Łódź–Koluszki railway

The Łódź—Koluszki railway is a national importance railway line in Poland.,[1] connecting Łódź Fabryczna station with Koluszki station. Due to its character it is the main route for passenger trains passing through the city of Łódź. It is a crucial part of Łódź Cross-City Line.

Łódź–Koluszki railway
Gałkówek railway station
Overview
Native nameLinia kolejowa Łódź Fabryczna - Koluszki
StatusIn use
OwnerPKP PLK
LocaleŁódź Voivodeship, Poland
TerminiŁódź Fabryczna, Łódź
Koluszki, Łódź Voivodeship
Continues as 1  Warsaw-Katowice railway (toward Warsaw)
Connecting lines
  • Łódź Widzew:
    •  16  to Kutno
    •  540  to Chojny
    •  541  to Olechów
  • Gałkówek:
    •  25  Łódź-Dębica railway
  • Koluszki:
    •  1  to Katowice
    •  534  to Słotwiny
    •  535  to Żakowice Południowe
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Route number 17 
History
Opened1865 (freight service)
1866 (passenger service)
Technical
Line length26.347 km (16.371 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Old gauge1,524 mm (5 ft) (second track, 1901-1915)
ElectrificationOverhead wire, 3000 V DC
Operating speed150 km/h (93 mph)
Route map

Łódź Fabryczna
Łódź Niciarniana
 458  intercity│ 17  local
 540  to Łódź Chojny
Łódź Widzew
ŁKA depot
 541  to Olechów
Łódź Widzew Janów
former car maintenance shop
Łódź Andrzejów
Bedoń
Justynów
 25  to Olechów
Gałkówek
Żakowice Południowe
Żakowice
 25 
Łódź-Dębica railway
to Tomaszów Mazowiecki
Koluszki
 1  to Skierniewice

One section between Łódź Fabryczna and Gałkówek stations is exclusively used by passenger trains.

History

The history of the railway begins in XIX century - textile industry in Łódź started to bloom, yet the city had no convenient transportation routes for exporting the goods to other parts of Russian Empire. The closest railway station - Rokiciny, on Warsaw—Vienna railway - was located over 28 kilometres (17 mi) away. It was clear - for further development Łódź needs the railway link.

In 1865, The Łódź Factory Railway Company (pol. Towarzystwo Drogi Żelaznej Fabryczno-Łódzkiej[2]) - a joint venture company of Karl Wilhelm Scheibler and Jan Bloch - was formed, and in the same year, on 30. June. Russian authorities gave the company permission to build a single 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) track railway from Łódź to Koluszki, which were situated on the Warsaw—Vienna railway.

The construction began on 1. September and was finished on 18. November 1865. On 19. November the railway was ceremonially opened, and the freight service began to operate. One year later, due to opening of Łódź Fabryczna station, a regular passenger service started operating.[3]

From 1898 to 1901 the railway received a second track - this time built with 1,524 mm (5 ft) gauge, due to connection with newly built circular railway, going around the southern border of the city to connect with Łódź Kaliska station, located on the west side of the city.[4] Track gauges were unified by Germans during World War I. In 1954 the railway was electrified,[5] while a decade later a connector line, allowing trains from Łódź to head toward Piotrków Trybunalski without turning around in Koluszki, was built.

From 2006 to 2008 the railway line was slightly refurbished to raise the maximum operating speed to 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph).[6] From 2011 to 2012 the section between Łódź Fabryczna and Łódź Widzew stations was rebuilt, as the construction of cross-city tunnel commenced. The section was reopened in December 2016.[7]

Future

The railway is scheduled to receive an extension to the west within the cross-city tunnel, which will allow trains to travel through Łódź Fabryczna station toward Łódź Kaliska and Żabieniec stations[8]

References

  1. "Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów z dnia 17 kwietnia 2013 r. w sprawie wykazu linii kolejowych o znaczeniu państwowym". prawo.sejm.gov.pl. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  2. "Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom II - wynik wyszukiwania - DIR". dir.icm.edu.pl. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  3. Rynkowska, Anna (1970). Ulica Piotrkowska. Łódź: Wydawnictwo Łódzkie. p. 130. ISBN 978-83-939822-4-0.
  4. "Ogólnopolska Baza Kolejowa". www.bazakolejowa.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  5. "Elektrycznym z Warszawy do Łodzi". www.rynek-kolejowy.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  6. "Zaloguj - ŁFK". www.komunikacjalodz.fora.pl. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  7. "Tłumy na otwarciu nowej Łodzi Fabrycznej [zdjęcia] [film]". www.rynek-kolejowy.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  8. "Łódź: Tunel średnicowy zgodnie z planem. W czerwcu budowa komory startowej". www.transport-publiczny.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-08-26.
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