GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA

No8; p 16-24

economic problems. Serious war damage

Railway Network Development gave way massive reconstruction problems

after the oilfields had been recklessly ex-

in Inter-war Romania:
ploited during the German occupation.
There was also a need for financial recon-
struction complicated by the loss of gold re-

Economic and Strategic serves in Russia and the erosion of Reichs-

bank credits in Germany through inflation,

Motives
not to mention the fiscal burden of Roma-
nia’s allocation of the Austro-Hungarian
debt.

Turnock, D.*
Priorities Within the
Railway Industry
Even within the railway industry there was

T
Abstract The railway geography of the his is a study in historical geogra- much competition for funding. The chal-
Pannonian zone was substantially recon- phy which considers one aspect of a lenge over standardisation of axle weights
structed after the First World War as a major problem facing Romania (and and maximum speeds is very evident when
result of the demise of the Habsburg Empire all the newly-constituted or greatly-en- it is considered that seven types of rail were
and the need for unity within the new larged states of East Central Europe) after in use across Romania before the war com-
states of the region. While some main lines the First World War in that the inherited pared with 48 after. An axle weight of 18t
were effectively destroyed like the direct infrastructure was not only worn out and was the norm in 1919 but 19t was accept-
link between Szeged and Timisoara (which heavily damaged but also needed thorough able by 1929; and there was particular ac-
is only now being revived in the context of integration on account of the new provinces celeration in Bessarabia during 1918-32:
European support for cross-border coopera- acquired from the defeated powers - in Ro- from 30 to 80km/h maximum speed be-
tion), many new connections were proposed mania’s case: Banat, Crisana, Maramures tween Ungheni to Chisinau and 10-60km/
across the former imperial frontiers. This and Transylvania from Hungary, Bessara- h between Ungheni, Balti and Sulita (re-
study deals with Romania where former bia from Russia and Bucovina from Austria. constructed by 1928). But extensive renew-
Carpathian frontier needed radical atten- The railway system of Romania presented al was also needed to cope with war damage
tion. But as achievements of the period this problem in an extreme form since the including 154 railway bridges, the most im-
1919-49 are examined it is evident that country was more than doubled in size and portant which was Saligny’s bridge over the
the ambitious proposals of the expansion- there was the additional problem of a dif- Danube between Fetesti and Cernavoda,
ists were compromised by need for careful ference of gauge in Bessarabia. The focus reopened for access to Constanta in 1921.
prioritisation given the limited finance and is placed on the expansion of the network, But with the bridge over the Milcov near
the engineering challenges; also the need to with a review of each of the projects select- Focsani unavailable until rebuilding was
reconcile economic and strategic interests ed, following the author’s previous works completed in 1923 all rail traffic to Mol-
and provide for qualitative improvements (Turnock, 1978; 1987). Both economic and davia from the south had to pass through
throughout the system as a whole as well as strategic motives were important although Galati where the bridge at Barbosi attract-
new construction. the balance between them shifted during ed top priority and was restored relative-
the period. The study extends to 1949 so as ly quickly in 1919. Severe winter weather
Key words soils, degradation, melioration, to deal with some projects whose comple- could disrupt the network (as in 1933-4)
fertility, Banat, Romania tion was delayed until just after the Second but more serious was the risk of a sudden
World War and cover all the years prior to increase in temperature causing accelerat-
the launch of the first communist Five Year ed snow-melt and serious flooding; requir-
Plan. But progress was restrained by other ing reconstruction of Stramba bridge over

* David Turnock, Geography Department, The

University, Leicester LE1 7RH, United King- Plate 1. A heavy freight locomotive of the type built by Malaxa at Bucharest from 1928,
dom photographed at Ramnicu Valcea
16
 GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA

Turnock, D.
the Jijia between Iasi and Ungheni during
1932-3; while river regulation, especially
for the Bahlui and Barlad rivers, was called
for to reduce the level of risk. Heavy wear
and tear to Timis tunnel (Brasov-Predeal)
arising through sulphurous smoke emitted
by the passage of heavy trains hauled by up
to four locomotives required a two-month
closure for major repairs in 1933.
There was also modernisation work in-
volving locomotives and rolling stock.
Whereas all locomotives were purchased
abroad before 1914 there was an almost
exact 50:50 split between 1914 and 1927
(1,087 locomotives built in Romania; 1,077
abroad) and between 1927 and 1938 there
were only 109 imported compared with 760
built within the country; thanks to capac- Plate 2. A former German war locomotive used for mixed traffic until the 1980s,
ities established at Resita in 1926 (where photographed at Turnu Severin
previously only narrow gauge locomotives bridging was in place as far as Roman at the tion for the heavily-used and steeply-grad-
had been built) and in Bucharest where end of the war. ed Ploiesti-Predeal line was proposed by
Malaxa started to build heavy freight lo- Much attention was given to stations R.Baiulescu and I.S.Gheorghiu using hy-
comotives in 1928 (Plate 1). New loco- and administration in Bucharest with a dropower from Dobresti and Gaina stations
motives, especially the Pacifics imported costly new central station abandoned in but was not included in the development
from Maffei in Germany paved the way for 1932 in favour of major extensions at Gara plan of that year. In 1922 Gheorghiu saw
a ‘rapid’ train service inaugurated by the de Nord - including the transfer of railway the hydro potential of the Basca valley as a
‘Ardeal’ Express from Bucharest to Bras- rolling stock repair shops to make way for basis for electrification of the Prahova val-
ov in 1929 and followed up in 1931 by the a new administrative complex (1937-9) ley line: then single-track railway climbing
‘Tomis’ to Constanta and the ‘Unirea’ to Iasi and other buildings - and new stations in to the Predeal summit (1040m) with gradi-
ents of 2.0-2.5%. After a favourable report
by a Swiss expert in 1926 government ap-
proved electrification in principle in 1929
at a time when a foreign loan was linked
with a Bucharest-Danube Canal that was
a potential source of power. D.Serbanescu
(1936) and others recommended addition-
al electrification for lengthy routes incor-
porating new Carpathian routes such as
Bumbesti-Livezeni, Curtea de Arges-Ram-
nicu Valcea, Harman-Nehoiasu and Ilva
Mica-Vatra Dornei. Other visionaries pro-
posed a national electricity grid with a
roughly circular pattern following the
main line railways, thereby linking a series
Plate 3. An express diesel railcar modelled on a Hungarian design photographed at Podul Olt
and Chisinau. Steam traction continued to the suburbs at Obor (1932) and Baneasa
evolve through the 1930s and 1940s (Plate (1939) (Plate 4). Electric signalling was one
2), but the improvement of inter-city serv- of the reasons calling the railway company
ices by fast steam-hauled trains was taken a to open its own power station at Grivita in
stage further with express diesel railcars in 1937. Meanwhile, diesel shunting locomo-
the 1930s (Plate 3). The widening of main tives were also in production at the end of
lines by laying a second track was limited the 1930s, while diesel railcars helped limit
in 1918 to Bucharest-Ploiesti-Campina, costs on existing branch lines (Plate 5). And
Ploiesti-Buzau and the short section from the growth of road transport (albeit with
Iasi to Letcani where the Dorohoi and Pas- state railway company in a privileged po-
cani lines diverged. But widening was ex- sition to operate buses and lorries - as was
tended from Campina to Brasov (1939-41); also the case with airlines and pipelines)
Buzau to Adjud and Tecuci (1933-41); and limited the case for new local lines unless
a section in Transylvania from Copsa Mica substantial freight movement(minerals or
to Teius and Apahida (1938-40) - although timber) was anticipated.
the latter was quickly removed on account
of the new frontier with Hungary estab- The Electrification Debate
lished in 1940. These improvements came Most controversy related to electrification
quite late considering that the doubling which started on present Romanian terri-
of the track all the way to the Polish fron- tory in 1906 with petrol-electric power for
tier was recommended in the Cottescu pro- the services from Arad to Ghioroc, Panco-
gramme of 1927. In 1943 doubling started ta and Radna in 1906 (switching to a static Plate 4. A type of diesel railcar used for
north of Adjud and most of trackbed and power station in 1912). In 1913 electrifica- light branch-line traffic
17
 Economic and Strategic Motives GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA
Railway Network Development in Inter-war Romania:

