non-electrified lines radiating from the junction at Szczecinek (to Chojnice, Runowo Pomorskie, and Slupsk). The Szczecinek depot is also the basic maintenance point for the SU45’s of the Szczecin Equipment Department. The Equipment Maintenance Section in Szczecinek handles all the periodic inspections and serious running repairs of this series of locomotives, used in passenger service. This also applies to several machines used by the Motive Power Service Section in Krzyz.
 

The division of traction responsibilities for the three pairs of daily international passenger trains running on the Zwardon - Czadca line was accomplished by a Polish-Slovakian agreement in 2002. This included a Slovak proposal to provide class 162 or 163 electric locomotives to trains 332/4412 – 4411/333 the „Gorala”, running Bratislava – Katowice – Bratislava. This offer was rejected by the Polish side, however, due to the lack of approval for operation on PKP lines for locomotives with thyristor control. In this situation, the choice therefore fell to the already-ancient class 140 electric locomotives („Bobin”), which have resistor control, and do not interfere with Polish signaling equipment. Pulled from the proverbial scrapyard, the Slovak locomotives began regular service on passenger trains on line #139 from Katowice – Zwardon on 11 December 2003.
 

Thoughts of joining the Austrian railways with the Russian ones were already being considered in 1858. It was felt that a connection was necessary to ensure the profitability of Austria’s existing, privileged Karol Ludwik Galician Railways (Galizische Carl Ludwig-Bahn – CLB) and ensuring the country’s economic interests. In 1867, only when construction on the Russian side of the South-West Railway (JZZD) line from Ploskirow to Woloczyska was in advanced state, and construction was also planned of the Rowne - Radziwillow line as a branch of the Kijew-Brest Railway (KBZD), did construction begin on the CLB line from Lwow to Brody (near Radziwillow) and the branch from Krasne to Podwoloczyska. In 1869 the sections from Lwow - Zloczow as well as Krasne - Brody were placed in service. The Zloczow - Tarnopol segment was opened for service at New Years 1870/71. The remaining section from Tarnopol to Podwoloczyska was opened in November 1871. On the Russian side, the line to Woloczyska was already finished, and KBZD finished its line to Radziwillow in 1874. Thus, two railway connections between Austria and Russian had become a fact.
 

„Gagarins” have always had a cult status. Although there has never been a mass-produced „Gagarin” model in PKP colors, it is easy to get one by adapting the model of this locomotive offered by Gutzold as a BR120. Starting in 2004, Roco started producing a model of a „Gagarin” in addition to the one offered by Gutzold. Which company’s model is better suited to adaptation to an ST44? In order to answer this question, we compare the models with each other and with original ST44 conversions-one constructed on from the Gutzold model, and the second based on the Roco version. The ST44 on the Gutzold base was constructed by Andrzej Piotrowski („Dracula”), and the second based on the Roco is offered by Marcin Jankowski („Jan-Kol”). Both converted models look remarkable. And how does their appearance compare to the original? It turns out, that the body of the Roco model is rather round, while the Gutzold model is more natural. Beyond that, both seem similar, but as the old proverb goes, the devil lays in the details.