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| Steam in the Wolsztyn, Poland area | ||
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| The Polish National Railways (PKP) have designated the Wolsztyn ("VOHL-shteen") engine terminal as a "living history" center, from which steam locomotives continue to haul regular-service trains. Nearly 30 schedules are designated as steam-hauled, 16 of them passenger. On an average weekday, at least 10 steam-powered passenger trains and 4-6 steam-powered freight movements are called. | ||
Wolsztyn Sroda Travel Tips On Line Resources Photo Locations Non-Rail Tips Personal Recommendations | ||
| The Wolsztyn area is largely agricultural, so you won't be getting smoke-plume-to-the-sky shots of trains in the Rockies. But you will find it a very familiar place. It reminded me of the photos I've seen taken in the US in the steam-to-diesel transition period (late 40s - early 50s), with lots of infrastructure (stations, semaphore signals, operators) still in place. Granted the locomotives don't follow American cosmetic practice. But stand outside Rakoniewice ("Ruh-KAHN-yuh-VITS-uh") watching a passenger train - with black locomotive and dark green cars - bear down on you at 60mph, followed by a freight. If you have any, you'll forget your cosmetic prejudices pretty quickly. | ||
| The Trains - Wolsztyn | ||
| Trains work on seven lines. The day starts early, with three departures between 0400 and 0515 - a freight and a passenger train on the Zbaszyn ("zuh-BaZEEN") line, and the first departure to Poznan ("Pose-NON"). (All descriptions relate to weekdays, and are based on the times as posted in the LOK Report in Summer 99.) Freights are scheduled daily on each line, but run only as needed; the most reliable is the train to Grodzisk / Koscian ("KOH-shee-AHN"). Trains to Kargowa ("CAR-go-VUH") and Konotop or Lubiencin ("LOU-bean-zeen") run only as needed to serve the team track (Kargowa) or the lumber business (Konotop / Lubiencin), and may run at times other than shown in the schedule. | ||
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| Shortly after the arrival of the Poznan train, another departure to Poznan is scheduled, and soon after the Leszno ("LESH-no")train departs. Upon arriving Leszno, this loco will be serviced, run a quick turn to Wschowa ("Wuh-SHOW-vuh"), and return to Wolsztyn. It arrives ten minutes after the Poznan train does. (Switching / shunting is performed sporadically as well.) | ||
| Normally three to five engines are rostered during the course of the day. The most common power are the OL49-class 2-6-2, dual-service engines which occupy the niche assigned to Pacifics in the USA. 2-10-0s in a number of different classes are also a dime-a-dozen. Pt47-65, an express 2-8-2 (think of the NYC Mohawk as its functional counterpart), is also a regular performer. It's also not unusual to see a Tkt-class 2-8-2 tank working. | ||
| One thing that draws many railfans to Wolsztyn is the chance to ride the cab of the locomotive. Some crews (though not all) will accept a small gratuity (in Zloty, Deutschemarks, or Dollars) in exchange for your ride. You may also get the chance to fire or drive the locomotive if you want. (I met a group of British fans who spent their entire trip riding cabs.) In fact at least one company offers all-inclusive tours of the area including instruction in the cab (details in the "Online Resources" section below). | ||
| The Trains - Sroda | ||
| About 50 miles east of Wolsztyn (30 miles from Strykowo ("STRIKE-oh-voh") you'll find a steam-powered narrow-gauge branch running between Sroda and Zaniemysl ("ZAN-eeh-measle"). Four round-trips per day make the run. Some of these are scheduled about 15 minutes slower, as mixed trains; standard-gauge cars on narrow-gauge trailers are often taken to Zaniemysl. (Beware - if no freight is handled on a mixed schedule, the train may run ahead of time by a few minutes.) Coaches are still heated by coal stoves, stoked from outside the car at stations. | ||
| Cab rides can be had here as well. One interesting aspect of this line: riding the line costs about 3 Zloty, but visiting the shed area costs 10 Zloty! (You get a nice receipt on coated paper for your records.) | ||
| Download an information packet including this page's text and timetables for Wolsztyn and Sroda | ||
| This page does not try to cover the narrow-gauge line out of Gniezno, northeast of Poznan. Operations are erratic, at least one locomotive is painted in a gaudy bright-green scheme, and the general feel of this line is somewhat touristy. Occasional freights still run to Powidz, though. | ||
| Travel Tips | ||
