Jeziorki railway update

A quick overview of how work's progressing on the Warsaw-Radom railway line as it passes through Jeziorki. [I've taken a few photos out from this post and replaced them with new some non-railway pics of autumnal scenes, so apologies if you've seen them before.]

Below: shot from the pedestrian crossing on ul. Kórnicka; a Radom-bound train has just departed W-wa Jeziorki station along the modernised 'down' line. On the left, the un-electrified coal train line. In the middle, the 'up' line is coming along nicely - the base and first level of ballast have been laid. Next you will see a row of sleepers ready to be dropped into place, and beside the 'down' line, two lengths of new rail wait to be placed onto the sleepers. Then a second layer of ballast will be put down, holding the whole ensemble in place. The overhead power line and its supports will then be erected - you can just see the white concrete bases on the left.

Below: the new 'up' platform is just beginning to take shape, right of centre. The 'up' line will run down the spot where I'm standing to get this shot. In a few months' time, I'll be boarding the train to town from the new platform, boarding via the train's right-hand doors (as one does at W-wa Żwirki i Wigury and W-wa Rakowiec stations)

Below: Warsaw bound train stops at W-wa Jeziorki station. Once the second track is complete, this platform will serve southbound trains only. Note the pedestrian crossing points marked with red-and-white metal gates.

Below: today is All Saints' Day, a public holiday, so there's no work going on. A JCB digger stands idle. Yes, JCBs are to be found wherever EU-funded infrastructure work is going on in Poland and indeed the rest of central Europe. Yet Anthony Bamford, JCB's owner, is dead against the EU. Biting the hand that feeds him.

Below: look what I found! Lying by the side of the tracks was this vintage destination board (tablica kierunkowa wagonowa); it must have fallen off the side of a carriage - or been thrown off by a vandal (less likely as this one was external). Note the stencilling - I would imagine this would be of Martial Law vintage as red paint was a scarce commodity and this stencil was cut to save paint - the bare minimum to be legible! Look at the letter 'W' for example... (It's the same on the other side, but saying 'Warszawa Wsch. / Kielce'.)

Below: a full coal train, 40 wagons long, heads towards Siekierki, despite it being a public holiday today, and no doubt an adequate stockpile at the power station. The refurbished SM48 diesel locos are more powerful and less polluting than before; one engine can haul and entire train of full wagons unassisted. Here it passes between W-wa Jeziorki and Nowa Iwiczna.

It's not only coal - Siekierki is now a co-fired power station which burns wood-chips along with the coal, in a bid to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The train below is formed of InnoFreight WoodTainer system containers returning empty from Siekierki, pulled by the same SM48 engine.

Below: photo from the ballast mountain, soon to disappear. A full Siekierki-bound coal train between W-wa Dawidy and W-wa Jeziorki, Warsaw's skyline on the horizon.

Below: this roller smoothing is out the base layer of ballast, at W-wa Jeziorki station, flattening it down hard before the sleepers, rails and the second layer of ballast are put in place.

Below: one for the archives - a three-car set from Góra Kalwaria to W-wa Wschodnia between W-wa Jeziorki and W-wa Dawidy. Note the row of blocks between the tracks - this is where the supports for the overhead power lines will stand. In the distance, the gantries at W-wa Jeziorki station that span both tracks are visible. The line nearest to the camera is non-electrified and serves the coal train to Siekierki power station.

Also stopping at W-wa Jeziorki (for the time being), a double-decker push-pull train on the RE8 Przyspieszony service from W-wa Wschodnia to Skarżysko-Kamienna. Note how low passengers downstairs sit compared to platform level. Inside the train, a multiple portrait of Warsaw's workforce heading home. Breugel would have loved such a scene.

UPDATE 5 November 2016: as predicted sleepers and tracks have been laid for part of the section between W-wa Jeziorki and W-wa Dawidy. Meanwhile across ul. Karczunkowska, work continues on building the 'down' platform for W-wa Jeziorki station.

This time last year:
On the death of my mother

This time two years ago:
Marek Raczkowski on All Saints' Day

This time three years ago:
Disclosure of UFOs - are we ready?

This time four years ago:
Jeziorki pond development

This time five years ago:
Captain Wrona's perfect gear-up landing

This time eight years ago:
Where's the daylight gone?

This time nine years ago:
All Saints' Day - Wszystkich Świętych