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The Park Railway Maltanka (Polish: Kolejka Parkowa Maltanka, sometimes abbreviated to Maltanka) is a 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge railway located in Poznań. It is 3.85 kilometres (2.4 mi) long and is owned by Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu Sp. z o.o. (English: Public Transport Company in Poznań Ltd.). The line connects Rondo Śródka (Śródka Roundabout) and New Zoo transporting around 200.000 passengers annually.
Contents
Map of Kolejka Parkowa Maltanka, Pozna%C5%84, Poland
History
The first 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge railway, called the Harcerska Kolejka Dziecięca (English: Scout Children Railway) in Poznań, was built in 1956 and was operated by Polish Scouting Association (see Children's railway). This 1.5-kilometre (0.9 mi) long route connected Ogród Jordanowski and Łęgi Dębińskie (English: Dębina Meadow). During construction of Hetmańska Str, part of second road ring of Poznań, the authorities decide to move the railway to a new location where line would not conflict with main communication arteries. The railway, now renamed Maltanka was re-opened on 21 July 1972 in Malta. Since then it has been operated by Public Transport Company. In 1998 its name was changed to Maltańska Kolej Dziecięca (English: Maltan Children's railway), and again in 2002 to current name.
The name Maltanka comes from the Knights of Malta, who used to own the land and the old church nearby.