Warsaw–Kalisz Railway

The Warsaw - Kalisz Railway (Polish: Kolej Warszawsko-Kaliska), also called Kalisz Railway is a railway which connects Warsaw and Kalisz, built in 1900 - 1902 by the Society of the Warsaw - Vienna Railway, and opened on 15 November 1902 as a broad gauge line (1535 mm, see also Russian gauge). The line provided connection between Warsaw, the capital of Vistula Land (Russian - controlled Poland), and Kalisz, which was located near the border of Russian Empire and German Empire. It was nationalized by the Imperial Russian government in 1912, and in 1914, converted into standard gauge. Two years later, German occupational authorities added a second track.

Station in Pabianice, located on the Warsaw - Kalisz Railway

In 1906, Warsaw - Kalisz Railway was connected with the system of German railways, thanks to a newly constructed line Kalisz - Nowe Skalmierzyce (a village which served as a border checkpoint). In 1910, German government built another line, from Oleśnica, via Odolanów, to Ostrów Wielkopolski, which shortened the rail distance between Wrocław and Kalisz. During World War I, two of the newly constructed stations (Warsaw Kaliska and Kalisz) were destroyed, with the first one never rebuilt. Also, the station Łódź Kaliska was built especially for the line.

In 1918, the line was taken over by Polish State Railways, and until 1922, it served as a main connection between Warsaw and Poznań. However, its importance decreased after construction of a shorter Warsaw - Poznań route, via Kutno, and Konin. Currently, the line is used mostly by trains connecting Łódź and Wrocław.

Route

Warsaw Kaliska - Błonie - Sochaczew - Łowicz - Głowno - Stryków - Zgierz - Łódź Kaliska - Pabianice - Łask - Zduńska Wola - Sieradz - Błaszki - Opatówek - Kalisz.

See also

References
  • Grygiel, T.: Dworzec Kolei Warszawsko-Kaliskiej w Warszawie, [w:] Kwartalnik Architektury i Urbanistyki, XXX, 1985, z. 3, s. 311–320
  • Jerczynski M., Roszak T.: Szlakiem lodzkiej kolei, Lodz 2003, s. 36–53
  • Polanowski, E.: W dawnym Kaliszu. Szkice z zycia miasta 1850–1914, Poznan 1979
  • Sniechowski, J.: Zarys rozwoju kolejnictwa polskiego w zaborze rosyjskim, [w:] Inzynier Kolejowy, 1926, nr 8-9
  • Wretowski, D.: O znaczeniu ekonomicznem Kolei Kaliskiej, Ateneum, t. 2, z. 2, 1900, s. 136–151
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