discussed by Tudoran (1934). A new start

was heralded in 1937 with the creation of a
new construction organisation for military
projects (‘Serviciul Lucrarilor Militare’)
which eventually evolved into the ‘Cen-
trala de Constructii Cai Ferate’ prominent
through the communist years. The unit
took over work on the Bumbesti-Livezeni
and Ilva Mica-Vatra Dornei projects as well
as several others based at Babadag, Brad,
Bucharest, Caransebes, Crasna, Eforie and
Salva. Finally, the loss of North Transyl-
vania in 1940 dictated a new set of prior-
ities - concerned with the internal require-
ments of the state and the Axis advance in
the Soviet Union - which were mostly taken
through to completion by the end of the
1940s (Tudoran, 1941).
Plate 5. The new station of Bucharest Obor built in the 1930s
of hydropower stations and the main coal, oil and only 0.3% timber. Comparative val- The Projects: Completing
gas and oil fields: in this way railway elec- ues for 1921-7 were 51.9%, 15.5%, 20.7%
Wartime Construction and
trification could then take place on a more and 10.4% respectively (imported coal then
comprehensive basis. But feasibility stud- accounted for the remaining 1.6%). Filling the Gaps
ies in 1929-30 restricted electrification to The paper presents a total of 50 projects
Campina-Brasov, which was always seen as
The Political Context for completed between 1921 and 1949 and
the top priority since it would obviate the New Construction makes use of a valuable engineering study
need for relief lines. This project was subse- A political contest between the Liberal and (Iordanescu & Georgescu, 1986) which is
quently examined by commissions during National-Peasant parties, with the former taken as the authority where minor dis-
1932-4 and government voted money in sponsoring an industrial class on the basis crepancies in dates arise. Each project had
1935 for 3000v conversion in liaison with of self-help ‘prin noi insine’ (including a de- a serial number that can be found on Fig-
German and Italian firms (though bids re- flationary strategy to revalue the national ure 1. Some work can be seen as a contin-
ceived in both 1931 and 1935 were consid- currency) while their opponents favoured uation of work started during the war.
ered too expensive). foreign investment. The Liberals held sway Although many wartime projects were
By now the route over Predeal was satu- initially and were favoured as the king’s simply abandoned like the narrow gauge
rated with traffic to the point where 21,500 party until Ferdinand’s death in 1927. The lines from Husi to Bucovat in Bessarabia
wagons had to be diverted to more circui- Liberals established a higher value for the and Borsa to Iacobeni (which the Hungari-
tous routes via Ghimes-Ciceu or the Olt leu in 1926 and 1927 on the strength of rel- ans dismantled before retreating), the Ro-
Valley (though better planning reduced atively good harvests but it could only be manians completed the 45km line (start-
this level to 7.7 in 1938). But with oppo- defended with difficulty. And although ag- ed in 1917) from Roman to Bacesti in 1921
sition over the vulnerability of power sta- riculture and exports were taxed to finance (1) which linked with the Buhaiesti-Baces-
tions to bombing and the disproportion- industrial growth, the inefficiency of much ti branch of 1915 and completed a cross-
ate spending on one project (through the domestic industry caught the rural consum- link between the two north-south axial
cost of imported equipment given the lim- er in a price scissors between unreward- lines through Moldavia. This became a pri-
ited development of the Romanian electri- ing prices for farm produce and rising rela- ority when the Romanian government re-
cal engineering industry at the time) the tive costs for manufactures. Even oil prices treated to Iasi and most of the country fell
project was postponed pending the wid- were disappointing and increasing produc- under German occupation. In non-occu-
ening of the line and testing of a 4,000hp tion during 1924-7 could not always keep pied territory the administration depend-
Sulzer diesel-electric locomotive ordered in pace. However there were ambitious rail- ed on the single-track railway ‘ring’ con-
1936 and delivered in 1938. Furthermore way proposals from N.I.Petculescu (1923) necting Iasi, Barlad, Tecuci, Marasesti,
the decision was taken to extend the dou- as well as R.Baiulescu and A.Cottescu and Bacau, Roman and Pascani and because of
ble track from Campina to Brasov in 1939. a programme evolved within the Ministry single line working all traffic was required
The expense of electrification was also of Public Works & Transport during the to move in a clockwise direction. The new
countered by the improved fuel situation early 1920s and three mountain projects link was seen as a way of easing pressure
for locomotives as the coal resources of the were launched in 1924. Resources allowed and was evidently seen as being useful in
former Habsburg territories became availa- a substantial effort at this time, although peacetime. The other project in this cate-
ble. Between 1921 and 1941 increasing use certain key projects did not reach comple- gory was the line started by the Russians
was made of hard coal from the Jiu Valley tion until a new government was in con- to connect Cetatea Alba with Zorleni near
(enhanced by washing facilities in 1929), trol and a $100mln foreign loan negotiated Barlad across Bessarabia. The outstanding
lignite from a range of small mines devel- following monetary stabilisation. At this work over the 112km section between Ba-
oped before the war (with new briquetting juncture (1929) G.Leverve, a French rail- sarabeasca and Zorleni was completed in
facilities at Calnic near Resita and Coman- way specialist, was invited to make a sur- 1923 (2) following the completion of a tem-
esti) and certain grades of oil. Imports of vey to help reorder priorities, based very porary wooden bridge over the Prut at Fal-
coal ceased, as did use of the high-grade largely on economic considerations. The de- ciu (replaced by a metal structure in 1928).
Anina coal, and consumption of wood was pression undermined the new strategy and However the work started to cross the old
greatly reduced. Between 1937 and 1941 when recovery occurred there was a more frontier further north and connect Dan-
the total amount of fuel used (equiva- difficult political climate and a royal dic- geni (on the Iasi-Dorohoi line) with Radau-
lent to 1.53mln.t of Cardiff coal) involved tatorship under Carol II as strategic issues ti-Prut and Lipcani was evidently too lim-
63.3% Jiu Valley coal; 16.1% lignite; 20.3% came to the fore through a range of projects ited for completion to be an easy option.
18
 GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA

