To the previous part of the trip report:
Steam in Bosnia 2010 - 8: Banovici - Shunting I (50 p.)
http://railroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34163
We return in the afternoon of April 5 2010 to the standard gauge station Banovici:
Shortly after 3 p.m. a small hole in the sky announced itself, and so Skoda-loco 19-12 was set in motion.
At the entrance to the station they waited for the photographers.
The participating crew.
We walked across a bridge, because space was tight several photo runs had to be made.
The exotic German-type signal sadly couldn't be set to clear for the first run. The line is winding uphill through Oskova river valley here with terminal Banovici station, only the narrow gauge line is continuing further into the mountains.
The second run across the bridge, now the signal worked as well.
Sunlight allowed one more pass.
View from a buffer stop at the end of a station track in perfect spotlight.
The photo spot from before can be seen to the right.
Steaming back comfortably.
Done!
Threatening dark clouds announced themselves in the sky, and soon it started to rain, sometimes stronger, sometimes lighter.
At the interchange facility.
It didn't get boring: 83-158 was in charge of heavy regular shunting duties just a few feet above!
Floodlight-switch.
An already empty rake was pushed through the unloading spot towards Oskova station.
The loco had been uncoupled to take over more loaded wagons.
All other photographers were busy in the standard gauge section, so I had everything to myself and could conveniently chat with the workers.
The loco returned with a fresh load of coal, which was about to be dumped to the left and right of the tracks and transported to standard gauge by gravity.
I could comfortably sit with the workers, protected from the rain. There was time for philosophical exchange, for example that life is "relatively" good everywhere...
The loco driver, already known from the photo excursion the day before, shouted: "Don't stand around taking pictures, come into the cab!"
The wagons were unloaded step by step.
During shunting only one crewmember was manning the loco, including fireman-duties.
Below you could spot the Skoda-loco on standard gauge, sadly it didn't use the outer tracks.
Mission accomplished.
Now it was time to return to standard gauge.
19-12 was still moving up and down all the time.
To the right green 732-195 was to be seen, it had taken over shunting operations from the steamers in November 2009.
In the little shop to the left I could buy a few things later, sadly our pretty blue bus was covered by steam clouds...
At 4:45 p.m. I returned to the bus, some had finished taking pictures much earlier. Next was dinner in our yugoslav-stylish forest hotel, as always a rich meal consisting of several courses.
But that wasn't it yet for the evening, after 8 p.m. we came back to the station in light rain. A ZFBH original GM class 661 had arrived to take over that day's full coal rake.
After departure of the state railway train, lights were set up for a static photo session with 19-12.
As always things didn't progress that fast at night, an hour later we could take photos of 83-158 on the narrow gauge level.
With hissing steam the loco started moving after the spotlight-session.
To immediately take over hard shunting duties again.
And once more: the best night photos usually are taken with "natural" lighting, when many people already have stopped shooting pictures...
Next time we will arrive at our final destination in Bosnia: the last massive class 33 (former German class 52) locos in regular service worldwide, we will stay there for more than 4 days!
