British rail enthusiasts may get chance to see the original English Electric built Class EU 06, which is almost identical to the British Rail Class 83 (apart from the headlamps). This class may be seen still hauling regional expresses in southern Poland. PKP class EU 07 and EP 08 are the Polish built versions of this design. All class EU 06 are based at Krakow Płaszow.
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On southern lines vintage electric traction (class ET21) still operates on lines in or by the mountain regions. Though dating from the 1950s and 60s these locomotives' ability to negotiate the tight curves kept them from withdrawal in the mountains. An ET21 stands in the background at Kraków Główny; in the foreground, a Czech built Škoda Class EP05, No. EP05-26. Capable of 160 km/h (100mph) EP05s have been used on Warszawa - Kraków expresses. |
Romanian built class ST 43 are an interesting mixture: within the body of a Swiss electric loco, these locos are powered by Sulzer engines, the British "Peak" class 45 used the same engine. Although now a good age, they are replacing the heavy Soviet built "Gagarins", class ST44.
If you are in Warsaw, check out the WKD (pronounced locally Vookahday), a local railway running south west out of Warsaw to Grodzisk Mazowiecki and Milanówek. The trains are 2-car articulated units running on 600 volts DC.
Many diesel lines see passenger trains hauled by the mid-powered SP 45, in charge of anything from long distance expresses to the local line with three trains a day.| A pair of SP45 diesel locomotives stand at Suwałki. |  |
Despite suffering a decimation of the network, Poland can still boast the last regular timetabled working of steam locomotives in Europe as well as a rich heritage of steam locomotive traction.
Scenic lines in on the PKP network include:
Chabówka is about 100 kms by rail from Kraków . Its engine sheds house the TKb 1489 Schwarzkopf (1878), Swedish EP 03-01 ASEA and a Hungarian SM 40-01 Mavag Budapest. Operational steam locomotives include Ol 12-7 STEG Wien (1912), a Tr 12-25 Floridsdorf Wien (1921) and an OKz 32-2 HCP Poznan (1934). It is also the beginning of a highly scenic railway line to historic Nowy Sącz. The museum also houses 2 and 3 axle coaches and a 1958 saloon car.
Jaworzyna Śląska is 49 kms by rail from Wrocław , the loco sheds boast a collection of 35 steam locomotives (22 classes) from Poland, Germany, America and England, 9 of which are in working order and haul tourist trains. They The oldest engines include a TKb 1 Schwartzkopf (1878), TKh Union (1890), TKi 3-26 Hohenzollern (1903), Tp 2-34 Henschel (1906) and Oki 2-27 Borsig (1916). The oldest steam engine in working order is the Tr5-65 Orenstein and Koppel from 1921, the only one of this class in Europe. The sheds were built in 1895, and were in operation until 1991. Since than the sheds, with the complete turntable, are open as the Steam Museum.
Wolsztyn is 81 km by rail from Poznań, its historic engine sheds operating on unchanged basis for 85 years, it continues to have timetabled steam trains. Visitors can view the depot hall, cleaning pits with water and coal columns as well as the water tower (1907), turntable and access tracks and a 1905 signal box. The outdoor museum has 20 operational steam locomotives on display, including an OK1-359 Schwarzkopf, Ok 22-31 Chrzanów, Ty2-67 Floridsdorf, Ty42-87 Chrzanów.
Sochaczew is a narrow gauge railway museum near Warsaw, and a home to the largest narrow gauge railway collection in Europe. The steam engines in operation include a Tx 4-1315 Orenstein/Koppel (1924), a Px 29-1704 Warsaw (1929)and a Las Fablok Chrzanów (1954). The 18 km of open track takes the visitors to the Kampinos Forest, and near Zelazowa Wola, the birth place of Chopin.
Please note that the stock list may have subsequently changed.
Countrygoer Europe: Poland and Central Europe pages