Knowledge (XXG)

Bieszczady Forest Railway

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377: 512:(17 km). For some time the trains ran even to Smolnik, but eventually Balnica became the last station, and the westward route was shortened to 9 km. Soon the renewed railway became the major tourist attraction in the Bieszczady, which were a popular tourist destination again. It runs several times a day in the summer season starting from May to September, and occasionally in other months; it is also possible to hire a special train. Due to a landfall near Przysłup, eastward track was shortened to Dołżyca from 2020. 487:. Due to a competition from a road transport, a deep economic crisis in the 1980s and then Poland's difficult transition to a market economy in the 1990s, the railway, still operated by State Forests, fell into financial difficulties, and ceased operation by December 1994. Its infrastructure and part of the rolling stock were preserved thanks to placing the railway in the National Monument Registry in 1992. The most eastward extension from Wetlina to Moczarne was included into a strict preservation area of the 36: 443:(PKP). During the economic crisis in the 1930s, its importance decreased and private extensions towards Kalnica, Smerek and Roztoki Górne were disassembled. During World War II and the German occupation, the railway was taken over by German Ostbahn. It was modernized, and the gauge was changed to the current 750 mm. During East Front fighting in 1944, and subsequent fighting with the 499:
Thanks to efforts of local authorities, community and railroad workers, the Bieszczady Forest Railway Foundation was created in 1996 and it took over the railway operation as a tourist attraction, on a shortened track. It acquired its current name Bieszczadzka Kolejka Leśna (lit. Bieszczady Light
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near Cisna. In 1963, a limited passenger traffic began, mainly for tourists coming to the Bieszczady – it was the only public railway in Poland beside Polish State Railways at that time. Passenger volume reached over 21,000 in 1965. From the late 1970s, a steam traction was replaced with diesel
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was under Austro-Hungarian rule. Its main purpose was to make forest exploitation easier, by linking the heart of Bieszczady with the standard-gauge First Hungarian-Galician Railway (
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From 2007, it regularly carried over 50,000 passengers a year, and from 2014 over 100,000 passengers. In 2018 it broke a barrier of 150,000 passengers, and in 2021, in spite of a
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During World War I the railway was used by the Austro-Hungarian army, and was largely destroyed. In 1918, after Poland had regained independence, the railway was taken over by
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run regularly on weekends from the beginning of May until October, and also on weekdays in July and August. It is the highest narrow-gauge line in Poland.
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In 2007, the railway operated four diesel locomotives Lyd2 class and 15 passenger wagons, open and closed. Then there were added two steam locomotives,
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Forest Railway), which had been its popular designation before. From 4 July 1997 the trains started to run on an 11-km route from Majdan eastwards to
1325: 1294: 933: 811: 519:, it carried a record 168,100 passengers. From 2017, it gained a position of one of two most popular narrow-gauge railways in Poland (along with 1299: 74: 1024: 501: 1039: 1330: 171: 376: 1180: 639: 600: 818: 1320: 1129: 429: 834: 1273: 1185: 1139: 872: 1114: 767: 928: 899: 863: 1160: 988: 673: 462:), and subsequently it was rebuilt to serve as a timber railway. By the 1960s it was enlarged: towards the north-west to 909: 881: 520: 67: 938: 853: 795:
Jerczyński, Michał (2007). "10 lat Bieszczadzkiej Kolejki Leśnej" [10 years of Bieszczadzka Forest Railway].