Turnock, D.
Figure 1. The Romanian railway system highlighting the projects completed during 1918-1949. Key to projects:
1. 1921 Roman-Bacesti (now Maresal Constantin Prezan) (45kms), 2. 1923 Zorleni-Basarabeasca (112kms) , 3. 1924 Nadab-Salonta (35kms), 4. 1925
Hamangia-Babadag (22kms), 5. 1927 Comlosu-Teremia (9kms), 6. 1927 Constanta-Eforie (18kms), 7. 1928 Eforie-Techirghiol (2kms), 8. 1930 Schit-Zaleszc-
zyki@(#), 9. 1931 Revaca-Cainari (44kms), 10.1931 Harman-Intorsura Buzaului (31kms), 11.1931 Vijnita-Kuty (5kms), 12.1932 Bucharest Obor-Pantelimon
(5kms), 13.1934 Apa Neagra-Turnu Severin (*40kms), 14.1935 Tighina-Tiraspol (#), 15.1937 Carpinis-Checea (7kms), 16.1937 Crasna-Husi (34kms), 17.1938
Babadag-Tulcea 1938 (39kms), 18.1938 Caransebes-Resita (34kms), 19.1938 Constanta-Mamaia 1938 (11kms), 20.1938 Eforie-Mangalia 1938 (26kms),
21.1938 Ilva Mica-Vatra Dornei (62kms), 22.1939?Larga-Kamjanec Podilskyi@ (*40kms), 23.1939 Salva-Telciu (15kms), 24.1939 Ucea-Victoria (10kms),
25.1940 Telciu-Moisei (*20kms), 26.1941 Arciz-Ismail (*65kms), 27.1941 Bumbesti-Meri (9kms), 28.1941 Busteni/Posada (#), 29.1941 Deda-Saratel (47kms),
30.1941 Iuda-Lechinta (16kms), 31.1942 Tandarei-Lunca (16kms), 32.1943 Bucharest-Faurei (138kms) , 33.1943 Sercaia-Valea Homorod (16kms), 34.1944
Boj Deviation (3kms), 35.1944 Brad-Luncoiu (5kms), 36.1944 Deva-Stoeneasa (15kms), 37.1945 Filipestii de Padure-Mina Palanga (5kms), 38.1945 Golenti-
Poiana Mare (7kms), 39.1945 Pecica-Nadlac (31kms), 40.1945 Stana Tunnel (1km), 41.1947 Bucharest-Craiova (209kms), 42.1947 Intorsura Buzaului-Crasna
(*20kms), 43.1948 Caciulati-Snagov (16kms), 44.1948?Ditesti-Moreni/Mina Palanga (15kms), 45.1948?I.L.Caragiale-Ditesti (9kms), 46.1948 Ploiesti-Targo-
viste (52kms), 47.1948 Meri-Livezeni (20kms), 48.1949 Faurei-Tecuci (90kms), 49.1949 Orastie-Cetate (41kms), 50.1949 Telciu-Viseu de Jos (47kms)
* estimate; # less than 1km; @ not shown on the map

A second major category concerned link duced the distance between Chisinau (the bridge at Cainari on the existing route. An
lines that either crossed former frontier provincial capital) and Galati by avoiding a essential accessory to the project was the
zones or avoided lengthy detours. Some long detour through Tighina. This was part reconstruction of the bridge over the Prut
were relatively straightforward but where of an ambitious programme started by the between Reni and Galati: this was built
the Carpathians had to be crossed they Liberal government in 1924 and involved originally in 1877 but abandoned after the
could involve massive engineering work. some reordering of priorities away from a Russo-Turkish War and destroyed by flood-
The first of these projects was a 35km line direct link between Chisinau and Balti offi- ing in 1897 before a temporary structure
connecting Nadab with Salonta in 1924 (3), cially advocated in 1920, no doubt because was provided in 1916 and a permanent one
completing the main line through western of the strategic interest in a direct axial in 1928 (it was to be destroyed again during
Romania between the Czechoslovak and route (avoiding the detour through Unghe- World War Two with reconstruction provi-
Yugoslav frontiers: a link of great strategic ni) through the province to Cernauti in Bu- sionally and permanently in 1944 and 1947
importance following up the Treaty of Tri- covina. Even so the line took seven years to respectively).
anon which awarded Romania territory as complete (including the 689m Tipala tun-
far west as the edge of the Pannonian Plain. nel) and depended on the finance arranged Crossing the Carpathians
It also provided the most direct connection externally by the National Peasant gov- In 1938 a 34km line was opened between
between three states that were to formalise ernment in 1928 and a reconsideration of Caransebes and Resita (18) to provide a di-
their mutual defence interests through the strategy in the light of the Leverve report rect link with Bucharest for a metallurgical
Little Entente. Then in 1931 the 44km line in 1929. However the most direct route to and engineering centre of the greatest im-
from Revaca to Cainari (9) in Bessarabia re- Zlati was compromised in order to use the portance for the Romanian economy. But
19
 Economic and Strategic Motives GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA
Railway Network Development in Inter-war Romania:

