Rail crossing at Przemyśl Border between Ukraine and Poland

Rail gauge changes between Ukraine and Poland. Sleeper compartments shunted into an area where carriages are raised on hydraulic jacks and bogies are changed. Its something to do with preventing railways being used in times on invasion.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Bogie
• Przemyśl
• Lviv
• Lvov
• Train
• Railway
• border
• krakow
• Railroad

[spoorus]

@darkyoda Interesting though that may be, it will only work for slower freight trains on specific Russian tracks. Since the wheel flanges must remain within the 1420-1460 mm tolerance, they will exceed the Russian tolerance which is 1500 mm minimum. So if the guiders and slots at Russian points and crossings are not adapted, derailment is likely. Would be possible for short range traffic of special cargo over the gauge break, allowing both Russian and European special stock to share a track.

[darkyoda]

@spoorus It doesn't prevent European stock from being used in Russia though, since most european stock uses "Standard" gauge which is only an inch or two narrower. Mind you the Russian couplers don't help. Some specially designed stock have wider tyres on their wheels to allow them to work without the bogey change.

[spoorus]

The decision to choose a broader gauge is older than the USSR, in fact it was taken by the generals to the Russian Czar. It would not help: German invaders simply laid one rail closer to the other. Resizing stock axles was no problem as well, only the wider loading gauge of the Russian trains prevented (and still does) use of Russian stock in Europe, unless specially constructed to.

[chrissun86]

The former USSR was afraid of being invaded by other countries so they built their railway wider than the rest of the world.

[magicgreg84]

@briquetaverne Poland have standard european rail gauge (1435mm) while Ukraine have "russian" gauge (1520mm)

[briquetaverne]

What's the rail guage in Ukraine? What is it in Poland?