Kraków 17-09-2024

Association of Local Railway Transport (SKPL).

SKPL stands for the Association of Local Railway Transport. The SKPL company is an association of companies operating in the railway industry. The company was founded on 18 March 2001, and the registration of the association took place on 6 April 2004. The seat of the association is located in Kalisz. The statutory objectives of the Association of Local Railway Transport are: Creating conditions for the protection, maintenance and development of narrow-gauge and standard-gauge local railways in Poland. Popularizing the tradition and history of railways in Poland and conducting educational and educational activities. The association is a founding member of the Polish Federation of Museum, Tourist and Local Railways.

SKPL is the first private company in Poland to operate freight and passenger trains and a company that operates standard-gauge and narrow-gauge railway lines. SKPL’s rolling stock includes diesel locomotives, passenger cars and DMUs (Diesel Traction Units).

In passenger traffic, SKPL operates passenger trains on the following routes: Pleszew City – Kowalewo, Kaliska Kolej Dojazdowa with a track gauge of 0.75 m. It also operates the standard gauge line Rzeszów – Sanok – Łupków. The company’s offer includes the possibility of ordering service on lines belonging to local governments. SKPL Infrastruktura i Linie Kolejowe manages the following railway lines on behalf of local governments: Kaliska Kolej Dojazdowa (KKD), Pleszewska Kolej Lokalna (PKL), LK No. 212 (Lipusz – Bytów), LK No. 259 (Karolewo siding – Węgorzewo).

In 2010, the activities of the Association of Local Railway Transport were reorganized. SKPL Cargo Sp. z o.o. and SKPL Infrastruktura i Linie Kolejowe Sp. z o.o. were established. The changes were aimed at separating the functions of the railway carrier from the functions of the railway infrastructure manager.

SKPL Cargo Sp. z o.o. is a commercial entity established in 2010, and built on the experience of the Kalisz Association of Local Railway Transport, founded in 2001. From the very beginning, they operated as a group of independent hobbyists, supported by qualified staff of railway workers, employed in parallel with the takeover of subsequent railway lines excluded from the PKP structures.

Already at the beginning of 2002, regular passenger transport began on two narrow-gauge lines, thus becoming the first private railway operator in Poland operating after 1989.

In April 2023, information appeared about a new connection between: Poland – Ukraine. The railway route runs; Warsaw – Dęblin – Lublin – Zwierzyniec – Lubycza Królewska – Rawa Ruska. At the Rawa Ruska station, passengers change to a Ukrainian train. The trains are temporally related to each other. The first run has already been completed, for which the train was provided by SKPL. It looks like after 20 years, the Hrebenne – Rawa Ruska border crossing will be reopened. Remember that PLK never closed down this crossing, it was just that carriers were not interested in it. The Ukrainian side renovated the 1435 mm track, which allows trains from Poland to reach the Rawa Ruska station. Here, passengers will change to Ukrainian trains (wide gauge) and go to Lviv. Regular Warsaw – Rawa Ruska trains started in June 2023. The route is served by SN84 SZTs.

In 2018, SKPL began cooperation with PKP InterCity to service some rail connections, especially those without electric traction. Until 2022, contracts were concluded for a period of one year. In 2022, a contract was concluded for a 5-year period.

Today (2024) SKPL Cargo Sp. z o.o. operates as a company specializing in both freight and passenger transport. It mainly handles cargo transport and provides shunting services. The maintenance of railway facilities is handled by SKPL Infrastruktura i Linie Kolejowe Sp. z o.o. The company operates throughout the country. Data: SKPL Cargo Sp. z o.o. Zbiersk Cukrownia 54, 62-830 Zbiersk.

SKPL railway lines.

SKPL railway lines; Zbiersk – Petryki – Złotniki, Wielkopolska Province, narrow-gauge holiday line. Pleszew Miasto – Kowalew, Wielkopolska Province, year-round standard-gauge line. Warsaw – Lublin – Rawa-Ruska (UA), international connection Poland – Ukraine. TLK “Wetlina” Kraków Główny – Zagórz. TLK “Sudety” Kraków Główny – Jelenia Góra. On behalf of Koleje Mazowieckie, the Tłuszcz – Ostrołęka – Chorzele route.

SKPL rolling stock.

Since 2010, the company has had the M62 “Gagarin” locomotive with No. 1286. In 2018, the locomotive was sold. In 2019, the company purchased the ST43-115 locomotive from PKP Cargo. The next two units, numbered 108 and 245, were purchased in January 2020. In 2020, three SM42 series locomotives, numbered 070, 071 and 453, were purchased.

SKPL operates the Czechoslovak passenger motor car 810. From January to July 2019, SKPL leased two MR/MRD passenger trains, i.e. two-car DMUs. The company operates SN82, SN83, SN84 passenger DMUs.

In November 2020, SKPL confirmed the purchase of 32 DM90 diesel multiple units from Dutch Railways. The first 4 units reached the carrier at the end of November 2020. Talks have been ongoing since December 2019. In 2024, these trains were not yet in service, because the process of their Polonization and approval for operation by the Office of Rail Transport was ongoing.

According to available information from SKPL in January 2022, they had in their composition: Diesel locomotives: S200 – 5 units, SM31 – 1 unit, SM42 – 4 units, ST43 – 3 units, SU45 – 1 unit, T448p – 1 unit. Diesel Multiple Units: SN82 – 3 units, SN83 – 3 units, SN84 – 6 units, 810 – 3 units, DM90 – 20 units.

SKPL Passenger wagons.

In October 2023, SKPL purchased 20 classic Class 2 passenger cars from Germania, with the type designation R109. The cars have 9 compartments, 54 seats, are air-conditioned and adapted to a maximum speed of 200 km/h. Type designation SKPL Avmz109. The cars were painted with the SKPL logo. According to the company, the cars are to be used on the Warsaw – Rawa Ruska route, with the final station being Lviv.

In August 2024, the R109 cars were used for the first time as a replacement train for the InterCity “Wetlina” train. TLK 33110 “Wetlina” on the Zagórz – Kraków Główny route. In September 2024, the train departed from Zagórz at 05:25 – Sanok 05:34 – Zarszyn 05:55 – Wróblik Szlachecki 06:08 – Krosno Miasto 06:21 – Krosno 06:26 – Jedlicze 06:36 – Jasło 06:54 – Biecz 07:18 – Gorlice Zagórzany 07:28 – Bogoniowice Ciężkowice 08:08 – Tuchów 08:33 – Tarnów 08:53 – Kraków Płaszów 09:39 – Kraków Główny 09:45. On the Zagórz – Jasło section, the wagons were pulled by a diesel locomotive SM42-536 of SKPL. On the Jasło – Kraków Główny section the wagons were pulled by the EU07-1516 electric locomotive, provided by PKP Cargo.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman