Pilchowicki III Tunnel
| Pilchowicki III Tunnel | |
|---|---|
Western portal of the tunnel | |
Interactive map of Pilchowicki III Tunnel | |
| Overview | |
| Other name | Pilchowice Tunnel III (German: Lehnhausbergtunnel) |
| Line | Jelenia Góra–Lwówek Śląski railway |
| Location | Pilchowice, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland |
| Status | Closed |
| Crosses | ridge above the Bóbr valley, Bóbr Valley Landscape Park |
| Start | Pilchowice side |
| End | Nielestno side |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1906[1] |
| Owner | Polish State Railways |
| Operator | Polish State Railways |
| Traffic | Railway |
| Character | Single-track railway tunnel |
| Technical | |
| Length | 154 m (505 ft)[1][2] |
The Pilchowicki III Tunnel (Tunel Pilchowicki III) is a disused railway tunnel near Pilchowice in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of south-western Poland. It formed part of the Jelenia Góra–Lwówek Śląski railway running along the valley of the Bóbr River.[1]
The tunnel is 154 m (505 ft) long and is one of several tunnels constructed along the scenic railway section near the Pilchowice Dam.[1][2]
Description
The tunnel lies in the Bóbr valley between Pilchowice and Nielestno, within the Bóbr Valley Landscape Park.[1] It passes through a rocky spur above the river, forming part of a sequence of tunnels and bridges along the railway following the narrow valley.[2]
The structure is built as a masonry-lined single-track tunnel typical of early 20th-century railway construction in Lower Silesia.[2] The portals are made of dressed stone blocks and are characteristic of the architectural style used on the line.[1]
History
The tunnel was constructed during the development of the railway line along the Bóbr valley in the early 20th century.[1] The route required numerous engineering structures due to the winding course of the river and the steep slopes of the surrounding hills.[2]
The Pilchowicki III Tunnel was opened in 1906 together with the section of railway linking Jelenia Góra with Lwówek Śląski.[1]
Rail traffic on the line declined in the late 20th century, and the section including the tunnel was eventually closed to regular passenger services.[2] Although the railway infrastructure remains largely intact, the tunnel is currently unused.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dominas, Przemysław (2020). "Tunele kolejowe na Dolnym Śląsku". In Przerwa, Tomasz; Keller, Dawid; Kruk, Bartosz (eds.). A jednak kolej! Historyczne i współczesne uwarunkowania rozwoju transportu (PDF) (in Polish). Wrocław: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej. pp. 66–69. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g Preidl, Wojciech (2005). "Dolnośląskie tunele kolejowe – zabytki techniki" (PDF). Górnictwo i Geoinżynieria (in Polish). 29 (3/1): 319–329. Retrieved 9 March 2026.