Kombud Group increases its presence in Silesia

Recently, the Bytom station joined over 300 computer-controlled railway stations managed by Kombud. In total, in Upper Silesia, the MOR-3 systems designed
and produced in Poland will control over 800 signals and switch drives at several stations – Chorzów, Gliwice, and Bytom. After transferring management to the Local Control Center in Bytom, PKP Polish State Railways conducted repairs and revitalization of the equipment at the historic gate cabin from 1935.

Watch the film: Bytom – from lever to algorithm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M5AMWDo6p0

At the Bytom station, the traffic controllers have control over 156 signals and 99 switch drives. From the LCS, they also direct traffic at the Chorzów Miasto, Chorzów Stary, Bytom Karb, Bytom Północny, and Radzionków stations. In the vicinity, a similar control system is being established at the Gliwice Łabędy station (110 signals and 93 drives).  Thanks to remote control devices, the infrastructure manager was able to reduce the number of maintained objects and better utilize the available staff in the automation and control industry.

– We are committed to commemorating the railway history and industrial heritage, especially in the field of railway traffic control. A modern and digital railway provides greater capacity, allows increasing train speeds, and enables remote management of several kilometers of railway lines. However, we cannot forget the experiences of our predecessors, as they translate into work culture
and operation – says Artur Marcinkiewicz, CEO of Kombud Automation Plants S.A.

The history of the historic gate cabin in Bytom dates back to 1935. It was built in the style of industrial modernism with a characteristic structure stretched over the tracks like a bridge. In 2024, PKP Polish State Railways conducted a thorough modernization of the cabin and restored its former glory. Not only the façade and load-bearing structure were restored, but also the original interior details - including consoles, levers, and mechanical systems.

Stanisław Kokot, the guardian of the Tradition Hall of the coal trunk line Silesia-Ports named after engineer Józef Nowkuński in Herby Nowe said during the recording – In the cabin worked a traffic controller who managed the railway traffic. It was truly a beautiful thing for a railwayman because trains passed underneath him.

The historic cabin in Bytom will be open for tours on October 10, 2025, during the V Congress of Railway Enthusiasts and Friends, organized by the Prokolej Foundation and the Association of Upper Silesian Narrow-Gauge Railways.

Kombud Group S.A. brings together dynamic companies providing digital solutions for critical infrastructure and industry. For nearly 35 years of operation, Kombud Group has implemented over 300 station systems for railways and subways and over 2500 traffic safety systems at railway crossings. Kombud's computer systems manage traffic on the Central Rail Line (CMK), at stations in the Warsaw railway hub, on the Broad Gauge Steel Line, as well as on both lines of Warsaw's Metro. More than 700 employees, including 400 engineers, create, patent, and implement modern solutions dedicated to the metro and railway, based on European ERTMS and ETCS standards. Rail-Mil Computers, part of the Group, is the manufacturer of the rmCBTC® system, which allows for automatic train movement and includes eurobalis, programmers, LEU encoders, and other electronic components. The company Metroprojekt designed most of the tunnels and stations on the I and II Metro, and obtained the first building permit in Poland for the High-Speed Rail tunnel under Łódź.

For additional information, please contact:
Michał Kudła,
michal.kudla@kombudgroup.com