Wałcz 21-08-2024

Railway line No. 403 Piła Północ – Ulikowo.

Railway line No. 403 Piła Północ – Ulikowo is a line with a length of 125.573 km. The line is single-track, non-electrified, of local importance. Generally, the route runs from Piła Główna station westwards to Stargard (formerly Stargard Szczeciński). The line starts exactly at the Piła Północ branch station. The end of the line is Ulikowo station. The maximum speed of the train is 100 km/h.

Railway line No. 403 connects Stargard – Piła. It was built at the end of the 19th century. Its construction was divided into three stages. The first section from Piła to Wałcz was opened on November 1, 1881, the further part of the railway line from Wałcz to Kalisz Pomorski was opened on September 1, 1888, and on September 1 and October 15, 1895, the Ognica – Ulikowo and Kalisz Pomorski – Ognica sections were launched.

The purpose of the line was to relieve the Krzyż Wielkopolski railway junction, in the direction of Szczecin – Bydgoszcz. After World War II and after the change of borders, the line lost its importance. The Polish economy did not need the line. Despite this, until the 1980s, freight and passenger traffic was carried out on the line. There was a large traffic of military trains and fuel trains. Due to poor financing, the line gradually deteriorated. Traffic on the neighbouring railway lines from the Wałcz and Kalisz Pomorski junction stations was decreasing. Traffic collapsed on 23 June 2000. At that time, the modernisation of LK No. 403 was postponed due to lack of funds. Protests of local governments forced the government authorities to co-finance PKP and on 10 June 2001, train traffic was restored on the Kalisz Pomorski – Stargard route. However, on 14 December 2003, traffic was suspended again. Traffic was resumed on 5 January 2004, and suspended again on 30 June 2004. It was restarted on 1 September 2006. On 31 January 2007, passenger traffic returned on the Piła Główna – Wałcz section. The renovation of LK No. 403 could not be postponed any longer. In 2009, modernization of the line began as part of the Regional Operational Program of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, which was entered for the period 2007-2013.

In the period 2010-2012, 3 km of rails, 17,000 prestressed concrete sleepers and 2,600 wooden sleepers were replaced. The condition of slopes and embankments was improved. Bridges over the Płociczna and Korytnica rivers were renovated. In addition to the major renovation of the truss structure and replacement of the surface, brick pillars were also subjected to maintenance. The viaduct in Recz Pomorski and two culverts were modernized. The surface was replaced at five rail-road crossings in Wałcz and new signaling devices were installed. At the remaining railway crossings, crossing slabs were replaced and the condition of access roads was improved.

In the period 2009-2013, major repairs were carried out on the Wałcz – Ulikowo section. The scope of works included the replacement of the track surface, track-related and drainage works, the replacement of crossing surfaces, the repair and modernisation of selected platforms and the installation of bus shelters, the reconstruction of railway traffic control devices, the repair of engineering structures (bridges, viaducts and culverts) and the reconstruction of telecommunications. The speed of trains was increased to 100 km/h. The signal box in Kalisz Pomorski, which controls traffic on the Wałcz – Ulikowo section, was modernised. Traffic had to be suspended for the duration of the works. The total cost of the works amounted to PLN 20 million. In 2013, long-distance trains on the Piła Główna – Szczecin Główny route were resumed on line No. 403. In 2016, the TLK “Lubomirski” train on the Szczecin – Bydgoszcz – Warsaw – Lublin route, which previously ran via Krzyż Wielkopolski, returned to the route.

There has also been an improvement in the rolling stock for passenger transport. New DMUs have been purchased. The number of connections has been increased. Travel time has been shortened. The resumption of this connection was extremely important from the point of view of the local community. Residents of Wałcz and Piła now have the opportunity to use a good rail connection with Szczecin, which is an important administrative, commercial, cultural and academic centre. Residents of Szczecin and Stargard can go to the tourist region of the southern part of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The main attractions include forests, where you can pick a lot of berries and mushrooms. The Drawa River and the surrounding lakes are a good place for fishing, kayaking, cycling and just relaxing. There are castles in Pęzino and Tuczno Krajeńskie that are worth seeing.

