Świerkową Kopą Tunnel
| Świerkową Kopą Tunnel | |
|---|---|
Southern portal of the Świerkową Kopą Tunnel | |
Interactive map of Świerkową Kopą Tunnel | |
| Overview | |
| Other name | Eisenbahntunnel Niederkönigswalde (German) |
| Line | Kłodzko Główne–Wałbrzych Główny railway |
| Location | Świerki / Bartnica, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland |
| Status | Active |
| Crosses | Świerkowa Kopa, Wałbrzyskie Mountains |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 15 October 1880 (first bore); 1912 (second bore) |
| Owner | PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe |
| Operator | PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe |
| Traffic | Railway |
| Character | Two parallel single-track bores |
| Technical | |
| Length | west 1168 / east 1171 m |
The Świerkową Kopą Tunnel (German: Eisenbahntunnel Niederkönigswalde) is a railway tunnel in the Wałbrzyskie Mountains in south-western Poland. It lies on the Kłodzko Główne–Wałbrzych Główny railway between the villages of Świerki and Bartnica in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.[1]
The tunnel passes beneath the mountain ridge of Świerkowa Kopa (609 m above sea level). It forms part of a series of major engineering works constructed along the historic mountain railway connecting Wałbrzych with Kłodzko.[1]
Description
The Świerkową Kopą Tunnel consists of two parallel straight tunnel bores, each carrying a single railway track. Both tunnels are approximately 1170 m long and run beneath the Świerkowa Kopa ridge.[2]
The tunnels were constructed with masonry linings made primarily of stone and brick, typical of railway tunnel construction in the late 19th century. Cross passages between the bores and a ventilation shaft were created to improve ventilation during the era of steam locomotives.[1]
History
Construction of the Wałbrzych–Kłodzko railway line began in the 1870s as part of the expansion of railway infrastructure in the then Prussian province of Silesia.[3]
The first tunnel bore beneath Świerkowa Kopa was excavated between 1876 and 1879. Railway traffic began passing through the tunnel after the opening of the Wałbrzych–Kłodzko line on 15 October 1880.[1][3]
At the beginning of the 20th century, increasing railway traffic led to the expansion of the route to double track. A second parallel tunnel was constructed between 1909 and 1911 and entered service in 1912.[1][2]
Heritage
The Świerkową Kopą Tunnel is part of the historic engineering landscape of the Wałbrzych–Kłodzko railway line, which required numerous tunnels and bridges to cross the mountainous terrain of the Sudetes.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "137 lat tunelu pod Świerkową Kopą". Inżynieria.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Tunel kolejowy pod Świerkową Kopą". Fotopolska.eu. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Tunele pod Świerkową Kopą – jedne z najdłuższych w regionie". KarkonoszeGo. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2026.