CTRL - drive on left or right?

"Angus Bryant" <atb23@cam.ac.uk> wrote in message news:<bjrutv$1pi$1@pegasus.csx.cam.ac.uk>...

> What happens at the interface between left- and right-hand running
> (including at borders between France and the rest of Europe)? Are there
> flat crossings, or flyovers like the Central line between East Acton and
> White City?

As far as France is concerned, there is indeed a flyover at Imling
(ex-Imlingen) on the (Paris-)Nancy-Strasburg line (restricted to
130kph-81mph), slightly east of the former border point of
Nouvel-Avricourt (ex-Deutsch Avricourt).

There is also a flyover on the Paris/Nancy-Metz line at the southern
entrance of Metz, beyond the former border point of Noveant
(ex-Neuburg im Loethringen).

Same at the former border point of Fontoy (ex-Fentsch) on the
Lille-Metz line.

On the Mulhouse-Dijon/Lyon line, there used to be a flyover at
Illfurth (ex-Jllfuhrt), close to Mulhouse, and well beyond the former
border point of Montreux-Vieux (ex-Altmuensterol).
As this flyover imposed a speed restriction of 100kph-62mph, it was
flattened in 1968, in the frame of the electrification of
Mulhouse-Belfort (with a 160kph-100mph upgrade). The change nos takes
place in Mulhouse station, merely by flat crossing in the western side
of the station.

LGV Est Paris-Strasburg will be left-running throughout. This means
that the Baudrecourt Junction (used by
Paris-Strasburg/Stuttgart/Zurich services until stage 2 is completed)
will have a further flyover to allow for the change. The chord between
Baudrecourt and the Metz-Saarbrucken line (to be used by
Paris-Frankfurt services) will be single-tracked, so no flyover
required.

When stage 2 (Baudrecourt-Vendemheim, in the outskirts of Strasburg)
enters service, there will be two extra junctions (one in Reding to
allow for regional TGVs Nancy-Strasburg, and the other one in
Vendenheim, at the end of the LGV)with an extra flyover.

Now that the plans for a cross-border LGV between Vendenheim (FR) and
Baden-Baden or Achern (D) are being reveived, there might also be a
flyover close to the new bridge to be built over the Rhine, to allow
for a smooth transition between French and German domains.

There will also be a flyover on the long-awaited Perpignan-Figueras
LGV, in French territory, slightly North of an impressive viaduct to
be launched over the Tech. The flyover will allow 350kph-217mph.

Concerning the Belgian-Dutch lines, there is currently no flyover.
Mere flat junctions in Roosendaal and Maastricht stations, instead.
However, there will be AFAIK a flyover on the Antwerpen-Amsterdam LGV
now under construction, presumably somewhere between Brecht (BE) and
the southern outskirts of Breda (NL).

On Liege-Aachen, Thalys/ICE services will still use the existing line
when crossingf the Belgian-German border, yet upgraded. There is a
flyover at the western entrance of Aachen, but I gathered that some
extensive works were planned in that sector.


Best regards.

Phil

P.L.Guillemin wrote:
> On Liege-Aachen, Thalys/ICE services will still use the existing line
> when crossingf the Belgian-German border, yet upgraded. There is a
> flyover at the western entrance of Aachen, but I gathered that some
> extensive works were planned in that sector.

On the freight line Aachen West-Montzen, no flyover is provided.
I do not know where the trains change sides, however.

In Austria, on some part of the network right hand running is used,
and laft-hand running on others. Near Bruck an der Mur, flat crossing
is used to change sides. There must be changeovers somewhere on tbe
connecting railways in Wien, but I have no details.

On the Øresund link between Denmark and Sweden, right-hand running
(as in Denmark) is employed into Malmö station, a terminal.

Stockholm's Nockebybanan, a tram line, has left-hand running at
Alvik station to facititate cross-platform transfer to the metro
(which runs on the left). A flat crossing at Alléparken station
takes the trams to the right :) side.

A tram tunnel in Zürich has left-hand running (enabling single-ended
trams to use the centre island platforms). Side change via flyover at
one end at least.

Between Germany and Switzerland, flat crossings are used.

There appears to be a stretch with left-hand running and a flyover
on DBAG tracks in the south of Nürnberg.

Klaus

rvdborgt+@xs4all.be (Rian van der Borgt) wrote in message news:<slrnbmn1tp.plv.rvdborgt+@xs1.xs4all.be>...
> On 19 Sep 2003 10:24:28 -0700, P.L.Guillemin wrote:
> >Concerning the Belgian-Dutch lines, there is currently no flyover.
> >Mere flat junctions in Roosendaal and Maastricht stations, instead.
> >However, there will be AFAIK a flyover on the Antwerpen-Amsterdam LGV
> >now under construction, presumably somewhere between Brecht (BE) and
> >the southern outskirts of Breda (NL).
>
> AFAIK, this flyover will be at Barendrecht, between Dordrecht and
> Rotterdam.

So there will be a substantial mileage of left-track running into the
Netherlands.

But how will the transition take place in Breda for
Amsterdam-Eindhoven and Arnhem-Antwerpen IC services that will partly
run on HSL-Zuid?


Regards.

Phil

"David Eerdmans" <usenet36@xs4all.nl> wrote in message news:<01c38090$ba647ea0$9600000a@computer>...

> BTW, this is an interesting statement by High Speed Alliance (the operator
> of the trains on the HSL Zuid, a subsidary of NS and KLM (/Air France ;-)):

Not yet...

> Short summary: because the national govermnent chose to charge a high track
> price to HSA, HSA is forced to introduce market based prices. This means
> that the prices will be on average 60 % more expensive than regular train
> tickets. A lower track price would result in lower prices and more
> travellers.

I really wonder who in the Netherlands will be willing to pay 60% more
than the normal fare :-)

Will the current IC services running on the conventional line between
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Breda be retained?

If so, the competition will be tough, but there will be a conflict of
interests, as both kind of services will be directly or indirectly
operated by NS...


> I'm wondering why the Dutch government chose to franchise the service on
> the high speed line; AFAIK franchising railways is usually practiced if
> there's a government subsidy for the operator... if the government is
> mainly interested in receiving a high track price, why don't they allow any
> operator that's willing to pay that price?

I remember various speeches made by Mrs. Jorritsma and Netelenboos in
1998-2000 about the tendering of the operation of HSL-Zuid services.
Basically, the State wants royalties not to repay its subsidy for the
construction of HSL-Zuid, but rather to fund other infrastructure
improvements elsewhere.

I don't have the precise figure for the fee to be paid by HSA every
year, but in 2001, it was announced that it would be in the region of
EUR 150 M. DB/Arriva, which also had submitted a bid for those
services (alongside with Connex/SJ/Connexxion and Virgin/Stagecoach)
protested that this was too high. IIRC, DB is now seeking to challenge
the award of the franchise to HSA on various grounds...

This seems like combining the
> negative effects of state monopolies and a free market. :-/

And if all or part of passenger rail transport, that franchise will be
obsolete... As regards Paris-Amsterdam services, it already looks like
very anachronic. If Thalys does not match your expectations, you have
no choice but to switch to other means of transportation...

Once HSL-Zuid is completed, it would be interesting to have various
competing operators on HSL-Zuid...


Best regards.

Phil