even more significant was the 62km line Soviet territory was allowed from 1947). favoured by Romania it has been of great
across the Eastern Carpathians connect- There was some further thought about the value since the war in allowing more direct
ing Ilva Mica in Transylvania with Vatra best route, with Baia Mare-Sighet and Iaco- contact between Bucharest and Baia Mare
Dornei in Bucovina (21). It had been con- beni-Borsa as alternatives (the latter an un- (travelling via Miercurea Ciuc instead of
sidered by the Habsburg planners in 1898 likely option in view of the maximum gradi- Cluj) and was an early candidate for electri-
because there was no railway crossing of ent of 5.2% encountered by the Hungarian fication.
the mountains from eastern Transylvania military line built during World War One
apart from the link from Ciceu to Adjud. and the long tunnel that would otherwise The Oradea-Craiova
When Habsburg forces were cut-off in Bu- be needed), and the project was finished
covina by the Brussilow offensive in 1916 1949 with a further 47kms became avail- Strategic Concept
it was necessary to build a makeshift tram- able (50). 1939 also saw the completion on 1944 saw the completion of two sections -
road from the railhead at Dornisoara to a line from Larga in Bessarabia crossing the Brad-Luncoiu (5kms) (35) and Deva-Stoe-
Prundul Bargaului, worked by petrol-elec- Nistru to reach Kamjanec Podilskyi (22) in neasa (15kms) (36) - of the line from Brad
tric locomotives (150hp petrol engines the Soviet Union. This is shown in a railway to Deva which gave access to an impor-
coupled to a 300v/90w dynamo) and four map of the Danubian area (Jordan, 1986) tant mining area. Much more important
railcars. After the war the Romanians im- and it may reflect an even-handed approach however was the possibility of shortening
mediately opened an office to begin plan- by Romania towards Germany and the So- the distance from Bucharest to Oradea by
ning the new line and work started in 1924 viet Union in a bid to protect the country’s bridging the gaps Brad-Deva and Vascau-
(along with two other Carpathian projects integrity prior to the territorial losses of Varfurile - also Curtea de Arges-Ramnicu
described below). In the meantime the mil- 1940. But the project may have originated Valcea. Along with the latter, Brad-Deva be-
itary tramroad was needed (until 1939) during World War One in conjunction with came a priority in the 1941-6 programme
and it was therefore repaired and reo- Romanian interest in building from Dan- after the main line through Transylva-
pened in 1922. Work continued through- geni to Radauti-Prut where a bridge would nia was cut by the Hungarian frontier and
out the inter-war period apart from 1929- have given easy access to Lipcani and Larga. the Vascau area was isolated (although the
34 when the National Peasant government Jordan also thinks the line could have been work started in 1939 in connection with an
saw a reduced priority for the line in view of built earlier (between 1924-39) although Oradea-Craiova strategic axis which would
the convention signed with Poland in 1928 this would be surprising given the poor be achieved through the Bumbesti-Liveze-
which provided for trains from Cernauti to relations between Romania and the USSR ni project). However the work was not fin-
Oradea via Sighet and Satu Mare to operate until 1935. Another possibility is construc- ished when the war ended and the return of
through Polish and Czechoslovak territory, tion by the Soviets after they annexed Bes- North Transylvania to Romania removed
beginning in 1930. However in 1934 stra- sarabia and North Bucovina in 1940 the major justification to the project which
tegic considerations returned to the force The nine kilometers of railway opened meant that two tunnels (0.29kms) and 10
and the line reached Ilva Mare (25kms) in in 1941 between Bumbesti and Meri in viaducts (1.12kms) remained largely un-
1936. The remaining section was difficult the Jiu defile (27) concerns another of the finished until work eventually resumed in
with nine tunnels (total length 2.38kms) mountain projects started in 1924 with the 1979. Meanwhile completed sections at-
and the bulk of a total of 191 bridges and aim of reaching the Petrosani coalfield at tracted local use in connection with min-
viaducts (total length 1.54kms, of which Livezeni along a highly-challenging route. ing and quarrying by the 1960s: limestone
0.52kms comprised four large viaducts). The aim was to provide a more direct route working at Craciunesti near Stoenea-
The new railway became redundant almost for the southward flow of coal but to pro- sa (where the railway included the 301m
immediately with the loss of North Tran- vide an additional link across the old fron- Mures bridge at Mintia) and non-ferrous
sylvania in 1940 but it demonstrated its tier between the Olt valley and the Timis- ores at Dealul Fetii: the latter operation ev-
value after the war, although it was neces- Cerna corridor. Work between Targu Jiu idently justifying completion of the 217m
sary to undertake protection work for some and the frontier near Bumbesti was put in Luncoiu viaduct to extend the line avail-
3.16kms along the Ilva river (with realign- hand in 1915-6 and following Romania’s able from Brad by a further two kilom-
ment of track at Lesul Ilvei) over a period defeat in the war the Habsburg adminis- eters. Meanwhile however, Meri-Livezeni
up to 1953. tration considered extending the project (20kms) benefited from a ‘big push’ from
1939 saw the opening to Telciu of the through the gorges with studies during 1941 (under a new contract for completion
first (15kms) section of a line from Salva to 1916-8 which the Romanians extended in 1945) and continued to enjoy priority with
Viseu (23) which was needed to provide a 1921-4. Romanian governments consist- the deployment of 28,000 young workers
link with Sighet in Maramures (otherwise ently supported the project (apart from who finally drove the project to comple-
accessible only via Czechoslovak territo- the depression years 1932-6) although it tion in 1948. It is perhaps Romania’s most
ry). Until the whole line was open - with a did not always carry top priority. The Meri outstanding railway with 35 tunnels (total
further five tunnels of 3.46kms (2.39kms section included four tunnels with a total length: 6.67kms) and major buttressing on
for the Maramures tunnel alone) a nar- length of 0.79kms. It is not clear how much unstable slopes.
row gauge railway opened in 1940 provid- further was done during the war years, but
ed a temporary connection with the Borsa following the partition of Transylvania in
The Projects:
branch at Moisei opened in 1940 (25). The 1940, the Hungarians built the 47km line New Main Lines
line was seen as a low priority after negoti- between Deda and Saratel (29). Southeast- A third category deals with several lengthy
ations with Czechoslovakia and Poland en- ern Transylvania (extending as far south new lines that were substantial projects
abled trains to run in transit between Cer- as Sfantu Gheorghe) could not be accessed going beyond the closure of relatively short
nauti and Oradea from 1930 (in return for from Cluj because the main line passed into gaps. To begin with, Dobrogea was seen as
facilities for Polish traffic in Bucovina, re- Romanian territory and hence the need to being quite inadequately served when stra-
ferred to below). But it became more essen- approach from Satu Mare and head south- tegic issues were raised at the time of the
tial under the strategic planning of 1937 eastwards through Dej to Gheorgheni and Balkan War (1913) when Romania gained a
and work eventually resumed when Roma- Miercurea Ciuc. The new line, which includ- strip of territory from Bulgaria. A four year
nian administration returned to northern ed two tunnels with a combined length of development plan for 1913-16 highlighted
Transylvania after the war (although tran- 1.43kms, was naturally given the highest an axial line across the province from Tul-
sit from Satu Mare through what was now priority and although it was never a project cea in the north to Bazargic in the south,
20
 GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA

