New 'down' platforms take shape at Sułkowice and Chynów

I got off my Chynów train a stop early, at Sułkowice, to see how work is going on. To my surprise, I could see that the platforms here will be staggered, just like at W-wa Jeziorki, with the 'down' (southbound) platform to the north of the level crossing. The 'up' platform is now operational, serving trains in both directions, though not 100% complete.

Saturday morning at the there are some guys at work here - not many, but something is going on, behind the new concrete platform walls.

Below: behind the new 'up' platform, ulica Dworkowa in the foreground. Temporary fencing separates the platform from the slope down to the street - I presume once in place, those concrete slabs will be removed or covered by lawn.

Below: across the track; sections of the old 'down' line have been cut up and dumped by the side of the trackbed.

I'm walking alongside the line towards Chynów. Below: the DK50, Warsaw's de facto southern bypass, crosses over the railway. Note the new overhead power-line pylons run exactly as the old ones did - to the right of the central bridge support. Evidently it was too expensive to reposition the support so the two railway lines could run parallel, and southbound trains would not have to slow down to swing past it.

South of the DK50 and apple country begins in earnest - orchard after orchard all the way down to the Pilica river. At this time of year - dead. In two months' time, the blossom will start to emerge.

Below: a farm crossing. Will it remain after the line modernisation is complete? With barriers and lights? This unasphalted farm road is a dead end, serving several orchards. Ah - and look across the way, where's he at, sittin' over there... Straż Ochrony Kolei, presumably guarding against any pilfering of building materials stockpiled between Sułkowice and Chynów stations.

Evening falls a bit later each week, my train back to town at 17:02 is now just quarter of an hour after sunset. Below: Chynów station and the 'down' platform is also starting to emerge. Unlike Sułkowice, it will be parallel to the existing ones (the third platform serves a loop line that allows trains to pass here). The 'down' track was meant to be ready next month; PKP PLK now says June.

BONUS SHOTS: On my way to W-wa Jeziorki station, I overtook this group of geese on their way home after a short stroll around nearby fields. They turned left past the tree into a courtyard. Could you see such a sight in Postal London?

Below: former English, Welsh and Scottish Railways Class 66 loco brought over to Poland by DB Cargo, hauling empty coal wagons from Siekierki power station back to Okęcie sidings, passing under the viaduct at W-wa Jeziorki station.

Below: an unusual sight - first time I've seen an east-west container train without containers! Normally, over 30 trains a week carrying containers full of Chinese consumer goods to the markets of central and western Europe pass along the Skierniewice-Łuków railway line. Is this a symptom of the Corona Virus shutdown of Chinese industry?

This time last year:
Birds return to frozen ponds
[not frozen this year]

This time two years ago:
Bending the forces of physics with your will

This time four years ago:
Giving it up for Lent

This time six years ago:
North-east of Warsaw West revisited

This time seven years ago:
Looking for answers

This time eight years ago:
Fresh powder in Warsaw's parks

This time ten years ago:
Another Lent starts

This time 12 years ago:
Okęcie dusk