Passenger rail transport in Themiclesia
Rail transport in Themiclesia originated in 1829 for shipping coal and now encompasses a large network of railways serving both passengers and freight. Inter-city railways grew with government support from 1853 and accompanied the Industrial Revolution to support long-distance commerce and modernizing manufacturing needs; these inter-city railways were bought by the government between 1892 and 1898 to prevent the laying of redundant railways, but private companies continued to operate trains on nationalized railways and branch lines. Improved revenues were taxed by the government to support expansion and maintenance of infrastructure. Urban railways and trams appeared the late 19th century. More recently, branch lines have seen development, and a high speed rail with speeds up to 300 km/h was introduced in 1967.
Despite a decline in ridership in the 1960s, the railway continues to be a principal means of both urban, suburban, and inter-city travel in Themiclesia. Inter-city transport is mainly offered by National Railway, a joint venture of public and private investment, but excursion trains are regularly operated by private companies. The railway accounts for nearly half of all inter-city freight by weight, but less by value as it is better suited to bulk goods in loose or containerized format.
History
Mining railways
The first railway in Themiclesia was laid down in 1831 by Asikainen, a Hallian company oeprating a coal mine in Prets. The company had relied on draft animals and barges to ship its products into the Meh but found a more profitable mine away some 16 km from the river, which a railway covered. The line was operated with a single locomotive, the Kaveli. The introduction of the railway made Asikainen more profitable than others relying on draft animals, and by 1840 no fewer than eight mining operations utilized railways in the Themiclesian north, where mining rights have been leased to Hallia through the Treaty of Kien-k'ang of 1796.
In 1844, a railway from Prets to Gra was opened, which allowed Hallian merchants to undercut coal from Themiclesian mines, transported by draft animals. This coal was not tariffed as it was not technically imported, but it became a political crisis at the lobby of Themiclesian coal mines and merchants, who argued that the Hallian miners were outselling domestic miners. In 1844, the government responded by awarding land to Themiclesian mines that they might lay their own lines, and a testing railway was laid down between the market town of Ngek and Kien-k'ang in 1845, spanning 65 km.
1845 – 1870
A royal commission was issued at the same time to study the effects of railways on foreign states, with the conclusion that an efficient transport system allowed more goods to be marketed domestically and would be an incentive to investment in businesses. The government also saw value in a railway system as a component of defence logistics, as troops could be moved around the country more rapidly and without requisitioning goods from the towns they passed through. As a result of the initially-good results of test railway and of the recommendations of the royal commission, the building of railways became the Ra-lang government's policy. New railways were constructed with government grants in land and backed by high-interest bonds sold to the government. In 1847, the first inter-city railway over 300 km opened between Kien-k'ang and Twar, hoping to compete with river transport and to open a passenger service, bringing individuals arriving by boat to the capital city.
In 1854 and 1855, both Menghe and Dayashina agreed to open trade with foreign states, causing the trinity of Themiclesian exports—porcelains, tea, and silks—to face competition and triggering the Depression of 1857, which rippled to railway bonds as the first railways struggled to generate revenue to cover interest. Facing dwindling customs revenue, the Ra-lang government diverted its money to stimulate other industries and could not continue to support the building of railways. By 1861, Themiclesian industry regained its footing, and new railways were built to transport grain from docks to the cities that experienced population boom. Manufacturing businesses began to rely more on railways to source materials from the countryside. A second, largely privately-funded drive to build railways in the 1870s thus occurred.
The 1850 – 60s also saw the first regulations appear over travelling conditions and amenities. In 1853, it had been decreed that railways shall not carry passengers in "vehicles not made for the transport of mankind", to prohibit mining railways from carrying them in coal wagons or on carriage roofs, but the law was passed mostly on the strength of public outcry arising from a terrible accident in 1852. This requirement was made operative in 1857 by requiring each operator to inspect the structural soundness of its coaching stock annually. In 1865, third-class passengers obtained rights to seats, a roof above the compartment, and openings for lighting and ventilation, but this did not require glazing, a hole in the carriage wall being judged sufficient. In 1864, the Railways Act required railways to charge no more than 1 grain per Imperial mile travelled. Though facilitating urbanization, fare restrictions also discouraged railways from offering improved coaches in third class.
Revenues on early railways were chiefly generated from freight, so passenger trains were not then prioritized. Yet in the 1850s, travel by railway gained in popularity against private coach as the more comfortable and punctual option, and operators increasingly used passenger services to generate revenues, evidenced by booming variety in railway coach design and manufacture. In 1859, the first express passenger service appeared, connecting Kien-k'ang, Sin, Rak, and Qwang; the train took 16 hours to cover the 402 miles between the cities.
1871 – 1890
The only railways that received government funding between 1871 and 1892 were ones connecting mining towns in the northeast to the Themiclesian heartland, as distances were too long for private investment to cover; additionally, the government welcomed the establishment of homes and businesses in the distant countryside, as it was seen to ward away territorial claims by other powers. Under these auspices, the Great Northeastern Railway was completed in 1884, extending over 2,200 km to reach ′An from Rak. In these, the government took an interest in tariffing goods shipped but did not interfere with their operations.
In terms of railway operators, the operator and coachbuilder Lower Themiclesia Railroad (LTRR) achieved renown for its sleeper coaches that debuted in 1866, and these dominated the long-distance market owing to long running times on routes hastily laid and of poor geometry. LTRR also accrued considerable profit from exporting its exquisitely-appointed rolling stock, nicknamed "palace cars" on foreign railways; to accomplish this, it employed skilled artisans, some from manufacturers of porcelains and luxury fabrics. Though these exports were successful, it soon sparked competition, most notably in Tír Glas and adjoining states, and the domestic market remained its main source of revenue.
Between 1871 and 1890, much effort was made to accelerate passenger trains as operators realized that express fares were far more profitable than those stipulated for parliamentary trains. In consequence of this effort, passenger services began to diversify in terms of rolling stock, scheduling, and associated services like seat reservations. While sleeper services had boomed in the 1870s, day expresses started to challenge sleepers in the 1880s on some routes that formerly must be served by sleepers in premium services, owing to running times. The service from Kien-k'ang to Qwang, taking 16 hours in 1863, was shortened to 10:40 by 1880, making a daytime express service practical. Such changes were enabled by consistent improvements in lines, engines, and schedules.
In 1877, the first reserved service (對號), where all passengers were guaranteed a reserved and assigned seat, was operated. This was only practical on trains with limited calls, as the reservation process required maintenance of a seating record (one ledger representing the seating situation between each stops), to ensure a specific seat was always available. The practice of seat reservation was carried over from sleeper services (where each bed was sold only once per journey), but when applied to day trains, seat assignment was co-ordinated by telegraph between stations such that a single seat could be used more than once per journey; the process was labour intensive and sold for a hefty premium as an element of prestige.
In 1885, the first limited service (特快, literally "singularly express") appeared, the term "limited" indicating a schedule that brooked no yields or delays for any other train whatsoever. The limited service was alloted the highest priority on the line, and the engine and entire rolling stock were customized to maximize speed and minimize water and coal stops. Given that a limited service must have a restricted number of stops, they were similarly amenable to seat reservations, and indeed in practice seats on limited services were always sold as reserved seats. Advertisements appealed to a strong sense of prestige in travelling with a reserved seat, on a service that ranked above other trains on the same route, and with the best engines and rolling stock available. It was the general practice of the 1880s through 1900s that limited trains consisted of only first and second class coaches—third class coaches were not used on limited services.
Pre-war regulation
By 1890, revenue mileage of main and branch lines in Themiclesia reached 9,520 km. Railroad was yet an unregulated business, as it was assumed the demand would guide the efficient building of lines. On the freight side, the laying down of parallel railways and price cutting competition cut railway profits to razor-thin margins and occasioned scandalous bankruptcies at the close of the 19th century, prompting the government regulate the building of lines, though leaving passenger services, which had higher margins (though not necessarily more profits in toto) than freight, mostly untouched. The newly-inaugurated National Railway Company began its own passenger operations in 1893 using coaching stock inherited from the operators it absorbed. Under a late 1890s economic downturn, many railways folded and either merged or were sold to National Rail, which emerged as the largest Themiclesian railway by 1900.
National Rail's early coaching stock was inherited from absorbed railroads and thus a motley of coaches with no standard design. While Themiclesian railway laws assumed a three-class structure, actual regulations had hitherto provided only the minimum standard for Third coaches, leaving others entirely up to the private railways. Thus, non-Third coaches differed drastically between railroads, while Third coaches were often built to the absolute minimum standard. Seeking to utilize this heterogeneous fleet across its entire network, National Rail reassigned coaches to make each class consistent. The best coaches (including saloons, parlours, drawing rooms) were retained as First. Some inherited First coaches did not meeting National Rail's new standards and were relabelled Second. Padding was present on some newer Third coaches, while the majority had bare wooden seats; as it would be unfair to charge the same fare for both types, National Rail called the padded ones "New Class", giving rise to the four-class structure of First, Second, New, and Third Class.
