„Drăgaica” train station of Romanian Railways

„DRĂGAICA” TRAIN STATION OF ROMANIAN RAILWAYS In 1907 Marmorosch Blank Societate Anonimă Bank contracted from the Ministry of Public Works the construction of Buzău-Nehoiașu railway line. It was given for execution to the Weiss-Vasilescu enterprise, which completed the work in 1909, and it was put into use on 9th August of that year. For the purpose of its administration and exploitation, the Romanian Company of Buzău–Nehoiaşu Railway was established, a joint-stock company whose shareholders were several Romanian businessmen. With a length of 72 km, the railway was used for the transport of goods, especially for the transport of timber from Nehoiu, but also for the transport of passengers. The terminus point of this line in Buzău was first Drăgaica Train Station, inaugurated in 1909, located 1 km west of the city’s main station. Later the line was extended to Buzău train station, and in 1942 a special platform was built for this line, today line 20 of Buzău Train Station, still used exclusively for departures and arrivals of passenger trains to Nehoiaşu. After the War of National Reunification (1919) the possibility of extending this line and connecting it with Braşov-Intorsura Buzăului line was discussed. This would have meant the creation of a new Transcarpathian railway, as an alternative to the one on Prahova Valley, which would have vitalized the economic activity of the area, especially by shortening the connection with the Danube ports of Brăila and Galaţi. The project, although it was started, with the construction of Braşov-Întorsura Buzăului railway and the construction of Teliu tunnel, the longest railway tunnel in Romania (4379 meters), was not completed. The 40 kilometres that should have connected Intorsura Buzăului with Nehoiașu were not continued. After the Second World War, the railway company was nationalized, and Buzău-Nehoiaşu railway line remained a simple one, it was not doubled or electrified, and passenger trains continued to run on it, as the main connecting route for the inhabitants of Buzau valley. Although trains no longer stop in Drăgaica Train Station, it continues to remain a silent witness of history.