PUN Machines Are Rapidly Transforming Railway Lines

PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. continues its maintenance and modernization efforts, and with the use of modern continuous track renewal machines (PUN), the work is progressing on schedule and delivering tangible benefits for both passengers and freight operators.

Magistrala Podsudecka: Improved Tracks and Infrastructure

Intensive work has been ongoing on the Magistrala Podsudecka since mid-June. Using specialized machines, railway crews are upgrading parameters along Line No. 137 between Jaworzyna Śląska and Legnica. Works are being carried out along over 50 kilometers of track. Between Przybyłowice and Legnica, PUN machinery operated for two weeks, removing the old track - rails and sleepers - and laying down new components over an 11-kilometer stretch. Afterwards, a ballast cleaning machine followed, removing contaminants, restoring proper drainage, and improving the geometric alignment of the track.

PUN will return to the Podsudecka line in September to work on the section between Jawor and Rogoźnica, which was prepared for such operations last year using the AHM track renewal train. Track works and upgrades on 10 engineering structures will raise line speeds up to 120 km/h on selected segments, shortening travel times and increasing line capacity. The contractor for the PLN 30 million project is DOLKOM, a subsidiary of the PLK Group.

New Tracks Between Tomaszów and Radzice

Later in July, the PUN machine will begin work on railway line No. 22 between Tomaszów Mazowiecki and Radzice. Track replacement is planned on five sections: three along the Tomaszów Mazowiecki – Dęba Opoczyńska route, one turnout at Dęba Opoczyńska station, and one stretch between Dęba Opoczyńska and Radzice. In total, over 5 km of track will be replaced.

Reclaimed materials will be used for the project: rails refurbished at the welding plant in Bydgoszcz and sleepers recovered from upgrades on lines No. 351 and 25. The new track will be installed as continuous welded rail (CWR) without classic jointed rail connections. The works will also include ballast cleaning and track stabilization using rail machinery. Once completed, the entire single-track section will allow for a unified speed limit of 120 km/h - in contrast to the current limits of 100 km/h in some places. The upgrade will eliminate bottlenecks and shorten travel times.

PUN: Less Noise, More Comfort

PUN machines enable rapid and automated replacement of worn track components with new ones. This ensures more efficient maintenance, with fewer disruptions to both passenger and freight train operations. These machines can replace sleepers - and, if needed, rails - at a rate of up to 1 km per eight-hour shift. Thanks to such technologies, railways become safer, more comfortable, and faster for all users.

Source: PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.