957: 1201: 1155: 1104: 1003: 993: 424:(a settlement south of Cisna). In 1900-1909 there were built further private forest extensions from Majdan towards 1094: 1089: 1069: 1034: 998: 858: 739: 1278: 1165: 1109: 894: 1124: 1064: 1019: 962: 918: 1227: 1211: 1175: 1119: 1084: 923: 488: 444: 393: 1237: 1134: 943: 1054: 1029: 972: 412:
river valley, and was opened on 21 January 1898. The gauge initially was 760 mm. The railway was operated by
1079: 1074: 1049: 904: 478:. It was the highest narrow-gauge line in Poland. A total length was 73 km The main depot was still in 1242: 1206: 948: 455: 967: 1170: 1099: 440: 425: 311: 1232: 1059: 447:, the railway was demolished, and tracks and sleepers were removed in many places or damaged by tanks. 1252: 527: 479: 421: 409: 380: 366: 339: 335: 60: 49: 35: 1247: 649: 610: 351: 1257: 436:. The line from Majdan had a different course, than today, and was getting round Cisna center. 635: 596: 516: 451: 401: 346:. Regular traffic ceased in 1994. Nowadays, from 1997, a part of the railway is utilized as a 708: 454:, and PKP railways lost interest in renewing operation. By 1953 the line was handed over to 433: 347: 531: 392:
Construction of a narrow-gauge railway in the Bieszczady mountains started in 1890, when
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and a number of timber trains daily. The main depot and a terminal station was in
417: 343: 776:] (in Polish). Warszawa: Urząd transportu Kolejowego. 2023. pp. 11–13. 467: 342:. Construction commenced at the end of the 19th century and completed before 89: 76: 475: 463: 505: 471: 523:), and in some years it was the most popular one (2017-2018, 2020). 593:
Bieszczady. Słownik historyczno-krajoznawczy. Część 2. Gmina Cisna
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After the war, the Bieszczady mountains got deserted due to the
404:. The first line, 25 km long, led from Nowy Łupków eastwards to 294: 807: 504:. From the following year, the trains also ran westwards to 338:
built in a sparsely populated, forested region of the
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Wędrówki Przyrodnicze, Trasy wycieczek przyrodniczych
740:"Wąskotorowa kolejka leśna przewiozła 102 tys. osób" 1287: 1266: 1220: 1194: 1148: 1012: 981: 841: 288: 280: 275: 267: 259: 255:
taken over by State Forests, reconstruction started
251: 243: 235: 230: 201: 193: 185: 177: 167: 162: 110: 105: 66: 56: 45: 26: 21: 680:(in Polish). No. 5-6/2005. pp. 95–97. 819: 799:(in Polish). No. 7/2010. pp. 14–18. 466:(linking it with a former private railway to 8: 452:forced resettlement of Ukrainian population 826: 812: 804: 727:(in Polish). No. 12/2020. p. 42. 654:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 615:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 18: 1295:Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Sochaczew 723:Leszek Lipiński (2009). "Trudny sezon". 577: 575: 573: 571: 569: 567: 762: 760: 695: 693: 691: 689: 687: 667: 665: 595:(in Polish). Warsaw. pp. 288–291. 565: 563: 561: 559: 557: 555: 553: 551: 549: 547: 543: 534:classes (not available in all years). 