Vyvlubaan
| File:Vyvlubaan.png | |
| Government-owned corporation (LK) | |
| Industry | Transport |
| Predecessor | Vyvluder Nazonalbaan, Lyksdal-Sdaamro-Baan, Mafiy an Norfligbaan (in 1953) Syfbaan (in 1984) |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Vyvland |
Key people | Rujar Mafjassen |
| Products | Rail transport, Cargo transport |
| Revenue |  µ8.796 billion (2012) |
| µ532 million (2012) | |
| µ248 million (2012) | |
| Owner | Government of Vyvland (100%) |
Number of employees | 130,000 (2013) |
| Divisions |
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| Subsidiaries |
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| Website | http://www.vyvlubaan.vy/ |
Vyvlubaan (alternatively known as Vyvland Rail in English) is the national rail company operating the majority of Vyvland's railways and railway infrastructure. It is wholly government-owned and operates throughout Vyvland. In total, the network carries 800 million passengers per year, in addition to freight. The current company formed out of the merger of the two main North Vyvlander rail companies, who were turning over losses at the time, in the 1950s. In 1984, it incorporated the railways of South Vyvland, which had been previously organised under the provisional Syfbaan banner. The company also operates buses in addition to transport franchises in other countries through subsidiary companies.
History
The first railways in Vyvland were small and often local affairs which were disparate and not connected with each other. A prime example of this is Vyvland's first intercity railway, the Fijralbaan, opened in 1836. The railway connected St. Simon station in Jesel and Vlut station in Lorence via a wide-gauge line. Although many smaller rail operators unified in the following decades, the system remained patchy until a few major companies began to standardise the rail gauge system, with the aid of government grants. As a result, passenger numbers began to increase. However, war and the rise of the motorcar in the 1930s and 1940s lessened demand for rail usage.
The two major North Vyvlander rail companies, Vyvluder Nazonalbaan and Lyksdal-Sdaamro-Baan, had both turned losses for the decade leading up to 1953, due to increased car and bus use and higher fuel and labour costs. Thus, Johan Daler's Socialist administration at the time had pledged to nationalise the two companies, along with the smaller (but no more successful) Mafiy an Norfligbaan; this idea had been pushed for by the previous Prime Minister, Frig Brayeer. Although the idea was met with some opposition, the Rail Nationalisation Act passed through the National Diet in 1952 relatively easily, with the two main companies both supporting the act.
Rail infrastructure was not improved or invested in during the next decade, although from then on rail lines were invested in and in some cases reopened from previous cuts; the superior northern railway system (and infrastructure more generally) was used as a propaganda tool by the Northern government, as well as being a pride of Northerners. However, Vyvlander reunification in 1983 resulted in the need to incorporate the Southern railway lines, many of which were in a state of disrepair, into the national network. Investments into the Southern rail system were funded by the Baangeld initiative, which also paved the way for electrification of minor lines in the former North, with major lines having been electrified in the 1970s. The rail network was particularly badly hit by the Great August Storm in 1993, especially in eastern provinces.
Since 1990, passenger numbers have consistently risen year on year, reaching their highest ever levels in 2002, and continuing to rise in every year since, except 2008. To combat increasing congestion on rail lines, the first high-speed stretch of Vyvlubaan's network was built by 2006 between Vlud and Lorence, followed by another stretch in 2011 between Vlud and Mafiy. Both were built adjacent to existing lines to minimise costs.
Operations
Vyvlubaan operates in every province in Vyvland, and serves all major cities in the country. Passenger operations are divided into four sectors, each covering one of the main parts of the rail system. They are:
- Sdadbaan (SB, city railway), which operates trains into and out of major cities, designed for commuters. These trains use a combination of purpose-built SB lines and general-purpose rail lines, which will often contain separate SB platforms.
- Nazonalbaan (national railway), which operates long-distance national trains on major routes which stop at major cities and towns only. These trains travel at high speed, often on parallel tracks to those used for other services. All Nazonalbaan services are electrified.
- Laanbaan (provincial railway), which operates medium- and long-distance services which stop at well-used stations only.
- Lokalbaan (local railway), which operates short-distance stopping services, especially in rural areas.
All of Vyvlubaan's railways are standard gauge, while the all main lines are electrified in addition to most other lines in the former North, which saw higher levels of rail investment. The company serves 1.8 million passengers per day over the whole Vyvlander rail network, with the exception of a few private and municipal-owned lines, including the city-owned Jeselbaan commuter rail service, and services to and from Kreuveld and Sangerstraand, both of which are run by private operators.