The Šargan "Eight"

text from a ŽTP prospect about the Đargan museum line

Through the valley between the slopes of three Serbian mountain beauties: Tara, Zlatibor and Šargan, one of the most beautiful railway routes of the world used to run until 1974. On a narrow-gauge line, connecting Belgrade with Sarajevo and Dubrovnik, the popular “Ćira” train used to cruise. For half a century this line used to link the surrounding villages with the world.

The building of the line began in 1921 and the first train started four years later, driving its way through rocky gorges and steep cuttings of Šargan.

The 300 m difference in altitude from Mokra Gora to Šargan at the distance of 3,5 km was resolved wisely by designers and constructors in a unique and the only possible way: by an extraordinary loop in the shape of a number eight – the popular “Šargan Eight”. The Eight was about 13,5 km long, including 22 tunnels, about ten bridges and viaducts, making one third of the total line length. The JATARE station on this route is the only one in the world in which for a quarter of a century nobody bought a ticket or got off the train, although it used to stop there daily. For a passenger it was impossible to find out which way the train had passed and which way it was to move further.

Mitar Tarabić, a famous prophet of Kremna, three decades before the “Ćira” train was to cross Šargan, predicted: “An iron road would cross the Cigansko padalište (The Gypsy Slope), with an iron fire cart which would always stop by itself at the place where the gypsy camp was located.”

The progress and development of the society as a whole and hence the transport itself, made the narrow gauge steam locomotives become a part of railway history. The last train crossed Šargan on February 28th, 1974. But instead of transforming the closed railway lines into touristically very profitable and very attractive railway, as it happened in many European countries, by unprudent decisions they were declared unprofitable and mainly handed over to local communities without any reimbursement. The attractive and beautiful railway routes with authentic structures of historical interest were demolished and sold out in a very short time.

The whole quarter of a century was to elapse until another prophecy of the Kremna prophet Mitar Tarabić was to come true: “Many years will pass after which people will remember again the iron road and then they will rebuild it again. But then travellers will not use it for necessity or business, but for diversion and pleasure”.

During the course of 1997 and 1998 the local community of Mokra Gora organized massive voluntary work brigades to clear up the alignment on the old railway and make it passable. The route was eventually cleared up by the army of Yugoslavia during the war months of 1999 (the NATO bombing).

In March 1999 the Museum Council initiated and the Collegium of Director General of Railway Transport Enterprise “Beograd” passed a Decision on renewal of the Đargan Eight on August 23th, 1999. A Committee was formed to be in charge of revitalisation of this Museum/Tourist railway. Along with the professional assistance of ŽELNID Railway Museum, the designers of the line and the whole infrastructure revitalization were prepared by the CIP Transport Institute. By re-building the railway stations ŠARGAN-VITASI, JATARE and MOKRA GORA, the appearance of exterior and interior of 1925 when the line was formally open to traffic, was brought back. So far the alignment has been prepared and 760 mm gauge track laid on 8 km. Two museum steam locomotives have been overhauled, namely: “Škoda” and JZ locomotive 83-173 for 760 mm track gauge, followed by “Elza”. They all are now in working order. Several freight wagons and passenger coaches have been repaired and refurbished, making freight and passenger train sets of the future Museum/Tourist Train.

The “dead railway” is going to be revived, as well as the romantic past. We shall be able to watch again the smokes of Đargan, enjoying the beauties of the country.