Poland - Articles and news items

The status of Rail Polska so far…

Issue 4 2011 / 4 August 2011 /

Rail Polska was established in November 1999 by Mr. Edward Burkhardt, the founder and the only owner of Rail World Inc., registered in Chicago. Mr. Burkhardt successfully privatised railways in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Estonia. The original aim of the company was to take part in the privatisation of PKP Cargo which had just started to be considered. However, it soon turned out that the privatisation would not take place quickly. And then, our owner decided to use Rail Polska as the basis for creating his own freight transport operator.

On 1 March 2003, having analysed existing market opportunities, Rail Polska purchased 100% of shares in ‘Kolex’ – a company providing Firma Chemiczna ‘Dwory’ / the Chemical Company ‘Dwory’ in Oświęcim with railway transport services, and Zec Trans – a company offering motor transport services and providing five railway sidings belonging to Kogeneracja Wrocław (Zespół Elektrowni Wrocławskich) with railway services. (more…)

Polish State Railways: Achieving a successful first GSM-R link

Issue 1 2011 / 15 February 2011 /

In the past, Poland (with its 23,000km railway network) badly needed a good operational radio communication system. The first simple analogue system started in 1972 connecting the harbours of Gdynia and Gdansk with Silesia. The radio-telephone network has provided good communication between dispatchers and running trains along the whole route of approximately 800km. The loco-drivers, beside the connection with the dispatchers, were able to communicate among themselves. On the frame of this system (which was called colloquially ‘train line radio’) various mutations were created, e.g. marshalling yards or emergency/rescue networks. As it was mentioned, the first PKP analogue system using simplex transmission worked properly and is still operating in a 150 MHz band. (more…)

Discussing demand & opportunities for Poland’s rail network

Issue 3 2010 / 31 May 2010 /

On 11 and 12 of May 2010, European Railway Review organised Polish Rail Development 2010 – a comprehensive event for industry personnel to gather in one place to learn and discuss the most important issues surrounding the development of the railway market in Poland.

Held in the vibrant and historic city of Warsaw and Hosted by PKP Railway Lines S.A., Day One began with the Chairman of the event, Aleksander Domaradzki – an Independent Industry Expert – welcoming all delegates, speakers and sponsors and making clear that with the continuing volcanic ash problems, the situation continues to show how important the railway industry is. (more…)

Bombardier awarded landmark ERTMS contract in Poland

Rail industry news / 14 May 2010 /

Bombardier Transportation recently announced that it has received a landmark European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) contract for the first implementation of ERTMS Level 2 technology in Poland. The contract, from PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe and valued at approximately 54 million PLN (14 million euros, $17 million US), involves the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the BOMBARDIER INTERFLO 450 ERTMS Level 2 onboard and wayside signalling system.

A recognised pioneer in development and deployment of ERTMS systems worldwide, Bombardier is now bringing its ERTMS Level 2 signalling technology to the Polish rail market. The new signalling system will be installed on the section of the E30 main line between Legnica, Wegliniec and Bielawa Dolna and delivery is part of the modernisation programme of the pan-European transport corridors which will ensure interoperability on railway lines in Poland. The system will be developed and delivered by Bombardier Transportation Rail Control Solutions sites in Sweden and Poland, to go into operation in April 2012.

Anders Lindberg, President, Bombardier Transportation Rail Control Solutions, said: “As pioneers of ERTMS technology, we are extremely pleased to win this significant order which strengthens Bombardier’s market lead in ERTMS and brings ETCS Level 2 technology to Poland, extending the network across Europe.”

Bombardier has a strong presence in the development of ERTMS/ETCS technology, with its INTERFLO ERTMS Level 1 and Level 2 solutions in operation or being delivered across Europe and Asia on more than 2,500 vehicles, 11, 000 km of track and in 17 countries.

Bombardier Transportation’s Rail Control Solutions portfolio covers the whole range of BOMBARDIER CITYFLO mass transit solutions, from manual to fully automatic systems as well as communication-based systems. It also provides INTERFLO mainline solutions, from conventional systems to ERTMS level 2 systems. Bombardier solutions encompass a complete palette of wayside and onboard products.

Constructing and launching high-speed lines in Poland

Issue 2 2010 / 4 April 2010 /

In recent years there has been considerable growth in high-speed rail. In many countries, the development of a high-speed rail system plays a key role in economic development and it is treated as an element to improve prosperity considering the great value of public procurement and increased attractiveness of the regions to which it reaches. New high-speed lines projects have not only been rising in Europe and Japan, but also in the United States, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Iran.

This rapidly expanding new transport mode is often described as the ‘transport mode of the future’ for a number of reasons. As well as improving rail services, promoting the modern image they seek to convey and yielding greater customer satisfaction, high-speed trains also play a key role in achieving territory integration and helping to create socio-economically balanced societies. This highly efficient transport mode makes significant demands in terms of investment, technology, industry, the environment and its political and social aspects. (more…)

High-speed set to gather pace in Poland

Issue 6 2008, Past issues / 3 December 2008 /

Poland is playing ‘catch-up’ with other European countries in the field of economic affairs and in satisfying domestic needs. This is why the country is finding developing high-speed railway lines difficult. However, the country recognises that by having better transport infrastructure and by having easier ways to move between agglomerations, the quicker its economic development will be.

