Železnice Desná Electrified

This short (19.3 km) branch line from Šumperk to Kouty nad Desnou has experienced an extraordinary revival since it was all but destroyed by flooding in summer 1997. ČD then wanted to close it, the local authorities objected, and it was rescued by local authority. In 2013 it was decided to electrify the line, and the some of existing services, now with electric trains, were scheduled to start up with the introduction of the summer 2016 timetable, initially operated by ARRIVA Morava. A novel expedient was used for the motive power and rolling stock, given the unavailability of suitable EMUs, as these photos show... The first photo shows RegioJet's 162.114, on hire with with ARRIVA vinyls applied, while the hired-in Class Bimdz carriages from Germany are in DB livery, at Kouty nad Desnou on 13 June 2016. The other photo was taken on 6 June, when 162.114 was still in RJ livery, on a driver training run hauling 810.221 forming train 13773 from Šumperk to Kouty nad Desnou in the passing loop at Velké Losiny.