Timeline of Orava Forest Railway history
Railway construction plan prepared
1916Orava Compossessorate planned a construction of a forest railway in order to transport timber from the properties of Mútne and Zákamenné.
Construction of the railway
1918Railway track with a super elevation of 760 m.a.s.l. was built between the villages of Lokca and Oravská Lesná. The construction was realized by Nagy és Radó Company from Budapest, with a labour force of Italian prisoners of war. However, this track was not connected with the main railway network of the country. Railway administration, train depot and locomotive shed were located in Lokca. These were in operation until 1931.
Plans of connection with a local public railway
1921Orava Compossessorate initiated a connection plan of the forest railway with the local public railway. Two variants were in consideration – first plan suggested a connection to Oravský Podzámok via Príslop Mountain, another one via Námestovo to Tvrdošín. Both plans were dismissed due to high costs.
Intention to connect Orava Forest Railway with Kysuce railway
1924The idea of connecting the Orava Forest Railway with a similar forest railway in the Kysuce region arose.
Connection with the Kysuce railway
1925Company of Ing. Edmund and Ladislav Gál from Ružomberok worked out a plan of connection with the Kysuce forest railway. After its realization, rail transport network between Orava and Kysuce was created.
Tanečník Station built
1926Orava Compossessorate initiated a construction of the connecting section of the forest railway Beskyd – Chmúra. The track followed a switchback system. Three of the switchbacks were located right on the track, Chmúra Station and Beskyd Saddle Station were built in the other two switchbacks. In the same year, Tanečník Station was built in Oravská Lesná.
Railway operation permitted
1928In 1928, Ministry of Railways issued an official permission for the operation of the newly built railway track.
Train depot in Lokca closed
1931Lokca train depot and locomotive shed were closed and replaced by the new ones built in Zákamenné, in the premises of a former steam sawmill.
Railway damaged
1944THE SECOND WORLD WAR
1945The dissolution of Orava Compossessorate
1945After the end of the Second World War, the Orava Compossessorate was dissolved and its forests were passed to the Czechoslovak State Forests. Orava-Kysuce Forest Railway ended up under administration of Zákamenné Forest Works.
Orava-Kysuce Forest Railway as a public transport
1946Alarming state of a public transport and roads after the liberation of Slovakia led to an idea of using Orava-Kysuce Forest Railway for passenger transport. However, this plan was not put to use.
Severe damage of the railway
1965As a consequence of natural disasters and a flood, Orava Forest Railway was severely damaged.
Termination of a commercial transport
1967Czechoslovak State Forests decided to terminate the commercial transport on the forest railway due to its technical obsolescence.
Liquidation of Orava-Kysuce Forest Railway
1969In this year, Orava-Kysuce Forest Railway was liquidated. Until 1972, the railway track was being dismounted with an exception of the connecting switchback section which was to be preserved as a technical and historical monument.
Tragedy on the railway
1970A tragic accident occurred on the railway. One employee was killed and three were injured.
Establishment of Vychylovka Open-air Museum
1971A plan for Vychylovka Open-air Museum by the railway was prepared. The museum is currently administered by Kysuce Museum in Čadca.
Kysuce side administered by Kysuce Museum
1974Preserved part of the railway on the Kysuce side was taken to administration of Kysuce Museum in Čadca. The Orava side was left without any administrator.
Saving Orava Forest Railway
1986Orava Museum of P. O. Hviezdoslav initiated systematic saving actions of the preserved parts of the Orava Forest Railway.
Orava Forest Railway administered by Orava Museum
1988In 1988, Orava Museum of P. O. Hviezdoslav took Orava Forest Railway into its administration and conceived a revitalizing plan.
National Cultural Monuments
1991Preserved sections of Kysuce and Orava forest railways were named National Cultural Monuments.
Revitalization deal
1992Orava Museum of P. O. Hviezdoslav and Kysuce Museum in Čadca made a deal about revitalizing of Kysuce and Orava forest railways.
Restoration of Orava Forest Railway
1996Railway army of the Armed Forces of the Slovak republic realized restoration works in the Beskyd Saddle and the bridge by Tanečník Station.
Restoration works cancelled
1997Due to natural disasters which resulted into a serious disrepair in Kysuce, the revitalization plan of the Orava Forest Railway was not finalized.
New revitalization plan conceived
2004Orava Museum of P. O. Hviezdoslav had a new revitalization plan conceived. Track restoration plan was prepared by Ing. Ján Špánik and Ing. Roman Ličko from Reming Consult a.s. Bratislava. INKOPP s.r.o. Žilina was responsible for the restoration of the objects.
Obtaining resources for the revitalization
2005Financial resources for the railway revitalization were obtained from the EU project “Realising the potential of Upper Orava in tourism by revitalization of the Orava – Kysuce Forest Railway connecting the regions of Orava and Northern Považie”.
Completion of the revitalization
2007Revitalization works which took place in 2005 – 2007, were realized by KOTEZA s.r.o. Vrútky.
Orava Forest Railway opened
2008Since 2008, the Orava Forest Railway is accessible to the public and its trains run from Tanečník Station in Oravská Lesná to Beskyd Saddle Station and back. “The Past and the Present of the Orava Forest Railway” exhibition was also opened that year in the area of Tanečník Station.
“Gontkulák” steam locomotive back on track
2011Steam locomotive ČKD 1441/1928, also known as “Gontkulák”, was put back to use.
Construction of the Goral Wooden Cottage
2012In the area of Beskyd Saddle Station, a wooden cottage with an ethnographical exhibition of Goral culture was placed. Its restoration project was funded from the project “Gorals of yesterday and today”.
