High-speed rail in Esthursia
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
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 |