The renovations did not end there. On 19 September 2017, the competition for the renovation of the Recz Pomorski – Tarnowo Pomorskie section, 10 km long, was decided. The works were carried out by ZRK DOM Poznań. Further renovation works were carried out in 2018-2019, on the Kalisz Pomorski – Ulikowo section. Among other things, passenger stops were renovated.

Dolszewo Wałeckie station is one of the most interesting ones. Its expansion took place at the beginning of the 1980s. This was related to the construction of a new MPS train at Piła Airport, after the introduction of Su-22 fighter-bomber aircraft into service. Two groups of transfer-acceptance tracks and a signal box for their service were built. PKP assigned two SM30 locomotives to service the wagons. The station operated until 1998, when the decision was made to disband the 6th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment in Piła. Su-22 aircraft were relocated to Mirosławiec and Świdwin. As a result, the railway signal box, semaphores and turnouts were eliminated. Dolszewo Wałeckie is currently (2024) a passenger stop.

The Prostynia station is also interesting. The station is mainly used for loading and unloading military transports, for the nearby training ground. The station has 3 main tracks and 2 side tracks. There is also a long unloading ramp. Prostynia is a station controlled remotely from the signal box in Kalisz Pomorski. The signal box serves switches and signals on semaphores. In the past, a railway siding led from the station to the military fuel base. Currently, in 2024, the siding leads from the Cybowo WBK 822 station. This siding is operated by the auxiliary traffic controller in Prostynia.

The course of Railway Line No. 403 Piła Północ – Ulikowo.

Generally, the line runs from east to west, although the section to Wałcz station runs in a north-westerly direction. Piła Północ branch post 0.00 km. The line runs through forests. Dolaszewo Wałeckie 3.85 km, elevation 90 m. The line crosses DW No. 179 at the top. Szydłowo Krajeńskie 7.90 km, elevation 141 m. Skrzatusz passenger stop 13.96 km, elevation 141 m. The line crosses the borders; Wielkopolskie Voivodeship – West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Dobino Wałeckie 16.88 km, elevation 130 m. Wałcz 23.09 km, elevation 117, formerly a junction station. Wałcz Raduń 25.21 km, elevation 113 m, formerly a junction station. The line runs through forests. Drzewie 28.18 km, elevation 116 m, passenger stop. Strączno 32.84 km, elevation 122 m, passenger stop. Rutwica 38.74 km, elevation 143 m, passenger stop. Agricultural areas. Tuczno Krajeńskie 46.22 km, elevation 106 m. Forest areas again. Jeziorki Wałeckie 50.83 km, elevation 98 m, passenger stop. The line crosses the Płociczna river. Krępa Krajeńska 54.24 km, elevation 101 m, passenger stop. The line crosses the Korytnica river. Biały Zdrój Południowy 62.00 km, elevation 94 m, passenger stop. Kalisz Pomorski 67.57 km, elevation 100 m, junction station, 4-way. Cybowo 72.96 km, elevation 104 m, passenger stop at the 1st Regional Logistics Base – Cybowo Depot. Cybowo WBK 822, siding to the Base. The line crosses DK No. 10 at a rail-road crossing. The line crosses the Drawa River. Prostynia 76.10 km, elevation 85 m. The line still runs through forests. The line is accompanied by DK No. 10 from the south. Żółwino 82.14 km, elevation 105 m, passenger stop. Słutowo 86.38 km, elevation 118 m, former passenger stop. Agricultural areas begin. The line crosses DK No. 10 at a rail-road intersection and crosses DW No. 10 again. Recz Pomorski 91.38 km, elevation 80 m, station. The line crosses the Ina River. Sokoliniec 96.28 km, elevation 103, passenger stop. Ognica 101.01 km, elevation 80 m, passenger stop. The line crosses the Reczyca River. Tarnowo Pomorskie 107.08 km, elevation 63 m, station. The line passes forests and fields. Sulino 110.80 km, elevation 64 m, passenger stop. Barzkowice 114.32 km, elevation 64 m, passenger stop. Pęzino 118.96 km, elevation 46 m, passenger stop. Ulikowo 124.76 km, elevation 49 m, station and LK No. 202.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman