Syrian LDE2800 departing Jisr-ash-Shughur
Date: 27 August 2007. Syrian Railways (CFS) Vorishilovgrad (USSR)-built diesel-electric LDE-2800 no. 412 departs Jisr-ash-Shughur station (I think the location is correct, anyway!) with the 08:32 stopping train from Latakia (Al-Ladhiqiyah) to Aleppo (Halab) on 27 August 2007. The loco is a TE114S, first cousin of the TE109 Ludmillas built for the former East Germany, Bulgaria and other discerning Comecon railways!The faster services on this line are/were rather soulless (in fact rancid) new Korean DMUs. This loco, as can be heard, has the original Kolomna power unit, rated in a TE114 at 2,800 hp - although the sound that can be heard is largely the characteristic turbo scream, plus the generators, cooling fans and traction motors. Other CFS LDE2800s have been re-engined with General Electric units - which don't sound bad either, though! (The blue loco just visible and audible on the left in the early seconds is one such - LDE2800-702 if you're interested, heading for Latakiah.)
The line itself is a very impressive piece of engineering, only opened in 1975, passing through part of the Anti-Lebanon mountains - a very enjoyable and strongly recommended journey. Shortly after leaving the station, the train is seen crossing what I think is the valley of the Orontes (the same river that flows through the city of Hama and powers its famous water wheels!).
I know the quality of this video is deeply mediocre, and in particular apologies for the wind noise (it's just my little pocket Fuji) but I thought it just about worth sharing!