High-speed rail in Esthursia

A high-speed train in Esthursia, the Yondfarer

Esthursia has a relatively extensive network of high-speed railways, with the first leg (GSI 1a, Weskerby to Mereling) opening in June 1978, and its first full line (GS1, Weskerby to Brantley) completed in January 1980 with the opening of the Aughtsey Tunnel. A total of 11 GSIs (Atlish: Great-Spede Isernbæns, lit. high-speed railways) have been completed, to a total of 3,737km in length, with a twelfth of approximately 200km connecting Cordane's north and south is in planning. A total of 10,052km of railway is operational for high-speed railway travel over 200km/h as of October 2023, with a further 242km under construction; GSIs thus make up less than half of total high-speed rail length, with other swiftways making up the remainder.

Tracks

Newly-built tracks, which comprise of the great-speed lines and their respective spurs, generally have a operational limit of 300km/h, however some (typically more arterial routes, e.g. Weskerby-Brantley-Esthampton) allow for slightly higher 320km/h speeds. Approximately two-thirds of Esthursia's railways are not great-speed lines but instead swiftways, or expressways, which are typically upgraded conventional lines with a limit of between 200 and 250km/h. Esthursian GSIs and expressways are all electrified.

Esthursia operates a standard 1436mm track gauge. The majority of curves on GSI lines are relatively long compared to most high-speed railways, with a minimum of 4km as radii for lines built before 1999, and 6km thereafter.

Separation

GSIs and expressways do not have level crossings, and are fenced off to prevent fatalities of trespassing people or animals. Bridges, by law, must have sensors over these railways to detect any falling objects down onto the track. All GSIs and expressways are grade-separated.

Extent

Great-speed lines

A map of GSIs (coloured) and expressways (grey dashed) in Esthursia - as displayed, GSI12 is included while Hancroft Spur is not in GSI9

Esthursia has a total of eleven operational lines, however some are split into a) and b) sections, usually as a result of different legs being constructed at different intervals. A number of lines are proposed, with four planned and one currently under-construction (as an add-on to the GSI9 at Hancroft).

Line name	Start and end points	Maximum speed	Opening	Length
GSI1	Weskerby–Brantley	320 km/h	1980	426 km
GSI2	Mereling–Execester	300 km/h	1988	378 km
GSI3	Weskerby–Esthampton(–Therston)	320 km/h (300 km/h)	1987 (1994)	457 km
GSI4	Tynwald–Fjármagn	300 km/h	1996	376 km
GSI5	Execester–Tynwald	300 km/h	2005	372 km
GSI6a	Brantley–Shefforth	320 km/h	2002	116 km
GSI6b	Shefforth–Sorren	300 km/h	2022	247 km+
GSI7a	Gloucester–Hereporth	300 km/h	2015	146 km
GSI7b	Hereporth–Cannock (and Hexastalia)	300 km/h	2021	136 km
GSI8	Helston–Ravenscroft	300 km/h	2011	320 km
GSI9	Execester–Rennezh	320 km/h	2018	224 km
GSI10	Weskerby–Gloucester	300 km/h	2009	221 km
GSI11	Execester–Yeaburn	300 km/h	2020	298 km

Planned and proposed great-speed lines

Line name	Start and end points	Maximum speed	Opening	Length
Hancroft Spur	GSI9–Hancroft	300 km/h	2026 (under construction)	24 km
GSI12	Garston–Newbrough	300 km/h	2028 (planned)	203 km
Alnewood Pass Upgrade (GSI13?)	Strackway–Lancestre	300 km/h	2030+ (planned)	177 km
Holmfirth Spur (GSI14?)	Brantley–Holmfirth	320 km/h	2030 (planned)	105 km
Midland Way (GSI15?)	Wencaster–Langstead	300 km/h	2030 (planned)	170 km
Merthing Way	Helston–Strantglade	300 km/h	2035+ (proposed)	~260 km
Iveston Pass	Strantglade–Cottingbury	300 km/h	2040+ (proposed)	~305 km
Helvellyn Ironway	Norvysporth–Tregarval	250 km/h	2040+ (proposed)	117 km
Bramberby Way	Ravenscroft–Cottingbury	300 km/h	2040+ (proposed)	~500 km