SIMS - Societa Italiana delle Miniere di Selenizza


12 km of 950mm gauge Decauville line was built in 1930, and parts were later converted to 600mm. It was closed and distmantled in the early 1990s. Trains carried bitumen from mines at Selenice and Mavrove through the junction at Peshkopi to the port at Vlore. The main depot was at Babice.

The section between Bebicë and Vlorë was out of use by the early 1980's.

                 Selenice 
                    |
Vlorë - Babice - Peshkopi
                    |
                 Mavrove

SIMS had 2 Diesel-Hydraulic 0-6-0 locomotives built for them by Uzinele 23. August of Romania (as type Lyd2 in Poland) and 2 Diesel-Hydralic 0-4-0 locomotives from Ageve, Sweden. Three Polish-built type Las steam locomotives (numbered 01-03) operated on the line until the mid-1980's. Upon closure of the line in 1994, the Lyd2 diesels were transferred to the Narte Salt Flats System, and can now be seen derelict just north of Narte. The Swedish locomotives were dumped in the HSH yard at Narte. Remains of a Px48 steam locomotive at Shkozet may have come from SIMS.


Further locomotive details

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Frank Valoczy
Geoff Sarbutt

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