ; Hungarian Tátrai villamosvasút ) the electrically powered narrow gauge railways are referred to in the Slovak High Tatras. Built by the k.k. priv Košice- Berger train, the routes should open up the High Tatras for tourism. The Tatra Railway is now the most important public transport in the Slovak part of the High Tatras dar.

Beginning of the development of tourism

The development of tourism in the High Tatras began with the commissioning of the Košice- Berger railway in 1871. Due to the completion of the Waagtalbahn 1878 Tatra moved even closer to Pozsony ( Pressburg, Bratislava ) and Vienna. From Vienna, the route to the Tatra was now shorter than the Tyrol. From 1896 introduced a steam-powered cog railway from the station Csorba from the mountains.

To connect the resorts at the southern foot of the Tatra Mountains to 1904 taught a trolley bus, which Trackless train Poprad - Stary Smokovec, which had to be adjusted but again because of technical and economic difficulties in 1906.

Construction of the electric railway

In the same year Tátrai Villamos HEV began (Tatra Electric Railway transport company) of Poprad ( Poprad ) from the construction of a network meterspuriger electrical adhesion railways according to Stary Smokovec ( Old Smokovec ) and Štrbské Pleso and after Tatranská Lomnica ( Lomnica ). The Linienverkahr with railcars began on 20 November 1908 on the 13.6 km long section from Poprad to Ótátrafüred. Originally a contact wire voltage was chosen from 550 V DC for this first section. As of August 13, 1912 the network was fully operational. From this time, the electrical systems have been reconstructed and operated with a feed of 1500 V DC. The point of separation of the feed was in Stary Smokovec. The sheet was supplied with electric power from a steam power plant in Poprad.

It was interesting at the separation point in Stary Smokovec also a huge battery battery with 794 members. They were like from electrocution in the lines, and at the same time they served as Notquelle in the event of failure of the power plant. In such a case, the voltage was maintained for 2 hours, and emergency operation of the trains will be implemented until the next station as well as emergency supply of trains in the stations.

Modernization

In the years 1965-1969 the routes have been extensively modernized. In passenger traffic now 18 new tram -like articulated railcars Series 420.95 were used, which were supplied by CKD Tatra in Prague.

End of the 1980s the route in the city of Poprad was realigned. Since then, the route ends at right angles from the north into the station Poprad Tatry - a and ends on a high platform on the standard-gauge tracks of the main line Žilina - Košice.

With the commissioning of 15 vehicles in the series 425.95 the old vehicles were 420.95 series from 2000 out of service and scrapped.

Storm damage in 2004

On November 19, 2004, a hurricane destroyed large parts of the forest areas in the south of the High Tatras. Here, through fallen trees all located in the forest areas sections were impassable. Only at Easter 2005 could be resumed in the section Poprad - Stary Smokovec train traffic. On May 27, 2005, all sections were repaired. A total of over 300 catenary masts had to be temporarily re-erected or rebuilt.

Gallery

Series 420.95, at Tatra Railway 1967-2003

Historic train in Stary Smokovec

Station Štrbské Pleso

Station Stary Smokovec

Breakpoint Tatranské Zruby

Station Stary Smokovec, Series 420.95

Series 420.95 in Stary Smokovec

Series 420.95, passenger compartment

420.95 series, the cab