Farewell to Chynów station's goods yard

When opened in 1934, Chynów was one of the more important stations on the Warsaw-to-Radom line. As well as the passenger tracks, a passing loop and platform, there was also a small goods siding, consisting of two tracks, a ramp and a small warehouse. More than just a halt.

The warehouse was demolished (according to Google Earth history view) sometime between 2007 and 2012; the goods siding live on for a while. Earlier this month, it too has gone; the points that let trains onto it from the main line have been lifted. In its last years, the siding and the yard by it was at least put to intensive use - it was here that ballast and sleepers for the modernisation of the Czachówek Południowy to Warka stretch of the Warsaw-Radom line were stored.

With the completion of the works down the Warka, the siding is no longer required. Below: the last loads of ballast left the siding towards the end of July. A tiny proportion of what was once stored here is still visible on the left.

Below: the newly dismantled points that had formerly allowed trains onto the goods sidings. The train in the top photo would have been the last to roll over these points before they were lifted and the rails cut up with oxy-acetylene cutters. To the right, the newly modernised main line, now complete with overhead power cables (not yet visible in the photo above). To the left, ul. Kolejowa, awaiting new asphalt. Looking north.

Below: further along the now-abandoned goods line. These were the points that separated the two goods tracks. Ul. Kolejowa still to the left.

Below: the way things were. This was the little warehouse by the loading area. Photo taken on 2 September 2006 by Jerzy Mrozowski (bazakolejowa.pl), with acknowledgements. 

Below: from my first visit to Chynów station, October 2017, before the modernisation work started. Looking south, the old island platform to the left served 'down' trains to Radom and 'up' trains to Warsaw (on the other side); to the right, the points connecting the sidings with the main line. Note the stockpiled concrete sleepers. Within a month, the loading area would be full of ballast as well.

Below: looking north towards Chynów station, from the level crossing at the Widok end. Station building to the left. Note the points leading to the goods sidings (to the left) and onto the loop running behind the platform (to the right). Note also the lengths of rail lying between the 'up' track - these were being stored here ahead of the modernisation. 

Below: looking south from the southern end of the goods siding, the two tracks coming together at a set of points. Ul. Kolejowa now to the right.

Below: just after sunset, north of Chynów station. In the hour between scheduled passenger trains, this works train makes its way south towards Warka.

Below: back end of the same train, note ballast hoppers and rail-alignment machinery, that follow the flatbeds behind the engine. I guess these will be taking away redundant rails from the old goods yard.

Below: the level crossing on ulica Miodowa has now been closed for good. The tarmac between the rails ripped out, it is now impossible for wheeled vehicles, even tractors, to cross the tracks here. Photo taken at sunset with fill-in flash. Local farmers, wishing to access their fields, now have to make a 1km detour to get to the other side. At least there is now new asphalt to make that journey easier. For train crews, it means one fewer level crossing to worry about.

Farewell, then, to the old goods yard, the sidings and all the freight traffic that once used these lines.

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Bonus freight-train photos. Below: a 'Gagar' (Russian-built M62 diesel engine) hauls a load of empty coal trucks back from the sidings at Konstancin-Jeziorna through Jeziorki station (note the passenger platform on the electrified line in the background. Note too how the back of the train snakes around the bulge necessitated by aligning the non-electrified goods track to run around the station).

Below: looking toward the centre of Warsaw from the now-removed mountain of soil by the end of the S79. The same Gagar (M62 7039) pulling a full load of coal from the sidings at Okęcie towards the power station at Siekierki, via Konstancin-Jeziorna.

If we must burn coal to power our cities, let's at least be grateful it gets to the power stations by train and not by road. 

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