The historical railway from the Golden Horn to the Black Sea is reviving

The historical railway from the Golden Horn to the Black Sea is reviving: The historical railway line built to meet the energy needs of Istanbul during the First World War is being rebuilt. İBB went out to tender for the construction of the line.

Made in 2 years to meet the energy needs of Istanbul during the First World War

Haliç - Karadeniz Sahra Line Kağıthane railway project is reviving. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality went to the tender for the reconstruction of the line called Dekovil.

The line, which will start from Kağıthane, will pass under Uzunkemer and reach the Black Sea coast through Çiftalan Village, through the village of Ağaçlı and the other branch through the Belgrad Forest. At the stations to be built on the route, there will be sales of agricultural products grown in the surrounding villages, resting areas in the forest, and exhibitions and workshops of the first world war years.

2,5 HELD IN YEAR

The decovillage, which was founded in a year and a half between 1914 and 1916, is about 57 kilometers long. The reason why it is called decoovic, which is constructed in a small railway system with a rail spacing of 60 cm or less, is the French Paul Decauville, which has manufactured railway and has taken its place in the literature with the narrow railway systems it has developed. The main reason for the establishment of the Golden Horn-Black Sea Field Line was to overcome the shortage of fuel and electricity encountered during World War I (1914 - 1918). On the one hand, the cessation of coal imports from Britain on the one hand, and on the other hand, the sinking of the Company-i Auspicious ships carrying coal from the Black Sea Ereglisi brought the danger of the Ottoman warships and factories to become coal-free. The shortage of coal shipment had negatively affected the country's first electricity-producing and coal-fired Silahtar Electric Factory (Power Plant), so that Istanbul and the Palace were left without electricity.

All these challenges raised the idea of ​​evaluating the Black Sea coal basins in Istanbul, the existence of which has been known since Byzantium but has never been used. In the preliminary study, it was determined that lignite coal, which is found in Ağaçlı and Çiftalan basins, is mixed with hard coal (Zonguldak) by one third and it can be used in the Power Plant and it can be used. Thereupon, it was decided to establish a narrow railway (dekovil) line to transport coal from the Black Sea coast to the Power Plant in Haliç. Enver Pasha personally took part in the establishment of the line. The establishment work of the line was photographed by Hasan Mukadder (Dölen) Bey, one of the Şimendifer (Railway) Regiment officers. The Germans were involved in the construction of the line as well as the prefabricated rails, locomotives and wagons. These pieces were brought to the Şimendifer Regiment depots in Yeşilköy (Ayastefanos) by ships over the Danube river, and from there to the Silahtar by the Company-i Hayriye ships by sea.

The first line was established between Silahtarağa and Ağaçlı in 1914 and completed in 1915 and opened for use. Subsequently, the second line, Çiftalan line, was completed in about 1915 months between 1916-8. Enverpaşa, Cendere, Azizpaşa, Pirgos, Petnahor, Karabayır, Kısırmandıra, Kömürcüpınar and İsmailhakkıpaşa stations were located on the line. In the war of liberation, arms were shipped to Anatolia through this line.

'JOURNEY IN HISTORY'

With the initiative of Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the line will be brought to life again. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality went on to tender for the construction of the line. Culture Manager Dr. We talked to Ahmet Emre Bilgili about the project. Bilgili said that the project was implemented with the support and cooperation of the IMM, Turing, Türsab, Kağıthane and Eyüp Municipalities. Noting that a new tourism potential has been created for Istanbul, Bilgili said: He will get off the train at the station he wants to take the train from 'Kağıthane'. You will tour the historical arches. He will buy special agricultural products grown in that region. Those who want will walk and run in the forest. The stations will also participate in cultural events such as museums and galleries. We are implementing a completely different Istanbul and a project that will have a completely different day. We started a workshop for this. The ideas here will be conveyed to our IMM President Kadir Topbaş. He pays special attention to this project, which he describes as a work of my mastership period. Istanbul is gaining a different tourism area. To realize the Dekovil Line again means to reveal a lost treasure of Istanbul.