Turnock, D.
crossing the Bucharest-Constanta line at to Constanta extending the line from Ploi- with Jasa Tomic was closed to through run-
Medgidia. Work started on the southern esti to Tandarei across the Danube at Har- ning in 1925 because it crossed the frontier
line in 1912 and reached Bazargic in 1915; sova (first conceived just before World five times. However a lengthy central por-
whereupon work switched to the Tulcea line War One): construction extended for only tion on Romanian territory was reconnect-
(first proposed in 1897 and then planned to 16kms to the edge of the Danube at Lunca ed 12 years later in the way described while
start from Dorobantu 1909 before a base at (31). But there was a more successful out- two smaller sections in Romanian (Foeni)
Medgidia was preferred in 1911). However come for the concept of a new railway to and Yugoslavian territory, along with other
the line reached only to Hamangia (other- connect Bucharest with both Moldavia and short sections at Jimbolia and Jasa Tomic
wise known as Baia Dobrogea or Targusor) Oltenia through Urziceni, Faurei and Tecu- were all abandoned. In 1939 a 10km branch
in 1916 when the German occupation pre- ci to the northeast and Rosiorii de Vede, was opened from Ucea to the site of a stra-
vented further progress. However the line Caracal and Craiova to the southwest. The tegically-important chemical industry site
advanced a further 22kms to Babadag in Bucharest-Urziceni-Faurei line (138kms) at Ucea de Sus (24). However the munitions
1925 (4) and work stopped there for more was conceived in the 1890s and then given factory was never finished because delivery
than ten years (despite continuing priority greater priority at the onset of World War of plant from Germany was prevented by
following the foreign loan and the Leverve One, with work authorised in 1912 and the coup of 1944 and the factory was even-
Report in 1929) before a new effort in 1935 started eventually in 1916. But there was tually completed as a peacetime project
saw the remaining 39kms completed 1938 no substantive progress until the 1941 with the name of Victoria (though retain-
(17) with the major economy of a steeper plan which led to new studies in 1942 and ing the remote site selected on the basis of
ruling gradient (1.6% instead of 1.3) ena- completion of the line in 1943 (32). Bucha- wartime dispersal to reduce the risk of aer-
bling the projected Cataloi tunnel to be re- rest-Craiova (209kms) had similar origins ial attack). In 1945 a seven kilometer line
placed by winding ‘serpentine’ down into and was competed in 1947 (41). Finally the went from Golenti near Calafat to the Dan-
Tulcea. Meanwhile new lines were being Faurei-Tecuci section (90kms) was delayed ube at Poiana Mare (38) and there was fur-
built along the Black Sea coast: from Con- until 1949 (48) with the complications of ther adjustment in Banat with the 31km
stanta to Eforie (18kms) in 1927 (6) and the Buzau and Siret river crossings at Fau- Pecica-Nadlac line (39) which gave an all-
a further two kilometers to Techirghiol rei and Suraia respectively. In the case of Romanian route to a village on the fron-
the following year (7). In 1938 the railway the Buzau there was serious flood damage tier previously accessible from a station
reached Mangalia (26kms from Eforie) (19) in 1941 followed by adjustment of the me- (just across the frontier) on a cross-country
- an extension of strategic importance, al- andering river during 1942-6. But the Siret route from Arad to Battonya and Mako. In
though it not prevent the loss of South Do- bridge (429m) was particularly challenging 1948 the 52km line from Ploiesti to Targo-
brogea in 1940) and there was also a branch and even a temporary bridge held up com- viste (46) kept pace with the expansion of
of 11kms from Constanta northwards to pletion of the line until 1949 with a perma- oil working in Dambovita county by serving
the resort of Mamaia (20). Finally on the nent installation following only in 1960. Bucsani, Razvad and Teis. The line was first
northern side of the Danube delta the re- proposed in 1928 but was given high prior-
capture of Bessarabia in 1941 (as part of The Projects: Local Lines, ity from 1943 (in view of the importance
the Axis advance into the USSR) was fol- Realignments and Narrow of Romanian oil) with completion expect-
lowed by a line of some 65kms to give rail ed 1944. Also in 1948 (or later) a branch
access to the port of Ismail (26) using work Gauge Projects from I.L.Caragiale gave access through Di-
already started by the Russians. Fourthly, several local lines were built. In testi (45) with former narrow gauge lines
Elsewhere a new line was quickly con- chronological order the first was in 1927 to Moreni and Gura Palangii, of interest
ceived after 1918 to connect Brasov with and involved a nine kilometer link in the for oil and lignite mining respectively. Fi-
Buzau (incorporating the Buzau-Nehoi- west of the country: one of three projects in nally in 1948, following the completion of
asu branch) in order to link Transylvania Banat where a dense network of local lines the main line from Bucharest to Urziceni, a
directly with Romanian ports and reduce was much compromised by the new fron- 16km branch from Caciulati to Snagov (43)
pressure on the difficult and overloaded tiers. Although Bazias could be reached by was financed by the railway company and
route over the Predeal summit. It was one transit through Yugoslavia (agreed in 1925) the Bucharest municipality anxious to get
of the three mountain railways started in there were three places were new construc- people to Snagov Lake which was popular
1924 and was intended to be a two-track tion in the area was need. In the first case for water sports. The study included provi-
railway with gentle gradients that called of Comlosu-Teremia, a Hungarian line had sion for loop around lake to join the Bucha-
for a 4.37km tunnel between Telciu and been built in 1910 from Arad to Jimbolia, rest-Ploiesti line at Peris but this line was
Intorsura Buzaului (the longest tunnel in Kikinda and Nerau but this could not be never built (although it could have provid-
Romania, by more than a kilometer after taken over entirely by Romania because the ed a short cut between the two main lines
Beresti, north of Galati, with 3.33kms). Jimbolia-Kikinda section lay in Yugoslav avoiding Bucharest).
However, despite further support follow- territory. The new line eventually made an A fifth category covers a number of lo-
ing the foreign loan and the Leverve Re- all-Romanian railway available after Ner- calised realignments. As part of an agree-
port of 1929, work halted at Intorsura Bu- au’s link with Kikinda had closed in 1920 ment with Poland a border crossing was
zaului in 1931 with only 31kms complete (5). In 1932 a short line in Bucharest from opened at the Schit-Zaleszczyki (8) by re-
(10) (starting from Harman, east of Bras- Obor to Pantelimon (12) reduced pressure building a bridge originally construct-
ov). Unstable terrain added greatly to the on the main Gara de Nord in Bucharest by ed in 1897 but destroyed during 1919-20.
costs and little further work was done since enabling trains on the Constanta line to The following year another connection was
it did not carry the highest priority (de- enter a new suburban station built in the opened at Vijnita-Kuty over a distance of
spite inclusion in the 1941 programme) eastern part of the city (an alternative to a five kilometers (11) to allow timber trains
with the Campina-Brasov widening now in grandiose central station concept which was to transit Romania and re-enter Poland
hand. The only result was a narrow-gauge rejected at this time). Then in 1937 a fur- at Grigore Ghica Voda/Sniatyn. Then in
local line as far as Crasna while the stand- ther adjustment in Banat was made by link- 1935 a resumption of transport links with
ard gauge section engineered to the highest ing Carpinis with Checea (15) (seven kil- the USSR led to the rebuilding of the bor-
standards continues to carry only sparse ometers) in order to give access to a branch der bridge over the Nistru between Tighi-
local traffic. Similar disappointment at- line leading to Ionel (31kms in all). A Hun- na and Tiraspol, first built during 1870-4
tended the plan of 1941 for a new railway garian line of 1897 connecting Jimbolia but destroyed in 1919 (14). Then the dou-
21
 Economic and Strategic Motives GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA
Railway Network Development in Inter-war Romania:

