Rail remont progress - Krężel to Chynów

It's been over seven months since I ventured south of Chynów, so this morning I made my way on foot to the next station south - Krężel - to document the progress of the modernisation work along the line to Radom.

Below: all but ready to go - just needs the overhead power lines, the 'down' platform is where the old island platform used to stand - but on the other side of the track, which has been straightened out so that fast through-trains don't have to slow down for the kinks in the line. Note the poppies growing along the verge on the other side other of the tracks.

Below: a southbound train approaches the new 'up' platform that was built south of the original island platform, so the two platforms will be staggered. A pedestrian level crossing connects the two. There will not be an underground passage nor footbridge, as passenger traffic here is light. The train itself is a four-car EN71 set, a beefed-up version of the still-ubiquitous three-car EN57 sets. Operator Koleje Mazowieckie bought four such sets from Croatian railways, and modernised them.

The passenger shelter at Krężel is identical in design to the one at Sułkowice, two stops up the line. And like the one at Sułkowice, it will also lose its reason to exist. However, at the moment, there are neither plans to demolish it, nor to modernise it.

Below: looking across at the 'up' platform from the old shelter.

Just when I'm starting to hope that the line to Warka will be ready soon, I note that track-laying is still going on. Officially, the Czachówek Południowy - Warka stretch will be open "sometime in the fourth quarter". Below: looking south from Krężel towards Michalczew. Clouds of dust rise from the ballast being laid onto the trackbed.

Below: walking back towards Chynów, the next southbound train passes me. It's another EN71, with the ribbed sides. Note the drainage ditch running alongside the track. This will have concrete gully at the bottom. There are three transverse culverts crossing under the track on the stretch between Krężel and Chynów. Drainage is as issue in these days of extreme climate events; the ability to get rid of waste water efficiently without it threatening rail movement is an important factor when modernising lines.

Below: approaching Chynów station, this time from the east side. PKP PLK's contractors have literally taken zero notice of passengers living in Jakubowizna or Widok, the villages on this side of the line, as well as pedestrians and cyclists wanting to cross the line or walk/cycle parallel to it. Note the ballast train in the goods siding - it is taking ballast from the stockpile here to where it's needed, south of Krężel.

I got home to my działka, made lunch - and the heavens opened. The rains kept falling with varying intensity for the next four hours. I'm back at Chynów for the train to W-wa Jeziorki, which is pulling into the platform. The train standing on the other platform has come from Warsaw, and is waiting for the northbound service to clear the single operational line before heading on to Warka. There's still a replacement bus service between Warka and Radom - it will continue taking passengers onward to Radom until December, when one line will open between the two towns. The second is expected to become operational in the "second half of 2021" (four years after work started.)

This time six years ago:

Aberdeen, dour city

This time eight years ago:
Fans fly in for the football

This time nine years ago:
Cara al Sol - part II

This time ten years ago:
Still struggling with the floodwaters

This time 11 years ago:
European elections - and I buy used D40

The time 12 years ago:
To the Vistula, by bike

This time 13 years ago:
Poppy profusion