A grim forecast and a grim start with a howling gale and rain lashing down in Lucivna, near Strba, where I stayed the night. The least worst forecast was for the west, although it looked like I’d have to go a long way to find the sun. However, the cloud started thinning much quicker than expected and by Liptovsky Tepla the sun was shining. I spent a couple of hours between Liptovsky Tepla and Liptovsky Vlachy, where the line runs along the top of a low dam, getting a remarkable number of freights for a Sunday, as well as the expected passengers. The shots weren’t brilliant but I was happy to be photting in good light.

By midday the High Tatra were emerging from the clouds so I returned to Strba. At first it seemed to be a mistake, as the line was still under a mass of cloud, but gradually the point at which the cloud started to break moved further east and an excellent couple of hours was spent photographing passengers and freight passing in front of the the High Tatras in crystal clear light. A couple of 183s were bagged on freights as well as the usual 131s.

For the second half of the afternoon I returned to the Liptovsky Vlachy area and photographed around the upper curve there, again in glorious light.

In contrast to the previous two days, this one had turned out much better than expected and much better than seemed possible when I left the hotel. It was noticeable that no CD 150s, or any other CD locos, or any ZSSK 350s were seen during the day. The passengers were solid ZSSK 163/362/363.

E of Liptovska Tepla

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
363.133	R601	05:57 Bratislava hl.st. - Kosice	09:44
163.118	Os7843	08:56 Zilina - Liptovsky Mikulas	10:17
183.042		EB Freight	10:58
131.089 131.090		WB Iron Ore	11:02
131.097 131.098		EB Freight	11:31
362.007	R603	07:57 Bratislava hl.st. - Kosice	11:44
163.124	Os7804	08:20 Kosice - Vrutky	11:49
131.082 131.081		WB Freight	12:00
362.148	R606	10:07 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st.	12:18
362.xxx	IC505	09:12 Bratislava hl.st. - Kosice	12:23

Strba

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
183.034 banked by 183.043		WB Freight	13:18
163.051	Os7811	12:26 Liptovsky Mikulas - Spisska Nova Ves	13:23
183.043		EB Light Engine	13:28
362.002	R608	12:07 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st.	13:40
163.104	O7805	11:20 Kosice - Zilina	13:49
183.013 banked by 183.006		EB Freight	13:57
363.143	R605	09:57 Bratislava hl.st. - Humenne	14:26
163.054	Os7845	13:04 Ruzomberok - Spisska Nova Ves	14:31
131.066 131.065 banked by 183.005		EB Coal	14:35
131.017 131.018 banked by 183.020		WB Coal	14:39
362.005	IC504	13:38 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st.	15:01
163.056	Os7813	12:52 Zilina - Kosice	15:11
163.113	Os7850	14:10 Spisska Nova Ves - Zilina	15:12

W of Liptovska Vlachy

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
163.059	Os7849	15:14 Vrutky - Liptovsky Mikulas	16:15
131.074 131.073		EB Freight	16:19
363.133	R610	14:07 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st.	16:19
131.080 131.079 banked by 183.020		EB Coal	16:28
163.113	Os7850	14:10 Spisska Nova Ves - Zilina	16:32
183.024		WB Freight	16:54
363.145	IC1506	15:07 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st.	17:05
131.081 131.082		EB Freight	17:15
362.014	R609	13:57 Bratislava hl.st. - Kosice	17:50
163.103	Os7808	14:20 Kosice - Ruzomberok	17:51
163.114	R1504	14:20 Humenne - Bratislava hl.st.	17:58
362.007	R612	16:07 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st.	18:18
163.115	Os7851	17:03 Zilina - Poprad-Tatry	18:29
163.059	Os7802	18:20 Liptovsky Mikulas - Zilina	18:34
183.016		EB Freight	18:46