Life returns to the Transwersalka

Another day, another peak. The weekend crowds have dissipated; I walk from Dobra down the railway line past Szkrzydlna (highest station on this line at just over 600m) to Kasina Wielka, our favoured local ski resort, and home of Poland's Olympic quadruple medallist skier, Justyna Kowalczyk.

When walking this line in the winter, it was dormant, likely to be torn up and turned into a cycle path. It seems to have a new lease of life. Reading the railway forums, I read that life has returned to the rails from Chabówka to Dobra k. Limanowej; hopefully the retro steam trains will also return here. Indeed, the tracks were shiny, signs of recent use.

Engineers' trains have been seen along the track, and walking it I was aware of the likelihood of trains. And indeed, I was in luck. Sounding its horn a long way off, I found a good place to snap the train. Sadly, only an engine (SM42-761) running light back to Chabówka.

I hope the sighting of this engine presages a full return to use of this line; as I wrote earlier this year, once it's gone, it's gone for good. The benefits of a regular retro train running to Dobra for the local tourism industry are potentially huge.