Andrzej Massel Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa High Speed Line Project The development of the railway network in Poland has not been a continuous process. It was subject to many perturbations resulting from the changes in the political and economic situation. Its major part was built before World War I, in the period of the Partitions.* Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the routing of many railway lines does not correspond to the country s needs in its contemporary borders. The railway investments developed between WWI and WWII, and after 1945 did not manage to change this situation. In the layout of the railway network, we can clearly see that there is no convenient connection between Wrocław and Warszawa. Carriage between these cities is performed on three routes with various characteristics: Wrocław Ostrów Wlkp. - Łódź Kaliska Warszawa Wrocław Opole Częstochowa - Warszawa Wrocław Poznań - Warszawa While the distance from Wrocław to Warsaw is less than 300 km in a straight line, the length of the shortest railway line which connects these cities (via Ostrów Wielkopolski) exceeds 377 km. The length of the route via Poznań, in turn, which currently has the shortest journey time, is as much as 465 km. According to the 2006 timetable, the shortest journey time of InterCity trains which go via Poznań is: Warszawa Wrocław 5 hours westbound, 4 hours 50 minutes eastbound. Journey times via Ostrów Wielkopolski and Częstochowa in both directions exceed 6 hours. Such long journey times are not attractive to passengers and are the reason for changes in the modal split in favour of passenger car and air traffic. The current journey times are the result of not only the considerable length of the route but also the unsatisfactory condition of the railway infrastructure. The times are ca. 30 minutes longer than in 2000 2002, which follows from the fact that scheduled speeds have been reduced in recent years on a number of line sections, while the number of speed restriction is very large. It needs to be emphasised that replacement investment, albeit in great demand, cannot ensure the appropriate conditions for rail transport in the long term. A radical improvement of railway connections between Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź and Warszawa is of vital importance. In the Autumn of 2005, the Railway Scientific and Technical Centre performed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for the construction of Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa High Speed Line (HSL). The study was commissioned by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (PKP Polish Railway Lines S.A.). The line which is the subject of the project will be used for 300+ km/h train traffic. Its importance will stem from the fact that it will become a key element of the rail system connecting the major Polish urban areas. It is assumed that high speed passenger traffic from many directions will focus on this line, which will make it possible to use its capacity to the maximum. In the demand analyses within the PFS, it was assumed that the new line will carry passenger flows between Warszawa (as well as Lublin, Białystok, Olsztyn), Łódź, Wrocław (and Legnica, Wałbrzych, Jelenia Góra) and Poznań (and Szczecin, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Zielona Góra). It will also become part of the international network, especially Warszawa Berlin, Warszawa Dresden and Warszawa Prague. Moreover, the already existing Central Trunk Line (CMK) will interoperate with the Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa High Speed Line. An upgrading programme is under way on CMK, which will eventually increase its maximum speed to 200-250 km/h. A link between CMK and the Warszawa Łódź Poznań line should make it possible to run high speed services between Małopolska (Kraków), Wielkopolska (Poznań) and Western Pomerania (Szczecin) via Łódź. Variant specification The PFS for the Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa HSL specifies two groups of variants for such a connection. The differences between the variants pertain to the routing and the degree to which parts of the existing rail infrastructure will be used. The first group includes the construction variants for HSLs for high speed passenger traffic only, at a speed of 300+ km/h. These variants are designated as 1, 2, 3, 4. In Variants 1 and 2, newly built sections cover practically the whole route, except for short sections adjacent to nodes in which the existing line sections are used, often extended by extra tracks. The fork junction of the Wrocław- and Poznań-bound line sections is located near Kalisz, which will ensure the best service possible for this area. The difference between Variants 1 and 2 lies in the routing between the Łódź urban area and Kalisz (a route length difference of ca. 6.5 km). Variant 1 places the route north of the Jeziorsko Lagoon, while Variant 2 south of the Lagoon. Variant 3 differs from the first two in the routing of the Łódź Wrocław section. It is to run north-east of Sieradz, via Wieruszów and Kępno (partly using the existing Kępno Oleśnica line). Variant 4 takes into account the existing plans for HSLs in the A2 Motorway corridor between Warszawa and Poznań (the 1993 Kolprojekt Study). The way in which Warszawa is connected to Wrocław in this variant results from the Local Master Plans in place for the Łódź and Dolnośląskie Provinces (Voivodeships). * The period when Poland was divided between Austria, Germany and Russia and did not exist as a state (1795 1918).
