Our very first tour of KZN Bieżanów has come to an end—and what an exciting day it was! We would like to sincerely thank Ms Barbara for travelling all the way from Warsaw to visit us. We hope she will remember her time in Kraków fondly. For us, her visit truly brightened the day. This was the first time we welcomed a railway enthusiast—not for business purposes, but simply out of passion. It gave us a great deal of joy to show someone who loves rail transport the behind-the-scenes world of our industry, where we spend our everyday working lives. Seeing it through the eyes of an enthusiast gave us a fresh perspective and a boost of positive energy. So how did the tour come about and what did the day look like?
How Can You Join a KZN Bieżanów Tour?
The idea of organising a tour of KZN Bieżanów’s production facilities first appeared in 2023, when participants could take part in a charity auction supporting WOŚP and win the opportunity to visit our facilities. The auction winner had not previously been able to travel to our headquarters in Kraków, but our enthusiasm for welcoming guests never faded. To avoid delaying the prize redemption any further, the auction winner decided to pass the opportunity to the winner of a competition organised on the KZN Bieżanów Facebook profile. Participants were asked to creatively show what inspires their passion for rail transport. We would still be delighted to welcome the WOŚP auction winner whenever possible, so they can enjoy the visit they originally won.
The KZN Bieżanów Tour Begins!
The winner of the Facebook competition was Ms Barbara Lasota, who received her prize on 13 March 2024. Barbara travelled to us from Warsaw, so we started the day with a well-deserved coffee break. Heavy industry is not exactly a walk in the park—before entering the production hall, every visitor must complete a health and safety briefing. One of the first people Barbara met was our HSE specialist, Mateusz Balcer, who conducted the training and prepared a special visitor kit: a helmet, safety vest and hearing protection.
Where Do Railway Turnouts Come From?
We wanted to show our guest the complete turnout production process—from the very beginning to the finished product. The tour started in the design department, where our specialist and design engineer Wojciech Jankowski explained the first stage of creating a turnout: how an initial concept becomes a technical drawing and how to correctly interpret the markings on turnout identification plates. After gaining a solid dose of knowledge, we moved on to the technology department, where our specialists explained how the design prepared by engineers is transformed into a production process.
Production in Full Swing!
After the theoretical introduction, we moved to the heart of our company: the production hall. Guided by Andrzej Wójcik, Railway Track Production Manager, we explored all areas of the facility and learned about the individual stages of manufacturing. Welding, flash welding, milling, assembly stations, quality control methods, large and small machines—we wanted to show as much as possible. This was also the moment when theory met practice. Barbara could see the turnout structure not only on drawings but also as a real product on the assembly line. We discussed its components and tested the operation of the switch mechanism.
And There Was Also SWITCHER!
During the visit, we also met Igor Marszałek, President of KZN Switcher, who presented the SWITCHER wagons and showed us a new unit currently being assembled before its official launch. The “Bee” made quite an impression—very few people have the opportunity to see these unique railway wagons from such a close perspective. But that was not the only surprise. After presenting the SWITCHER wagons, the President invited our guest to see the historic SM03 locomotive, now retired and preserved as a railway monument. We took a short break there to relax and exchange railway stories.
A Little Entertainment Along the Way
KZN Bieżanów is a place where a lot is always happening. We managed, however, to briefly step away from everyday work and take Barbara on a ride around almost the entire KZN site using our rail vehicle—and the area is impressive!
To get an even better view of our facilities, Barbara also had the opportunity to rise several metres above the ground in a Manitou telescopic handler.
After a full day of exploring and absorbing new knowledge, it was time to relax with tea and refreshments. To check how satisfied our competition winner was, Grzegorz Leszczyński—Vice-President of KZN Bieżanów and President of KZN Rail—joined us and presented Barbara with a small KZN souvenir.
Once again, thank you so much for taking part in the competition and for visiting us. Barbara, your visit gave us a completely fresh perspective on our everyday work and brought a great deal of positive energy! And… fortunately, this will not be our last visit from railway enthusiasts.
