Polish railway infrastructure is being severely tested by this year’s heat wave, but the national track manager insists the network is far more resilient than it was ten years ago. Krzysztof Waszkiewicz, board member and director of infrastructure maintenance at PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, says that while it is impossible to completely eliminate the impact of extreme weather, the company has significantly improved its maintenance and monitoring systems.
Over the past few days, high temperatures have forced dozens of train cancellations and speed restrictions across Poland. The heat causes steel rails to expand, creating thermal stresses that in extreme cases can lead to track buckling. Waszkiewicz explains that the key to limiting these disruptions lies in proper track geometry, ballast profile maintenance, and timely tension adjustment in continuously welded rails.
PKP PLK currently operates with an annual maintenance budget of around PLN 2.8 billion for 2026. However, accumulated maintenance backlog is estimated at over a dozen billion zlotys. The company is trying to close that gap while simultaneously increasing operational efficiency.
Modern infrastructure and maintenance challenges
Waszkiewicz points out that the Polish rail network combines technologies spanning 150 years – from old mechanical signalling to modern computerised control centres. The biggest maintenance challenge today is managing this mix, especially as spare parts for older systems become scarce and the knowledge needed to maintain them fades with retiring staff.
– We are systematically replacing older devices with modern, computerised solutions. This is essential if we want to consistently improve the network’s operational parameters – said Waszkiewicz. He emphasised that the number of speed restrictions due to poor infrastructure condition has halved in the last two years, and the company is now focusing more on level crossing safety and predictive maintenance.
The company is also implementing a unified digital supervision system, expected to be fully deployed by the fourth quarter of 2026. This will replace fragmented data collection across different units and allow better planning and asset management.
Predictive maintenance and weather resilience
Predictive maintenance – using continuous measurements and condition assessments to anticipate failures before they cause disruptions – is becoming a priority. Waszkiewicz noted that the most disruptive speed restrictions are those introduced after a timetable is already in force. Early intervention allows PLK to avoid emergency speed limits and maintain punctuality.
– Our goal is to limit the weather’s effect on train operations and maintain safe exploitation. The network is much better prepared for high temperatures than it was a decade ago – he added.
Among the new tools being tested are drones for video inspection of overhead lines, supported by artificial intelligence software that automatically flags potential defects. PLK also uses specialised measurement trains equipped with lidar and machine learning algorithms to assess track and catenary condition.
Reprofiling of rails – grinding down surface irregularities caused by modern, more powerful locomotives – has become a routine maintenance practice on thousands of kilometres of track. This helps prevent fatigue cracks, reduces noise, and improves ride comfort.
Despite progress, the scale of work remains enormous. PLK plans to tender about PLN 400 million worth of maintenance works this year, but competition for contracts is fierce, and delays in procurement can push works outside planned track closures, leading to extra costs for substitute bus services.
Źródło: wnp.pl, Fot. PAP