1300:Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja 1045:Dobre Kujawskie – Aleksandrów Kujawski 647: 608: 181:Fundacja Bieszczadzkiej Kolejki Leśnej 7: 674:"Kolejki wąskotorowe w Bieszczadach" 398:Erste Ungarisch-Galizische Eisenbahn 247:ceased operation due to war damages 16:Narrow-gauge railway line in Poland 634:(in Polish). Gdańsk. p. 133. 470:), and eastwards through Cisna to 14: 710:TRASA I: MAJDAN – BALNICA (9 KM) 678:TTS Technika Transportu Szynowego 495:Restoration as a heritage railway 34: 1326:750 mm gauge railways in Poland 835:Narrow gauge railways in Poland 284:Re-opened as a heritage railway 1040:Częstochowski Obszar Rudonośny 361:The main station with all the 1: 1202:Cegielnia Bielowice Nowy Sącz 774:Narrow-gauge Railways in 2022 591:Kryciński, Stanisław (1996). 416:, and there ran two pairs of 295:http://kolejka.bieszczady.pl/ 1130:Struga Warszawska – Izabelin 924:Białowieża Forest (Hajnówka) 630:Podbereski, Dariusz (1995). 521:Seaside Narrow-Gauge Railway 197:20 kilometres (12.4 mi) 1331:Heritage railways in Poland 769:Koleje Wąskotorowe w 2022 r 40:On a track towards Przysłup 1347: 581:Jerczyński (2007). p.14-15 308:Bieszczadzka Kolejka Leśna 28:Bieszczadzka Kolejka Leśna 1228:Cukrownia Brześć Kujawski 1212:Kopalnia miedzi Polkowice 304:Bieszczady Forest Railway 293: 263:passenger traffic renewed 33: 22:Bieszczady Forest Railway 489:Bieszczady National Park 445:Ukrainian Insurgent Army 1321:Railway lines in Poland 1115:Warszawa Wawer – Zegrze 786:Jerczyński (2007). p.18 713:, kolejka.bieszczady.pl 699:Jerczyński (2007). p.16 90:49.205829°N 22.298700°E 1140:Zwierzyniec – Biłgoraj 384: 1243:KWK Kazimierz-Juliusz 1207:Kopalnia miedzi Lubin 441:Polish State Railways 379: 106:Commercial operations 1176:Myślęcin (Bydgoszcz) 340:Bieszczady Mountains 336:narrow-gauge railway 276:Preservation history 163:Preserved operations 95:49.205829; 22.298700 1274:Rejon Umocniony Hel 1238:Cukrownia Ostrowite 408:, mostly along the 86: /  428:, Beskid (part of 385: 352:tourist attraction 231:Commercial history 1308: 1307: 1233:Cukrownia Zbiersk 1221:Closed Industrial 1195:Active Industrial 1171:Maltanka (Poznań) 1025:Bełżec – Trawniki 989:Bydgosko-Wyrzyska 738:mb (2014-12-28). 300: 299: 1338: 1253:Cementownia Odra 864:Upper Silesian ( 828: 821: 814: 805: 800: 787: 784: 778: 777: 764: 755: 754: 752: 751: 735: 729: 728: 720: 714: 706: 700: 697: 682: 681: 672:Sroka, Wiesław. 669: 660: 659: 653: 645: 627: 621: 620: 614: 606: 588: 582: 579: 458:administration ( 348:heritage railway 333: 331: 330: 326: 323: 314: 225: 223: 222: 218: 215: 207: 157: 155: 154: 150: 147: 139: 134: 132: 131: 127: 124: 116: 101: 100: 98: 97: 96: 91: 87: 84: 83: 82: 79: 38: 19: 1346: 1345: 1341: 1340: 1339: 1337: 1336: 1335: 1311: 1310: 1309: 1304: 1283: 1262: 1216: 1190: 1144: 1008: 977: 837: 832: 794: 791: 790: 785: 781: 766: 765: 758: 749: 747: 737: 736: 732: 722: 721: 717: 707: 703: 698: 685: 671: 670: 663: 646: 642: 629: 628: 624: 607: 603: 590: 589: 585: 580: 545: 540: 508:and further to 497: 390: 328: 324: 321: 319: 318:2 ft  317: 312: 220: 216: 213: 211: 210:2 ft  209: 205: 202:Preserved gauge 152: 148: 145: 143: 142:2 ft  141: 137: 136: 129: 125: 122: 120: 119:2 ft  118: 114: 94: 92: 88: 85: 80: 77: 75: 73: 72: 