Uploaded May 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Freight trains on the branch line #18 (Stamboliyski - Peshtera) are not a common sight. Currently on the line can be seen only a passenger services with DMU's Siemens Desiro. In the past years some of the passenger trains were hauled by diesel locomotives class 07 or 55, when the DMU's are out of service, but these times now are gone. The freight traffic on the line from many years ago is very very poor. In the spring of 2020, there were several cases of a freight trains with fuel for a state warehouse, located near the town of Bratsigovo. And... I was lucky enough to catch one of these trains in the middle of May. In my case two locomotives class 06 of BDZ Cargo - 06 029 and 06 060, served a freight train up to Bratsigovo station. Unfortunately, the train ran more than a hour earlier from the schedule and I missed it at some places, but I manage to catch it on the heavy ascent between Kozarsko and Bratsigovo, where the locomotives had some difficulties to serve the train. At Bratsigovo station there were some shunting action which you can see in the video. The locomotives returned towards Plovdiv an empty train. I suppose that the fuel depot now is full and soon there won't be any freight trains on the line.
Freight trains on the branch line #18 (Stamboliyski - Peshtera) are not a common sight. Currently on the line can be seen only a passenger services with DMU's Siemens Desiro. In the past years some of the passenger trains were hauled by diesel locomotives class 07 or 55, when the DMU's are out of service, but these times now are gone. The freight traffic on the line from many years ago is very very poor. In the spring of 2020, there were several cases of a freight trains with fuel for a state warehouse, located near the town of Bratsigovo. And... I was lucky enough to catch one of these trains in the middle of May. In my case two locomotives class 06 of BDZ Cargo - 06 029 and 06 060, served a freight train up to Bratsigovo station. Unfortunately, the train ran more than a hour earlier from the schedule and I missed it at some places, but I manage to catch it on the heavy ascent between Kozarsko and Bratsigovo, where the locomotives had some difficulties to serve the train. At Bratsigovo station there were some shunting action which you can see in the video. The locomotives returned towards Plovdiv an empty train. I suppose that the fuel depot now is full and soon there won't be any freight trains on the line.
