The Flickr Paliw Image Generatr

The classic unelectrified old coal mainline carries the legacy of almost 100 years of transporting goods from southern Poland for export in the harbour of Gdynia. As of now (the beginning of 2025) it only has mere months to go before modernisation (notice the rails laying on the track!). A second track and electrification is what this line desperately needs, as it serves more and more commuters from Kartuzy and Kościerzyna towards Gdynia and Gdańsk.

One of the elements which I will be missing the most will be the telephone pylons, which decorate most of the line. They are one of my favorite details to photograph here, both because of their old age and the fact that it's hard to find a line, which has them running along nowadays.

Today the first train to the fuel base in Ugoszcz made a return from Lipusz to Gdynia Port, and I could snap a quick picture of it as it was leaving Żukowo Wschodnie towards Gdynia, headed by BR232-502 of Cargounit, here working for Qemetica Cargo.

Photo by Piotrek/Toprus

Very recently I posted a picture from the very beautiful line Lipusz - Bytów, where I mentioned a coal train running every 2-3 months. At the time, little did I know that something much bigger was to come on the very same line. It seems that almost every time that I mention the stretch of track between Lipusz and Bytów, I give a short breakdown of traffic there. Bytów - coal every couple of months, Osława - cement, every two weeks, and... Ugoszcz - fuel, every 4 years.

Very casually, a couple of us were contacted by Maciej , who told us that "the first train to Ugoszcz is planned for next Saturday". I almost couldn't believe that! The first tanker train on this line in 4 years! The train was to take the very scenic and rarely used route on the old coal mainline from Gdynia via Gdańsk Osowa, Somonino, Kościerzyna, and then on the line no. 211 towards Lipusz, where the tanker wagons would later be taken by SKPL towards Ugoszcz (which we sadly didn't witness).

Here the tanker train TMS 554012 from Gdynia Port GT 1-33 to Lipusz(Ugoszcz) is seen on the last few kilometers of its journey, before arriving at Lipusz. The train was headed by Qemetica Cargo's BR232-502 and driven by none other than the legendary Maciej himself. All that in beautiful winter scenery of the Bory Tucholskie (Tuchola Forest area), one of the largest forest complexes of Poland.

Photo by Piotrek/Toprus

Dzięki za info Macieju, a dla wszystkich spotkanych ciepłe pozdrowienia!

Lodz, Poland

The Dębogórze fuel base in the suburbs of Gdynia has a new workhorse. The S200-289 was produced in the ČKD works in Czechoslovakia in 1986 and surprisingly had been working on broad gauge, as the only 1520mm S200 in Poland, for its entire lifetime... until 2023. After a big repair it was refitted to work on standard gauge and very surprisingly has been assigned to the Dębogórze fuel base, which earlier has only been worked by two T448p locomotives.

Here it can be seen leaving the fuel base towards the post BP, where this siding connects to the PKP station Gdynia Port. On hook is a loaded fuel train with a total mass of over 3000 tonnes. This was the first time that I could photograph it, despite visiting the place relatively often.

Photo by Piotrek/Toprus

Wlokniarzy / Limanowskiego street, Lodz, Poland

Los autores y el modelo de #paliwisalive en su actuación durante la pasada sesión de graffiti.

Mr. Paliw lanza una mirada desafiante a su esbozo...

Esta obra no hubiera sido posible sin el apoyo de MontanaColours.
Un abrazo desde Manresa!

Mr. Palunstein

Mientras Pau Miralda trabaja el fondo Pau Gros trabaja en los detalles del rostro de Mr. Paliw.

Los artistas ya tienen una idea clara, y después de colocar las cajas empiezan a pintar.

El modelo adopta la posición final y los artistas empiezan a trazar los detalles de su rostro.

#paliwisalive Mr. Paliw nos bendice desde su inmortal trono de cartón y pintura.
Quién sabe con que mural nos sorprenderán estas cajas la próxima vez... Saludos!

Ya era hora de que conocierais a Sublim Salim, uno de los otros tantos personajes del cuento.

La obra de 3 metros de alto por 2 de ancho ya está casi terminada... tan solo falta el sombreado!

Abandoned gas station, Al.Politechniki street, Lodz, Poland