The upgrading of the Łódź Sieradz and Wieruszów Wrocław sections has been planned, with an extension of the Sieradz Wieruszów section. In practice, this means an intermediate variant between HSL variants and upgrading variants. The second group of variants is based primarily on the upgrading of all the existing railway lines. Three such variants have been provided, while in two of them the construction of new supplementary sections was also included. Variant 5 is an upgrading variant which uses the entire existing railway line via Koluszki Łódź Ostrów Wielkopolski; Variants 6 and 7, in turn, opt for the construction of new sections: Łask Wieluń and Sieradz Wieruszów, respectively. In all the upgrading variants, mixed traffic on railway lines has been planned, including high speed passenger trains, regional passenger trains and freight trains. A speed of 160 200 km/h has been assumed for the upgraded sections, and 200 250 km/h for the newly build sections (Łask Wieluń or Sieradz Wieruszów). It needs to be emphasised that service provision on the new line for all four of the urban areas under analysis, i.e. Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź and Warszawa, is possible only in the HSL construction variants. The adoption of any of the upgrading variants means in practice that the Poznań Warsaw service will still have to be operated via Kutno (line E20). Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) MCA was the appraisal and ranking/rating tool for the Variants. This method makes it possible for the investor to make strategic decisions even at an early stage of the investment cycle, when many possibilities and solutions with diverse parameters are analysed. The MCA performed within the PFS singled out 6 groups of criteria. These were: financial criteria, formal and legal criteria, social criteria, environmental criteria, technical criteria, transport criteria. In order to obtain total values for criteria groups, each particular criterion was assigned a weight to reflect their role and importance in the project, and in a given area. Then a preference assessment was performed to characterise certain scenarios of the analysis from the point of view of specific social groups (opinion-forming circles). Due to the specific nature of the project, the following groups (scenarios) were singled out: environmental protection point of view of pro-environmental organisations and groups related to environmental activities, local self-government point of view of local self-government as representatives of local communities, transport industry point of view of transport operators and carriers, engineers technical feasibility of the project as the main criterion, economists special importance of financial issues. Moreover, an average preference scenario and an equal weight scenario were also taken into account. The MCA showed the advantage of Variants 1, 2, 3, which assume the construction of a High Speed Line, with the most advantageous results in Variants 1 and 3. Variant 1 comes out best in the majority of categories, while Variant 3 stands out positively as regards environmental impact. That is why the recommendation for Variants 1 and 3 for further and more detailed analysis (at the stage of the Feasibility Study proper) was recognised as the main conclusion of the PFS. Below you can see the characteristics of the two recommended variants. In these variants, the construction of an HSL has been assumed practically on the entire length of the line, from Warszawa to Wrocław and Poznań, excluding only the sections adjacent to nodes. Variant 1 The key features of Variant 1 are as follows: Fig.1. Route variants 10
