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The Nikšić-Podgorica railway is a railway

Rail transport

Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...

 connecting Montenegrin capital of Podgorica

Podgorica

Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...

 and Montenegrin second largest city

Second City

Second City or The Second City may refer to:* The second largest city in a country. See: List of largest cities and second largest cities by country...

 of Nikšić

Nikšić

Nikšić is a city in Montenegro . In 2003 the city had a total population about 75,000.Nikšić is located in Nikšić plain, at the foot of Mount Trebjesa. It is the center of the municipality , which is the largest in Montenegro by area...

. The line connects to Belgrade–Bar railway and Podgorica–Shkodër railway

Podgorica–Shkodër railway

The Podgorica–Shkodër railway is a railway connecting Albania and Montenegro, used primarily for freight-purposes only. It is Albania's only international rail link. Although initially built between 1984–1985, it fell into disuse in 1991 and later fully reopened in 2003...

 at Podgorica. It is operated by ŽICG

Railways of Montenegro

Rail transport in Montenegro is operated by three separate companies, which independently handle railway infrastructure, passenger transport and cargo transport.Montenegro is a member of the International Union of Railways...

.

Overview

Nikšić-Podgorica is a 56.4 kilometre-long standard gauge

Standard gauge

The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...

 railway. It passes through 12 tunnels of total length of 3,439m, and over 9 bridges (overall length of 279m), mostly following the Bjelopavlići plain along its corridor. It is currently under reconstruction and electrification

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

 (25 kV AC). Once the works are completed, the speeds on this line will be between 75km/h and 100km/h. The line has 3 train stations (Nikšić, Danilovgrad

Danilovgrad

Danilovgrad is a town in central Montenegro. It has a population of 5,208 . It is situated in the Danilovgrad Municipality which lies along the main route between Montenegro's two largest cities, Podgorica and Nikšić.The town of Danilovgrad is located in the fertile valley of the Zeta River,...

, and Podgorica) and 9 train halts.

History

The line was built as a narrow gauge

Narrow gauge

A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...

 (760 mm) railway in 1947. It was connected to the preexisting Nikšić - Bileća

Bileca

Bileća is a town and municipality in the southeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the entity of Republika Srpska. It is in eastern Herzegovina near the border with Montenegro, north of Trebinje and south of Gacko...

 line. In 1965, the line was upgraded to standard gauge

Standard gauge

The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...

, with the extension to Bileća decommissioned at the same time.

The railway has primarily been used for transport of bauxite

Bauxite

Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...

 ore from the Nikšić mine to the Podgorica Aluminium Plant

Podgorica Aluminium Plant

Podgorica Aluminium Plant is an aluminium processing plant, located on the southern outskirts of Podgorica, Montenegro.-Overview:...

. Chronic lack of funds for maintenance resulted in operating speeds being reduced to 30km/h, and end of passenger service in 1992. Since then, the railway was used as freight-only.

In 2006, thorough reconstruction and electrification

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

 of the line begun, with consortium of Czech

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 companies (OHL ŽS "Brno", AŽD and EŽ) undertaking the construction works. The reconstruction was scheduled to be completed in 2009, but is not yet complete as of 2011, due to funding problems. The entire project is expected to cost close to 70 million EURO

Euro

The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

.

Once complete, the operating speeds should be increased to 75km/h - 100km/h range, and passenger service reintroduced. Railway transport of Montenegro

Railways of Montenegro

Rail transport in Montenegro is operated by three separate companies, which independently handle railway infrastructure, passenger transport and cargo transport.Montenegro is a member of the International Union of Railways...

 has announced that it will acquire 3 modern electric multiple unit

Electric multiple unit

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

s to service passenger transport.