Naleczow

The origins of this system are somewhat obscure.  The first section appears to have opened in 1911, but it was not completed until some years later.  In 1959 the system consisted of:

Naleczow – Karczmiska – Rozalin – Opole  34km
Karczmiska – Wilkow     13km
Rozalin – Poniatowa 5km

giving some 52km in total.

Diesels (Lxd2) were introduced in 1968/9, and Romanian coaches in 1988.  In 1989 the 750mm gauge line still had 51km of track and carried 78,056 passengers and 149,598 tons of freight.  The Wilkow branch closed in 1990 and passenger traffic ceased in 1993, so by 1996 only 38.1km remained in use.  The depot and station at Karczmiska were situated to the west of the 'through' line, with a triangular junction.  There was also a triangle at Rozalin and turning triangles elsewhere.  In autumn 1998 coal was being carried in standard gauge 4-wheel wagons on 'Rollwagen' from Naleczow to the sugar factory at Opole, where a filthy Lyd2 shunted the sidings.  The line ran through rolling countryside with some very attractive sections featuring curves and gradients.

There had been rumours of the Wilkow branch being reopened, but in July 1999 a bridge on the branch had recently been removed, possibly to repair one on the main line.  There was believed to also be some freight traffic to a factory at Poniatowa which allegedly also had a WLs150 shunter, but the factory is surrounded by double barbed wire fences, so it seemed prudent not to investigate too closely.  Passenger trains ran to order and there were generally a few days each year when they ran for the general public.  There have been reports that the local authority has taken over the line, but no trains are believed to have been run.


Oct98
Oct98
Station building (right) and shed at Karczminska The sugar works at Opole receives coal via the railway.
Oct98
Wagons are shunted by a filthy Lyd2

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© Andrew Goodwin, Stephen Goodwin & Dave Meller 1996-2003
Last Updated 14 October 2003