Narrow gauge railways in Poland
There are hundreds of kilometres of 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in), 785 mm (2 ft 6 29⁄32 in), and 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) narrow gauge lines in Poland. The metre gauge lines are mostly found in the northwest part of the country in Pomerania, while 785 mm (2 ft 6 29⁄32 in) lines are found only in the Upper Silesia region. 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) is the most commonly used narrow gauge; it is used, for example, in the Rogów Narrow Gauge Railway (Rogowska Kolej Wąskotorowa) and in Tarnowskie Góry with the world's oldest narrow gauge railway in continuous service since 1853. Some narrow gauge lines in Poland still operate as common carrier (for example the lines operated by SKPL, the Association of Local Railway Haulage),[1] while others survive as tourist attractions. One of the finest of the latter is the 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge railway (Żnińska Kolej Powiatowa) running from Żnin via Wenecja (Polish Venice) and famous Biskupin to Gąsawa in the Pałuki region. Railway traditions of Pałuki date back to July 1894 when the first two lines were opened.
In the past, there have also been 760 mm (2 ft 5 15⁄16 in), 800 mm (2 ft 7 1⁄2 in) and 900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in) lines. A 900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in) recreational line 4.2 km long had been operating in the Amusement-Recreation Park in Chorzów (now converted to 785), Upper Silesia . A similar 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) line, Kolejka Parkowa Maltanka, operates in Poznań. Some of Poland's narrow gauge railways are maintained by volunteers; one organization dedicated to preserving narrow gauge railways is the FPKW, the Polish Narrow Gauge Railways Foundation.[2]
A few tramways also use 1000mm gauge, in Bydgoszcz, Elbląg, Grudziądz, Łódź and Toruń.
Overview
1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
- Piaseczyńska Kolej Wąskotorowa, now a tourist railway
- Koleje wąskotorowe na Pomorzu Zachodnim, several systems including Gryficka Kolej Dojazdowa; now a tourist railway
800 mm (2 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
- Marecka Kolej Dojazdowa, defunct
785 mm (2 ft 6 29⁄32 in)
- Górnośląskie Koleje Wąskotorowe (Upper-Silesian Narrow Gauge Railways), now a tourist railway.
- Zabytkowa Stacja Kolei Wąskotorowej w Rudach, now a tourist railway.
716 mm (2 ft 4 3⁄16 in)
750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
- Bieszczadzka Kolejka Leśna, partly a tourist railway.
- Ełcka Kolej Dojazdowa; 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in), converted to 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in), now a tourist railway.
- Gnieźnieńska Kolej Dojazdowa (Narrow Gauge railway in Gniezno)
- Kaliska Kolej Dojazdowa; Accessible Narrow gauge railway
- Kolejka Opalenicka; closed
- Krotoszyńska Kolej Dojazdowa; defunct except 3km tourist railway in Pleszew
- Krośniewicka Kolej Dojazdowa; defunct but plans to renew
- Nałęczowska Kolej Dojazdowa; now a tourist railway.
- Przeworska Kolej Dojazdowa; 760 mm (2 ft 5 15⁄16 in), converted to 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in), accessible Narrow gauge railway in Przeworsk.
- Rogowska Kolej Wąskotorowa (Narrow gauge railway in Rogów); 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), since 1954 converted to 750 mm, now a tourist railway.
- Śmigielska Kolej Dojazdowa (Narrow gauge railway in Śmigiel); 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in), since 1958 converted to 750 mm
- Sochaczewska Kolej Muzealna – formerly Sochaczewska Kolej Powiatowa, now a tourist railway.
- Średzka Kolej Powiatowa (Narrow gauge railway in Środa Wlkp.); 1,000 mm, since 1952/54 converted to 750 mm, now a tourist railway.
- Starachowicka Kolej Dojazdowa (Narrow gauge railway in Starachowice); now a tourist railway.
- Świętokrzyska Kolej Dojazdowa (Świętokrzyska Narrow gauge railway); 600 mm, since 1951 converted to 750 mm, now a tourist railway.
- Witkowska Kolejka Powiatowa; 600 mm, since 1957 converted to 750 mm, closed
- Żuławska Kolej Dojazdowa (Żuławska Suburban Railway); now a tourist railway.
600 mm
- Bydgoskie Koleje Powiatowe; 106 km, defunct
- Jarocińska Kolej Dojazdowa; 82.4 km, defunct
- Koleje wąskotorowe na Pomorzu Zachodnim; several defunct systems
- Kolejka Parkowa Maltanka; operating
- Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja; (located alongside, but not connected to the Żnińska Kolej Powiatowa)[4]
- Ortelsburger Kleinbahn; 27 km, defunct
- Wrzesinska Kolejka Powiatowa; 57 km, defunct
- Wyrzyskie Koleje Powiatowe; 144 km, partly tourist railway.
- Żnińska Kolej Powiatowa (Żnin district railway); partly tourist railway.
References
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Narrow gauge railways in Poland. |