In terms of passenger services, the process of consolidation eventually brought a standardized set of passenger service rules to most operators, at least on the main lines. In 1895, it was generally the case that on each line there could only be one limited service running at any given time, to satisfy the "top priority" component. If there were two, either they were day and night services (the "sleeper limited") respectively or one was a temporary/charter service. After 1900, railways sometimes ran two or more limited services that had no possible scheduling conflicts and gave them separate names (the "Coastal Reserved" and "Star Reserved" under numbers 3/4 and 15/16 are examples of two limited services on the same route). On timetables, these names trains were noted as "the name reserved", e.g. the Coastal Reserved (海對號). By the 1920s, main lines saw several limited services per day.
In 1907, National Rail presented drawings for its own coaches to Parliament, utilizing more steel components for added safety as well as thoroughly eliminating compartment coaches. Because the rate for Third Class was statutorily fixed, National Rail retained the New Class as an offering for which it could charge willing passengers a little more than Third for a padded seat, hoping that the surcharge could act as a buffer source of revenue in case Parliament fails to adjust fares for Third while costs rise (this happened to be quite accurate). The long-term plan, however, was that unpadded Third coaches should be retired in favour of padded ones, though this would not actually occur until 1946. Its first series of standardized coaches entered service in 1910 and still used the somewhat haphazard four-class system rather than the three-class system that the nomenclature suggests.
Calls for the inclusion of Third class on limited trains reached and convinced Parliament to study the option. However, lower profit margins and the large quantity of expected III passengers, which would make seat reservations very taxing, left operators hesitent to operate III limited services. It was feared that including III coaches would alienate those paying for a more exclusive mode of travel. Nevertheless, to respond to parliamentary views, National Rail operated from 1931 the very plainly named "Limited Express" with only III coaches but using the same engines and similar schedules; reserved seating was not provided, making overcrowding likely. The service was a financial success, many willing to risk a standing journey that was at least shorter—compared to a standing journey on a stopping train that could run easily for twice as long.
Further series of standardized coaches were introduced in 1921, 1927, and 1930. Series 4 coaches, manufactured in limited quantities in 1927, were the first to have all-steel bodies with a length of 72'; a redesigned underframe launched in 1930 was numbered series 5, which remains the longest-lasting series in the history of National Rail thus far (production continued until 1953). Increased weight of coaches in turn encouraged National Rail's engineering departments to supply more powerful engines. In 1931, mechanical air conditioning was introduced and soon spread to all First class coaches. This was achieved with electricity generated from a dynamo attached to the coach's spinning axles. 1933 is often described as the peak year for railways in Themiclesia, as it captured 94% of passenger and 90% of freign traffic over 50 miles.
Wartime
After general mobilization in response to invasion, the intercity network was nationalized in 1937, making National Rail the sole operator in the interest of efficiency and centralized planning. Rolling stock were regularly commandeered by the government to support freight and troop movements. Under the War Measures Act, National Rail suspended I coaches (mostly FS, D, and FDB coaches) from regular service, citing concerns for the railway's efficiency, and also limited II coaches mostly to official uses. Limited and express services were suspended as they required freight trains to yield. The public operator retrofitted some premium coaches as III coaches to support troop transportation. Otherwise, National Rail took to removing the toilets and luggage racks to install even more seats. These "defence coaches" were often reviled as a "fourth class" of coaches, being even less furnished than conventional III coaches. Sleeper trains were suspended, since room and section sleepers (with capacity 12 and 32 respectively) were deemed too wasteful of schedule time and pulling power.
During the war, the railway networks of both operators suffered considerable damage, some self-imposed. National Rail was granted a new Parliamentary charter and was required to re-invest a portion of proceeds into maintenance, employee welfare, and fare reductions before dividends could be paid to shareholders; to stimulate investment, the government reimbursed dividends paid to it as the major shareholder for the first 40 years of its operation. To compensate for damages to its infrastructure, the armed forces were ordered to restore all tracks and related infrastructure that are self-damaged and transfer all spurs and branches they constructed for war purposes to National Rail by Jan. 1, 1949.
National Rail re-introduced the Recliner coach in 1940 as a workaround for its directors and employees, who lost the ability to use sleeper coaches as they were suspended during the war. The Recliner had debuted in 1932 as a more economical alternative to the open section sleeper but was withdrawn in 1935. The coach was permissible as it technically met the description of a sitting coach even though its seats could recline to 165°, forming an almost-flat bed. With a 2+2 seating pattern, the Recliner coach could sit 44 people, more than the open section sleeper and nearly as much as a normal II coach which was acceptable under war economy. National Rail let out bedding for these coaches. Eventually, civil servants and military officers on public business necessitating overnight travel also received permission to use the Recliners―the army's regiments each received a fixed monthly quota of Recliner tickets during the late stage of the war (typically 2), which were extremely hotly contested by officers and troops on furlough.
Postwar
During the early phase of the post-war reconstruction period, the authorities minimized express services, to prioritize trains carrying reconstruction materials; manual seat reservation, labour intensive, likewise remained suspended. Expresses reappeared between 1946 and 1948, but named trains operated with II coaches only, as the railroad prioritized density in passenger services. But on 1 January 1949, the 1/2 Northern was restored to its pre-war I/II consist, and other reserved trains followed suit between 1949 – 50. Objections were heard against this development at a time when rationing was not yet lifted on food and other critical resources and amidst reports that I coaches were mostly used by non-paying ministers and officials.
After the ban on sleepers lifted in 1947, National Rail repurposed the Recliner coach, originally an austere alternative to a sleeper on overnight services, for day service rakes. Recliners also appear to have been intended to relieve the ban on I coaches on named trains, in view of some of the ageing II stock. Recliners becoming well-received, the railroad extended them to other express services. With its airline-style layout and reclinable seats, was to have an extensive impact and gradually replaced older bay-style seating, which had non-reclinable, opposing seats.
1947 to electrification
Classes of travel by journey, March 1950
Classes of travel by journey, March 1960
In the last years of the 1940s, National Rail's Mid-century Modernization Plan (MCMP) included the replacement of Steam adhesion on all lines over 17 years, with a mixture of diesel and electric adhesion, which is agreed to reduce costs and running times. Lines with geometry that could suppert electrified speeds were earmarked for electrification, while some lines with heavy demand but poor geometry would be replaced or relieved by secondary lines (some of which would later develop into high speed rail with co-operation with Dayashina). Other lines and most branches were slated to be dieselized.
Aside from the question of locomotive power and speed, the MCMP also included visions for improved passenger service: all long distance travel should be by express train and with reserved seats, whereas in 1950 some 75% of Themiclesians still travelled by unreserved stopping train, many of which ranked lower than goods trains, even for long-distance journeys. Such services were liable to experience long calls at stations to yield to trains with higher priority (some goods trains included).
To address the issue of highway competition, even still in its infancy, National Rail stressed convenience, punctuality, speed, and comfort as natural strengths of rail travel compared to highway voyage. In 1950, the principal challenge posed by car ownership was in suburban commuting and not intercity travel, because the Government intentionally built new communities where land costs were low due to their distance from towns with rail access. While the highway B1 was designed to support a maximum speed of 45 MPH, railways easily topped this speed at least on express services.
| Coach | Series 4/5 | Series 6 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underframe | 72 ft (21.9 m) | 84 ft (25.6 m) | ||
| Third Open (TP) | 26 in (660 mm) | 140 | 29 in (737 mm) | 140 |
| Third New (TPN) | 30 in (762 mm) | 120 | ||
| Second Open (SP) | 52 in (1,321 mm) | 48 | 52 in (1,321 mm) | 56 |
| First Open (FP) | 20 | 24 | ||
Since standard underframes extended from pre-war 72' to post-war 84', the standard III Class coach gained padding and legroom from 26 in (660 mm) to 29 in (737 mm). Other than enlarging coaches, long-criticized crowding on express trains was addressed by lengthening trains from the typical 6 coaches pre-war to 10 or 12 coaches by 1959, enabled by the improved pulling power of diesel engines.
Computerized ticketing appeared in 1956, powered by the DPRM 780 vacuum tube computer. With ledgers between stops now checked digitally, efficient reservation of seats for more or even all passengers was now possible. Indeed, the railroad planned that all intercity travellers should travel with reserved seats and on express trains. Long-distance travel on unreserved, stopping trains was expected to appear uncompetitive in the future. Seat reservations for the formerly unreserved Limited services rolled out on July 1, 1957, to select services where demand was high, initially to the first 7 coaches of the train. Trains that offered seat reservation were renamed Reserved Limited (對號特快) and were subject to a seat reservation charge.
Highway B2 was planned for completion in 1957, and in view of challenges posed by road voyage on foreign railways, National Rail sought to remain competitive by improved comfort and expanded air conditioning to II Class coaches. The plan appeared successful as the first private long-distance bus operator, Highway Bus Coach, declared bankruptcy in 1960 amidst a tortured attempt to retrofit its fleet of wartime buses with AC units which turned out very prone to malfunction and leaks due to bumpy riding. The new II coaches with AC were powered by Head End Power generators behind the locomotive.
