<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Since the mid-twentieth century, the Polish rail network has been experiencing a systematic decline of its lines and this includes railway lines serving only freight services. One of the most striking examples of freight transport is the sand railways in southern Poland. This world-unique system for transporting backfill sand used in hard coal mining was one of the most spectacular types of specialized rail transport. The general crisis of railways in Poland, the restructuring of the hard coal mining industry and changes in the technology for securing the underground parts of mines, have all resulted in a sharp decline in the role of sand railways as the carrier of backfill sand. The infrastructure system, as well as the companies involved in the exploitation of sand and its transport, have had to face the fundamental question about their future. This article indicates the essence of these challenges in the context of the role of sand railways in the freight rail system in general. The function of sand railways in the rail transport system has been recognized in relation to their specific unique features that have constituted important elements of their functional and spatial existence.</p>
</abstract>

Since the mid-twentieth century, the Polish rail network has been experiencing a systematic decline of its lines and this includes railway lines serving only freight services. One of the most striking examples of freight transport is the sand railways in southern Poland. This world-unique system for transporting backfill sand used in hard coal mining was one of the most spectacular types of specialized rail transport. The general crisis of railways in Poland, the restructuring of the hard coal mining industry and changes in the technology for securing the underground parts of mines, have all resulted in a sharp decline in the role of sand railways as the carrier of backfill sand. The infrastructure system, as well as the companies involved in the exploitation of sand and its transport, have had to face the fundamental question about their future. This article indicates the essence of these challenges in the context of the role of sand railways in the freight rail system in general. The function of sand railways in the rail transport system has been recognized in relation to their specific unique features that have constituted important elements of their functional and spatial existence.

A unique type of industrial railway – the sand railways of southern Poland

University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"A unique type of industrial railway \u2013 the sand railways of southern Poland"}

Since the mid-twentieth century, the Polish rail network has been experiencing a systematic decline of its lines and this includes railway lines serving only...

A unique type of industrial railway – the sand railways of southern Poland

Pubblicato online: 30 dic 2022

Pagine: 1 - 11

Ricevuto: 28 apr 2022

Accettato: 25 nov 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/environ-2022-0019

Parole chiave
sand railway, mining railway, industrial region, typology, transport of freight, Silesia

© 2022 Robert Krzysztofik et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A unique type of industrial railway – the sand railways of southern Poland

Pubblicato online: 30 dic 2022

Pagine: 1 - 11

Ricevuto: 28 apr 2022

Accettato: 25 nov 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/environ-2022-0019

Parole chiavesand railway, mining railway, industrial region, typology, transport of freight, Silesia

© 2022 Robert Krzysztofik et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Parole chiave
sand railway, mining railway, industrial region, typology, transport of freight, Silesia