Capturing the Royal Bulgarian Train Station in 3D
Written by Martin Weider
I have never forgotten the childhood memory of traveling through Bulgaria with the Bulgarian National Railways. The old trains felt like moving museums. Their slow pace made them impractical for business trips, but they were perfect for vacation travel. One trip stands out: boarding a train late at night in the capital and waking up at the seaside the next morning.
Recently, I worked with the Bulgarian National Railways on a very different occasion: a professional project to digitally preserve an important part of Bulgaria’s rail heritage: the Royal Train Station
After a successful historical heritage documentation project, I was inspired to scan more abandoned buildings with my drone. I began searching for historical sites that deserved to be archived and preserved for future generations.
One day, I found a post on LinkedIn about a spectacular old meat production factory. I visited the site and asked the guard for permission to fly. He told me the factory owner would refuse immediately – that was the end of that opportunity.
I turned to Facebook, a place where many people share nostalgic posts about Bulgaria’s past. There, I discovered the group “Abandoned in Sofia” and saw stunning photos of the old Royal Train Station. I thought: Why not create a 3D model before someone decides to destroy or renovate it? The building, in its current state, deserved to be captured and remembered.
Securing Legal Permission
My first step was to contact the Bulgarian National Railways. As expected, navigating their organizational structure was a challenge. My calls were redirected multiple times—from the main department to PR, then to the National Agency for Railway Infrastructure—until I was told I had to attend a mandatory safety briefing. This briefing lasted an hour and explained how to operate safely near the Sofia–Plovdiv railway, one of Bulgaria’s busiest lines.
Soon after, I received another call from the Agency. They told me to expect an email—and when it arrived, it required me to attend yet another briefing, delaying the scanning process.
I stayed patient. After completing the second briefing, I finally received written permission and thought, Okay, now I’m ready to move forward.
Capturing the Royal Station in 3D
With permission in hand, I scheduled the visit.
The atmosphere of the building was unforgettable. Crossing the tracks, I caught the faint smell of decay—abandoned places carry history in every corner. Once on-site, I prepared the DJI Matrice 4E for a 3D scan.
Because of the proximity to live tracks and overhead wires, automated flight was impossible. I switched to manual capture, carefully flying the drone and taking photos at 0.5-second intervals. At one point, the drone came dangerously close to live wires, forcing me to focus intensely on maintaining visual line of sight as a train approached.
Despite these challenges, my brother and I captured as much data as we could. We also used an Insta360 X3 to capture the interior of the station and uploaded it to Matterport.
Later, I scanned the Royal Palace, which is historically connected to the station via a private railway built for King Ferdinand.
Preserving History with 3D Technology
Having both digital and physical reconstructions not only preserves this historic site, but also provides a foundation for potential renovation efforts. This project reminded me of the power of photogrammetry and drone technology to safeguard history—one scan at a time.
📹 Watch how we scanned the abandoned building: YouTube Video
🖥️ Explore the 3D model of the Royal Train Station: View Model
🔗 See the post on LinkedIn: LinkedIn Post
Please connect with me on LinkedIn: Martin Weider
🌐 Weider360 Website: weider360.com