Over recent years, high-speed railways have developed not only in technologically advanced countries of Western Europe, for example France, Germany and Spain, but also in developing countries such as Turkey, Morocco, China and Argentina1.

Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, established a team which groups representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Economy, Regional Development, Environment, Infrastructure and governors of Poznan, Łódz, Wroclaw and Warsaw, and also presidents of PKP S.A. and PKP PLK S.A. The team has prepared the project entitled “Programme of building and starting carriages on high-speed lines in Poland”, and is also obliged to supervise its implementation.
(more…)

Social responsibility of the investor

Issue 5 2008, Past issues / 27 September 2008 /

For over half a century, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been an element of strategy of each business entity who wishes to be perceived as a reliable and stable element of economy and society. PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe SA, the administrator of the railway infrastructure in Poland, observes the CSR principles both in its current activities and strategic planning for coming stages.

There are several factors which are peculiar to PKP PLK SA’s activities and have a decisive effect on our economic behaviour, adhering to the law and ethical rules, and functioning in society which is to say on every element of CSR.

Firstly, we are a joint stock company and therefore we operate on a commercial basis. It means that our financial activity follows the rules of commercial law. This is a significant difference as compared with the period before 2000, when the railway transport in Poland was state-owned.

(more…)

Design & supervision – important elements of railway investments

Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /

The rapid development of road and railway transport is a regular subject of public debate in Poland, in particular in the view of the EURO 2012 organisation. It is worth noticing that from 2007 to 2013, the Polish Railway Authority, PKP PLK, plans to carry out a number of major investments (see maps).

Jacek Stirmer, Director of the Strategy Office of PKP PLK SA says that by 2012, PKP PLK plans to modernise 1,248km of railroads within the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme.

In the second half of 2007,  PKP PLK signed several agreements for supervision of line modernisation, crucial for the expansion of Pan-European transport corridors.

One of the latest agreements is between ARCADIS Profil and BRI  Koltech Inwestor, which involves modernisation of the E65 railroad from Warszawa Wschodnia to Nasielsk.  The project is carried out with 84% of money from the Cohesion Fund (16%  of the funds will be provided by the state budget), and is worth €4,439,000 net. Works have been broken into 10 periods, and the agreement will be performed  over a period of four years.

(more…)

The PKP family is working in harmony

Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 28 May 2008 /

The PKP Group was established in 2001, as a result of a restructuring programme of the State-Owned Enterprise, Polish State Railways. The reform was aimed at the separation of railway operating activity and the management of railway lines as well as to set up independent commercial entries. The PKP Group is now made up of a mother company, PKP S.A., and a number of subsidiary companies.

(more…)

Branching out to stay competitive

Issue 6 2007, Past issues / 26 November 2007 /

In 1999, Freightliner Group identified a significant opportunity for the company to enter the bulk freight market, and established Freightliner Heavy Haul Ltd (FHH). In an interview for the European Railway Review, Tim Shakerley explains how starting from scratch, the company has quickly grown in the bulk rail business, branching out into numerous sectors of the industry, including aggregates, cement, petroleum, waste and infrastructure services.

Coal was one of the earliest sectors which FHH entered and today it is by some margin the largest sector in the business. The coal business continues to grow year on year and currently represents approximately 50% of FHH’s turnover. Last year, coal haulage capacity increased by 22% and will increase again by another 18% this autumn, with the arrival of another 110 new coal hopper wagons.

In response to the UK’s growing coal freight market and the customer appetite for competition between rail operators, FHH has significantly expanded over the last six years. This is due to contract renewals with increased volumes for existing customers, as well as new customers attracted to FHH by its reputation for high quality of service. FHH continues to develop and expand through investing in new equipment and technology, as well as staff and training. (more…)

Performance of Poland’s operational programme

Issue 6 2007, Past issues / 26 November 2007 /

This article comprehensively describes a modernisation plan for the Polish rail network to be fulfilled during 2007-2013 and subsequent years. This great investment plan is lead by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (PKP Polish Railway Lines Company). The plan is an extensive one and there is still enough time and financial means for everybody who wants to participate in it to put their thoughts forward.

I would like to draw the attention of all European Railway Review readers who are representing companies cooperating within the railway sector and for rail operators, that in the heart of our continent we are creating convenient circumstances for the development of both domestic and international railway transport, aimed at interoperability and complete liberalisation of the passenger and freight transport market available to all EU operators. (more…)

Beneficial monitoring: not whether, but when?

Issue 5 2007, Past issues / 26 September 2007 /

Achieving high levels of rail system reliability in all the phases of the life cycle at an optimal cost requires sound information, robust risk based analysis, proper implementation of asset management activities and on-going critical review.

Major rail organisations are actively interested in moving towards an ‘intelligent railway’ – monitored more effectively, at increased frequency and with the resulting information providing key input to the improved management of the railway assets. Monitoring can lead to large cost savings and increased operational reliability of both trains and track. Monitoring for maintenance purposes has been standard practice in aviation since the 1970s, but is still less common in many parts of Europe’s rail network. While some systems have had remote monitoring to some degree (e.g. telecommunications systems), other railway assets have been less well served.

In the drive for the intelligent railway, the Gotcha system is making a major contribution. (more…)