Today's trains

Today, the train serving this route consists of a romanian electro-diesel LDE125 locomotive, 69-73 series, 1250 CP, specially built for Oraviţa-Anina railway and two second-class passengers cars, with wooden seats, built in 1914. A third such car is found in Revizia de vagoane Oraviţa(Car Overhaul – Oravita).

Since then until now, they have undergone several reconditioning works, but the body and interior have remained unchanged. The interior heating is steam-based, in the middle of the car there is a chamber for the oven. The average speed is of 17 km/h, the trip between Oraviţa and Anina takes around 2 ore. Beside this train a raicar runs also on this route, pushing a covered freight car, a platform on which seats have been installed for the passenger transport for tourism purposes.

Yesterday's trains

For towing the trains on Oraviţa-Anina route, a locomotive with special characteristics needed to be designed. Such a locomotive was designed by engineer Pius Fink within the locomotive factory of St.E.G Company. In 1861, the first such locomotive was built, bearing the number 5oo and was named "Steyerdorf", das that of the municipality near Anina

Three other such locomotives were built for Oraviţa–Anina railway during 1861-1867 at the ST.E.G locomotive factory in Vienna, i.e. Karaszova serial no. 501; Gerliste serial no. 502 and Lişava serial no. 5o3. These types of locomotives were used during 1863-1891, and had the following main features: diameter of drive and coupled wheel 1000 mm; maximum boiler pressure 7 at; total weight 42,5 tf; length between the buffers 10,23 m; coal-car capacity 2,2 cubic meters ; power 223 CP; maximum speed 30 km/h.

The second type of locomotives-tender, type D-t, St.E.G. II counting four of them, respectively 1401-1404, was put into service on Oraviţa-Anina railway during 1881-1884, were designed and built by the same locomotive factory in Vienna şand had the following main features: diameter of drive and coupled wheel: 1.118 mm, trailing weight 51 tf, coal-car capacity 2,3 cubic meters; traction power 8.130 kgf; maximum speed 35 km/h. If the first types of locomotives were an active presence in Semenic Mountains for 28 years, the second type surpassed the first by far, operating for 46 years, i.e. until 1930, when they were replaced by tender locomotives CFR series 40001-40005-tipD-t, locomotives built specially for this railway section in 1929 in Reşiţa.

In 1956 CFR 50.000 series locomotives with higher parameters were introduced, they were specially built at Reşiţa, and increased the towed tonnage from 150 t at 235 t on Oraviţa-Anina way and to 850 t on Anina –Oraviţa way(in the engine house at Oravita, there is still a locomotive of this series bearing the number 50.065). This traction system was used until 1978, when, because of the enhanced traffic generated by the construction works for Anina-Crivina Power Plant, the transport capacity was increased. Following studies carried out by ICPTT (Institute for Technical Research and Design in Transport), Bucharest, since 1978 it has been used the towing by CFR 50.000 series steam locomotives with double tractions, towing 400 t on Oraviţa–Anina way and 850 t on Anina –Oraviţa way.

In 1978 studies had been carried out for introducing electro-diesel traction on this railway section, in order to increase the tonnage and the efficiency of this towing. Thus, following the experiments carried out, at the former "Întreprindere 23 August Bucureşti(23 August Undertaking, Bucharest)" two o4o DA series 1250 CP electro-diesel locomotives were specially built, and since, 1979 towing double traction electro-diesel, locomotives had been used, 580 t on Oraviţa–Anina way and 850t on Anina-Oraviţa way. In addition to the problems related to traction and speed, the traffic capacity of trains on Oraviţa-Anina section, was determined also by the fact that on the entire section there was only one CFR station - Gârlişte, where train junctions could be carried out, which allowed virtually in 24 hours the running of 6 pairs of trains, 3 pairs of mix trains and 3 pairs of local trains. The enhanced traffic generated by the construction works for Anina-Crivina Power Plant, imposed the limitative division of this section as follows: in 1980Lişava station was put into service, the traffic capacity increased to, 13 pairs of trains, and, as in 1983 Brădişorul de Sus, crossing halting-place was put into service, the traffic capacity increased to 16 pairs of trains every 24 hours.