Effective Jan. 10, 1959, National Rail abolished the New Class fares and demoted its rolling stock to III Class status, since unpadded III Class stock have been withdrawn across the network.
Railway commentators have mentioned the 1950s as one of the most successful decades of the railway's history, marked by a strong effort to take advantage of the booming economy and remain competitive against road voyage. A strong fiscal foundation has been attributed to the managmenet of the 1950s that ultimately made heavier infrastructure investments possible in the two following decades.
The electrification of the Traverse Main Line was completed in 1960 and saw the launch of the E0 locomotive to haul trains between Kien-k'ang and Qqa'. 1960 saw the launch of the Series 6 Electric Multiple Unit Trainset (usually abbreviated 6MU) line of coache which had a distributed mode of power collection and driving. The MU6 trainsets did not break any top or average speed records in testing or operation, but their widespread adoption supported a higher average speed across the line as stopping trains no longer needed to yield so frequently to express trains making long calls.
Post-electrification
Aside from the high-speed line, six other mainlines were also electrified for conventional speeds in the 60s and 70s. Initially, these lines saw electric locomotives hauling unpowered coaches much as diesel and steam engines had done before, but experience on the high-speed line also brought the electric multiple-unit trainsets or EMUs to conventional lines. Since the Inland Mainline's express passenger traffic was partly taken over by the high-speed line, the railroad rescheduled many services to make more stops, meaning the train needed to stop and then start more often. EMUs usually had acceleration performance superior to loco-hauled trains, so they would replace many loco-hauled trains on electrified lines.
In the 60s, the air-conditioned II coach (introduced 1959) saw increasing demand despite higher fare, while the 120-seat, non-AC III coach saw a decline in demand, despite improved legroom after coaches were extended from 72' to 84' (no added seats). In 1972, National Rail experimentally altered the layout of III coaches from 3+2 to 2+2, eliminating the disliked middle seat on one side of the corridor and increasing seat width from 18" to 20.5". This alteration only marginally improved travellers' opinions. With mainlines electrified, the provision of air conditioning was no longer constrained by head-end-power and thus apt for generalization. In the new EMUs launching 1975, National Rail introduced the AC Standard Coach as a replacement for both AC II and non-AC III coachs.
The new coach sat 80 people and was charged at around 1.5 times III. The Progressive government immediately hailed this as a success of deregulation, claiming that third-class travel was abolished by the forces of the market and air conditioning has thereby been made available for a lower fare. But it is also pointed out that this is only true from a II traveller's perspective, since AC was now available for a smaller fare albeit at the cost of some legroom, while a traveller formerly on III would now have to pay 50% more for AC. Equally, the "abolition" of III was only for EMUs, as most loco-hauled services still had plenty of non-AC III coaches sitting 100 passengers.
Train classifications
Passenger services are classified by National Rail into the following categories, which determine the priorities trains have in allocation of right of way, particularly on single-track sections of routes or platform at stations. It should be noted that while schedulers respect train priorities, priorities are ultimately only guiding principles in drawing up the schedule and foresee and unforeseen operational issues can and regularly prompt the signal staff to grant right of way to a train of lower priority over one of higher priority.
| Service | Composition | Scope | Stops | Assigned seat | Train # | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserved | 澈對號客, tutups-qu-karak | First/Recliner | Main lines only | Variable | Always | 1 – 40 | Highest possible priority, usually named and unique to the route, may be oriented towards tourists. |
| Sleeper Express | 夕快客, laqs-kots-karak | Sleepers | Always | For long distance routes only | |||
| EMU Limited Express | 電對號特快客, tups-qu-neleq-kots-karak | (EMU) Premium/Recliner/AC | Major cities | Yes | 3000 — 4000 | Long distance, usually with newest stock and always EMU | |
| Limited Express | 對號特快客, tups-qu-neleq-kots-karak | (LH) Recliner/AC | Yes | 51 – 200 | Long distance, usually with newest stock and always EMU | ||
| Intercity Express | 快客, kots-karak | (EMU) Premium/Recliner/AC (LH) Recliner/AC |
Major and medium cities | Some | 301 – 800 | Long distance but mainly run by older trains | |
| Local Express | 縣快客, ghwin-kots-karak | (EMU) Recliner/AC (LH) Second/New |
Main and branch lines | Skips unmanned stations | Some | 1001 – 2000 | Generally running between two major cities on main and branch lines, serving short-distance travellers or as shuttle service to change trains at a major station |
| Local Ordinary | 縣客, ghwin-karak | All stations en route | No | 2001 – 3000 | |||
None of the categories above are based on maximum or average speed, instead on pattern of calls along the route.
Refunds can be obtained if a service experiences a major delay. If a service is delayed more than 30 minutes per day of travel, a passenger is entitled to be refunded the express charge on the ticket, if it the delayed service was an express service, or 20% of the ticket price, if not. If a service is delayed more than 6 hours, then the entire ticket may be refunded after the passenger reaches the destination.
Reserved Service
Reserved Service, usually only one or two services per route and are meant to represent the best service on that route. With few exceptions, Reserved Service include dining facilities and premium coaches in first and recliner classes. After the 1970s, these trains are often advertised to tourists or select business travellers and may have customized rolling stock to enhance their appeal. Fares are also the highest of all services, trumping high-speed lines; this is because Reserved Service are subject to the Seat Reservation Surcharge and Limited Surcharge, which nearly double the ticket cost.
During the pioneering days of Themiclesian railways from 1845 to 1870, slow running speeds effectively required sleeper service to reach distant destinations in comfort, but considerable gains in speed in the 1870s and 80s allowed some journeys to be covered by a daytime service, albeit requiring a combination of prioritized schedules, specialized engines, and short trains (to restrict tonnage). Sleeper services (where a bed is guaranteed) are always reserved, while contemporary day trains were not. Daytime reserved services thus aimed to bring the guarantee of a specific place to day services.
These were advertised as "limited reserved" services by then-private railways, in contradistinction to "sleeper express" services that ran on laxer schedules and often at limited speed to reduce vibrations that may prevent any rest at all; in the era of public regulation, the term "reserved" still applied to the best possible service on a given route, and most were eventually nicknamed, e.g. Coastal Reserved (longest-running service, since 1894). Given the elite status of these services, they were always combined with seat reservation service and the best-appointed coaches; third-class coaches were not regularly used on these trains.
Services in this category include:
- 1/2 Northern Reserved, between Kien-k'ang and Rak. A previous incarnation of this service had a pre-PSW route of Rak to Yannarksburg, Maverica; in the early 50s, this service was through-running to Sunju, Menghe. In this period it was called 1/2 Hemithean Express Reserved.
- 3/4 Coastal Reserved, between Kien-k'ang and Sngrak.
- 5/6 Upper Sleeper, between Kien-k'ang and Srum-qlun. Summer service extends to Kir.
- 7/8, between Kien-k'ang and Apollonia.
- 9/10 Star Reserved, between Kien-k'ang and Estoria.
EMU Limited Express
Limited trains (formal name Reserved Limited Express) services are intercity trains providing fast and frequent service, calling at only major cities. As indicated by this stop pattern, these services are aimed at travellers who intend to travel quickly between cities and beyond a normal commuting/regional distance.
Despite the similar name, Reserved Limited services has a different and more recent origin compared to Reserved trains. Since the introduction of Limited Express (as a level of service above Express) in 1885 and until 1930, railways generally operated Limited Expresses only I/II coaches, not III, even though the vast majority of passengers (circa 95% in 1928) travelled III. In 1928, National Rail experimented with a III Limited Express service; to recuperate costs, National Rail used capacity-maximized stock, eliminated the dining carriage, and then oversold tickets to increase ridership even further. Seat reservation, a service standard to Reserved trains, was not offered, as manual reservation of seats ate into thin margins. Despite cramped accommodations and the lack of an assigned seat, the III Limited Express service was a commercial success, prompting its duplication in several routes. These services became increasingly popular through the 30s until the Pan-Septentrion War was joined in earnest.
After the PSW, Limited Express and Reserved services recommenced in 1947. In 1955, National Rail replaced some express steam engines with diesel engines, which enabled longer trains to run at express speeds, and the railway also gradually phased out the overly cramped pre-PSW coaches, the lost capacity being compensated by additional coaches. Two years later in 1957, National Rail computerized its seat reservation system and offered assigned seating to III Limited Express services. These improvements corroborate improving travel options for Themiclesians who could not formerly afford to travel in luxury―an intercity journey to visit friends and family by stopping train was quickly becoming unacceptable. In 1953, National Rail published a half-century report that asserted the future of railway was express trains for all intercity travel, and the category of Limited Express was slated for expansion to those goals.
Classes of service
First Class
Available on loco-hauled Reserved services only, this is the most luxurious option in regular service, using a 1+1 seating pattern.
