This line was originally a Russian forestry railway. The line starts in Antonovka, a small village on the broad gauge line Sarny - Kovel, and runs north into the forests and swamps of the Pripjet-Region. The railway was opened sometime between 1895 and 1913, probably though in 1904.
During the First World War Russian troops extended the forestry railway towards the German-Russian frontline. In 1915 the line ran from Antonovka to Kukockaja Volja (78 km). There was also a 35-km long branch line from Khinoci to Dombrovitsa, a station on the broad gauge line Sarny - Luninets (Beloros).
In 1918 this region came under polish control. The state railways (PKP) took over the narrow gauge line and started to run passenger trains.
Since 1944 Antonovka has been a part of the Ukraine. It took some years before the war damages were repaired, but the the MPS stated to oeprate the line. In 1957 the Sarny regional state forestry company took over the line for a period of 10 years. It abandoned the last 6 km of the line between Kukuchka Wolja and Tikhoviz and instead extended the remaining line from Tikhoviz to the north.
Since 1967 the MPS has again operated the network. The MPS extended the Line to Zarecnoje (now called Zaricne). This is a small regional centre near the Byelorussian border. The Antonovka - Zarecnoje line is 106 km long. The branch line to Dubrotista was freight-only and closed in 1974 already.
The system has long been steam operated. We can only guess which steam engines ran here. However it is known that Antonovka MPD has received two class GR steam engines from Estonia in 1960.
TU2-039 seen in Antonovka in 1972.
Photo: Mehis Helme.
Only in 1972 the Antonovka system was dieselised, using four second hand TU2s. These engines had numbers TU2-039, 050, 062 and 070. They previously ran on the Zabaikal narrow gauge line in Siberia (Margutsek MPD), which closed around 1970.
A view of TU2-070 and TU2-050 in Antonovka MPD in 1984. Both engines were obtained from the Zabaikal system.
Photo: Mehis Helme.
In 1976 the first new diesel engine TU7-0767 came to Antonovka. Also TU7A-3279 and 3280 have come to Antonivka, but they probably never worked here. Thet have been transferred from Beregovo in 1996, together with TU2-035. By 1984 also TU2-044 had been obtained from the Svobodnij pioneer railway. These two engines later probably replaced TU2-050 and TU2-070, for in 1995 only five TU2's were allocated to Antonovka MPD.
The freight traffic officially ended in 1996 (in praxis earlier?). But the passenger service has remained. This is due to the fact that there are no roads which could be used by an alternative bus service. Nowadays there is only one daily passenger train pair:
Timetable from 30-5-2004:
6391: Antonivka 7:10 - Zaricne 11:10
6392: Zaricne 12:35 - Antonivka 16:35
Until the end of 2001 there used to be a second train pair, leaving Antonovka around 18:00. The train needs only 4 hours for the 106-km long journey, which is quite fast for a narrow gauge line. This is possible because of the excellent state of the tracks, allowing a maximum velocity of 35 km/h, thought in praxis speeds of over 50 km/h have been observed.
In 1999 the Antonovka depot had TU2-035, 039, 044 and 062 as well as three TU7-s in stock. By this time at least TU2-062 and TU2-0767 were operational. And TU2-035 was already dumped outside the depot. The passenger trains were preferrably hauled by a TU2.
By 2002 the locomotive fleet had been reduced to TU2-062 and TU7-0767 (both in green livery). The other TU2s (035, 039, 044, 050) had been cut in the previous years at the depot. Normally TU2-062 hauled the daily passenger train. TU7-0767 belongs to the infrastructure-diviosion of the UZ and is used for maintenance trains. But due to the poor condition of TU2-062, frequently TU7-0767 had to haul the passenger trains or pulled the broken-down passenger train back to the depot. In such cases the UZ-infrastructure division was paid for the use of thier TU7.
In early 2002 TU2-062 was replaced by TU2-066. This loco previously ran in Beregovo and when it arrived it still had a red-black livery. It was overhauled by the Gajvoron workshop in November 2002. Since then it has a light green livery, similar to the TU2s from Gajvoron MPD.
TU2-066 stops at Vladimirets station. It is the first manned station of the line. Note the blue coach behind the TU2, which is in use by railway personnel. The passengers have to use the not yet (?) renovated green coaches...
TU2-066 at the Mlinok stop, west of the wooden bridge. This village is only accessible via the narrow gauge railway. Note the sandy road in the foreground.
One of the busiest stations is Ostrivsk. TU2-066 is photographed here with the Zaricne-Antonivka train on 30 July 2004.
After the daily train has returned to Antonivka, the TU2 runs to the sand installation at the depot. It is seen there on 30 July 2004.
The 'old' TU2-062 has been preserved in a shed at the depot. But in July 2004 it has received a new diesel engine and a new livery (green with white stripings). It was taken into service soon afterwards. In 2005 and 2006 both TU2-062 and TU2-066 have been used.
TU2-062 shunting at Zaricne station on 2 April 2005.
Photo: Dmitry Anatolevich.