| When To Go: Let's start with when to avoid. August is the big vacation month, and most if not all trains will feature diesels. The beet harvest starts in early October, and is responsible for increased freight activity. Best chance for snow is in January. This works out well, as airfares drop precipitously after Labor Day, and you can often fly to Poland cheaper than you can fly across the US. | ||
| The Language: Just don't worry about it - you're going to get by okay. If you're uncomfortable anyway, base yourself in Poznan - you'll find English spoken in the larger hotels and the restaurants on the Town Square. | ||
| The Weather: This isn't the sunniest area of the world. Nevertheless, you should expect some sunny days, especially in the fall. Winter temperatures aren't too bad - anywhere from 0C / 32F to 10C / 50F during the day. | ||
| Maps: Try to get access to maps of 1:200,000 scale or better. One of the pleasant surprises about travelling in Europe is the quality of map available at the petrol stations. You may find excellent 1:100,000 maps with railways and topographical features, or hiker's maps that show excellent detail. (Beats the heck out of a Rand-McNally atlas.) So if you're unable to find good maps at home, just start checking the newer petrol stations / convenience stores as you drive to Wolsztyn. | ||
| Getting There: The Wolsztyn area is near the main road between Berlin and Warsaw, a little closer to Berlin. (In fact, between 1919 and 1939, the German-Polish border ran just west of Wolsztyn - Konotop and Kargowa were in Germany.) Berlin and Warsaw are served by air from the US. Car rentals in Berlin should be confirmed as International rentals - a green international insurance card MUST be in the car, or your border crossing will be fouled up. (Rates are higher for international cars - roughly comparable to domestic Polish rates.) Example: in February 1998 I reserved an international car in Berlin with Hertz. Upon my arrival at Tegel airport, I was told that Hertz does not allow its German cars into Poland, and I was forced to rent at a walk-up rate from Budget. Driving across the German-Polish border was relatively simple - the queue was about 20 minutes in both directions for cars. | ||
| Driving from Warsaw (which I haven't done) might be simpler, but will take a bit longer. | ||
| It's also relatively easy to take the train from Warsaw, Berlin or other European cities to Poznan and pick up a car there. (Hertz, Budget, Europcar, and Sixt have agencies in the Poznan airport, and Hertz has an agency in the Hotel Poznan, about 0.5 KM from the Poznan train station. Weekday hours are 0800-1700. Note that rental car agencies in Poznan close at 1400 on Saturday, and do not open on Sunday.) The most convenient sleeper from western Europe is EN ("EuroNight") 249, departing Koln (Cologne) at 1928 and arriving Poznan at 0600 the next morning. (Planning to see the Harz Mountains Railway? Get on in Magdeburg at 2238. This train does NOT stop in Berlin.) The overnight D243 between Paris and Berlin (Zoo Station) connects with Berlin-Warsaw trains that stop in Poznan (a crosstown transfer to Berlin Ostbahnhof (East Station) is necessary to get a direct train). | ||
| You can also fly into Poznan from Warsaw, Copenhagen, Hannover or Dusseldorf, Germany, on LOT Polish airlines or Scandinavian Air (SAS). | ||
| Lodging: Poznan features a number of hotels. You will also find smaller, newly constructed hotels along the Poznan - Leszno road (designated as Highway 5, EuroRoute E261). The nicest one I noticed was about 12km south of Steszew ("STAY-shev"), near Piotrowo Pierwsze ("I have no idea"). There is a "resort hotel" on the lake at Boszkowo (on the Leszno line) regularly used by tour groups. | ||
| The most famous lodgings in the area, at least among railfans, is the crew dorm at the Wolsztyn roundhouse. For $5 - $8 per night, sleep right on the premises in a steam-heated room. Not the most modern facilities, but certainly the most atmospheric. And it has the advantage of secure parking. (Price is per person, and you may end up with a roomate - pay in the "Dispozytor" ("DIS-POS-itor" - roughly, "responsible person") office. If your Polish is like mine, rememer the German word for sleep, "Schlaff." The place is very clean, and a kitchen is available to make coffee and tea. Bring your own towel and washcloth - conveniences (there are separate facilities for men and women) are commmunal, and linen service is limited to bedcovers.) | ||
| There are other hotels in Wolsztyn, but I know nothing about them. There is also accomodation in Sulechow ("ZOO-lekov"). | ||
| Food: You won't find McDonalds anywhere (maybe in Poznan - I didn't look). I'm a big fan of Slavic food, so I loved it. (Vegetarians may well starve outside Poznan.) Breaded meats are common, and the vegetables tend to be good and not overcooked. "Salad" is a plate of raw or spiced vegetables like carrots, beets, etc. You will NOT see lettuce. Definitely get a bowl of Barscht (Borscht) while there - it's served everywhere.) | ||
