Royal Radictistan Railways
Native name | Dukliche Radictistanische Eisenbanen |
|---|---|
| Government-owned corporation | |
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Sir Armin Sobolev, KCR CEO |
Production output | 2.83 million passengers (2018) |
| Services | Intercity passenger rail, Rail freight |
| Parent | Royal Radictistan Holdings Corporation |
| Divisions | Northern Region Southern Region Eastern Region Western Region |
Royal Radictistan Railways (Radictistani: Dukliche Radictistanische Eisenbanen) is a state-owned railway company responsible for all intercity passenger service and most freight service in the Grand Duchy of Radictistan. It owns and operates services on 55,473 route-kilometers of track of which about sixty percent is electrified at 15 kV AC. The railways are the primary source of reliable intercity travel within Radictistan and subsequently enjoys relatively high levels of customer satisfaction. All tentative proposals to privatize the rail system in whole or in part have foundered.
Organization
Royal Radictistan Railways is divided into four operating regions, Northern Region, Southern Region, Eastern Region, and Western Region. Each region is a semi-autonomous vertically integrated entity responsible for all infrastructure and operation within its territory. Interregional services, such as many Intercity routes and some long haul freight routes, are operated cooperatively by multiple regions.
Network
Royal Radictistan Railways owns and has exclusive operations rights on 55,473 route-kilometers of track. Of this network, 34,229 kilometers are equipped with overhead electrification at 15 kV AC. The rail network is most dense in Norcustsur where heavy demand for mineral haulage accounts for an outsized percentage of total revenue. Most RRR-owned track is designed for maximum operational speeds between 100 km/h and 160 km/h. The most important routes are the Nuxenstat-Hartfer Main Line and Nuxenstat-Beschertal Main Line which host the high speed Intercity Express trains as well as numerous freight services. These are the fastest lines within the Radictistani network, with design speeds of 220 km/h and 200 km/h respectively. Sleepers (ties) are most commonly made of prestressed concrete with wood sleepers still in use on some rural branch lines. Wood sleepers are being progressively replaced as they wear out. Some maintenance issues exist on lightly trafficked branch lines but in general Radictistani railways are maintained to a high standard. All RRR lines have been built to the 1,435 millimeter gauge.
Passenger service
Royal Radictistani Railways operates four levels of passenger service, with average speeds and levels of accomodation varying between level. In the year 2018, Royal Radictistan Railways transported 2.83 billion passengers.
Intercity Express
Operated between the cities of Hartfer, Nuxenstat, and Beschertal, the Intercity Express is the highest passenger train category on Royal Radictistan Railways. They are pulled by Van Luxemburger Serie 88 electric locomotives at speeds of up to 220 kilometers per hour.[1] These services are operated jointly by the Northern and Eastern regions.
Royal Radictistan Railways plans to construct a series dedicated high speed lines which will allow trains to operate at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. The first of these lines, which will run from Brightburg through Nuxenstat to Hartfer, began construction in September 2022.
Intercity
Intercity services are defined by crossing county boundaries and by limited-stop operation. Intercity trains are fully equipped with first class seating and full service onboard dining facilities. They operate mainly on the various Main Lines. Night services are operated between Hartfer and Wussrhas under the Intercity Night brand. Intercity and Intercity Night trains are used to transport the Royal Mail.
Short haul
Royal Radictistan Railways operates two levels of local all stop services: Regional and Local. Both are restricted to operating within a single county. The two services differ in the level of onboard accommodation. Regional trains have first class seating and food service. Local trains have neither and primarily serve commuters.
Rolling stock
Because of the vast size of its network, Royal Radictistan Railways utilizes a large number of locomotive, multiple unit, and non-powered rolling stock classes. Freight, Intercity Express, and Intercity trains are pulled by locomotives while Regional and Local trainsets tend to be comprised of multiple units. Most rail vehicles used by Royal Radictistan Railways are produced in Radictistan by a number of private companies but some high-end units, such as the Serie 88 locomotives, are imported from other countries. Royal Radictistan Railways' top domestic supplier of powered and non-powered equipment is Rabensberg Heavy Industries. The Rabensberg EBW04 and EBW03 are the standard passenger carriages in use by Royal Radictistan Railways.
Air-rail connections
Passengers arriving at or departing from Nuxenstat Xenocimedes Radicti International Airport through either Royal Radictistan Airways or Norcust Aviation can purchase a combined ticket and have their checked baggage transferred from their train to the aircraft or vice versa.
Financial performance
Royal Radictistan Railways is operated with the intent of returning a modest profit to the government. The company makes a small profit most years. Freight service is often used to subsidize unprofitable passenger transport. The railways do not receive regular appropriations of money from the government but major infrastructure improvements are paid for by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Notes
- ↑ On some sections of the Nuxenstat-Hartfer Main Line.