Under National Rail, there are two main types of First Class coaches: First Open "FP" and Parlour "D" (for "drawing room"). FP is similar to the conventionl II or III Class seating, with opposite seats on two sides of a crosswise bay, but in First Class there are only two seats per bay. But on sleeper trains, a D coach with swivel chairs and couches in an open setting was often attached as an leisure area, and seats here were not separately sold. D coaches came to be attached to important day trains in addition to the FP coaches, and similarly seats in the D coach were not separately sold. The entraining of FP and D coaches has varied over time and services.
- On Reserved services like the 11/12 Rak Evening Reserved, several FP and one D coaches would be in the rake. Even more prestigious trains like the 5/6 Northern Day Reserved could have two D coaches, the final one with open platform for observation (the normal rake for the 5/6 was SP-FSR-FP-FP-FP-D-D(B) ).
- On lesser services with rakes that had I Class, D coaches were not attached. Where I Class had even lower demand, a first-second composite open (FSP) coach was used. Since a D coach became de rigueur on Reserved services, those services with only an FP and no D coach became perceived as defective by the 1920s and were poorly patronized after then. Yet National Rail's charter required "all three classes be available on all lines, in each direction, and every day" as a commitment to service standards, so such under-utilized I Class services remained until the War Measures Act suspended the mandate.
After the war, the mandatory service standard was not re-imposed citing fiscal difficulties, resulting in the withdrawl of I Class in many services. Existing seats, if found in FSP composites, were often sold as II Class where the latter was in short supply. National Rail phased out I Class on stopping trains from Jan. 2, 1953. I Class remained in use on Reserved trains and select express trains where a D coach was present, though their numbers slowly declined.
During the electrification era (1962 – 81), National Rail's policy was to abolish I Class wherever possible, so the operator built no new I coaches of either the FP or D bodies. Yet the number of I Class passengers stopped dwindling by the 60s and slightly rebounded in the 70s, often attributed to corporate travellers. This led National Rail to introduce the Club Class on EMU services, initially to reward frequent travellers with an upgraded seat, and the design of the first Club Class coaches borrowed elements from both the FP and D coahces. The fact that Club Class was deemed a sub-type of II Class was important to corporate travellers who, under corporate policy, often could not put a I Class ticket on company account.
The adoption of EMU service en masse in the 70s replaced a large portion of the loco-hauled services with I Class coaches, but as National Rail never fully abolished loco-hauled intercity services, neither did I Class disappear. In 1987, National Rail authorized a small batch of I coaches to be built to replace the ageing stock dating from the mid-50s that was still moderately in demand. The two royal trains belonging to the Monarch also consisted chiefly of I Class stock. As of 2024, there are still six services that offer I Class, two on electrified lines and four on non-electrified lines. Seats on these services are very much advertised towards luxury travel.
Premium
Noted as "Second Class Premium Cabin" (次等特別車, sniqs-keteng-alek-bryat-kla), this class characteristically features a 1+2 seating pattern. Available on EMU trains only.
This class was originally instituted as a "Club Class" which was offered as an upgrade to members of the railway loyalty programme from 1977. In the 80s, the upgrade was opened to normal ticket holders for a upgrade fee that varied according to anticipated demand. During off hours, upgrades from the normal recliner seat could be purchased for as little as 4% the recliner ticket, whereas during hours of peak demand or for select services an upgrade could cost as much as 30%.
It seems originally National Rail intended to phase out its dated I Class in favour of the Premium cabin, as the latter was introduced at a point where no I Class coaches had been built for around 20 years. The Premium cabin's official designation as a subtype of II Class also permitted corporte travellers to put the ticket on company account, since many corporate policies forbid putting a I Class ticket on company account. However, National Rail's plan to phase out I Class never completely came to fruition, resulting in the current situation where loco-hauled services have I Class, while EMU services have Premium.
Seat pitch is the same as Recliner at 52 in (1,321 mm), while seat width is between 25 in (635 mm) and 28 in (711 mm).
Recliner
Named "Second Class Recliner" (次等坐臥車) on tickets. The standard feature of this seating class is the eponymous reclining chair that can rotate to face either direction as desired, positioned in a 2+2 layout. Market positioning is as a premium cabin, being either the higher of two classes offered (recliner and standard), or the middle (premium, recliner, and standard).
Recliners were originally introduced on Themiclesian railways in 1931, on sleeper services that also double as day services in the great interior; in this use, they were withdrawn from service in 1933, deemed a failure. Then, in 1941, they re-entered service as an alternative for sleepers which were abolished for the war effort. After sleeper services reappeared in 1946, these coaches were repurposed as Second Class day coaches, because many conventional non-reclining Second Class coaches had during the war been converted to Third Class and were now in short supply. Recliner coaches added on Reserved trains were retrofitted in 1950 with air conditioning powered by dynamo in 1952, resulting in the first Themiclesian train that had air conditioning on all coaches.
On the new series of monocoque coaches with 84 ft (25.6 m) underframe introduced in 1954, designed to be used with head-end power, all Recliner coaches natively had air conditioning. In the 50s, Recliner coaches came to displace conventional, non-reclining, non-AC Second Class coaches after a period of co-existence. The restoration of First Class service since Nov. 1, 1949 was slow and partial, and it never re-appeared on many services where it used to be offered. This left the newly-air conditioned Recliner coach as the best service available on many routes.
Seat pitch is 52 in (1,321 mm) and width 24 in (610 mm), which reflects its original design as a sleeper alternative. Maximum recline angle varies between stock but is usually 135 – 145°. On loco-hauled Series 6 stock at 84' length, capacity is 52 passengers in 13 rows; on EMU stock and loco-hauled Series 7 onwards, an extra row is present since air conditioning machinery is roof-mounted instead, providing 56 seats in 14 rows.
Standard Second
The "Normal Second" (本次等車) formed the bulk of II Class stock in the 20th century and was characterized by bay-style seating in a 2+2 layout, normally at 104 in (2,642 mm) per bay or 52 in (1,321 mm) per side. The seats are padded and, usually, lined with dark blue or dark green velvet. The headrests are usually provided with antimacassars. Since passengers in adjoining bays recline against the same seat back, the seats are fixed and non-reclinable.
Despite the name, the Standard Second stock have been progressively phased out in main line express services since the introduction of the Series 7 stock in the late 60s, with the Recliner stock gaining favour as the preferred kind of II Class seating. Standard Second remains in service on branch line or non-EMU local serivces on main lines, where the lack of recline is considered more acceptable due to shorter running times.
In the years leading up to the birth of National Rail, the privately-owned railways intensively competed in the most luxurious I Class products on select services, resulting in progressively more opulent coachwork that came to characterize I Class at the turn of the century, at least in these select services. However, I Class on other trains were often less glamorous. Under a policy for public operator to establish a consolidated, cross-network standard for the classes of service, much I Class stock (usually older or local stock, deemed substandard by main line standards) were demoted around 1900 to II Class fare, resulting in a spacious standard for II Class. This high standard for II Class was justified on the basis that it would better appeal to passengers who would have to pay twice as much as III Class to upgrade to II.
During the PSW, most II Class stock was converted to III Class to transport more passengers economically, resulting in a dearth of II Class stock by the end of the war. Recliners, originally a substitute for sleepers which were also suspended due to war, came to stand in for normal II stock in the early post-war years. Over the 1950s, Recliners came to eclipse the normal II stock in demand, as they provided an additional reclining functionality.
AC Standard
Formally the "New Stock Third Class with Air Conditioning" coach (參等新車冷暖車) , this also features a 2+2 seat pattern but has considerably less legroom at 34 in (864 mm) seat pitch. This seating class is the standard (and lowest) level of service on all intercity EMU and loco-hauled day services and usually makes up a majority of the rake. It is not present on Reserved services.
Air conditioning was present on First Class coaches as far back as 1935, and head-end power allowed the introduction of AC on Recliner coaches in 1954, but AC was only made available more broadly when EMUs entered service on main lines electrified between 1960 and 1983. With electricity now available through overhead catenaries, air conditioning was possible across the entire trainset. Yet with EMU services not universal, air conditioning attracted a higher fare compared to non-air conditioned services.
Meanwhile, coach design also went through a phase of re-adjustment in the 1970s. Between its inception and the late 50s, National Rail's Third Class had unpadded seats and New Class, padded. Series 6 coacking stock introduced in 1954 extended padding to all Third Class coaches, thus eliminating the difference; New Class fare was abolished in 1959 as the last unpadded coaches were retired. However, improving availability and quality of highway transit (on passenger buses) led National Rail to consider a more comfortable Third Class seat in 1963, yet it eventually concluded its Third Class coaches were still well-patronized at current fare levels.
By 1970, the situation had changed with air conditioning generally available on private cars and highway buses, the latter presenting more spacious seats than contemporary Third Class coaches. National Rail thus re-introduced New Class in 1972 as a level between Third and Second (which was then always Recliner stock on main lines), featuring 96 seats in a 2+2 bay-style seating layout. The disliked middle seat was eliminated, and legroom was improved somewhat compared to normal Third coaches that sat 130 passengers on a 84' underframe with a 3+2 layout.
New Class non-AC
This seating class is available on short-haul local trains that do not utilize head-end power, running on non-electrified main lines and branch lines.
