This is the second children’s railway in the country
Construction of the narrow-gauge railway line began on April 21, 1979, at the bottom of the Youth Hill (Dzhendem Tepe). The idea of building it is related to the celebration of the International Year of the Child, initiated by the UN. In Bulgaria, the person behind its celebration on native land is Ludmila Zhivkova. Pupils and university students, with the assistance of the Plovdiv community, take part in the process of its transformation from a project to a real existing object. Besides the occasion of the World Assembly, the attraction was also conceived as a way to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Dimitrov pioneer organization "Septemvriyche".
The rails are from the Kocherinovo - Rila Monastery railway line, on which the inscription 1923 can be read today. The gauge to which they are mounted is 600 mm. The wagons from Kocherinovo were also brought to Plovdiv. They were later replaced. The route was created in 156 days.
It was first opened on 23/09/1979 and quickly became a real attraction for both children and their parents, residents and visitors of the city. Thousands of children from Plovdiv and the surrounding area keep the memory of their first train boarding on the Youth Hill. It closed in 1997.
In 2004 the idea of re-establishing this emblematic place for Plovdiv was born. It was also implemented on September 22, 2007, exactly 28 years after its first opening, and the railway opened its doors with a new look. The train, consisting of a locomotive and three wagons, begins its journey from Pioneer Station, which has a platform, two tracks and a traffic light. The ride is about 25 minutes.
In 2013, the line was again overhauled and a new traction battery was installed in the locomotive. It makes it possible to complete as many as 6 courses a day with a single charge. The train has a capacity of 50 seats. The length of the route is about 1 km and passes through a bridge, a railway crossing with barriers and a tunnel of about 50 m. Next is the Snezhanka stop and the Panorama terminal. There is a short break at the Panorama Station, during which travelers can enjoy the beautiful view of Plovdiv and take pictures. After maneuvering with the train locomotive, the train continues to Pioneer Station.
Two years later the beloved railway station was also upgraded. The ticket office pavilion has been repainted, a ramp for an accessible environment has been constructed, a large shade and awning have been put, waterproofing of the roof has been done.
To this day, the attraction is one of the preferred places for going with the youngest and there is no child from the City under the hills, who didn’t feel the excitement of the ride with the train at least once and didn’t sing the children's songs ringing in the wagons.
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