Powstanie i funkcjonowanie Bogatyńskiej Kolei Dojazdowej w konsekwencji zmiany granic po II wojnie światowej. 133 Dawid Keller, Polskie kolejowe porozumienia graniczne w okresie PRL na wybranych przykładach

Abstract

The article presents the functioning of Bogatynia Local Railway, which came into being through the division of Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway (Sächsische Schmalspurbahn Zittau – Hermsdorf) as a result of border changes following World War II. The new territorial division caused creation of three separate railway lines within the borders of Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic (until 1949 – Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany) and Poland. The cross-border rail traffic between Germany and Czechoslovakia did not use these lines anymore. Moreover, the section of the line within the Polish territory was deprived of stations having a connection to a normal-gauge railway. In new geopolitical circumstances, the Bogatynia Local Railway was not launched until 1951, after a connection with the narrow-gauge railway line for coal transport to Turoszów had been established – a normal-gauge link to Turoszów had also been built. However, the functioning of the Bogatynia Local Railway was marred with various problems, which led to its closure in 1961. The Bogatynia–Turoszów section was then replaced with a standard-gauge link.