Lithuanian Railways


Lithuanian Railways is the national, state-owned railway company of Lithuania. It operates most railway lines in the country.
Lithuanian Railways' main network consists of 1,749 km of broad gauge railway of which 152.4 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gauge railway and a ~100 km dual gauge line from Šeštokai to Kaunas. A 179 km narrow gauge network, listed as an object of cultural heritage, was split off into a separate company Aukštaitijos Siaurasis Geležinkelis in 2001. 68 km of narrow gauge, serving five stations, are regularly used, employing 12 locomotives.
In 2006 Lithuanian Railways transported 6.2 million passengers and 50 million tonnes of freight. Oil is the main freight item carried.

History

In 1851, the government of Russia made the decision to build the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway. The line included a stretch from Daugavpils–Vilnius–Kaunas–Virbalis which was started in 1858 and finished in 1860. When the German army occupied Lithuania in 1915, the railway became the main supplier of food stuff and ammunition for the German army. In 1918 Lithuanian independence was restored, and in 1919 the Lithuanian government concluded an agreement with Germany on the handover of the railway assets to the Ministry of Transport.
During the years after World War I, Lithuanian Railways reconstructed the tracks, connecting them into a complete network. In 1923 the Klaipėda region was reunited with Lithuania and the port of Klaipėda became a part of the Lithuanian railway system. In 1940 the USSR occupied Lithuania, and railway activities were reorganized and all the agreements of Lithuania concluded with the neighbouring countries were terminated. In 1941, the Nazi occupying force changed most of the network from broad gauge to standard gauge. This was changed back by Soviets in 1944. During Soviet times all of the Baltic states railways were managed from Riga. In 1991, the railways of the Baltic region were once again divided into separate railway companies.

Rolling stock

Locomotives and trainsets for use on Lithuanian Railways' main network include:

Passenger locomotives

Freight locomotives

Shunters

Diesel multiple units

Electric multiple units

Network

Electrification

Lithuania has chosen to electrify using 25 kV 50 Hz AC. Electrification is used only for commuter traffic between Vilnius - Kaunas, Vilnius - Trakai and Vilnius - Minsk as well from late 2017.

Rail links with adjacent countries