Return to Konstancin-Jeziorna coal sidings

Hunting the railway vibe, the klimaty kolejowe; going where the coal trains go. A long walk across the southern edge of the Las Kabacki, then on to the railway sidings at Konstancin-Jeziorna

Below: looking down at the sidings from the slight rise at the western end. The middle line runs straight through with two set of sidings on either side, all of them long enough to accommodate the longest rake of coal wagons (typically 40 in one set). Full trains (2,000 tonnes of coal) go from here to Siekierki power station; empties come here from Siekierki to be picked up and returned to the sidings south of W-wa Okęcie station, 14km away. 

Below: a rake of empties has just arrived on the second track, the engine the brought them in has been uncoupled, it ran forward, changed onto the middle track to run back to Siekierki. With summer on the way, there's fewer full coal trains heading to the power station. The manoeuvre done, the level crossing gates rise, and many cyclists crosses the tracks, heading to Konstancin (right of pic) or Powsin and Las Kabacki (left of pic). Click to enlarge.

Below: the train standing on the first track in the pic above is pulling out of the sidings and onto the single track towards Okęcie via Piaseczno and Nowa Iwiczna. Level crossing with barriers on ulica Wąska ('Narrow Street') and on the other side of the tracks - ul. Saneczkowa ('Toboggan Street).

Below: heading up hill, a gentle ten-metre rise over 1.7km as the line approaches - but does not enter - the Las Kabacki forest. The level crossing on ul. Głowackiego in Kierszek is close to the border of Warsaw and the forest. Foreshortening effect of telephoto lens zoomed out to 300mm makes the hill look steeper than it is .

Below: looking back towards the sidings from the end of the disused siding, that can be seen on the right of the photo above.

Below: the way things were, April 2008. View from the other end of the sidings, from the level crossing on ul. Warszawska. The train on the middle track is moving away; it has one engine at the back, pushing, and another at the front, pulling. These days, the modernised SM48 locos can pull a whole loaded train unassisted.

There are plans to upgrade this line to a passenger line, which I must say would be a splendid idea (offering a new connection across Warsaw's southern suburbs). It's been talked about for ages (usually just before local elections - see this PR visit), but at last there's a master plan being drawn up, which in February last year was said to be three and half years away. So a reality by 2030? One can but hope... The line won't be a part of the government's Kolei Plus programme, which will be restoring 34 disused and partially disused lines to passenger service, rather this line will be part of a metropolitan project devised by the City of Warsaw. 

I returned by 710 bus from Klarysew, mainly to see the new route linking Konstancin and Kabaty - ul. Stefana Korbońskiego, a sorely needed thoroughfare for local residents. When I say 'new', it opened to traffic in December 2017 (!) this was my first visit here! Below: before boarding the bus - busy scene in Konstancin. Flags out for the 3 May public holiday, the red-and-white repeated on the level crossing barriers and road signs. In the absence of a direct Jeziorki-Konstancin train, I took the 710 bus to Kabaty, Metro to Stokłosy, then 715 bus home. Total walking today: 18,500 paces.

This time three years ago:
A review of the second part of Hillier's Betjeman biog.

This time four years ago:
New roads and rails

This time six years ago:
The Gold Train shoot - lessons learned

This time eight years ago:
Digbeth, Birmingham 5

This time nine years ago:
Still months away from the opening of the S2/S79 

This time ten years ago: 
Looking at progress along the S79  

This time 11 years ago:
Snow on 3 May

This time 12 years ago:
Two Polands

This time 13 years ago:
A delightful weekend in the country

This time 14 years ago:
The dismantling of the Rampa

This time 15 years ago:
Flag day