Locomotive 44 123.8 from the depot of Gorna Oryahovitsa makes an unexpected appearance at Straldzha with the international fast train from Istanbul to Budapest. After the first wave of destructive floods in Bulgaria at the end of June 2005, the railway line between Stara Zagora and Gorna Oryahovitsa was blocked at several points by landslides. Until they were cleared and the railroad repaired, rail traffic for that line was diverted through Karnobat and Kaspichan and hence the appearance of this international train at Straldzha. 27 July 2005

Photo and scan by Miroslav Georgiev (Miroslav_SG@all.bg)