Croatian Railways

{{wide image|Zagreb Rail Station.jpg|700px|Zagreb Main Station.}}

Croatian Railways was founded in 1991 from the former JŽ ("Yugoslav Railways") Zagreb Division, following Croatia's secession from Yugoslavia. Its vehicle fleet was initially the one it inherited at the time of the breakup of Yugoslavia. It has been modernized over time, and further modernization is currently being carried out. The first railway section on the territory of today's Republic of Croatia, then part of the Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, was built in 1860 in Međimurje: the railway line from Nagykanizsa in Hungary via Čakovec and Kotoriba continued to Pragerski in Slovenia. Although only a small part of the railway passed through Croatian territory (Međimurje was part of Croatia at the time the railway was built, but in January 1861, it was annexed to Hungary by the decision of Vienna) was built only 35 years after the first European railway, which was established in 1825 between the towns of Stockton and Darlington in England.[http://www.szz.hr/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/povijest-prve-pruge.pdf "Stotinu i pedeset godina željeznice u Hrvatskoj"], stranice "Savez za željeznicu" (udruga čiji su osnivači sindikati i poduzeća iz željezničkog sektora), posjećeno 8. veljače 2015. god. Railroads that connected Rijeka, the most important port in Croatia, with Trieste (and further with Vienna), and with Zagreb (and further with Budapest ) were put into service in 1873.[http://www.rijeka.hr/Obiljezena140obljetnicaPrugeKarlovac "OBILJEŽENA 140. OBLJETNICA PRUGE KARLOVAC - RIJEKA"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513095813/http://www.rijeka.hr/Obiljezena140obljetnicaPrugeKarlovac |date=13. svibnja 2016. }}, Službene stranice Grada Rijeke, 23. listopada 2013.

The company ceased to exist in 2006 and its assets were taken over by the newly founded company Hrvatske Željeznice Holding d.o.o. The operation was then provided by the holding's four subsidiaries for infrastructure management (HŽ Infrastruktura), passenger transport operation (HŽ Putnički prijevoz), freight transport operation (HŽ Cargo) and traction/locomotives (HŽ Vuča vlakova).{{cite report |date= 2013|title= Croatia - Railway Policy Note |url= https://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/245141468248679806/pdf/786890PN0P127700Box037738100PUBLIC0.pdf |publisher= The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/the World Bank Office, Croatia | access-date= 2024-07-17}}

In accordance EU Directive 91/440.{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/transport/rail/overview/dir_91_440_en.htm|title=Rail Transport and Interoperability (overview of directive 91/440)|access-date=6 July 2007|publisher=European Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618124209/http://ec.europa.eu/transport/rail/overview/dir_91_440_en.htm|archive-date=18 June 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} requiring EU member states to separate "the management of railway operation and infrastructure from the provision of railway transport services, on 1 November 2012 HŽ Holding was ceased to exist, the three opúerational companies became completely independent:

• HŽ Cargo d.o.o. (responsible for cargo transport)
• HŽ Putnički prijevoz d.o.o. (responsible for passenger transport)
• HŽ Infrastruktura d.o.o. (responsible for railway Infrastructure)

HŽ Vuča vlakova was incorporated into HŽ Cargo the same day.{{cite web |url= https://www.zelpage.cz/zpravy/8872?lang=cs |title= HŽ Cargo - bankrot nebo privatizace |last= Vlad |date= 2013-04-11 |website= Želpage |access-date= 2024-07-18 }}

{{Main|List of railway lines in Croatia}}

File:Railway map of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.png

{{Main|Train categories in Europe#Croatia}}

The original decision in SFR Yugoslavia was to use 3 kV DC electrification for the railway network. This was performed on the Rijeka–Zagreb line, which due to the mountainous Gorski kotar region had a need for more powerful trains than the traditional diesel powered ones.

Beginning with the modernisation of the Zagreb–Belgrade railway line an electrification system of 25 kV/50 Hz was used. Electrification on other lines in Croatia was then made exclusively 25 kV/50 Hz. Later, the majority of the Zagreb–Rijeka line was re-electrified to 25 kV/50 Hz, but until December 2012 there was still a part that under 3 kV DC. Consequentially a power system break existed at Moravice. HŽ was considering the purchase of dual-voltage locomotives, as an alternative to full re-electrification of 3 kV DC tracks, but the idea was scrapped for good as all electrified railways in Croatia are now using 25 kV/50 Hz.

All railway power systems in Croatia are exclusively of type overhead catenary.

{{Main|Rolling stock of the Croatian Railways}}

The maximum permitted speed of trains on the tracks in Croatia is 160 km/h. As far as the infrastructure is concerned, the specified speed can currently be achieved on part of the international corridor Novska - Tovarnik, more precisely on the relatively short sections Novska-Okučani and Vinkovci-Tovarnik. The current rail speed record in Croatia is 185 km/h. The record was set on the line between Novska and Nova Gradiška. The run was performed in order to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the Rade Končar built JŽ 442 electric locomotive class (now HŽ1142 train class).

• Maximum operating speed: 160 km/h
• Train protection system used (where applicable): INDUSI (a stripped down derivative of German system, Punktförmige Zugbeeinflussung)
• Signaling system: at sight only, automatic block protection (on mainlines and where applicable)

• Transport in Croatia

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Hrvatske željeznice|Croatian Railways}}

• [http://www.hzpp.hr/en HŽPP (passenger operator)]
• [http://www.hzpp.hr/en/Contents/Item/Display/383?m=385&mp=13 Map with all railway stations]
• [http://www.zeljeznice.net/forum Forum about Croatian Railways] - also with an English subforum
• [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_croatia---slovenia---bosnia-hercegovina.php Map]
• [http://www.railfaneurope.net/list/croatia/croatia_hz.html Croatian stock list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314042023/http://railfaneurope.net/list/croatia/croatia_hz.html |date=2016-03-14 }}
• [http://www.railfaneurope.net/list/croatia/croatia_hz_del.html Croatian withdrawn stock list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175557/http://www.railfaneurope.net/list/croatia/croatia_hz_del.html |date=2016-03-03 }}
• [http://trainspo.com/country/hr/gallery/ HŽ stock photo gallery]

{{HŽ rolling stock}}

{{JŽ rolling stock}}

{{National railway companies of Europe}}

{{Rail transport in Europe}}

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Category:Railway companies of Croatia

Category:Railway companies established in 1991

Category:Government-owned railway companies

Category:Government-owned companies of Croatia

Category:Companies based in Zagreb

Category:Croatian companies established in 1991