bling of tracks between Campina and Bras-

ov by 1941 led to some realignment, includ-
ing the abandonment a tunnel at Busteni
(120m) and two at Posada (195m) (28). In
1943 a 16km diversion was opened on the
Brasov-Sibiu line between Valea Homorod
and Sercaia, including the Dealul Negru
tunnel (472m) (33). The improvement was
needed when Brasov-Sibiu-Copsa Mica-
Alba Iulia-Arad became a route of first im-
portance after 1940 and the restrictions
arising in the Homorod-Sinca area on ac-
count of gradient and curvature - as well
as the dimensions of the 535m Diana tun-
nel and two reinforced concrete viaducts at
Sinca (the first such structures to be built
on present Romanian territory). This was
the only one of three such improvements
envisaged under the 1941-6 plans (the oth- Plate 6. Abandoned locomotives on the Brezasca forest railway system
ers were Ocna Sibiului-Miercurea Sibiului struction in 1944. The Prut bridge at Falciu of the rationalisation of railways in North
between Sibiu and Copsa Mica and Balota was also destroyed during World War Two Transylvania. In 1945 a short new line of
at the eastern approach to Turnu Severin). and was rebuilt on a modified alignment in some five kilometers was reported between
In 1944 the retreating Germans blew 1943 before further destruction in 1944 Filipestii de Padure and the Palanga lignite
up two tunnels at Boj on the southern ap- and a return to the original alignment after mine (37) where a large thermal power sta-
proach to Cluj. Although the tunnels were another reconstruction in 1951. tion (sufficient for national electrification
not reopened until 1948 a Russian unit was The final category concerns a number of along with hydropower from Bicaz and the
able to reopen the line in two weeks by con- narrow-gauge (76cm) lines which do not Iron Gates) seemed a possibility. although
structing a three-kilometer deviation rail- include those built by the forestry authori- such hopes were disappointed. However
way for temporary use (34). There was also ties and timber companies at Berzasca and the line which was built as a ramification
a 1.1km realignment for a new 294m Stana elsewhere (Plate 6). A local railway of some of an existing narrow gauge railway from
tunnel under the Cris-Somes watershed on 40kms was opened in 1934 by the Closa- Floresti to Ditesti and Moreni (completed
the Cluj-Oradea line after wartime destruc- ni company to connect Apa Neagra (near by the Germans during their occupation of
tion realignment 1945 - after destruction in Baia de Arama) with Turnu Severin (13), 1916-8) and the system was converted to
the war: a temporary route was constructed although landsliding on the escarpment standard gauge in 1948 or later (44) (and
above the old tunnel before a new bore was 150-300m above the Danube at Colibasi- the Floresti link broken) following the con-
completed in 1947 (40) (and subsequent- Malovatu led to closure and a new link with nection of Ditesti with I.L.Caragiale (on the
ly duplicated when widening occurred in Targu Jiu by 1955 (Plate 7). During 1936-7 new Ploiesti-Targoviste railway mentioned
1976). This section does not take account the Crasna-Husi narrow gauge (34kms) (16) above). Reference should be made to the
of bridge reconstructions that involved was converted to standard gauge, presum- local line of some 20kms from Intorsura
minor changes in alignment e.g. when Ca- ably for strategic reasons and in 1940 (as Buzaului to Crasna (1947) (42) which was
racau viaduct between Ciceu and Ghimes already noted) a line of some 20kms from intended to assist in the extension of the
was replaced in wood (1944-5) and then in Telciu to Moisei gave access to Maramures main line project. But the latter was aban-
concrete (1946) - very soon after previous pending completion of the Salva-Viseu doned early in the communist era and the
destruction in 1916 had been followed by project. In 1941 the Hungarians connect- narrow gauge line was handed over to the
provisional repairs in 1917 and full recon- ed Lechinta with Iuda (16kms) (30) as part forestry authorities and extended along
tributary valleys to assist the logging in-
dustry. Finally another line (of 41kms) was
built during 1944-9 (49) for local traffic be-
tween Orastie to Cetate and this also be-
came a forest railway.

