Polish locomotives on Albanian railways

Between 1916 and 1917, the Austro-Hungarian army built a network of narrow-gauge railway lines stretching some 400 kilometres. Interestingly, although most trains were pulled by steam locomotives, on some sections they were replaced by draught animals. However, this railway was dismantled by the retreating troops.

Consequently, until 1947, Albania remained the only country in Europe without its own railway network. The first step towards its construction was taken during the rule of Enver Hoxha. The communist government regarded the expansion of transport infrastructure, including the railways, as one of its priorities in order to modernise the country and improve its economy. At the same time, under Hoxha’s rule – who led the country until 1985 – a ban on private car ownership was in force in Albania, which further emphasised the importance of rail transport.

The first railway line, built in 1947, connected the city of Durrës, Albania’s largest seaport, with the town of Peqin and was 44 kilometres long; it was subsequently extended to include a section to Tirana. By the early 1950s, the railway network stretched for approximately 114 kilometres.

The expansion of the railway network necessitated the procurement of new rolling stock. Six locomotives were ordered from the Fablok factory in Chrzanów – this was the new TKT-48 model, the first six of which were delivered to Albania in 1951. A total of 199 units were produced in Chrzanów and Poznań, though the remainder were intended for transport within Poland. In Albania, only one of these locomotives, bearing the side number 02, has survived to this day; it remained in service until 1986. Initially, they were used mainly for passenger services, for which the dynamics of these locomotives – capable of accelerating quite rapidly – were well suited. Over time, the Polish locomotives came to be used primarily for freight transport.

In 2018, thanks to the efforts of the Hemingway Fan Club Albania, the locomotive was meticulously restored and placed in Tirana, on the site of the old railway station. Today, it is a local attraction for residents and tourists alike.