| Money & Prices: Forget the traveller's checks or large wads of cash. BY FAR the safest, simplest and least expensive way to get cash overseas is your plain old ATM card. Don't believe me? Check This Out. The most convenient ones are "Dworzec Glowny" ("main train station,") and "Big Bank Gdanski, Ul. Paderewskiego 10," just off Old Town Square. | ||
| Hotels tend to run about $60-$100 for a business hotel. Petrol (gasoline) is cheaper than in western Europe, but is still about $3 per gallon. Food and beer is very inexpensive. | ||
| Online Resources | ||
| Use the following links to plan your trip to Poland: | ||
| Internet Guide to Poznan - About the only link you need. | ||
| Explore Poland - More good travel information. | ||
| Wolsztyn Online - in Polish. | ||
| Hotels In Poland - Pretty self-explanatory. | ||
| Hotels Poland - not to be confused with the site above. You can also reserve a car at the Hotel Poznan (also used by Hertz). | ||
| Hotel Novotel Poznan - Get maps, contact details, reserve online. The site is in French, but you'll manage. | ||
| Restaurants in Poznan - looks like you can get Japanese there (and I remember a Chinese restaurant on the Town Square not listed here). "Ratuszowa" is recommended. | ||
| MapQuest - order maps online. | ||
| Omnimap - order maps online. | ||
| Universal Currency Convertor - self-explanatory. | ||
| Rannoch Rail and "The Wolsztyn Experience" offer tours to Wolsztyn including formal instruction in the cab of a steam locomotive. | ||
| International Working Steam Locomotives - Rob Dickinson's page of trips reports from various fan visits to Wolsztyn, Sroda, and other potential steam sites in Poland. | ||
| Wolsztyn Depot - A primer on the depot with lots of photos. | ||
| Wolsztyn Roster - A partial roster of locomotives stationed at Wolsztyn, with details including the boiler certificate expiration dates. Column headings in Polish and German. Provided by Wojtek Lis, a Wolsztyn resident. | ||
| The Lok Report Wolsztyn Page - Detailed schedules and news updates. In German. | ||
| Sroda-Zaniemysl Narrow Gauge - Information on the last narrow-gauge passenger line in Poland operated by steam. Other narrow-gauge lines in Poland are covered here as well. | ||
| Deutsche Bahn (German State Railways) - Look up schedules for trains all over Europe. This is the English-language page. | ||
| MasterCard ATM Locator - There are 36 ATMs in Poznan that will take your MasterCard or Cirrus ATM. Here they are. | ||
| (Links are provided as a convenience and do not imply any endorsement of products or services offered on the linked sites.) | ||
| Photo Locations | |
| Wolsztyn-Poznan: There are a number of readily-visible locations between Wolsztyn and Strykowo. Between Strykowo and Poznan, views tend to be more urban and less scenic. | |
 | Strykowo features a nice station area. |
 | Grodzisk station is very photogenic as well, and there is disused roundhouse is just out of sight in the background, toward Poznan. |
 | The area west of Rakoniewice is especially good for easy-to-reach locations. Just south of Wolsztyn the Leszno and Poznan lines split, with the Poznan line crossing the Leszno line near the village of Adamowo. Fine views of trains accelerating uphill toward Poznan can be had here. (A quick word about the coaches in this picture: these are the only brightly-painted coaches I've seen in Poland. Every other second-class coach I saw was painted in dark green, sometimes with a yellow window band.) |
 | Fine night views can be had on the platform at the main station in Poznan. |
| Wolsztyn-Leszno: Both more scenic and harder to chase than the Poznan line. The area between Nowa Wies and Perkowo is particularly good. | |
 | The station area at Wolsztyn is a mix of modern and old influences. |
 | There is a very nice fill near Starkowo. |
| Wolsztyn-Konotop-Lubiencin: Good luck - very grown up except around the station areas, at the Highway 315 crossing in Swietno, and at the 322 crossing near Stary Widzim. The Konotop station area is particularly nice, with a rambling old station building and a classic-Prussian brick water tower. These shots should be much easier to get now that trains are once again running to Lubiencin occasionally. | |
| Wolsztyn-Kargowa: Difficult to shoot between Wolsztyn and Zodyn, but there are a couple of open areas. Side-by-side pacing is possible near Jaromierz. | |
 | The Kargowa station area is interesting. |
| Wolsztyn-Zbasynek: Bring your flash - all trains operate pre-dawn or post-sunset. | |
| Grodzisk-Koscian: Unknown. | |
| Leszno-Wschowa: Unknown. | |
| Zaniemysl-Sroda: There is a very nice fill approaching the Lekno halt (the first stop after leaving Zaniemysl). | |