Completing the Network

The projects reviewed represent a small
part of what was considered during the pe-
riod, inevitably since resources were limit-
ed and many of the recommendations were
put forward as alternatives. However it
worth reviewing the other ideas: they did
not comprise any official plan but rather a
set of ideals embraced by a number of vi-
sionaries. They are shown in Figure 2 which
also summarises the construction to 1918,
the new lines subsequently built and the
forest railways: with discrimination in the
latter case between those lines still operat-
ing in the 1970s and those already closed.
Plate 7. A woodyard near Tismana opened up by the narrow-gauge railway from Apa Neagra The map also shows the directness of rail-
to Turnu Severin and its subsequent extensions way links between Bucharest and other
22
 GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA

Turnock, D.
towns with the 1918 rail distance calculat- Ramnicu Valcea project that was recom- ing lines would lead on to Iasi and Chisin-
ed as a multiple of the straight line distance mended on several occasions as a means of au. New construction could be reduced by
(relatively high values of over 1.5 - and es- reducing pressure at Predeal while simulta- using the lines already available in Tran-
pecially over 2.0 - point to the need for im- neously reducing the distance from Bucha- sylvania between Reghin and Toplita or by
proved services). rest to Arad from 599kms via Brasov (for shifting the route further to the north to
The various recommendations had re- 590kms via Turnu Severin) to 544kms. The the Ilva Mica-Vatra Dornei route (under
gional significance in the case of Transyl- line was considered in the 1890s and then construction) and an additional new line
vania where direct lines from Sighisoara identified in the 1920s by Baiulescu, Cottes- from Gura Humorului to Roman. There was
to Targu Mures (Danes-Sanpaul) and from cu and Petculescu as well as by Tudoran in also an interest in the ports of the Black Sea
Ludus to Turda and Cluj would also shorten 1934. Extensive studies were carried out in and Lower Danube with both domestic and
the distance to Oradea and improve links 1931-2 and in 1942 when the project com- international traffic in mind. One impor-
with other cities as well. In Wallachia links plemented the Oradea-Craiova concept. tant supply line could reach Ismail by way
with the river ports could be improved But there is no evidence of any construc- of Cernauti, Lipcani, Ocnita, Balti, Orhei,
through railways from Leu near Craiova to tion despite further studies in 1948-9 and Chisinau, Basarabeasca and Bolgrad; re-
Bechet, from Zarnesti to Campulung (for the saga therefore extended into the com- quiring a more direct line between Balti
Turnu Magurele) and from Sinaia to Piet- munist era (Peaha, 1965). Decision-making to Chisinau (as well as the Revaca-Cain-
rosita (for Giurgiu), with the latter includ- was not helped by major construction prob- ari line opened in 1931) and a link between
ed in the 1913 programme but never im- lems and alternative routes based on Bas- Bolgrad and Ismail (as an alternative to
plemented. In Moldavia improvements cov near Pitesti, Valcele further north or the route through Arciz that was eventual-
north of Iasi could provide direct access to Curtea de Arges. The Valcele route involved ly preferred). From Ismail some visionaries
Botosani via Harlau and with Hotin in Bes- two tunnels of 4.16kms along with bridges conceived of a railway crossing the Danube
sarabia via Dangeni, Radauti-Prut and Lip- over the Arges and Olt, plus ten major via- to reach Tulcea and Constanta. A further
cani or via Dorohoi, Herta and Noua Sulita. ducts (total length 3.25kms). option was a new port at Jibrieni on the
Bucovina could also become more accessible Bessarabian coast immediately east of the
with new construction between Veresti and The International Dimension Danube delta; requiring a branch from Ba-
Siret which would avoid Suceava and Dor- Much thought given to international con- sarabeasca to handle traffic that might ar-
nesti. And with the Ilva Mica-Vatra Dor- nections as the number of through coaches rive in the area by means of the ‘central
nei line open and the local railways west of to destinations abroad increased from eight railway’ from Budapest via Cluj, Iasi and
Suceava were exposed to main line traffic daily in 1914 to 33 in 1926 (including with Chisinau.
the bottlenecks at Mestecanis tunnel (on Wagon Lits coaches to Amsterdam, Ber- Another route would connect Sighet
a 2.0% gradient) and the steep incline of lin, Budapest, Calais, Linz, Ostend, Paris with Piatra Neamt via Borsa, Iacobeni and
2.5% at Strigoaia near Cacica required ur- and Prague/Karlovy Vary, Vienna and War- Vatra Dornei and then use existing lines to
gent attention. saw). Most international services crossed Galati through Bacau, Marasesti and Tecu-
Four peripheral areas of the country the frontier just beyond Arad or Cernau- ci; with possible extensions to Ismail via
posed particular concern: Anina and Bazias ti where the relevant stations (Curtici and Foltesti and Cahul; and to Isaccea, Tulcea
(the latter accessible only through Yugosla- Napolacauti) were rebuilt and renamed De- and Sulina by means of a bridge or train
via) could be reached more easily through cebal and Grigore Ghica Voda respectively. ferry across the Danube at Galati. Gala-
a railway starting at Iablanita or Mehadia But better connections were needed to Ro- ti could also be reached from southern
(north of Orsova) and heading for Oravita mania’s Little Entente partners. For Czech- Transylvania by new lines from Odorhei to
(considered by the Hungarians and report- oslovakia the improved domestic arrange- Ciceu or from Bretcu to Onesti - both feed-
edly implemented momentarily before the ments with Maramures would provide ing on to the existing main line to Adjud
First World War). For this reason the Iablan- access over the frontier at Campulung pe with Bessarabian ports then accessible by
ita-Racajdia project via Nera Velley was re- Tisa near Sighet but shortening the route new construction from Adjud to Nichise-
vived by the Baiulescu plan 1919-20 and from Bucharest to Belgrade via Timisoara ni leading on to Birlad, Falciu and Basara-
reconsidered again in 1934: the distance would require either a long cross-country beasca. Yet another approach lay through
would have been 102kms with 2.66kms of line from Iablanita or Mehadia (north of the Harman-Buzau and Tandarei-Harsova-
bridges and 4.80kms of tunnels. Bessara- Orsova) along the Nera valley to meet he Constanta projects where implementation
bia needed the Balti-Chisinau-Zlati link Oravita-Bazias line at Racajdia; or a bridge was attempted. Finally Bucharest’s links
(partially realised) and branches to Hotin over the Danube between Turnu Sever- with Dobrogea could be improved by the
and Soroca; while the isolation of Dobrogea in and Calafat (Gruia or Tiganasi) to meet extension of the Oltenita branch across the
and Maramures was relieved by projects al- the Serbian narrow gauge in the Timok Danube (or by a tunnel under the river) to
ready described. But there was also a stra- valley: also a potentially useful route to reach Turtucaia, Silistra, Arman and Balcic
tegic interest in the southern approach- Greece and southern Yugoslavia (Petcules- (the latter also to be connected with Man-
es to the Carpathians to allow for speedy cu, 1943). However the bridge would have galia and Constanta). In a class of its own
despatch of reinforcements to guard pass- been hugely expensive while the Iablan- was Tudoran’s speculation of 1943 con-
es in the event of an invasion of Transyl- ita-Racajdia line would also have been dif- cerning Hitler’s idea of a broad gauge rail-
vania. Hence the proposal for a continu- ficult - and entirely a Romanian concern way system embracing Eurasia: this might
ous railway along the southern edge of the - although it would have helped to meet a have placed Bucharest at the intersection
mountains continuing the new construc- strategic concern over access to southern of routes connecting Hamburg with Saigon
tion already proposed for Curtea de Arges- Banat already discussed. and Helsinki with Central Africa!
Ramnicu Valcea to Polovragi, Targu Jiu, Other ideas of international interest in-
Baia de Arama and Baile Herculane on the cluded an east-west axial route across East- Conclusion
main line from Turnu Severin and Orsova ern Europe that would use the existing The period covered by this paper was a crit-
to Timisoara. The new line would link with Oradea-Cluj line (with additional branch- ical one for the railway network when there
the Targu Jiu branch running north from es to lead in traffic from Beius, Simleu Sil- was many inherited deficiencies to be ad-
Filiasi and a further link was proposed vaniei and Zalau) and then strike a new dressed. In contrast to grandiose visionary
from Bals to Polovragi. This is an appropri- course eastwards to Reghin, Ditrau, Tulgh- schemes, specific plans were always relative-
ate point to refer to the Curtea de Arges- es, Targu Neamt and Pascani where exist- ly modest in scope but were to a considerable
23
 Economic and Strategic Motives GEOGRAPHICA ANNONICA
Railway Network Development in Inter-war Romania:

