Switcher in action again

The wagons of the Switcher system have delivered the Rz60E1-1200-1:18,5 turnout sections for the construction of the Czarnca-Włoszczowa Północ siding (railway line No. 582). Long-lasting and far less prone to breakdown, prefabricated turnout structures will enable a faster and more comfortable journey between Kielce and Warsaw.

The KZN Bieżanów Group is actively involved in the construction of a new, over three-kilometre long siding connecting the line no. 61 Kielce – Fosowskie in Czarncy, with Włoszczowa Północ station on the Central Railway Line. Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów””, the holding company’s flagship company, will manufacture all railway turnouts designed for this investment. These constructions will be professionally installed on track at the construction site by the daughter company KZN Rail. “At the same time, we provide safe block transport for six sections of the factory-assembled and commissioned Rz60E1-1200-1: 18.5 sb. turnouts for which the Switcher system will be used, cooperating during unloading with a special railway crane available at the construction site.” says Ewa Sawicka, Member of the Board of KZN Rail.

The first two railway turnouts with a radius of 1200 metres, assembled in sections, were delivered by the KZN Bieżanów Group on one train to Czarnca at the end of June; three more, also within one special train, will reach the construction site in the first half of August; the last one will be delivered to the siding in September this year. The already-delivered turnouts were pre-installed during the evening-night closures of the Kielce-Fosowskie line, on 26 and 27 June. After unloading and precise positioning on site, rail joint bars were temporarily installed. Then, after tamping, the KZN Rail employees will carry out welding works and final adjustment to the structure. The same procedure will apply to the other railway turnouts with a radius of 1200 metres.

“Delivering Rz60E1-1200-1:18.5 railway turnouts in sections is a significant logistical challenge, both in terms of transport, but also in loading and unloading. Turnout sections weigh from 24 to over 28 tons, the length of the connecting rail section is 25.60 metres, and the maximum width of the frog block is 4.4 metres.” says Sawicka. “Which is why we are happy with the cooperation we enjoy with the investment’s general contractor – ZUE Group – another construction company that will be able to learn about the advantages of block-type turnouts and the Switcher system.” adds Sawicka.

In the context of PKP PLK’s announcement of delivery in blocks of approximately 20 percent of investment turnouts this year, the fact that turnouts delivered to Czarnca are only the first project for the KZN Bieżanów Group in 2018 may surprise. “We should point out that the second half of the year will be much better in this respect. Our company KZN Rail, a logistics operator of the Switcher system, is planning, aside from the Czarnec-Włoszczowa line, to transport more than 20 railway points systems using this system, to investments in Nowa Sarzyna, Szczecin Gumieńce, Krzeszowice and Kozioł junction, among others.” says Rafał Leszczyński, CEO of the KZN Bieżanów Group. “The advantages of this logistical model are widely known – short construction time, safe transport and safety at the construction site, significant reduction of potential disputes between the manufacturer and the contractor, high initial quality translating into durability and lower maintenance costs throughout the life cycle of the structure. We therefore support the manager and the contractors in actions taken to quickly and fully implement the provisions of the Id-114 instruction. We can assure them that with the continuously expanded fleet of Switcher wagons, we are fully prepared for it.” the head of the KZN Bieżanów Group emphasizes.