Poland has a rich diversity of narrow gauge railways, whether the lines are the PKP state operated, or smaller industrial railways connected with the building industry or peat industry. The PKP railways have fallen into rapid decline as funding for many of the lines is withdrawn.
This video visits a cross section of narrow gauge railways which are still operating today, providing both freight services, and passenger services. At Rogow, the daily passenger services barely survive, being run with a single coach plus baggage van, with no passengers the day it was filmed. At Smigiel, both freight and passenger trains are seen, with the Romanian railcars and the Lxd2 BoBo diesels. Although services finished at Opalenica few years ago, all the railway is still in place, and some non digital footage of the railway is seen when it was working. The 750mm gauge railway centred on Zbiersk survives by virtue of the sugar factory which does not have a standard gauge connection. Although beet is not brought in by rail anymore the railway is still used to supply coal, and return the unrefined sugar, using the Lxd2 diesels. A brief visit is made to Sroda using non -digital footage from a couple of years ago, before moving on to Pleszew with the shotest PKP line which operates over dual gauge track, using a Lyd1 0-6-0 diesel loco and Rumanian railcars. Finally some services are seem on the Naleczow line in the south east with an Lxd2 on an excursion, and on a coal train, with a brief visit to the sugar factory with the Lyd2 loco.
At Biala Rawska on the Rogow railway the passenger train is ready to depart.
(date: Oct 2000)
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Pleszew Miasto station sees the Lyd1 run round its one coach train.
(Date: Oct 2000)
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The early morning freight from Smilgiel had an accident, resulting in one of the coal wagons tipping over.
(Date: Oct 2000)
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One of the maintenance vehicles on the way to the scene of the accident.(Date: Oct 2000)
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Two lxd2 locos shortly after leaving Bojanowo for Smigiel.
(date: Oct 2000)
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At Sroda, the Romanian railcar which had been brought in to replace the PX48 steam locos. (Date: Oct 2000)
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At Naleczow transfer sidings, the standard gauge coal wagons are loaded onto transporters for the journery to the sugar factory.(date: Oct 2000)
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An impressive train departing from Zbiersk sidings for the journey to Opatowek.(date: Oct 2000)
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A Romanian railcar leaving Pleszew Wask, coming onto the dual gauge track
(Date: Oct 2000)
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Outside the sugar Factory at Opalenica, a Lxd2 shunts loaded beet wagons onto the weighbridge.(date: Oct 1994)
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The Lyd2 owned by Opole sugar factory shunts coal wagons back into the works.
(date: Oct 2000)
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Returning alongside the main road, an Lxd2 with a freight bound for Bojanowo.(Date: Oct 2000)
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A railcar running along the roadside on the Smigiel line.(Date: Oct 2000)
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SUMMARY: