Changes at Nowa Iwiczna

Big thanks to Ian Wilcock for the tip-off; I visited Nowa Iwiczna last weekend but nothing was going on; this week work finally started in earnest to complete the modernisation of the Radom line. A week after a change to the timetable and to single-track operations, and finally something's happening other than commuters getting inconvenienced. So I set ofp on foot to see what's new.

Walking south along ul. Gogolińska, I'm overtaken by a ballast train heading south along the 'up' line (below). The power lines over the 'down' line stop short of Nowa Iwiczna station, the tracks themselves run out at the level crossing on ul. Krasickego.

For those interested in such things, the loco is an SM42-2160 operated by Tabor Dębica. Below: it's the wooden-bodied workers' wagon at the back that makes this shot for me, as well as the plethora of overhead wires and cables.

Below: reaching Nowa Iwiczna station, I take this shot from the closed 'down' line, and mark in white the new alignment of the tracks, which will join those waiting for them at the level crossing. But to relay the tracks, the old island platform has to go. The new 'down' platform will be built parallel to the new 'up' platform to the left of the photo. Note the wooden pallet at the end of the platform; given the lack of egress from northern end of the platform, passengers have taken matters into their own hands. This way down saves up to 700 paces of walking.

Meanwhile, across ul. Krasickiego, the last of the island platforms on the line is going under the diggers' claws. I expect the relatively new shelters will be redeployed.

Below: south of Nowa Iwiczna station, the coal train line (Hah! I'm listening to John Coltrane as I write these words!) branches off towards Konstancin-Jeziorna and Siekierki power station. To the right, the main line heads towards the industrial end of Piaseczno, the 'down' line ripped up in the foreground.

Below: rotted, splintered, scorched - the very last of the wooden sleepers on the line between Warsaw and Czachówek and finally getting lifted. Beyond, new track stretches on the Piaseczno. Once this short stretch at Nowa Iwiczna is realigned, and a short stretch of 'down' line is completed south of W-wa Okęcie, all will be good between Warsaw and Piaseczno.

Below: a Radom-bound train pulls out of Nowa Iwiczna, exactly on time. Note the camber of the track, which will allow trains to go through the bend faster.

By the middle of June, Nowa Iwiczna should have two tracks and two platforms. Interesting to see if they'll make it - the platform will take more than eight weeks to build...

Bonus photo below: Jeziorki's first golfer, taking a practice swing at the as-yet unopened driving range behind Biedronka and the scrapyard. It's two years since this blog announced this development. May yet be another whole season before it goes live, don't hold your breaths, golfers!

This time last year:
Tracks to Tarczyn

This time two years ago:
Translation and cultural differences

This time four years ago:
The demand for Park + Ride keeps growing

This time five years ago:
Cycle-friendly London

This time six years ago:
The end of the Azure Week