New Class originated as a special designation for Third Class coaches that, unlike others, had padded seats rather than bare wooden benches. Since it would be unfair to impose the same tariff on both types, National Rail designated padded ones as "Third Class New Stock" and charged a slightly higher fare. In 1954, all new III coahces received padded seats, and non-padded ones were all withdrawn by 1959, permitting the abolition of New Class as a separate fare class on May 30, 1959.
In 1968, amid concerns that highway buses were become more competitive against railway coaches, National Rail considered overhauling its III stock to a 2+2 seating pattern from the extant 3+2 pattern, but that would mean considerable lost revenues on many services that were still sold out. The alternative was to re-introduce New Class with a more spacious 2+2 pattern, albeit this also came with the problem of crowding the market for comfort-conscious travellers in Recliner coaches. In the end, the latter option was chosen but with highly curtailed legroom at 34 in (860 mm).
Third Class
The fare for Third Class (III) is the basis for all other fare classes, but currently it is not in general use because rakes for normal passenger services no longer contain these coaches. It is in use, however, for defence charter services transporting soldiers, since enlisted ratings are restricted to receiving free transit tickets for III. While it used to be the case that National Rail would provide actual III coaches (3+2, 28" per row) for defence charters, by the late 80s National Rail would often use more spacious coaches as actual III coaches were being retrofitted or torn down (and thus not readily available).
Originally, III stock on old compartment stock sat 6 abreast, and on corridor stock (becoming standard on long-distance, through-running trains by 1885) the width of one seat formed the corridor, leaving an asymetrical 3+2 seating pattern. III stock generally featured unpadded wooden benches and backs, (padded ones were tariffed as "New Stock III" or "New Class"). An act of Parliament dating to 1864 requires all III stock to have roofs, windows, and bays not less than 52 in (1,321 mm) apart, which converted to a mere 26 in (660 mm) per side. For many passengers this meant their knees would pass the centre line in bays, resulting in an awkward sideways seating angle to avoid the opposite passenger's knees or (the opposite passenger permitting) to interpose their knees; this was deemed the "compulsory scandal of the third class" in a parliamentary speech in 1878.
After the institution of the public operator, standard III stock continued to use 52" bays, while New Class used slightly wider 60" bays, though part of this added room was consumed by padding. On all-steel stock in Series 4 and 5, a 72' III coach sat 140 passengers. After the war, all III coaches on 84' underframes gained padding and still sat 140, the added length distributed into padding and legroom. Older 72' New Class coaches were demoted to III in 1959, resulting in the abolition of that fare class that year. These revised 84' III coaches gained padding and better legroom compared to pre-war III coaches, but compared to older New Class coaches, legroom actually decreased.
Ticketing
- Single ticket (單程客票): valid for one journey from the origin to destination, in the designated service type and class, marked on the ticket.
- Return ticket (來回程客票): valid for two journeys from the origin to destination, in the designated service type and class, marked on the ticket and then back.
- Class-joint ticket (異等客票): like a single ticket, but where a change of class of travel happens at a specific point marked on the ticket.
- Service-joint ticket (異次客票): like a single ticket, but a chagne of service type happens at a specific point marked on the ticket.
- Return class-joint ticket (來回程異等客票): like a class-joint ticket, except good for a return trip.
- Return service-joint ticket (來回程異次客票): like a service-joint ticket, except good for a return trip.
The list of tickets above dates from a time when National Rail relied primarily on pre-printed Edmondson tickets. A station would only stock tickets with the station itself as the origin. A ticket returning from the destination to the origin would thus not be stocked at the origin station, even though a traveller may wish to purchase a return ticket at the same time as the departing ticket, thus necessitating the printing of return tickets that combined both legs. Since return journeys were sold at 20% off (providing a blended discount of 10%), combining both legs on one physical ticket was also more convenient for the railway's accounting.
Joint tickets are usually used on journeys that require detraining from one service and then boarding a different service because no through service exists. A class-joint ticket combines two legs that occur on different classes of travel, e.g. First Class from Tlang-qrum to Rak and then Third Class from Rak to Ter. A service-joint ticket combines two legs that occur on different types of trains, e.g. Express service from Tlang-qrum to Rak and then Ordinary from Rak to Ter. Similarly, it is also possible to purchase a return ticket for joint tickets.
Fare
The fare displayed on passenger tickets on Themiclesian railways is generally a composite of several kinds of fees. Under the modern fare calculation system used since 1975, there is only a single base tariff for mileage, of which all other surcharges are multiples. This stands in contrast with the pre-1975 fare system which had tariffs for mileage specific to each class of travel, and surcharges multiplied the tariff of each class when applied to a ticket of that class.
| Third | New | AC | Recliner | Premium | First | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tariff | 1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 4 | ||
| Seat Reservation Fee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| AC Fee | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | ||
| Hot Water Fee | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Catering Fee | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.3 | |||
| Club Upgrade Fee (avg.) | 0.5 | |||||
| Parlour Fee | 1 | |||||
| Telephone Fee | 0.3 | |||||
| Ordinary multiplier | 1.02 | 1.22 | 1.47 | 2.32 | 2.82 | 6.07 |
After all fees above are taken account of, the ordinary multiplier is arrived at. The ordinary multiplier represents the pre-tax multiple of the base tariff per mile that would be charged for a ticket in that seating class on an ordinary train. Regressive express train fees are then added. The maximum express train fee is 50% of the ordinary multiply for journeys within 50 km, and the chargeable percentage decreases by 1% for each marginal 50 km travelled, to a floor of 20%.
| Range (mi) | Marginal rate | Blended rate | Range (mi) | Marginal rate | Blended rate | Range (mi) | Marginal rate | Blended rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 – 100 | 49% | 49.5% | 550 – 600 | 39% | 44.5% | 1,050 – 1,100 | 29% | 39.5% |
| 100 – 150 | 48% | 49% | 600 – 650 | 38% | 44% | 1,100 – 1,150 | 28% | 39% |
| 150 – 200 | 47% | 48.5% | 650 – 700 | 37% | 43.5% | 1,150 – 1,200 | 27% | 38.5% |
| 200 – 250 | 46% | 48% | 700 – 750 | 36% | 43% | 1,200 – 1,250 | 26% | 38% |
| 250 – 300 | 45% | 47.5% | 750 – 800 | 35% | 42.5% | 1,250 – 1,300 | 25% | 37.5% |
| 300 – 350 | 44% | 47% | 800 – 850 | 34% | 42% | 1,300 – 1,350 | 24% | 37% |
| 350 – 400 | 43% | 46.5% | 850 – 900 | 33% | 41.5% | 1,350 – 1,400 | 23% | 36.5% |
| 400 – 450 | 42% | 46% | 900 – 950 | 32% | 41% | 1,400 – 1,450 | 22% | 36% |
| 450 – 500 | 41% | 45.5% | 950 – 1000 | 31% | 40.5% | 1,450 – 1,500 | 21% | 35.5% |
| 500 – 550 | 40% | 45% | 1,000 – 1,050 | 30% | 40% | 1,500 and above | 20% | 35% |
Thus a Recliner ticket in an express train travelling 60 km would be subject to 2.32 × 1.5 × 50 km plus 2.32 × 1.49 × 10 km.
| Mileage | Rate |
|---|---|
| Under 500 km | 120% |
| 501 – 1,000 km | 110% |
| 1,001 – 1,500 km | 100% |
| 1,501 km and above | 90% |
There is also Value Added Tax applicable to certain train tickets. All II Class tickets, including Recliner and Premium, attract a reduced 5% tax rate, and a I Class ticket is taxed at the full rate of 20%. III Class tickets, including New Class with or without AC, are zero-rated in VAT, deemed necessities. Similarly, II and I Class tickets are taxable under the Stamp Act at a rate of 1% the value of the ticket pre-VAT.
The formula for calculating the price of a single-journey ticket is as follows:
[Mileage × tariff × (ordinary multiple + express multiple + limited service multiple)] × VAT + stamp duty = fare on ticket
Regulations
Railways in Themiclesia are subject to a number of legal constraints passed mainly to promote efficiency in rail transport and enhance safety. Many early regulations were made by Parliament, by whom most early routes were also authorized; however, the regulation of railways often became political, and varoius bodies such as the Board of Trade and later Ministry of Transport also became involved. Most modern regulations are made by ministers with statutory authorization, but basic regulations such as the track gauge for intercity railways are fixed by statute.
Units
The standard system of measurement on Themiclesian railways, for internal purposes, are Imperial units from Anglia, as much of the technology and rolling stock on the earliest non-Hallian railways were imported from Anglia. Railway lengths are signposted in terms of Imperial miles and chains. The descriptor "Imperial" (rendered phonetically as 音卑麗, rf ′im-pi-ryal) is added to the corresponding Themiclesian unit. However, to anticipate unexpected changes by Anglia, which have not yet happened, Imperial units in Themiclesian railways were retroactively fixed by a domestic statute to their definitions on Jan. 1, 1870. Some old lines, once under Hallian operation, had their sign-posts changed from Hallian units to Imperial ones by 1896. However, in support of the Government's desire to promote the Metric system, that system has been in use for public trade since 1957.
