Bulgarian Railways: Velingrad - Yakoruda from the driver's view

Part 2/3 of the cab ride on the narrow gauge line in the Rhodope mountain from Velingrad to Yakoruda with the morning train 16103 and diesel locomotive 77 009. This is the only left narrow gauge line in Bulgaria, which is still in a regular use. The whole journey takes approximately five hours through the beautiful valleys and gorges of the Rhodope mountains with wonderful views in the last part of the journey towards Rila and Pirin mountains.
The railway was built in several stages between 1921 and 1945 with total length of 125 km (78 miles). Gauge is 760 mm. The Varvara–Pazardzhik branch line, which was closed in 2002, was 16.6 km (10.3 miles) long. Due to the characteristics of the route through the mountains, the narrow-gauge line Septemvri–Dobrinishte is also known as the Alpine railway in the Balkans. Avramovo station, situated at 1267 meters above the sea, is the highest station on the Balkans.

Now just enjoy the most beautiful part of the route - from Velingrad - the spa capital of Bulgaria, through the highest railway station on the Balkans - Avramovo, up to the beauiful town of Yakoruda, situated in the Mesta river valey, between Rila and Rhodope mountains.

If you are missed the first part of the narrow gauge cab ride, you can watch it here:
   • Bulgarian Railways: Septemvri - Velin...  

The final part is already available here:
   • Bulgarian Railways - Yakoruda - Dobri...  

Finally, a virtual timetable of the train:
0:40 - Velingrad
5:50 - Velingrad south halt
22:05 - Ostrets halt
31:50 - Tsvetino
40:50 - Sveta Petka halt
52:00 - Pashovi (not a regular halt, the train stopped here due to a overheating of the locomotive)
1:05:40 - Avramovo
1:16:03 - Smolevo halt
1:28:40 - Cherna Mesta halt
1:39:21 - Yakoruda