Historic Narrow-Gauge Railway Station in Rudy

Rudy lies almost exactly halfway along the former 51 km narrow-gauge line from Gliwice to Racibórz – which is why the largest station on the whole line was built here, with workshops, an engine shed and a track triangle for turning steam locomotives. Passenger trains to Gliwice stopped running at the turn of 1991 and 1992, but the station did not die: since 1994 it has been a living open-air museum, and tourist trains still run on the surviving section through the forests of the Cistercian Landscape Compositions of Rudy Wielkie Landscape Park.

History: a steam tramway that became a railway

The idea came in 1891 from the company Kramer & Co., as there was no decent transport between Gliwice and Racibórz. The first section, from Gliwice to Rudy, opened on 25 March 1899; the track has an unusual gauge of 785 mm. In 1901 the line reached Paproć, and on 17 May 1903 Płonia, a district of Racibórz. The railway served 10 villages that had previously lacked proper connections; as early as 1903 it carried 279,646 passengers, and the record year was 1954, with 1,834,400. The line was never electrified.

Passenger services ended at the turn of 1991 and 1992. The Rudy–Gliwice section closed in 1992, and the last freight trains ran until the end of 1993. The station opened to visitors on 24 January 1994, and since 19 October 2006 it has been part of the Industrial Monuments Route of the Silesian Voivodeship. In 2009 it was taken over by the municipality of Kuźnia Raciborska.

What to see

• The engine shed hall, more than a century old – the only original station building to survive (today's station building is later), visited with a guide.
• The blacksmith's forge and workshops of the former depot.
• The railway museum in the carriage shed and a traditional Silesian room.
• Rolling stock on the sidings – including the Las-49 steam locomotive and the Lxd2 diesel, both seen out on the line.
• Draisine rides around the station.

Train rides

Tourist trains run in spring, summer and autumn, and occasionally in winter. The routes lead from Rudy to Rybnik Stodoły via Paproć (steam and diesel) and to Stanica (diesel) – the only surviving part of the old line. On the way the train runs through the forests of the landscape park. Timetables and fares change with the season, so check with the operator before you go.

Tripto tip

The station is on ul. Szkolna in Rudy (Kuźnia Raciborska municipality), a few minutes' walk from the former Cistercian abbey. Allow about an hour to explore the station, or half a day with a train ride. It combines well with the abbey, its park and the "Cysters" oak; the train to Stodoły makes an easy trip to the Rybnik reservoir. Children usually love the draisine and the visit to the engine shed.