41: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1344: 1342: 1334: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1313: 1312: 1306: 1305: 1303: 1302: 1297: 1291: 1289: 1285: 1284: 1282: 1281: 1276: 1270: 1268: 1264: 1263: 1261: 1260: 1255: 1250: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1230: 1224: 1222: 1218: 1217: 1215: 1214: 1209: 1204: 1198: 1196: 1192: 1191: 1189: 1188: 1183: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1152: 1150: 1146: 1145: 1143: 1142: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1122: 1117: 1112: 1107: 1102: 1097: 1092: 1087: 1082: 1077: 1072: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1037: 1032: 1027: 1022: 1016: 1014: 1010: 1009: 1007: 1006: 1001: 996: 991: 985: 983: 979: 978: 976: 975: 970: 965: 960: 955: 946: 941: 936: 931: 926: 921: 916: 907: 902: 897: 892: 879: 870: 861: 856: 851: 845: 843: 839: 838: 833: 831: 830: 823: 816: 808: 802: 801: 789: 788: 779: 756: 730: 715: 701: 683: 661: 640: 622: 601: 583: 542: 541: 539: 536: 496: 493: 485:PKP class Lyd2 460:Lasy Państwowe 389: 386: 365:is located in 298: 297: 291: 290: 286: 285: 282: 278: 277: 273: 272: 269: 265: 264: 261: 257: 256: 253: 249: 248: 245: 241: 240: 237: 233: 232: 228: 227: 203: 199: 198: 195: 191: 190: 187: 183: 182: 179: 175: 174: 172:State Treasury 169: 165: 164: 160: 159: 112: 111:Original gauge 108: 107: 103: 102: 70: 64: 63: 58: 54: 53: 47: 43: 42: 39: 31: 30: 24: 23: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1343: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1318: 1316: 1301: 1298: 1296: 1293: 1292: 1290: 1286: 1280: 1277: 1275: 1272: 1271: 1269: 1265: 1259: 1256: 1254: 1251: 1249: 1246: 1244: 1241: 1239: 1236: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1226: 1225: 1223: 1219: 1213: 1210: 1208: 1205: 1203: 1200: 1199: 1197: 1193: 1187: 1184: 1182: 1179: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1153: 1151: 1149:Park Railways 1147: 1141: 1138: 1136: 1133: 1131: 1128: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1118: 1116: 1113: 1111: 1108: 1106: 1103: 1101: 1098: 1096: 1093: 1091: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1081: 1078: 1076: 1073: 1071: 1068: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1046: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1023: 1021: 1018: 1017: 1015: 1011: 1005: 1002: 1000: 997: 995: 994:Hrubieszowska 992: 990: 987: 986: 984: 980: 974: 971: 969: 966: 964: 961: 959: 958:Świętokrzyska 956: 954: 952: 947: 945: 942: 940: 937: 935: 932: 930: 927: 925: 922: 920: 917: 915: 913: 908: 906: 903: 901: 898: 896: 893: 891: 889: 885: 880: 878: 876: 871: 869: 867: 862: 860: 857: 855: 852: 850: 847: 846: 844: 840: 836: 829: 824: 822: 817: 815: 810: 809: 806: 798: 793: 792: 783: 780: 775: 771: 770: 763: 761: 757: 745: 741: 734: 731: 726: 719: 716: 712: 711: 705: 702: 696: 694: 692: 690: 688: 684: 679: 675: 668: 666: 662: 657: 651: 643: 641:83-85843-48-5 637: 633: 626: 623: 618: 612: 604: 602:83-85531-07-6 598: 594: 587: 584: 578: 576: 574: 572: 570: 568: 566: 564: 562: 560: 558: 556: 554: 552: 550: 548: 544: 537: 535: 533: 529: 524: 522: 518: 513: 511: 507: 503: 494: 492: 490: 486: 481: 477: 473: 469: 465: 461: 457: 456:State Forests 453: 