Track gauge
Broad gauge
Several lines in the north were built for a 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge, especially those owned by Hallian companies. As it was unlawful to re-gauge any standard-gauge railway to a different gauge, the last 5-foot gauge main line was converted to standard gauge in 1894. Nevertheless, it was permissible to operate a different gauge
The Northern Riparian Railway, located in Ladh-mgon Province and on the border with Nukkumaa, runs on a 5 ft gauge that is unique to operational lines. It was built in 1846 and serviced two coal veins located on the Themiclesian side of the river. The line was acquired by Northwestern Railways in 1896, but due to dwindling freight and passenger service, it was never converted into standard gauge. It was abandoned in 1919 but restored for tourism in 1960. The line today services open-air dome cars offering views of the river.
Standard gauge
The modern standard gauge on Themiclesia railways is 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm), this gauge having been established in 1851 by the Rjai-ljang Government. Since that year, any railway measuring more than five miles between its most distant points was by law required to be built in this gauge, and all main lines currently operated by National Rail conform to it. Most branch lines and industrial spurs, which act as feeder lines for freight service on main lines, are also in this gauge.
Narrow gauge
There are several narrow gauges in Themiclesia, the majority built well after the 1851 law that established the standard gauge on lines longer than five miles. Narrow gauges were permitted on lines shorter than five miles and not connected to any standard-gauge line, but also longer railways not open for public business or for which public business represented a insignificant portion of its revenues. Likewise, they were permissible for tramways, which shared the road surfaces with non-rail vehicles. Narrow-gauge lines were often constructed in mines, farmland, factories, and private estates, where restrictive space or budget forbade the construction of wider railways.
In forests, where gradients tend to be steep and turns sharp, the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) and 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauges were popular and accounted for the majority of forest railways. In the northeastern Kalami mountain range, there exists a 2 ft 6 in mountain railway. There are also a number of "tourist rails" that carry tourists from one attraction to another, built in the early 20th century, that are typically in narrow gauge; these lines utilize separate sheds and vehicles and are not joined to the intercity railway network, and some also regularly carry passengers. Some light rail and tramways are on a 3 ft 6 in gauge, including the system in Kien-k'ang and Tor.
Railways within coal mines and quarries typically operate under even more restrictive gauges, of which 2 ft (610 mm), 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm), and 1 ft 8 in (508 mm) are attested in Themiclesia. These gauges are also not unknown to other applications in salt mining, agriculture, and gardens. Certain passenger railway operations, typically converted from industrial railway, also possess tracks in these gauges, though in recent years many of them have been regauged to more permissive dimensions.
Loading gauges
Old gauge
Prior to 1891, there was no standard loading gauge; the gauge on each private railway was decided by the narrowest point on its route. However, for goods wagons, it was commonly accepted that a normal width which would pass through most lines was 9 ft. The expansion of railways, however, encouraged proprietors to unify gauges across their entire network, so that a single wagon could run without the need to unload and reload. The old gauge was formalized only after the new gauge (below) became standard in the 1890s and was defined by a 9 ft (274 cm) and 12 ft 6 in (381 cm) envelope; while few lines were built to these restrictive dimensions, they were chosen for their universality applicability. Many branch lines may accommodate 9 ft 6 in or even 10 ft 2 in vehicles, though deficiencies in one dimension or another required rolling stock in the old gauge to be used in these lines. It is still seen on some branch lines currently, though periodic efforts have been made to upgrade them to the new gauge.
New gauge
When the Central Junction Railway was built, half of which was underground, dimensions of 10 ft 6 in (320 cm) wide by 14 ft 6 in (442 cm) tall were specified to accommodate the largest coaches then in use. This decision was meant to encourage railways to connect services through the Central Junction, which both provided the government a fee and reduced wagon traffic in Kien-k'ang, a major source of complaints. Between 1897 and 1910, most main lines owned by both National & Maritime and Themiclesian & Northwest were converted to the new gauge, while new constructions met the then-named Central Junction gauge. Because the continuous vaults of the underground sections are directly imprinted onto the limits of this gauge, it is also called the "tunnel gauge".
Though generous by 1890s standards, the 7-mile Central Junction tunnel under Kien-k'ang would by 1920 become the most restrictive point on the Inland Main Line, and widening or heightening the tunnel would entail rebuilding it and demolishing everything built above it. Railway engineers noticed that the immovable height limit could be circumvented if traffic were diverted through the suburbs, where trains ran above ground and were subject to fewer height restrictions. Such a practice led to the development of the over-tall gauge, which was seen on railways that passed through the sparsely-populated east.
New-new gauge
The new-new gauge is the electrified version of the new gauge and includes a modest 6-inch increase in vertical height, which enables double-decker trains to have better headroom. Restrictive height barriers were typically negotiated by lowering the track bed in the late 70s.
Over-tall gauge
The over-tall gauge originated in the 1920s after efforts were made to divert freight traffic from termini in major cities, as freight could travel more efficiently avoiding busy areas that are also more likely to have permanent structures that restrict gauge. Benefiting from benign geography, several lines were converted to accommodate boxcars as much as 16 ft 6 in (503 cm) by 11 ft 6 in (351 cm), whose heavier weight in turn encouraged larger and more powerful locomotives. Some of the largest locomotives ever in service in Themiclesia were built specifically for lines in this gauge. Some efforts were made to expand these railways for wartime requirements during the Pan-Septentrion War, which saw a further 6 in added to the width of the gauge. Despite this, the over-tall gauge is not widespread in Themiclesia, and some were (effectively) converted back to new gauge in the 70s by way of electrification.
Non-electrified lines in this gauge are mainly found in the Themiclesian east, where lines are generally single-track and have few factors which impose restrictions, like bridges and tunnels; on these lines, where services are less frequent, the ability to carry more goods per train was at a premium. After the 1970s, the excess height on the over-tall gauge permitted oversized rolling stock that catered to tourism that was booming in the east, formerly dominated by mining and forestry sectors.
Electric gauge
The electric gauge was developed jointly with Dayashina for high-speed passenger service. In the early 60s, Themiclesia proposed using its existing over-tall gauge to serve as the standard for a high-speed service, but Dayashinese engineers believed that those dimensions were too wide and not sufficiently tall to accommodate overhead catenaries that would be required to supply electricity. The modern electric gauge was thus settled to be 14 ft 9 in (4,500 mm) tall and 11 ft 2 in (3,400 mm) wide. This gauge is current on all high-speed electrified lines operated by National Rail under the brand name Themiclesian High Speed Rail.
Railway links to adjacent countries
Nukkumaa
Themiclesia is connected to Nukkumaa by at four operational railways, three of which are located in the western part of the country, and one in the far east. All four railways were built during the 19th century. One railway connected Themiclesia to Nukkumaa, Suurlaakso, and Uusimaa, where an ocean liner to Hallia was the principal means of communication between the Hemithean and Casaterran continents, and the three other railways principally served freight transport to various parts of the Hallian Commonwealth. However, there is a break of gauge at the Nukko border because the Hallian gauge, which is used in that country, does not conform to the standard gauge. Passengers typically transloaded onto Hallian rolling stock at the city of Skengrak, 9 km south of the border with Nukkumaa.
Dzhungestan
The first rail link between Themiclesia and Dzhungestan was constructed between 1937 and 1939 by Menghean forces to strengthen its logistics in the Themiclesian theatre during the Pan-Septentrion War. The line was constructed using forced labour from prisoners-of-war captured in Maverica and Innominada. This railway was later controlled by Hallian forces operating out of Themiclesia and served a similar function in the subsequent invasion of Menghe via Dzhungestan, and under this administration its capacity was enlarged significantly. At end of the war, the portion of the line within Themiclesia was ceded to that country. This railway remains operational as a freight and passenger railway to a number of small towns in the Themiclesian desert but terminates in Sn′ênk and no longer extends into Dzhungestan. A memorial has been erected in Sn′ênk in memory of the prisoners who died building this railway.
In the 2010s, the Trans-Hemithea High-Speed Railway was planned to link Dayashina, Menghe, Dzhungestan, Themiclesia, and Nukkumaa. This development was envisioned as an econmical alternative to air travel and freight that is faster than ocean transport between the states, which takes a less direct route. In design it is capable of a top speed of 300 km/h. The THHSR network is jointly operated by all parties involved and has been considered a remarkable success in political terms. It has uniform signal systems and track and loading gauge, this being enabled by congruences between the high-speed railways of Dayashina, Menghe, and Themiclesia, and dedicated customs offices permit non-stop service between origin and destination.
Maverica
Themiclesia is connected to Maverica by the Trans-Hemithean Railway, which opened in 1952 and connected further to Menghe. This line was forced to close down in 1959 in view of disquiet in Maverica that eventually led to the establishment of a Communist administration in 1960. Themiclesia removed railway infrastructure over several kilometer for fear of its utility to a hypothetical Maverican invasion. This line was reopened tentatively for freight transport in the late 80s, though trains were unable to pass without stops at the border.
