An EU-funded project has made upgrades to a railway corridor connecting the village of Chybie, the town of Żory, the city of Rybnik and the villages of Nędza and Turze in Poland’s Śląskie region. The corridor consists of sections of seven railway lines – 140, 148, 157, 159, 173, 689 and 691 – with a total length of 59.904 km, of which 14 km are part of the comprehensive Trans-European Transport Network.
- 29 November 2019
Works under the project concerned the rehabilitation of the lines themselves – including replacement of the track surface, electrification system and traffic control devices – as well as of 16 overpasses, 14 bridges and other engineering structures like viaducts and culverts.
Improvements were made to stations and stops, such as raising platforms to a height of 76 cm and covering them with a non-slip coating to eliminate barriers to railway use for people with reduced mobility. Control rooms and level crossings were modernised.
The tracks, the drainage system and communication and data transmission devices were repaired, and the points guiding trains between tracks, electric heating devices for the points and lighting were replaced. Environmental protection measures included installation of acoustic screens.
A key industrial area
The corridor is in a region in which coal mining used to be the dominant industry. The area is also home to businesses working in sectors such as metallurgy, chemicals, energy, and production of building materials and machinery.
Given its industrial nature, freight transport is of particular importance for the railways in the district, but the lines also cater for passengers. The main aim of the project was thus to improve the functioning of the railway corridor, especially for freight.
The seven sections in the project were the 1.485 km of line 691 between Turze and Nędza Wieś, the 10.098 km of line 140 between Nędza and Sumina, the 13.853 km of line 173 between Sumina and Rybnik, the 14.107 km of line 148 between Rybnik and Żory, the 11.529 km of line 159 between Żory and Studzionka, the 2.507 km of line 689 between Studzionka and Dębina, and the 6.21 km of line 157 between Dębina and Chybie. All of them are double track and electrified.
Faster journeys
The improvements have eliminated speed restrictions introduced due to the poor condition of the tracks. Trains can now travel up to 100 km/h, with the exception of lines 148 and 691, where the maximum speed is 80 km/h and 60 km/h respectively. This could shorten journey times through the corridor by up to 30 minutes and ensure greater comfort for passengers.
In addition, the upgrades have increased the capacity of the lines and the efficiency of the traffic control system, thereby enhancing safety. They have brought the corridor into conformity with EU interoperability requirements, to ensure non-discriminatory access to Polish railways for operators from other countries. Finally, by making the railways more competitive, the project should support a modal shift from road to rail and reduce the negative impact of transport on the environment.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Works on railway lines 140, 148, 157, 159, 173, 689, and 691 on the section Chybie – Żory – Rybnik – Nędza / Turze” is EUR 118 018 500, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 66 355 288 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Development of rail transport in Poland”.