 | The Zaniemysl station area is open, and you can catch some servicing being done there during the layover. |
 | Side-by-side pacing is possible between Snieciska and Stupia. |
 | The signature shot on the line is the climbing fill built to cross the parallel standard-gauge main just west of the Sroda station. It's between the Highway 42 crossing just northwest of Sroda and the Sroda station area, reached via a dirt road - allow PLENTY of time to get into position. |
| Non-Rail Tips | |
| You'll find lots of non-rail sights to divert you in the area. Poznan's Old Town Square is well worth a visit, as is the church at Przedmiescie, between Perkowo and Blotnica on the Leszno line. There are museums in Zielona Gora and Poznan. And the drive between Wolsztyn and Swiebodzin through Siedlec and Babimost is beautiful. | |
| Personal Recommendations | |
| First, let me explain how I travel, so you can adjust my recommendations as you need to. I don't often travel alone - either my wife comes with me, or I join forces with one or two friends. I'm not willing to suffer to conserve money, so I'm not looking for the cheapest hotel or restaurant. Nor do I seek out American touchstones like McDonalds and Holiday Inn; being in a non-English-speaking environment doesn't intimidate me at all. Finally, I don't exclude a little tourism once a few nice photos are in the bag. | |
| Cars & Hotels: If you plan to fly into Berlin or Warsaw for a Saturday morning arrival, plan on getting your car there. Based on the schedules I've seen, it would be very tough to get to Poznan before 1400 when the car rental counters close, and you'll be stuck without a car until Monday morning. | |
| If you're a reluctant traveller, or if this is your first time in a non-English-speaking country, or if you need to stay in contact with things back home, base yourself at a hotel in Poznan. The ease of phone service will make it worthwhile (I've been in Poland twice and never successfully made a call from a pay phone). If you become comfortable after a day or two, you can move to the Wolsztyn roundhouse dorm for the experience. | |
| For the more adventurous, the dorm is a must-do, as is the "Podgorodzie Zajazd" in Sulechow. This is a round, two-story hotel of modern construction that features wedge-shaped rooms, the typical Communist hotel phone system (a cord switchboard mounted on the wall. Room phones only work inside the hotel; external calls are placed from the front desk, so your conversation could be monitored in the good old days), and glass outer walls (presumably so no unauthorized gatherings could take place). It's a real slice of Communist-era life, the food is fine, and credit cards are accepted. It's at the intersection of Highway 3 (E65) from Swiebodzin, and Highway 32 from Wolsztyn (about 40 minutes away). | |
| I spent one night at the Novotel in Poznan (along Highway A2 (E30) in the direction of Warsaw) to get easy phone service and english-language news. Novotel is a European chain that is comparable to the Best Western - Fairfield Inn level of service, and features AT&T phone service. | |
| You're going to get a ticket. Just face it. (Foreigners in their rental cars stick out.) If you see a police car on the side of the road, and the patrolman holds up a red-and-white paddle, stop. He'll give you some coupons and you'll pay him the equivalent of $10-$25, then be on your way. | |
| While we're on the subject of cars, I've heard unconfirmed reports that on a couple of occasions local farmers have set up roadblocks to thwart chasing photographers. If this is true, I suspect it came about due to some "goal-oriented" driving on the part of a few. Drive courteously, DO NOT SPEED THROUGH THE TOWNS, and you should pass unnoticed. | |
| Food: If you're used to eating a big breakfast, either stay at a business hotel or shop for yourself - I didn't see any restaurants open for breakfast. (The Novotel chain features a large breakfast buffet included in the room rate.) Roadside stands, common lunch options in Germany, are unknown here. I got into the habit of snacking during the day (if freights are running, there's not really a lunchtime break in the action) and eating a big meal at night, the opposite of my normal routine. | |
| The restaurant directly across from the Wolsztyn station was fine. (I'm told there's a pizza place close by - I never got the appetite for one.) But my favorite place was "Stara Ratuszowa" ("Old Town Hall"), at number 55 on the town square ("Stary Rynek") in Poznan - you'll find it in the southeast quadrant of the square. Behind the heavy wooden doors is a wonderful restaurant featuring a great atmosphere and well-cooked food at very reasonable prices. Menus are available in Polish and German; I don't remember if English menus were available. (Poznan's Old Town Square, bombed during WWII, has been painstakingly restored, and is a must-see.) | |
