Establishment of the Bydgoszcz County Railway (1892-1895)

Abstract

In the beginning of the last decade of the 19th century only five railway lines operated in Bydgoszcz County. The Prussian State was not disposed to build more railway lines. Construction and operation of railways 72 Jerzy Pawłowski in Prussia was based on the act on railway enterprises from 1838 and railway operation regulations from 1871. It was necessary to encourage private capital to build local railway connections. It was possible thanks to the act on local railways and private sidings from 1892. The state established a special fund, whereas provinces, districts and counties appropriated their own funds as well. All of these activities led to stimulation in expansion of local railways, seen in particular among county governments as well as Bydgoszcz County. In spring 1892, agricultural societies and sugar mills announced their own initiative. On September 27, 1892, the decision was made on the intention to build local railway lines. On September 13, 1893, a contract was signed between the County Department and the company Ostdeutsche Kleinbahn Aktien-Gesellschaft of Bydgoszcz, whereas in the beginning of July 1894 works started on construction of narrow-gauge railway in Bydgoszcz County. In the end of 1895, the Bydgoszcz County Railways operated 84.3 km of railway lines. In the years that followed, local connections were expanded, and their total length in the peak period of 1912 encompassed 106.4 km.