Present Day
Today, the chronic lack of funds is visible on every step. Only most urgent repairs are being conducted and the condition of the rolling stock (mostly 15–35 years old) and the infrastructure is bad. In 2006 two lines (8 Bytom-Dąbrowka Wielka and 25 Będzin-Wojkowice) were closed, but their current replacement with buses is very unsuccessful. Line 12 Chorzow-Siemianowice was closed on December 31, 2008. On August 31, 2009, lines 1 and 4 were partially closed on the large section covering Gliwice town. Also Lagiewniki - Bytom section of line 7 was closed in 2009, here because of bad track condition. Most of the track and all catenary from all abandoned lines was dismantled in 2006-2010. Even though the tramway speeds are not high and some relations tend to lose competition with buses, they reach central areas of towns and cities closed to road traffic and avoid most traffic jams. However, the great potential of the system that was and still should be a backbone of the regional transit seems to lie wasted.
On the other hand the Silesian Interurbans are the last such system in Europe - rural and suburban single track routes with passing loops often leading to deserted places, interesting types of signal system (also old signals hand-operated by the drivers), some old rolling stock and most picturesque rural and industrial sights. Thanks to these 'features' the Silesian Interurbans are very often visited by tram-fans, not only from Poland. The brightest star of the system is Route 38 in Bytom (along Piekarska Street) still serviced with classic, four-wheel N type cars with wooden seats and hand-operated slide doors. Besides, lines 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14, 17, 18, 26 and 27 guarantee exceptionally scenic views and are definitely worth visiting, while other scenic lines, 12 and 25, were dismantled.
Read more about this topic: Silesian Interurbans
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