Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa

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**Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa**

Length
Line length	394,65 km
Total rails length	600 km
Number of rails	1
Stations
Number of stations	6
Start point	Bridge at Bug river
End point	Dąbrowa Górnicza-Cieśle
Info
Management	PKP LHS Sp. z o.o.
Rail width	1520 mm
Electrified	No
Character	freight
Rail type	UIC60
History
Construction started	November 15, 1976
Opened	November 30, 1979

Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa (often known by its acronym LHS, en. Broad gauge metallurgy line) is the longest broad gauge railway line in Poland. Except for this one line, and a few very short stretches near border crossings, Poland uses the standard gauge for its railway tracks. The line runs as a single track line for almost 400 km, from the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing just east of Hrubieszów to Sławków Południowy (near Katowice). It is used only for freight transport, mainly iron ore and coal. It is the westernmost broad gauge railway line in Europe that is connected to the broad gauge rail system of the countries which before 1991 constituted the Soviet Union.

The line is serviced by PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa Spólka z o.o. company.

Previous name of this line was Linia Hutniczo Siarkowa (en. Metallurgy - sulfur line), but after sulfur ceased to be transported on the line its name had been changed.

[edit] History

In the 1970s the giant, newly built Huta Katowice steel mill, then in its most prosperous period, required great quantities of iron ore. The main source of the ore were mines in the USSR (now in Ukraine), from where ore was brought in by rail. The ore was moved from the mines in Kryvyi Rih via Medyka, Przemyśl, Tarnów to Jaworzno Szczakowa. The old existing line had inadequate capacity to transport sufficient amounts of ore.

Searching for the solution PKP made two plans. The first one was to modernise existing tracks in order to allow more freight transport to be conducted. The second plan assumed building entirely new line, with broad gauge to ease transit across the border - this option was accepted. Design of the new line was done by CBSiPBK (Central Bureau for Railway Constructions Designs and Studies) in Warsaw. Eng. Józef Skorupski became the general designer. Beside this 21 other design bureaus, 8 geological companies and 3 technical universities took part in project.

The line was opened in 1979 and was used to import iron ore from the USSR, as well as to export coal and sulphur from Poland. After the fall of communism and the economic changes of 1989 traffic on the line has much diminished. At present various schemes are being tried to increase its profitability.