Military towpath and Vlastička
1921 – 1939

General Otakar Husák, minister of national defence in the years 1920 – 1921.

The railway connection between Milovice and Lysá nad Labem was established by the Czechoslovak army in the year 1921. The military towpath, as was the 5,5 kilometre long track called, was meant to only serve the needs of the army. It was built by the Railway regiment No. 1, as part of the newcomer training, the overall cost being 1.866.700 Czechoslovak crowns. The operation of the military towpath was officially launched on the October 23^rd, 1921, in the presence of the minister of national defence, Otakar Husák.

The train station in Milovice separated the village from the garrison.

After numerous requests, the transport of civilians was allowed on April the 1^st, 1923. The service of the military towpath was provided by the army itself. A 377-116 locomotive, which belonged to the armoured train No. 1, was allocated for civilian passenger service. The soldiers named this locomotive “Vlasta” and still to this day, some natives call it “Vlastička”

Sergeant Kouřík’s Platoon marching by the Milovice train station, 1928.

As early as October 29^th, 1920, the Headquarters of special warfare units (V.Z.B.Ú.) was established in Milovice, to whom in addition to armoured vehicles and later tanks, also armoured trains fell under. After the construction of the military towpath was completed, all armoured train sets were allocated to Milovice in spring of 1923. A draw was built for them in Milovice, as well as a practice shooting range.

An armoured train No. 1 in Milovice in the year 1930.

Each armoured train consisted of two railcar sets – a combat and an accommodation set. Some of the combat vehicles came from the equipment of the Austro-Hungarian army and some were manufactured at the Škoda works. The combat unit consisted of an advance carriage, a gun carriage, machine gun carriages and a locomotive. During the 1920s, 5 combat and one training unit were assembled in Milovice, which participated in the mobilization in 1938. At the time of the occupation of the rest of the republic, all trains were located in Milovice, where they were confiscated by the German army.

Locomotive 377-116, named Vlasta

Did you know that…? In addition to the Milovice railway station, a stop was also set up in the military camp.