extent realised, sometimes after considera- rial context very different from that of the Serbanescu, D. (1936): ‘Electrificarea lini-
ble delay which may be attributed to capi- present ilor CFR’, Revista CFR 23, 136-47.
tal shortage, wartime pressures, changing Tudoran, M. (1934), Orientarea sistemati-
international circumstances and, above all, Bibliography zarea si completarea retelei CFR (Bucha-
the engineering difficulties in dealing with Iordanescu, D. Georgescu, C. (1986): Con- rest: CFR).
mountainous and unstable terrain. Further- structii pentru transporturi in Romania Tudoran, M. (1941): ‘Constructiile de linii
more, the interest in new projects had to be (Bucharest: Centrala de Constructii Cai noi ferate in legatura cu programul de
balanced against the need to modernise the Ferate). investitii CFR’, Buletinul Societatii Po-
existing network. Given the limited resourc- Jordan, P. (1986): ‘Transport’: Breu, J. ed., litechnice din Romania 40, 767-93.
es and a measure of conflict between eco- Atlas of the Danubian countries (Vien- Tudoran. M. (1943) ‘Idei noi in construc-
nomic and strategic objectives, the progress na: Franz Deuticke Verlags/Universi- tie drumurilor de fier’, Revista CFR 29,
was substantial and many of the defects in tatsbuchhandlung) 353. 179-89.
the inherited network in terms of indirect Peaha, M. (1965): ‘Contributii la studiul Turnock, D. (1979), ‘The Romanian rail-
routes from Bucharest to some large popu- posibilitatilor de construire caii ferate way debate: a theme in political geog-
lation centres were satisfactorily addressed. Curtea de Arges-Rimnicu Vilcea’, Comu- raphy’, Journal of Transport History 5,
Four decades of communist central plan- nicare de Geografie 3, 287-300. 105-21.
ning brought little further expansion of the Petculescu, N.I. (1923): Problema CFR: is- Turnock, D. (1987), The development of
network except in new coalmining areas and torie completari imbunatatiri (Bucha- the Romanian railway network since
the emphasis placed on widening and elec- rest: Cultura Nationala). the First World War (Leicester: Leicester
trification points to the rationality of earlier Petculescu, N.I. (1943): ‘Marea cale de University Geography Department Oc-
decision making. However, the network still comunicatie a Romaniei cu Peninsula casional Paper 16).
shows many signs of its origins in a territo- Balcanica’, Revista CFR 29, 141-6.

24