n a new line from the Warszawa node, the Warszawa Gołąbki diversion post (a sub-variant was also discussed with a line from Pruszków station or Grodzisk Mazowiecki station) n line routing in the corridor of the planned A2 Motorway between Warszawa and the Zgierz region n line location north of the Jeziorsko Lagoon on the River Warta n fork junction: Wrocław- and Poznań-bound, near Kalisz (plans for a new Kalisz Północny (North) station) n location of the Wrocław branch between Kalisz and Ostrów Wielkopolski, construction of links near Ociąż and Antonin to ensure connection with the Ostrów Wielkopolski node via the existing line sections n Oleśnica by-pass in the east, construction of a links to Oleśnica station (Wrocław service option via Wrocław Nadodrze) n approach of a line to the Wrocław node from the south-east, upgrading of the existing section: Czernica Wrocławska Siechnice Wrocław Brochów Wrocław Główny n approach of a line to Poznań Główny from the direction of Poznań Starołęka station, construction of a grade separated crossing with CE20 line, construction of a bridge with a new set of tracks on the River Warta and a new station for trains by-passing Poznań Główny, located on the PSK Poznań Górczyn siding, at the crossing with the (planned) fast tram. Two options of connecting the Łódź node with the new line have been developed for Variant 1 (for Variants 2 and 3 likewise). These are: n Option I: the line runs along the northern outskirts of the Łódź urban area (north of Zgierz); construction of link from the direction of Warszawa to Zgierz station, upgrading of the existing Zgierz Łódź Kaliska section, upgrading of the Zgierz Łódź Widzew section, construction of link towards Łódź Fabryczna station, construction of a siding from Łódź Kaliska (Łódź Żabieniec) westbound. n Option II: approach of an HSL to the node near Łódź Widzew station and further in a tunnel under the centre of the city of Łódź; construction of a new underground Łódź Fabryczna station. Fig. 2. Crossing through the Łódź node (option I) Fig. 3. Crossing through the Łódź node (option II) The length of the Warszawa Centralna Wrocław line in Option I will be 344.8 km; the Warszawa Poznań line: 333.5 km. The routing via Łódź Fabryczna (Option II) is 7 km longer. Variant 3 The features of Variant 3: n a new line from the Warszawa node, Warszawa Gołąbki diversion post (sub-variants were also discussed, as in Variant 1) n line routing in the corridor of the planned A2 Motorway between Warszawa and the Zgierz region n line location south of the Jeziorsko Lagoon on the River Warta n fork junction: Wrocław- and Poznań-bound, near Sieradz plans for a new Sieradz Północny (North) n construction of a diversion post on the Wrocław-bound branch, west of Sieradz, and the inclusion of link from Sieradz station 11
Fig. 4. Suggested location of Kalisz Północny station and line fork junction (Variant 1) a new line, partially using the existing line, in the section from Wieruszów, via Kępno, Syców in the direction of Oleśnica a new station east of Oleśnica connected via a terminating line with Oleśnica station (Wrocław service option via Wrocław Nadodrze) approach of an HSL to Czernica Wrocławska station (diversion post at the bridge on the River Odra) approach of a line to the Wrocław node from the south-east, upgrading of the existing section: Czernica Wrocławska Siechnice Wrocław Brochów Wrocław Główny (as in Variant 1) Poznań-bound branch from Sieradz Północny station north of Kalisz with Kalisz station located as in w Variant 1 approach of a line to the Poznań Główny node from the direction of Poznań Starołęka station, construction of a grade separated crossing with CE20 line from Poznań Franowo in the direction of Poznań Górczyn, construction of a bridge with a new set of tracks on the River Warta The crossing options for the Łódź in Variant 3 are the same as in Variant 1. The length of the Warszawa Centralna Wrocław line in Option I will be 328.4 km; the Warszawa Poznań line: 340.1 km. As in Variant 1, the routing via Łódź Fabryczna (Option II) is 7 km longer. The Łódź Central Trunk Line (CMK) link The establishing of a link between Łódź and the Central Trunk Line (CMK) is closely connected to the Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa HSL Project. The plan for such a link covers the following three tasks: existing line upgrade, section: Łódź Tomaszów Mazowiecki upgrade and electrification of the Tomaszów Mazowiecki Opoczno section construction of the Słomianka Opoczno Południe link (ca. 3 km in length). The upgrading of the Łódź Opoczno section and the construction of the siding to CMK Opoczno Południe station will facilitate greatly the Łódź Kraków service. The distance from Łódź Kaliska station to Kraków Główny (Centre) station will be shortened to ca. 253 km at a considerable improvement in maximum speed in the particular line sections. Taking into account the introduction of 250 km/h speed on the CMK and the upgrading of the Psary Kraków section to higher speeds than at present (the Starzyny Kozłów section has a minimum speed capacity of 160 km/h), it will be possible to have a Łódź Kaliska Kraków journey time of 2 hours, or even a few minutes less. The upgrading of the Łódź Kraków link, coupled with the construction of a Łódź Poznań HSL, will create a new important transport route: Kraków Łódź Poznań Szczecin. 12
