National rail operator, while a monopolist in the sphere of services in Ukraine, is „UKRZALIZNYCIA” / “УКРЗАЛІЗНИЦЯ” – Ukrainian Railways. The company subordinated to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine (ukr. Державна адміністрація залізничного транспорту України). The Ukrainian Railways consists of six Regional Directorates:

1. Doniecka Railway / Донецька залізниця;
2. Lviv Railway / Львівська залізниця;
3. Odessa Railway / Одеська залізниця;
4. Southern Railway / Південна залізниця;
5. South West Railway / Південно-Західна залізниця;
6. Prydnieper Railway / Dnieper railway.

Area of seven western and north-western districts of Ukraine (Western Ukraine), manages Lviv Railway, which is the oldest train operator in Ukraine.

The first train arrived in Lviv on November 4 1861 year from Vienna. Then, in 1866 year was built to track Chernivtsi, and in 1869 year to Brody. Construction in 1872 year rail from Budapest to Lviv, was a strategic project. The construction was commissioned by the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I Habsburg for faster and better connections of Budapest with capital of Eastern Galicia, which was then Lviv. The railway was led through Sambir, Staryy Sambir, Turka and Uzhgorod to the area of ​​present-day Hungary. Tracks were led by a network of long tunnels, viaducts and bridges in the area Uzhotska Pass (Eastern Carpathians). It is currently one of the most beautiful railway lines in the area of ​​the Carpathians.

Major railway hubs of borderlands of (Polish-Ukrainian border) are : Volodymyr Volhynskyy, Chervonohrad, Rava Ruska, Sambir in Drogobych. Of the five railway lines leading from Ukraine to Poland - three are electrified. The biggest and most important railway junction of the region is Lviv.

In this area, very important role in the development of the railway network played the Austro-Hungarian authorities. In order to economic development (crude oil extraction) and military (defense against possible aggression from Russia), numerous sections of rail were built here. Even before the construction of Transversal Railway already existed in Galicia following sections of rail:

1. Kraków - Tarnów – Rzeszów – Lviv (Rail Galician of. Charles Louis was built in 1861 year),
2. Budapest - Uzhhorod - Turka - Sambir - Lviv (Carpathian, Military, strategic railway built in 1872 year),
3. Zagórz – Krościenko – Khyriv (It is an excerpt from the first Galician the Hungarian-the railroad extending from Przemysl, leaved in 1872 year),
4. Khyriv – Sambir – Stryy (Dniepranska railway was built in 1872 year),
5. Stryy – Dolyna – Stanislavov (Archduke Albrecht Railway was established in 1873 year),
6. Nowy Sacz – Stróże (which is part of the railway line Tarnow – Plavec, built in 1876 year).

In 1884 year construction of Galician Transversal Railway was completed, which led to the merger of the Carpathian rail system with Austro-Hungarian Empire. As part of this railway was built with a total length of segments 577 km, namely:

1. Cadca - Zwardoń - Zywiec - Suha - Chabówka - Limanowa - Nowy Sacz (with additional branches: Sucha – Skawina – Kraków-Płaszów oraz Skawina – Oświęcim),
2. Stróże – Jasło – Sanok – Zagórz (with siding to Gorlice),
3. Stanislavov - Buchach – Czortków – Husiatyn.

Just as in the German Empire in the Austro-Hungarian railway network was much denser, than in the Empire of Russia. As mentioned earlier, borderland area was divided by 1772 years to the beginning of World War I by two partitioning states. Northern areas (Volyn and Lublin region) Polish-Ukrainian border area belonged to the Russian Empire, the southern (Carpathian region and Podkarpackie) the Austro-Hungarian Empire. These countries have led to different policy to areas, on which led full jurisdiction. The territory of Galicia, had considerable autonomy (own parliament in Lviv, and self-autonomy), and Lublin and Volhynia area, were fully subordinated to Moscow managed Governorate. This situation is reflected to this day. Even after the socialist industrialization and the construction of new railway sections, areas belonging to the Russian occupation is characterized by less frequent rail network ( both electrified and also without traction).

Unlike Ukraine and CIS countries, in Poland is the European standard gauge (1435 mm). The only section of the broad-gauge railway (1520 mm), is the Broad Metallurgy Line (LHS), which originally was named Sulfur-Metallurgical Line (LHS). It was put into service 30 November 1979 year in order to transport iron ore to the Ironworks in Katowice and coal, sulfur and metal products to the USSR. This is a single-track section of rail with a length 394,65 km, which has led to Ludyna (Currently, Ukraine) to Sławkowa (Dabrowa Basin (GOP), by the border point in Hrubieszów. Currently the company is managed by PKP Broad Metallurgy Line. LHS is the only broad-gauge rail furthest westerly, has a direct connection with the system of the former Soviet Union rail. Adjustable track width variation in the cars allows for fast and efficient transport of goods and raw materials from west to east. It is planned the creation of logistics centers and terminals, which will use this line to the smooth and rapid transportation of goods from China and the Far East to the European Union. The only competition for the LHS, may be a newly constructed broad gauge from Russia to Austria, through Ukraine and Slovakia.

An important event in the development of the Lviv Railway in the early twenty-first century was the commissioning of the station Mostyska II device for taking trains with automatic change the width of the axis of the chassis type SUW2000 rail with width 1520 mm to rail width 1435 mm, and vice versa. This allowed for shortening the conversion of broad gauge railway trains used in the Commonwealth of Independent States to the standard gauge rail. SUW2000 System, was developed in the Poznan Plant Repair Rail Stock S.A. in years 90. by Eng. Ryszard Suwalski. Before instalation of divece on train the departure time at the border took 4 hours, and now after the installation only 20 min. This allows to significantly reduce travel time and increase the number of passenger exchange connecting Ukraine and CIS countries with Western Europe.

Historical data about these trains

ARTICLE TAGS

Austria-Hungary, Emperor, Franz Joseph I of Habsburg, Lviv railway, Ukrainian Railways, Lviv, transport