Travelling direction
Most Themiclesian railway lines distinguish between "hither" (各, karāks) and "thither" (戉, mngwāts) travelling directions, which are usually equivalent to "up" and "down" trains on some other networks. During the era of private railroading, this terminology was usually applied relative to the locomotive's depot, such that journeys from the depot would be followed by the opposite journey back towards the depot. After consolidation, which permitted locomotives and trains to be maintained or assembled at more than one place, this distinction evolved to reflect the place of the railroad's headquarters, where travel towards it was considered hither. For National & Maritime, trains travelling towards Kien-k'ang were hither trains, while for Themiclesian Northwestern, those bound for Rak were hither. Currently, trains bound for Kien-k'ang are considered hither by National Rail, while those travelling away from it are thither.
Railways which are not on the inter-city network are more idiosyncratic in their nomenclature. Trains on forest and mine railways are often distinguished between trains into or out of the forest or mine.
Rolling stock
History
The first passenger train in Themiclesia, serving the route between Sngrak and Ped from 1836, offered only one class of service to the public—third class—but provided superior accommodations for the directors of the railway. From the 1840s, a three-class system modelled after Casaterran railways was introduced. Third-class coaches typically were open wagons fitted with benches, while second-class ones possessed glazed windows and upholstered seats. Early coaches were laid out in an open style, but soon compartment coaches became the norm for all classes under Anglian influence in the 1840s. Two-axle coaches were universal until bogie coaches, which permitted easier turning, appeared around 1852. In 1858, the Railways Act mandated that all rolling stock meant for passengers must be roofed.
Prior to the public operator's entry in 1892, there was no statutory standard for operators to classify their rolling stock in any particular way, though out of necessity most operators eventually developed systems that were more or less harmonized with each other, to enable throug running and joint operations. At the onset of the Pan-Septentrion War, all rolling stock was put on notice for commandeer and assigned a classification according to the Temporary Nomenclature issued in 1938; though so named, all Themiclesian operators continue to use it to this day.
Out of a desire for economy and interchangeability, the public operator National Rail had a policy of building standardized coaches for operation on all its lines, starting with wood-steel composite Series 2 (S2) in 1907; existing stock taken over from other operators were called S1 but are in reality not a standardized series. A standardized series usually shared the underframe and bogies and had similar external bodies, varying in internal layout. Series 3 was an improvement upon the S2 introduced in 1915. Series 4 saw the introduction of all-steel bodies in 1927 at 72', and Series 5, being a revision of S4, was made from 1930 onwards. It remained in production until 1954, when the streamlined and air-conditioned S6 entered production.
| Series | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 6 | 6MU | 6.1 | 6.2 | 7MU | 8 | 8MU | 9 | 9MU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 1901 | 1915 | 1927 | 1930 | 1936 | 1946 | 1954 | 1961 | 1963 | 1975 | 1977 | 1987 | 1992 | 2007 | 2015 |
| Underframe | 54' | 65' | 72' | 84' | |||||||||||
| TP | 100 | 120 | 140 | 140 | 140 | 140 | 140 | 140 | 120 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| TPN | 90 | 100 | 100 | 100 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| TPA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 100 | 100 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 |
| SP | 40 | 48 | 48 | 48 | N/A | 48 | 56 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| SPR | N/A | N/A | N/A | 44 | N/A | 44 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 |
| SPC | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 39 | N/A | 42 | N/A | 42 |
| FS | F8 + 24 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| DSB | 36 | N/A | N/A | 40 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||
| F | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| FP | 24 | 20 | 20 | 20 | N/A | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| D | 16 | 24 | 24 | 24 | N/A | N/A | 24 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 24 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| DB | 16 | 24 | 24 | 20 | N/A | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| FDB | N/A | N/A | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 22 | N/A |
First
- First (F) first appeared on Themiclesian railways in 1839. F coaches are usually in the compartment style, without a connecting corridor.
- First Open (FP) appeared in 1856 along with long-distance, through-running express services. An open design allowed sharing of lavatories and an on-board dining carriage, obviating the need for prolonged stops for lavatories or meals. Internal layouts vary but usually had bays containing two opposing rows of seats, with a central or side corridor. There were generally two or three seats in an each row in FO stock.
- Drawing Room (D) was introduced in 1875 as an alternative layout to the typical FO design at that time. Rather than rows of opposing seats, D coaches had rotating seats in an open, unobstructed layout.
- Drawing Room with Observation Platform (DB) was first used as a separate designation for a coach that had a specialized open platform at one end, meant to be at the end of the entire train and to allow passengers to have an unobstructed rear view. As carriages by default came to be built with vestibules in the 1880s, this style can be regarded as an evolution of the D body. It appeared on scenic routes starting from 1900.
- First with Drawing Room and Observation Platform (FDB), a further evolution, was operated by National Rail as a composite of the older FO layout and the more popular D layout, one being present on each end of the coach. Initially, passengers were allowed to specify in which section they wished to sit, but in 1901 the Drawing Room seats were no longer separate sold, being instead regarded as a secondary area for first class passengers to utilize. FDP was used as the final coach on some Reserved Trains during the pre-PSW era.
- First Sleeper (FS) appeared in 1871, providing a row of private bedrooms, for single or double occupancy, opening onto a shared corridor down one side of the coach. The number of rooms varied according to operator and coach length. In 1883 in-room toilets were provided and by 1890 was an expected feature on sleeper coaches labelled as first class. These are some of the most expensive tickets available on Themiclesian railways even today.
First/Second
- First Second Open (FSP), a composite coach used on trains where expected passenger volumes would not justify a complete first class carriage. The coach was divided into a first-class half and second-class half.
- First Second Dining (FSD), a composite coach used on long-distance trains which has separate sections for first and second class ticket holders.
Second
- Second (S), denoting a second-class coach in the compartment style. During the pre-regulation era, coach designs varied considerably in the Second range, with some railways using Second to denote what is a Third on other railways.
- Second Open (SP), denoting a second-class coach in the open style, with a central corridor separating seats. For 72' and 84' mainline coaches, there were typically 6 and 8 bays, each sitting 8, providing 48 or 56 seats straddling a central corridor.
- Second Open AC (SPK) denoting second-class coach in open style, but with air conditioning. Introduced in 1957 on 84' coaches
- Second Recliner (SR) was experimentally introduced in 1932, utilizing recliners that could be alternately used as a normal chair during day and as a makeshift bed at night. The design purported to be a more comfortable alternative to normal seats on overnight trains, commonly attached to serve passengers who would not pay for a sleeper. To allow the chair to recline, all rows face the same direction, and at least post-PSW the chairs could be turned to turn to face the travelling direction. Revived in the Pan-Septentrion War as a workaround for railroad directors and employees against the ban on sleeper coaches. At 72' capacity was 11 rows, and at 84', 13 rows, of 4 seats, for a total of 44 or 52. Post-war, the SR style gained favour over the SP style, eventually becoming the dominant standard second class layout on EMU trainsets.
- Second Dining (SD), used on trains where there was no first class service.
Third
- Third (T), denoting a third-class coach. T coaches had no standardized design prior to the Railways Act of 1864, and many were not different from goods wagons outfitted with side benches. After the Act, T coaches were generally also built as compartment coaches to a specified minimum compartment size of 4'-8".
- Third Open (TP) denoting a third-class coach in open style. Capacity varied considerably between stock but was standardized at 100 seats in 10 bays of 10 seats each.
- Third Open Express (TPX) introduced in 1930 by National Rail, which started running an all-third monoclass Limited Express service. Due to the added costs of operating a service at Limited Express standards, capacity was maximized in TPX stock. At 72' length, each TPX coach accommodated 120 passengers, in 12 bays of 10 seats each; a central corridor divided each bay asymmetrically into 3-seat and 2-seat sides. For S/5.1 at 84', capacity peaked at 140 passengers, but in S/6 it was reduced to 120.
- Third Recliner (TPR) introduced in 1960 as an alternative to the TPX series. These usually sat 96 passengers in chairs that provided only a moderate degree of recline.
Concessions
Vouchers
Vouchers (繫, kiks) are issued by National Rail to support the non-recurring transport needs generated by the government, most prominently under conscription from 1961 through 1982.
To permit troops to make official travel or take advantage of leave to visit family or other cities, National Rail was required by government policy to issue vouchers to various military bases and ports, whose quartermasters granted the vouchers to troops on an as-needed basis. The voucher officially requires the issuing officer to sign for the origin and destination (i.e. the voucher is good for a trip authorized by the issuing authority), but soon after its introduction the requirement was dropped in practice, with vouchers being signed carte blanche without a specified origin and destination. Troops contested for vouchers because National Rail never issued enough to satisfy demand, while commanders often used them as prizes.
Jockeying for vouchers was a part of the military culture of Themiclesian forces, by servicepeople eager to go home or travel on limited stipends and leave. Since National Rail issued vouchers at unpredictable times and in fluctuating quantities, and because quartermasters usually play favourites with the vouchers, the ability to procure a voucher when needed was called the "voucher voodoo".