Railroad parameters It will be possible to specify the design parameters of the new line at the stage of the Feasibility Study proper. It is then that the appropriate technical standards will be developed. However, we can provide suggested values of the key parameters even today. They are listed in the table below. Table 1 Basic design parameters for the Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa line No. Parameter Suggested value 1 Superelevation Preferred value 160 mm Maximum value 180 mm 2 Unbalanced acceleration adop = 0.6 m/s 2 3 Minimum horizontal radius Base value R = 6,000 m Exceptional value R = 4,500 m 4 Gradient Preferred value 15 Maximum value 20 5 Vertical curve radius Base value 25,000 m Exceptional value 20,000 m 6 Distance between running tracks 4.75 m 7 Turnouts for 160 km/h in reverse direction: radius of 10,000/4,000 m, crossing angle of 1:32,050 for 100 km/h in reverse direction: radius of 1,200 m, crossing angle of 1:18.5 or radius of 3,000/1,500 m, crossing angle of 1:18.132 The construction and operation practice of high speed lines in Europe indicates that despite the development of balastless track, tracks with concrete sleepers on ballast are still the most common. This pertains mainly to all the lines operated and under construction in France, Spain, Italy and Belgium. Balastless tracks are mainly used on HSLs in Germany (Berlin Hannover, Köln - Frankfurt). The track selection process for the Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa HSL will have to involve factors such as: investment cost, expected labour time, availability of maintenance technology. At the present stage we need to assume the necessity to maintain a two-variant track structure: track with ballast and ballastless track. The construction heights need to be assumed as corresponding to track with ballast and pre-tensioned concrete sleepers, plus a 350 mm nominal layer of ballast. Power supply system A 2 25 kv 50 Hz system with sub-stations located every 40 60 km and powered by a dedicated 220 kv AC power line is the basic power system for a 300+ km/h line. Between the sub-stations, there are sectioning points equipped with autotransformers. This system assumes the construction of catenary equipment 300 320 mm 2 in diameter. The parameters of the overhead contact system and its power supply should allow train operation at a maximum speed of 350 km/h. The upgraded and newly built lines of up to 250 km/h (sections adjacent to nodes) can have a 3 kv DC power supply to a ca. 600 mm 2 dia. overhead contact system via sub-stations located every 12 15 km. These sub-stations should be equipped with rectifier sets with one-step 110/3 kv voltage transformation. Rectifier sets with 15 kv power supply are allowed. The parameters of the overhead contact system and its power supply in both power supply systems should provide electric power supply to the trains in compliance with the provisions of acts of law, relevant official standards and technical standards. In the 2 25 kv 50 Hz power supply system, non-catenary power consumption can be fed from the overhead contact system or 27.5 kv buses in sub-stations and sectioning points via monophase transformers. In the 3 kv DC system, in turn, non-catenary power consumption is fed from a system of non-catenary requirement lines with MV/LW transformers. In both systems, the public power grid can be the source of back-up supply. Control system The mandatory application of centralised level 2 ERTMS/ETCS equipment is the primary requirement for HSL control devices and systems; this equipment is a train control system based on track vehicle data transmission. Running at a speed over 