Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line

Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line (Polish Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa often known by its acronym LHS), is the longest broad gauge railway line in Poland. Except for this one line, and a few very short stretches near border crossings, Poland uses the standard gauge for its railway tracks. The line runs as a single track line for almost 400 km, from the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing just east of Hrubieszów to Sławków Południowy (near Katowice). It is used only for freight traffic, mainly iron ore and coal. It is the westernmost broad gauge railway line in Europe that is connected to the broad gauge rail system of the countries which before 1991 constituted the Soviet Union.

The line is operated by PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa Spólka z o.o. company.

The previous name of the line was Linia Hutniczo Siarkowa (en. Metallurgy - sulphur line), but after sulphur ceased to be transported on the line its name had been changed, keeping the initials the same.

History

In the 1970s the giant newly built Huta Katowice steel mill, then in its most prosperous period, required great quantities of iron ore. The main source of the ore were mines near Kryvyi Rih (then in the USSR, now in Ukraine), from where it was transported by rail via Medyka, Przemyśl, Tarnów to Jaworzno Szczakowa. This line had inadequate capacity to carry the traffic.

Searching for a solution PKP considered two plans. The first one was to modernise the existing tracks in order to allow more freight to...
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