Similarly, National Rail issues vouchers to support the movement of reservists from their residence to the reservist training area, which can be distant depending on the exact arrangement. Vouchers of this kind are also issued for other gatherings that enjoy government patronage like some scouting activities, where scouts are encouraged to travel alone to enhance their experiences.
Vouchers of this kind are always specified for class of travel, which is on unreserved Third Class for the most part. Occasionally, National Rail issues reserved Recliner vouchers. Recliner vouchers were uncommon and considered highly desirable, even amongst officers. While an officer could afford to travel Recliner on their salary, having a Recliner voucher was a sign of access; thus, whenever National Rail issued Recliner vouchers to a military base, the officers there would especially pressure the quartermaster for them, sometimes even directing subordinates to assist the quartermaster in exchange for a Recliner voucher.
Some veterans of the Consolidated Army recount that there was speculation if First Class vouchers existed, and if so, what level of commander could obtain them. National Rail addressed this suspicion in 1977 (amidst an innundation of inquiries from servicepeople) and revealed that First Class vouchers did exist, but they were only issued in limited quantities to the Board of Trade and Foreign Office, who distributed them either to senior staff or to minor diplomats and trade representatives along with invitation letters. National Rail also revealed that the Ministry of Defence has never requested for First Class vouchers owing to an austerity policy.
The voucher comes from a serialized booklet of 10 vouchers, and vouchers are ripped off when filled. Each booklet came with a piece of carbon paper since each a voucher had a stub for accounting. When the booklet is used up, the quartermaster sends the booklet with stubs remaining back to National Rail. If they fail to do so with stubs intact and signed, they incur for their unit a fine equal to the maximum value the booklet can have at market. Since there are some very long routes in Themiclesia, this fine is considerable and will usually result in financial penalties for the quartermaster.
Passes
Commuter
National Rail issues commuter passes in 1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-month durations. Each duration corresponds with a 5%, 7.5%, 12.5%, and 25% discount.
Student
Primary school children who rely on National Rail services to commute to and from their schools are entitled to an annual or semiannual pass priced at 5% of a 6-month commuter pass. Since this pass grants a 25% discount off single tickets, a primary student pass effectively results in a 96.25% discount. This deeply discounted fare is intended to allow even the most squalid rural families to send their children to school. However, given that primary schools are usually within close distance to their homes, this pass is also restricted to a commute of at most 25 miles.
Secondary school students are entitled to a lesser discount of 85%, but because secondary schools may be located further away (e.g. specialized schools), the commute is up to 75 miles. Tertiary school students are not given special discounts in general, but some universities negotiate with National Rail to issue concessionary passes to students who endure particularly expensive commutes or would otherwise suffer undue hardship.
One of the main conditions on National Rail's charter as the sole operator of railways is the provision deeply discounted tickets for students commuting to and from their schools.
Official
Railway was designated as the means of official travel for civil and military officials at least since the era of public regulation of railways, and a common means before then. To support such travel, National Rail is required to issue tickets to public servants travelling for public business. In principle, the traveller cannot select the type of ticket, which is issued based on the urgency of the business in question and the rank of the public servant.
For officials who travel frequently, a Long-term Official Travel Pass (永年公服乘用券) issued by National Rail allows them to obtain tickets at the counter free of charge, though the Pass is not a valid ticket per se. It details the traveller's name, likeness, position, and type of ticket entitled. The official's department needs to apply for the pass on the official's behalf, providing a valid reason why the public interest is better served by having a Pass rather than claiming the expense from the official's own department each journey.
| Pass type | Ticket claimable | Issued to |
|---|---|---|
| First Class | First Class seat on all day trains, single bedroom on night trains |
Civil servants above Under Secretary |
| Second Class Recliner | Recliner seats | |
| Couchette | Couchette bunk on late night trains | |
| Express | Third Class seating on day express train (unreserved) | |
| General | Third Class seating on stopping train (unreserved) |
National Rail restrictsk each department to a certain number of Official Travel Passes in the interest of abuse prevention, which often causes consternation (particularly in the armed forces) over their distribution.
Wartime austerity demanded that all officials travelling on public business be seated in Third Class ordinary trains, unless a letter be issued stating why express travel is required.
Special services
During Themiclesia's period of national conscription between 1961 and 1983, National Rail ran special "Defence Trains" (戍職客車) and "Defence Limited Express" (戍職對號特快) services for defence servicepeople. Normal defence charter trains provide service between military bases and major cities, with the intention that servicepeople can enjoy a discounted fare for a large leg of their journey. The limited express variety run between major cities and serve primarily officers who need to travel for official purposes to other cities.
Servicepeople who take these special trains can apply their regimental discounts towrds a discounted base tariff, resulting in a lower fare than otherwise obtained by their regimental discounts only; a normal Defence Train was tariffed at only 60% Third Class fare, and assuming a 5% regimental discount, a serviceperson taking this service would pay only 57% normal fare. Non-servicepeople can also take defence trains, but they cannot enjoy the discounted base tariff available to servicepeople. Additionally, there is a persistent issue where servicepeople are unfriendly to non-servicepeople who take defence charters, even though the Ministry of Defence has announced stiff penalties for such "poor behaviour".
Subways and light rail transit
Inter-city network
| Line | Hither end | Thither end | Length | Electrified | Cities served en route | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric (km) | Imperial | |||||
| Inland Main Line | Tsin | Rak | 406.3 | 251 mi 73 ch | Yes | Sin |
| Central Line | Tsin | Tenibh | 797.1 | 494 mi 27 ch | No | Lrêng, Ploi, Sn′i |
| Northwest Main Line | Tsin | T′ub | 526.7 | 326 mi 45 ch | Yes | Kengrakw, Mgraq |
| Skngrak Line | Tsin | Skngrak | 833.6 | 516 mi 77 ch | From Ped | Mgraq, Ped, L′in |
| Coastal Main Line | Tsin | Skngrak | 1109.8 | 688 mi 2 ch | No | Ngang, R′ad, Dzep |
| West Main Line | Rim | De | 784.8 | 486 mi 42 ch | To Ped | Tor, Ngang, Ped, De |
| Tor Line | Tsin | Tor | 235.6 | 146 mi 10 ch | No | |
| Prjin Main Line | Tsin | Qe-pa | 702.9 | 435 mi 70 ch | To Qe-pa | Rim, Te, Qe-pa |
| Eastern Line | Nek | Rak | 503.2 | 312 mi | No | K′an |
| P′an Line | Tsin | P′an | 1423.6 | 882 mi 55 ch | No | |
| Southeast Line | Rim | Stseng | 808.9 | 501 mi 43 ch | No | Stui, Nek |
| South Loop | Tsin | Nedrings | 514.6 | 319 mi 12 ch | No | Nek, Gob-kri |
| South Main Line | Tsin | Ngwang-tu | 362.0 | 224 mi 35 ch | Yes | Stui |
| North Transverse Line | Rak | Skngrak | 692.5 | 429 mi 21 ch | Yes | Sn′i, T′ub, L′in |
| T′ub Line | Rak | De | 434.6 | 269 mi 45 ch | No | Sn′i, Rap, T′ub |
| Central Transverse Line | Rak | Ngang | 449.9 | 278 mi 79 ch | Yes | Ploi, Mgraq |
| Qong Main Line | Rak | Qong | 218.8 | 135 mi 47 ch | Yes | |
| Tenibh Line | Rak | Skngrak | 693.2 | 429 mi 69 ch | No | Tenibh, Pê |
| Riparian Line | Rak | Kengrakw | 278.0 | 172 mi 30 ch | No | Lrêng |
| Sin Line | Sin | Lreng | 102.1 | 63 mi 26 ch | Yes | |
| Kengrakw Line | Kengrakw | Ploi | 113.6 | 70 mi 33 ch | Yes | |
| West Isthmus Line | Qe-pa | Sam | 494.4 | 306 mi 39 ch | No | |
| East Isthmus Line | Te | Belong | 307.3 | 190 mi 47 ch | No | |
| L′in Main Line | Rim | Mek | 793.5 | 491 mi 77 ch | No | Loi, Ngang, Tats, Ped, Hrip, De, Pê |
| Prabay Line | Qong | Prabay | 773.5 | 479 mi 45 ch | No | |
| Great Eastern Line | Rak | Sakarna | 2235.8 | 1386 mi 17 ch | To ′An | ′An |
| Great Northern Line | Qong | Tiba | 2336.5 | 1448 mi 43 ch | No | ′An, Apollonia |
| Ka-ra Line | Apollonia | Ka-ra | 303.9 | 188 mi 31 ch | No | |
| Southwest Line | Tsin | Nedrings | 281.8 | 174 mi 51 ch | No | Prit |
| Trans-Hemithean Railway | Rim | Doi | 341.1 | 211 mi 44 ch | No | Nedrings, Ngwang-tu |
| Total | 19518.6 | 12102 mi | ||||