160 km/h will take place only based on the readings of on-board train control devices. The train control system must control the running speed, halt at a Stop sign, and intervene in the case of failure to follow speed limits by the driver, up to the point of enforced braking and stop. The sections in which the speed is 300 km/h or more there is no need of trackside signalling devices (semaphore signals). Semaphore signals must, however, indicate every post (including the stations). Operation outline It has been assumed that the line will be serviced by trains operated by multi system motor train sets with identical characteristics and the speed of 300 km/h. On the basis of forecasted carriage volumes on the particular lines, the main services and their running frequencies have been suggested. The train distribution will depend of the adopted route variant and on the selection of the crossing through the Łódź node. An example distribution scheme for Variant 1 (Option I) is as follows: Warszawa Poznań every hour all day (alternately Warszawa Szczecin and Warszawa Berlin trains), every 30 minutes in peak hours (cycle densification by Warszawa Poznań trains), Warszawa Wrocław every 2 hours all day (trains via Łódź Kaliska), every hour in peak hours (cycle densification), Warszawa Łódź Fabryczna every hour all day, Warszawa Szczecin przez every 2 hours all day, Warszawa Berlin every 2 hours all day, Kraków - Łódź Kaliska Poznań Szczecin every 2 hours all day, Łódź Kaliska Wrocław every 2 hours all day (Warszawa Wrocław shuttle trains). It has been assumed that all the trains in the Warszawa Poznań section will run with no stopovers at intermediate stations. Trains which run in the basic Warszawa Wrocław cycle will service Łódź Kaliska and Kalisz stations. In this way Łódź Kaliska will get a link to Wrocław and Kalisz. The Łódź and Kalisz link to Poznań will be serviced by Kraków Szczecin trains. In order to increase the availability of HSLs, selected train services will be extended beyond their standard terminuses: from Warszawa to Lublin and Białystok, from Poznań to Zielona Góra, 13
from Wrocław to Prague and Dresden The journey times for services between Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź and Warszawa were determined on the basis of theoretical journeys made for the assumed scheduled speeds, taking into account the appropriate reserve time. So these journey times can be realistically achieved. For instance, the Warszawa Wrocław journey time with no stopovers at intermediate stations was estimated at 100 minutes, although the theoretical journey yielded 82 minutes (for the ICE3 train characteristics). Table 2 Journey times (fastest trains) in the particular services from to 2005 Variant 1 Variant 3 Warszawa Łódź 1:50 0:45 0:45 Warszawa Kalisz 3:57 1:23 1:23 Warszawa Ostrów Wlkp. 4:19 1:39 1:39 Warszawa Wrocław 4:50 1:40 1:40 Warszawa Poznań 2:47 1:35 1:35 Warszawa Szczecin 5:18 3:20 3:20 Warszawa Zielona Góra 5:14 3:05 3:05 Warszawa Gorzów Wlkp. 5:23 3:19 3:19 Warszawa Berlin 5:51 3:45 3:45 Warszawa Dresden 4:40 4:40 Warszawa Praha 8:48 6:10 6:10 Łódź Kalisz 1:39 0:34 0:34 Łódź Ostrów Wlkp. 2:01 0:49 0:49 Łódź Poznań 3:27 1:11 1:11 Łódź Wrocław 3:35 1:16 1:16 Łódź Szczecin 6:26 3:01 3:01 Kraków Poznań 5:46 3:15 3:15 Kraków Szczecin 8:19 5:05 5:05 Białystok Wrocław 8:26 3:45 3:45 Lublin Poznań 6:02 3:20 3:20 Fig. 5. Possible connection between main cities in Poland after building new lines and modernisation others. The remaining journey times were estimated assuming that other upgrading projects would be carried out, for instance the upgrading of the Wrocław Zgorzelec line, Poznań Szczecin line, etc. Conclusions From the analyses performed under the Pre-Feasibility Study, it follows that the construction of a High Speed Line to link Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź and Warszawa is feasible. It has been assumed that the line will be used only for passenger traffic serviced mainly by motor train sets but with the possibility of locomotive-driven train traffic. High speed lines are characterised by different technical parameters than those applicable to the lines operated thus far. What follows are specific requirements as to field line