Joniškėlis Narrow-Gauge Railway Locomotive

Joniškėlis narrow-gauge railway station is part of the Aukštaitija narrow-gauge railway system, and the abandoned locomotive stands today like a monument recalling the times when the narrow-gauge railway was a particularly popular and convenient means of transport in Lithuania. The Germans laid the Šiauliai–Joniškėlis–Pasvalys narrow-gauge line (600 mm gauge) in the autumn of 1915. The first Joniškėlis railway station was built in the same year; the work was done by Russian prisoners of war. After the war, the railway was the only means of transport for freight and passengers. Joniškėlis station was one of the best-kept old stations in Lithuania, with some of the most beautiful surroundings. Even today the town is said to be the centre of Lithuania's narrow-gauge railway. After the Second World War, steam locomotives were replaced by diesels. The Soviets first introduced the "TU1" narrow-gauge locomotive in 1954. The "TU2" we visited is a somewhat more modern version of it, which also appeared in 1954. In the first trials these small technical marvels reached a speed of 76 km/h. By 1959, 281 "TU2" narrow-gauge locomotives had been built. In 1996 the station was officially closed, and the old locomotive was no longer needed by anyone. Today it still stands here, attracting history enthusiasts from all over Lithuania. I warmly recommend that everyone travelling around Lithuania choose a longer route and visit more remote small towns. They still hide a great many interesting things.