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Rail Transport in Goyanes

Revision as of 05:24, 30 November 2023 by 20agoyanes (talk | contribs) (Added beginning of features subsection)
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This article is in work in progress. Any information here may not be final as changes are often made to make way for improvements or expansion of lore-wise information about Goyanes. Please do not edit anything here without the consent of the article's creator. The article's creator is Goyanes (alternate: 20agoyanes).
Rail transport in Goyanes
Train (263428009).jpeg
Passengers boarding an HHT train at Naderfjord STH, one of Goyanes' busiest stations
Operation
National railwayGojan Jårnbaner A/S
Major operatorsGojan Jårnbaner and various private operators
Statistics
Ridership9.312 billion (2020)
System length
Total73,616 km (45,743 mi)
Electrified56,684 km (35,222 mi)
High-speed6,243 km (3,879 mi)
Track gauge
Main1,067 mm Gojan Narrow Gauge; Standard Gauge for HHT
Features
No. stations9,245
Map
Railway Map of Goyanes

The railway system in Goyanes is the oldest in the world. The first locomotive-hauled [ublic railway opened in 1820, which was followed by an era of rapid expansion. Most of the track is owned and operated by Gojan Jårnbaner (GJ; Goyanean Railways), the state railway company, which in 2021 operated about 93% of Goyanes' 73,616 kilometers (45,743 mi) of track, mostly 1,067 mm narrow gauge, however the HHT network of high speed lines is standard gauge, as well as some other lines. Of these more than 70,000 km, about 77% is electrified, amounting to 56,684 km of track. These lines range from single to sextuple track or more. In addition, numerous cities have separate subway (U-Baner), light rail, and tram systems, and there are also several provate railroads as well that operate commuter routes as well as tourist lines. The main rail network is connected to that of Gotmark and Alliaronia, and is connected to the rest of the continent (albeit with a break of gauge). The HHT network is connected to the high speed rail systems of Frisia, Hessunland, and Alliaronia.

In 2020, there were about 9.3 billion passengers served by the Gojan Jårnbaner network, making it the most used railway network in the world. Unlike in other countries, railway passenger numbers in Goyanes have been steadily increasing since their inception, aside from minor drops due to wartime, etc. Furthermore, the rail industry in Goyanes supports more than 700,000 jobs, either directly or through its various supply chains. Gojan Jårnbaner alone employs about 550,000 people.

History

Railways are the most important means of transportation in Goyanes, having maintained this status since the mid-nineteenth century. Jonas van Oppenheimer opened the Capital Iron Road in 1820, which was Goyanes' first railway, connecting Gojannesstad's west bank with Jægerstrom. Van Oppenheimer oversaw massive railway construction through his own companies and through the general explosion of private railway construction in the 1830s and 1840s. Speculative bubbles came and went, and by 1865, most of the lines came under the control of about a dozen private companies operating in a variety of geographical sectors throughout Goyanes.

Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Imperial government resisted calls by factions in the Stortinget and other individuals to nationalize the system. Despite this, the vast majority of the railway network in Goyanes was amalgamated into four railway companies as a result of the Railways Act of 1919. While some lines escaped this and remained under private control, almost all other railways became part of the Grand Trunk Railroad, the Hysende-Osanhalt-Kongsland Railroad, the Hirendag Railroad, or the Nordstrøm Coast Railway, collectively known as the "Big Four." The amalgamation exposed numerous advantages, and the breakout of the Fascist War in the next decade provided an opportunity for the government. The unified war government transitioned the Big Four into the public sector in 1934 as a wartime measure, creating Gojan Jårnbaner (GJ).

GJ presented the most efficient means of internal transport for Goyanes throughout the war, and as such grew in popularity through the war and in the immediate postwar years. However, the construction of turnpike freeways and the proliferation of the private automobile through the 1960s caused the railways to face numerous issues. Many lines faced closure, and loss of revenue led to infrastructural issues. However, GJ had one final trick up its sleeve, high-speed rail in the form of the Høyhastikettog. The HHT, while developed originally in the late 1950s, entered service in 1964, reducing travel times and introducing a revolution in long distance transport for Goyanes.