448: 446: 442: 437: 435: 434:Roztoki Górne 431: 427: 423: 419: 415: 411: 407: 403: 399: 395: 387: 383:train station 382: 378: 374: 372: 368: 364: 363:rolling stock 359: 357: 353: 349: 345: 341: 337: 315: 309: 305: 296: 292: 287: 283: 279: 274: 270: 266: 262: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 229: 204: 200: 196: 192: 188: 184: 180: 176: 173: 170: 166: 161: 113: 109: 104: 99: 71: 69: 65: 62: 59: 55: 51: 48: 44: 37: 32: 29: 25: 20: 1248:Huta Florian 1186:Ostrów Wlkp. 1181:Ogrodzieniec 1070:Krotoszyńska 1035:Białogardzka 999:Krośniewicka 950: 939:Starachowice 912:Nadwiślańska 911: 887: 883: 874: 866:Górnośląskie 865: 848: 796: 782: 773: 768: 748:. Retrieved 743: 733: 724: 718: 709: 704: 677: 631: 625: 592: 586: 525: 514: 510:Wola Michowa 498: 483:locomotives 459: 449: 438: 418:mixed trains 397: 391: 360: 307: 303: 301: 27: 1110:Sompolińska 1105:Piotrkowska 1060:Jabłonowska 1004:Stargardzka 914:/ Nałęczów) 873:Piaseczno ( 842:Operational 797:Świat Kolei 746:(in Polish) 725:Świat Kolei 402:Nowy Łupków 344:World War I 313:750 mm 206:750 mm 178:Operated by 138:750 mm 115:760 mm 93: / 68:Coordinates 1315:Categories 1258:Huta Pokój 1125:Wrocławska 1095:Ostrołęcka 1090:Opalenicka 1065:Jarocińska 849:Bieszczady 750:2018-04-11 538:References 81:22°17′55″E 78:49°12′21″N 50:Bieszczady 1120:Wieluńska 1085:Nasielska 934:Sochaczew 919:Przeworsk 910:Vistula ( 884:Nadmorska 882:Seaside ( 650:cite book 611:cite book 306:(Polish: 1267:Military 1166:Krośnice 1135:Zagnańsk 900:Koszalin 888:Gryficka 875:Grójecka 517:pandemic 502:Przysłup 476:Moczarne 332: in 224: in 186:Stations 168:Owned by 156: in 133: in 57:Terminus 52:, Poland 1288:Museums 1161:Cichowo 1156:Chorzów 1080:Marecka 1055:Gdańska 1030:Bialska 951:Średzka 949:Środa ( 944:Śmigiel 859:Gniezno 744:onet.pl 506:Balnica 472:Wetlina 468:Rzepedź 426:Kalnica 410:Solinka 394:Galicia 388:History 327:⁄ 310:) is a 289:Website 219:⁄ 151:⁄ 128:⁄ 1100:Pionki 1075:Lublin 1050:Garbów 1020:Balkan 1013:Lifted 982:Closed 973:Żuławy 895:Kalisz 638:  599:  480:Majdan 432:) and 430:Smerek 422:Majdan 381:Majdan 367:Majdan 356:Trains 350:and a 268:Closed 236:Opened 194:Length 61:Majdan 46:Locale 1279:Toruń 963:Wigry 929:Rogów 905:Mława 772:[ 464:Mików 414:kkStB 406:Cisna 400:) in 371:Cisna 369:near 968:Żnin 656:link 636:ISBN 617:link 597:ISBN 530:and 474:and 302:The 281:1997 271:1994 260:1963 252:1953 244:1944 239:1898 854:Ełk 532:Kp4 528:Las 1317:: 886:, 759:^ 742:. 686:^ 676:. 664:^ 652:}} 648:{{ 613:}} 609:{{ 546:^ 491:. 373:. 354:. 334:) 130:16 126:15 953:) 890:) 877:) 868:) 827:e 820:t 813:v 753:. 658:) 644:. 619:) 605:. 329:2 325:1 322:+ 320:5 316:( 226:) 221:2 217:1 214:+ 212:5 208:( 189:5 158:) 153:2 149:1 146:+ 144:5 140:( 135:) 123:+ 121:5 117:(

Index


Bieszczady
Majdan
Coordinates
49°12′21″N 22°17′55″E / 49.205829°N 22.298700°E / 49.205829; 22.298700
State Treasury
http://kolejka.bieszczady.pl/
750 mm
narrow-gauge railway
Bieszczady Mountains
World War I
heritage railway
tourist attraction
Trains
rolling stock
Majdan
Cisna

Majdan
Galicia
Nowy Łupków
Cisna
Solinka
kkStB
mixed trains
Majdan
Kalnica
Smerek
Roztoki Górne
Polish State Railways

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