Join the discussion on the following article:
Poland to privatize national rail freight company
“Polski Koleowej Painstwowej” (PKP), or the “Polish People’s Railroad”, is a carry-over from the Communist days. Maybe they’ll change the name to something reflecting an independent, capitalist system. When stationed in northern Germany (Lubeck), '60-'62, in the US Army, I would often watch trains going to-and-from Poland at the East-West German border. They have come a long way from the dinky 4-wheel wagons and cool steam locomotives. Dobrze, methinks!
When will Europe finally ditch the link and screw couplers in favor of automatic couplers like ours
in Poland 08’ operating steam trains on the pkp. saw lots of freight. diesel and electric
Courtney, I know that the EW&S in Great Britain attempted to go to automatic couplers some years ago, but I don’t know the full result. Interestingly, here in the UAE they are building a new system to HD American standards. The construction trains use Euro-couplings, but I believe the revenue equipment will have automatic couplers. Can’t verify that yet, though.
William, the P.K.P. was established in 1918 by the new Republic of Poland after 123 years of partition between the German, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian Empires. The P.K.P. was so strong a symbol of independence and national pride that the communists didn’t dare to rename it. It was first and now again is a symbol of an independent, capitalist nation.