Zrobotyzowani Educational Path in cooperation with PAK Górnictwo, PAK KWB Konin SA – Railway Traffic Control at KWB Konin – why trains run safely
July 5, 2025 – this day will long remain in the memory of everyone who decided to set out with Zrobotyzowani on an expedition to the heart of the industrial railway of KWB Konin. From the very morning, you could feel the excitement, but also… the heat pouring from the sky! The temperature didn’t let up for a moment, so every sip of water and bit of shade was worth its weight in gold.
The gathering at the water tower by the station in Konin began punctually at 9:55 AM. Participants, equipped with necessary documents and appropriate attire, collected their tickets, while organizers efficiently verified discount eligibility and discussed the program and safety rules. Everyone received reflective vests and tour guides – portable receivers that proved invaluable in the cramped rooms of the signal box and relay room, where the hum of fans and the clicking of relays could drown out even the most interesting story.
After a brief introduction, we boarded Mr. Arkadiusz’s historic bus, the TAM190 – this classic of motorization, with its characteristic V6 engine rumble and the scent of bygone years, transported us to the atmosphere of past decades. Through the windows, the green landscapes of Greater Poland flickered by, and the air was filled with an atmosphere of adventure and anticipation for what we were about to see.
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Mining Railway Facilities in Kazimierz Biskupi and the KWg signal box
In the huge locomotive depot hall, we could admire the powerful “Crocodiles” up close – LEW EL2 electric locomotives, which have been the heart of the mine’s routes for decades. We looked into the drivers’ cabins, touched the side pantographs, and the guides – Mr. Andrzej Rudziński and Mr. Mirosław Krzymiński – talked about daily inspections, repairs, and the challenges of maintaining these machines. The next point was the tiny Workshop signal box Wa, where tour participants, under the supervision of the hosts, could test the operation of manually operated hook-type track locks.
In the signal box, a 10-minute walk away, a classic mosaic tile panel awaited us, and right next to it – the relay room, where hundreds of relays quietly clicked, carrying out the dispatcher’s commands. Thanks to the tour guides, everyone could hear the guides’ stories, even standing in the farthest part of the railway landscape. There, we also learned about the most common type of track lock, the slide lock. In the relay rooms and other railway automation rooms, we were accompanied by another guide – Mr. Paweł Napieralski, who patiently answered even the most detailed questions from the participants.
Estakada Wschód and Przesmyk-Gaj
The next stages of the tour were the Estakada Wschód and Przesmyk-Gaj signal boxes – in each one, we also entered the relay room, admiring the “brain” of the safety system up close. The traffic dispatchers and our guides explained how routes are set, how line blockades work, and how every signal is checked by the system. Upon entering the signal box, we immediately felt the atmosphere of old times – before us lay a classic mosaic tile panel with a track diagram, dozens of colorful lights, switches, and buttons. It is on such a panel that the traffic dispatcher sets the route for a train: setting points, closing the appropriate circuits, and giving a proceed signal on the semaphore. There was also an opportunity to ask our specialists questions – they were happy to share their knowledge about other interesting devices, such as light signals, warning discs, or the radio communication system.
