Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line

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Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line
Network map
Info
Type	Freight
System	UIC60
Terminals	Bridge at Bug river Dąbrowa Górnicza-Cieśle
No. of stations	6
Service routes	1
Operation
Opened	Construction commenced November 15, 1976, opened November 30, 1979
Operator(s)	PKP LHS Sp. z o.o.
Technical
Line length	394.65 km
Track length	600 km
Gauge	1520 mm
Electrification	No

Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line (Polish Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa often known by its acronym LHS), 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 traffic, 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 operated by PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa Spólka z o.o. company.

The previous name of the line was Linia Hutniczo Siarkowa (en. Metallurgy - sulphur line), but after sulphur ceased to be transported on the line its name had been changed, keeping the initials the same.

[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 near Kryvyi Rih (then in the USSR, now in Ukraine), from where it was transported by rail via Medyka, Przemyśl, Tarnów to Jaworzno Szczakowa. This line had inadequate capacity to carry the traffic.

Searching for a solution PKP considered two plans. The first one was to modernise the existing tracks in order to allow more freight to be carried. The second plan assumed building an entirely new broad gauge line to ease transit across the border - this option was accepted. Design of the new line was done by CBSiPBK (Central Bureau for Railway Construction 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 the 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.