| Trip Strategy: Plan to spend at least 3-4 days in the area. Your first day on the ground is spent getting your bearings and getting a feel for the good photo locations. The variety in freight movements will also be a factor - with the exception of the Grodzisk freight, it's very unlikely that you'll see a certain freight schedule run every day. | |
| Again, if you're arriving in Berlin or Warsaw on a Saturday morning, head for Sroda. You can see the 1451 departure from Zaniemysl to Sroda, relax a bit, and see off the 1945 Poznan-Wolsztyn. | |
| On Sunday, about the only daylight movements are a Poznan-Wolsztyn, a Wolsztyn-Leszno, and a Wolsztyn-Poznan. This might be a good day to spend at Sroda as well. (The hotel by the station is recently renovated, and there's a good restaurant on the 42 Highway.) | |
| Your first task of the day will be to try to figure out which freights are running, and at what times. First thing in the morning, take a copy of the "printout of freight times" in the information packet to the office of the "Dispozytor" and ask someone to fill in any revised times (a lot of pointing and facial expressions will do the trick). The Grodzisk train seems to run pretty reliably on schedule. The others I saw tended to be rescheduled or annulled at will, to suit the availability of power or crews. | |
| In all likelihood, you'll meet a number of other fans while you're visiting, and probably make some new friends. The last week of October will be especially busy, as the beet harvest will be in full swing and a number of fans will be on their way to a charter event in the Czech Republic. | |
| If you're going to spend some time riding with a crew, I recommend the early-morning runs to either Zbasynek, Wrionawy, or Poznan. (The pre-dawn Poznan train meets an opposing schedule at Steszew - get off at Strykowo to be safe, and you'll be back in Wolsztyn before 8am, about when the freights start to run.) | |
| Chasing the Poznan line is relatively easy, and there are a number of nice photo locations. The Leszno line is a much tougher chase - roads are narrower, make a lot of 90-degree turns through villages, and don't generally parallel the railway. (You might want to plan for one shot per trip on the Leszno line.) The freight-only lines are relatively slow and easily chased. | |
| Freights tended to leave Wolsztyn tender-first and return chimney-first while I was there, but that's not a fast rule. Tender-first movements with passenger trains may occur on the Leszno line (especially with Pt47-65, which is too big to turn in Leszno), but I never saw a tender-first passenger train on the Poznan line. The Sroda-Zaniemysl trains run chimney-first toward Sroda. | |
| Download an information packet including this page's text and timetables for Wolsztyn and Sroda | |
| Enjoy Your Trip! Add your comments to this page | |
| From W. L. Gwyer, Fort Worth, Texas: "I was in Poland in 1998 and visited Wolsztyn riding down on the morning local from Poznan. The experience was pure Foreign Intrigue--all manual block, Marklin sempahores and steam. Unlike most steam operations, Wolsztyn is the real thing but how long this is going to last is another issue. You are aware that the PKP is being "privatized" with Burkhart of late WC and EW&S fame at the throttle. Lets hope the new order can see the value in keeping a little of the old. I might add that even though I speak no Polish I had no trouble communciating but a Polish phrase book is a must. I even reserved a seat on the afternoon Warsaw express by writing my request in Polish on a piece of paper and giving to the ticket agent. Rail travel in Poland is (or was) rather inexpensive compared to the rest of Europe. I had a "Polepass" ($90.00 US) and it made things much easier." | |
| From John Rimmasch, Road Foreman, Heber Valley Railway: "Having lived in Poland for two years learned how to speak Polish, I have a few tips: 1. If you go, there are so many other places to see steam that the goverment doesn't want you to know about but that are very awesome to see. Interested parties are free to e-mail me at jrimmasch@yahoo.com. 2. I would be more than welcome to write or explain some Polish phrases that will get you your tickets hassle-free and for the correct cost. There is nothing worse than getting there and missing a train to Wolsztyn when there is really only one train out there that may fit your schedule. 3. I have personal stories and information that may help anybody wishing to go to Poland, and as a side note, as a near native speaker of Polish, I would be more than willing to go with a group as a guide on a Polish trip as a translator or mediator. You will never see pure steam as it is Europe!" | |
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