routing, especially as regards the appropriate curve radiuses, gradient, space between running tracks. Moreover, it is necessary to use traffic control systems and power supply to make speeds of 300+ km/h possible. For these reasons, investment costs related to the construction of high speed lines exceed the relevant costs incurred while upgrading the existing lines. Building such lines, however, makes it possible to shorten journey times greatly, to an extent which is impossible on upgraded lines. The shortest journey times for key services are: Wrocław Warszawa 1 hour 40 minutes, Poznań Warszawa 1 hour 35 minutes, Łódź Warszawa 45 minutes. The Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa HSL will not only link 4 urban areas; it will become the main component of a railway network of an international significance and will enter the network of Pan-European Corridors. We need to emphasise the east-west axis from Berlin via Poznań, Warszawa to Moscow and the extension of Corridor I from the Baltic States via Warszawa to Wrocław and further to Prague and Dresden. The construction of the new railway line will benefit the regional centres of Szczecin, Zielona Góra, as journey time from these cities to Warszawa may be shortened to a little over 3 hours. The importance of the link between the new HSL and the upgraded Central Trunk Line (CMK) also needs to be indicated. As a result of these combined efforts, the construction of the Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa HSL will in practice mean the commencement of an HSL network in Poland. q Literature 1. Massel A.: Linia dużych prędkości Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa prezentacja projektu. Konferencja Nowoczesne technologie and zarządzanie w transporcie. Rytro, 16-18 November 2005 2. Massel A.: Linia dużych prędkości Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa. Technika transportu szynowego 2005, No. 12 3. Wstępne studium wykonalności budowy linii dużych prędkości Wrocław/Poznań Łódź Warszawa. Centrum Naukowo-Techniczne Kolejnictwa. Warszawa, September 2005 Author Eng. Andrzej Massel Sc.D. Railway Scientific and Technical Centre 14
CNTK Railway Scientific and Technical Centre CNTK Railway Scientific and Technical Centre is a research and development unit subordinated to Polish Ministry of Transport. The Centre is involved in research and development as well as conformity assessment of products for rail transport The fields of our activities are: Railway infrastructure research permanent way infrastructure (e.g. concrete sleepers) control command and signalling (e.g. electronic interlocking tests) electric traction and power supply systems (e.g. energy quality assessments) telecommunication and telematics (e.g. mobile radio system change strategy) environment protection Rolling stock research materials and construction elements type certification tests for rail passenger cars, freight wagon, locomotives and traction units Consulting activities feasibility studies for railway investment projects feasibility studies for urban transport project environmental impact analyses CNTK holds: German Eisenbhn Bundesamt (EBA) acceptance for 14 research procedures and Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA) certificate for 4 laboratories: Metrology Laboratory AP 024 Signalling and Telecommunication Laboratory AB 310 Materials and Construction Elements Laboratory AB 369 Rolling Stock Testing Laboratory AB 742 Centrum Naukowo-Techniczne Kolejnictwa ul. Chłopickiego 50, 04-275 Warszawa tel. +48 22 610 08 68, fax: + 48 22 610 75 97 e-mail: cntk@cntk.pl, www.cntk.pl For over five years CNTK experts have been present in the so-called European Research Area participating in the Framework Programme of the European Union and in the process of adjusting technical requirements of Polish railways to the European standards. On the CNTK experimental track were performed the crashworthiness tests of natural scale rail vehicles in SA- FETRAIN project and also urban rail vehicle in SAFETRAM project. CNTK is the first polish notified body (NB No 1467) for EU Railway directives 96/48/EC and 2001/16/EC. The Institute is also authorised on national level to issue technical approvals for rail infrastructure.