The instroduction of the HHT catalyzed a resurgence for the railroads, contributing to greater revenues and providing a high-speed trunk line for the system, thus enhancing the overall system efficiency. While the percentage of passenger trip-kilometers done by railway has decreased in Goyanes from 66% in 1965 to 33.2% in 2020, it still accounts for one of the highest shares in the entire world in the modern day. The figure is as high as 44% in some of Goyanes' larger metropolitan areas such as Gojannesstad, Naderfjord, or Hosen Sæg.

Classification of Railways

Types of Operators

Passenger rail is mostly handled by Gojan Jårnbaner, however there are a number of private operators that still handle a considerable ammount of traffic. These operators have managed to stay profitable as independent entities by diversifying their business portfolios into real estate for transit-oriented development, department stores, and more. These railways maintain official status as "major private railways" with the Chancellery of Transportation:

  • Naderstrom Railroad (NJ): Mainly operating in the Gojanesstad-Jægerstrom market as a commuter corridor and connection between the sister cities.
  • Hosen Sæg Stadbane (HS): Operates commuter lines in the Hosen Sæg area.
  • Eastern Railroad (ØJ): Operates commuter lines in the Mukakstad area.
  • Voralpenbane (VB): Operates certain routes from eastern Nyhett through to Næsser.
  • Kelluna Stadbane (KS): Operates commuter lines in the Kelluna area.
  • Skath Railroad (SJ): Operate several rack railways and alpine routes in the Skathic Alps.

Other types of passenger operators include:

  • City and metropolitan governments
  • "Third Sector" companies that operate shortlines and branch lines as public-private partnerships
  • Other tourist and minor private railroads

Freight operators operate on a liberalized open-access system. Main operators include JRF (Jårnbaner Raisvasta-Frakt; the freight arm of GJ), NetzFrakt, and Nyhett Southern Railroad.

Legal Classification

Railways in Goyanes and associated businesses are categorized into three groups based off their operating procedure:

  • Class I Railroads: Railroads that own their own trackage and also operate on their owned trackage. Most railway businesses in Goyanes are Class I operations.
  • Class II Railroads: Railroads that operate on trackage owned by Class I or Class III railroads. These railways include JRF and the other cargo railroads, as well as leased private trains.
  • Class III Railroads: Companies that own railroad trackage but do not operate their own train services over the trackage. These are companies that specialize in infrastructural management of railway lines such as city governments and terminal railroads.

Features of Goyanean Railroads

Gauge

The gauge mainly used on Goyanean railways is 1067 mm Gojan gauge, used for general purpose passenger and freight operations. The narrower gauge is a result in part of the age of Goyanes' classic network as well as the fact that Goyanes' north is very mountainous, and the narrower gauge assists in navigation. 1435 mm standard gauge is used for the entire Høyhastikettog network as well as a variety of other lines. Subway trains in Goyanes tend to be constructed in standard gauge, and a number of streetcar systems in Goyanes are built to this standard. There are some other gauges in use such as 1000 mm gauge and 1372 mm gauge, but these are mainly restricted to streetcar lines and private tourist shortlines. While Goyanes' main network was built on and has been expanded in narrow gauge, some lines have been constructed or dual tracked with standard gauge for purpose of international freight connection.

Railway Speeds

Excluding the Høyhastikettog, even with ATB automatic signalling, trains are limited to a maximum of 160 km/h (99 mph) on conventional lines. These limits are due to the nature of the narrow gauge, which becomes more unstable at higher speeds due to the narrow axle width. The HHT was constructed using standrd gauge to maximize the potential operating speed of the network. Due to the twisting nature of many of Goyanes' conventional lines, tilting trains have become somewhat standard on many limited express routes as they enable a faster and more comfortable ride.

Electrification

77% of Goyanes' railway network is electrified, amounting to more tan 50,000 kilometers of track. Electrification is mainly done using 1500 V DC overhead wire on conventional lines, and 25 kV AC overhead wire for the HHT system. Some lines however, mainly on subways and some private railways, operate with 600 V or 750 V DC third rail electrification. Additionally, in some alpine areas, conventional trains will be powered by a 20 kV AC overhead system. Frequency for AC operations is 60 Hz. Electricity is provided by a variety of sources, such as the several GJ-operated power stations as well as interconnections to regional public utilities.