Commonwealth Rail

Commonwealth Rail
State Corporation of Vekllei
Parent	Ministry of the Commons
Bureau	Bureau of Rail
Industry	Rail transport
Headquarters	Oslola
Founded	1855, as the Pharos Rail Company
Employees	65,240
S.A.

Overview #

The Commonwealth Rail Federation (trading as CommRail, Commonwealth National Rail or CNR) is the national rail transport operator in Vekllei. It is a complex organisation federalised across hundreds of regional and municipal operators under common administration and branding, and accounts for almost all rail transport in the country.

CommRail is unlike basically any other transport company in the world because of a unique confluence of factors, including its service ubiquity, corporate federalism and network diversity of its operations and systems.

1. Service ubiquity: For many Vekllei people, CommRail transport is the primary way by which they get about. They generally do not drive and rely heavily on public service to commute and travel. Because of this, CommRail service networks are much denser than those overseas.
2. Corporate federalism: At a national level, CommRail functions much like other state-owned corporations. However, much like the Commonwealth Government, CommRail is a federal organisation that comprises constituent municipal corporations that better meet local needs.
3. Network diversity: Vekllei is among the most geographically diverse countries in the world and comprises 78 different republics. CommRail has a network presence across all of them, which range from cable railways on tropical islands to trams in the polar regions.

It is difficult to understate the scope of the CommRail network. Visitors can look to its cultural relevance in commonwealth society, and how important its services are to their lives. There are nearly 5,000 electric multiple units in Oslola alone. Nearly every type of rail transport is represented, and in significant quantity. The diversity of the CommRail fleet is also unparalleled, and includes revenue service of both steam locomotives and high-speed maglevs each day. But each of these only gestures towards its overall outline; the real importance of CommRail as a pillar of society. Vekllei is not just a place with a lot of trains, but in fact a nation mobilised by rail. Their assumptions and beliefs about democracy, accessibility, connectivity and a national civic identity all fold back into CommRail in one way or another.

The headquarters of CommRail are located in Pharos, Oslola, the site of the country’s first railway. The administration of the company far exceeds its headquarters, however, and there is a corporate presence on nearly every Vekllei republic. About 20 million people each day pass through its network in one place or another. The company is administered and operated by the Bureau of Rail.

Introduction #

Since the federation of municipal rail companies in 2020, the structure and reach of CommRail has evolved into the world’s most comprehensive federated rail network. In the principle of operational subsidiarity, CommRail comprises hundreds of constituent operators that maintain their own character while sharing common administration, basic branding and operational standards. The local operators are able to control their own scheduling, stylistic elements and traditions so long as they do not negatively impact service.

The rail network density in metropolitan areas is unmatched globally, and designed to provide access within walking distance of virtually every residence. This principle extends to rural areas, where dedicated lines serve small communities that would be economically unviable under conventional transport planning. As evidenced by the network maps, Vekllei’s passenger rail coverage achieves levels of integration that transform it from a commuter service into fundamental infrastructure for social and economic life.

Just as people depend on CommRail to get around, companies depend on CommRail to move goods. CommRail Freight services include both mainline and last-mile transportation and are the primary way to move cargoes on land around the country. Major retailers and industrial facilities are positioned along freight corridors with dedicated sidings, while narrow-gauge networks serve individual factory complexes and commercial districts.

CommRail has a mandate for all types of tracked service and some specialised methods of transport like ropeways and cable trains. It does not however operate buses or ferries, which are run and maintained by dedicated municipal companies.

Structure #

CommRail operates as a federated state enterprise under the Ministry of the Commons through the Bureau of Rail. While maintaining unified national branding and operational standards, the organisation comprises constituent municipal and republican rail corporations that preserve local character and meet specific regional needs.

The federal structure allows for remarkable operational diversity – from cable railways serving tropical islands to polar trams in Arctic territories, each maintaining rolling stock, scheduling and service patterns for local conditions. This federalism enables responsive local management while achieving the economies of scale necessary for a truly comprehensive network.

Service #

Very few Vekllei people own cars, and the ubiquity of bicycles allows transport only for some people across some distances. Rail in Vekllei, in one form or another, facilitates travel for everyone. Connectivity, punctuality and reliability are the basis of railway service, and all people of the islands share the same dependence on its services.

Vekllei trains are typically designed to run in one kind of service, and it is unusual to see limited express trainsets running in express services, for example. This rigidity is a result of both the diversity of Commrail rolling stock and the strong standardisation process that underpins passenger rail operations. This also helps passengers recognise services by the type of train, since different models serve specific routes.

Vekllei has a strong railway tradition and culture, and individual routes and trainsets often have sentimental value. Trains and routes are given names by constituent operators, and often have unique liveries and branding.

Rail Services #

Vekllei is a nation of rail, and has the highest density of trains and trams of any country in the world. Most Vekllei people do not own or cannot drive automobiles, and so rail transport is their primary means of getting around. To this end, Commrail operates a uniquely comprehensive network that links almost every village, settlement and home in the country.

The vast majority of Commrail lines are conventional medium and short-distance rail, but the network includes a handful of high speed rail services. Rapid express services comprise Vekllei high speed rail with top operating speeds in excess of 180km/h. They typically make few stops and run on dedicated grade-separated standard gauge tracks. Because most Vekllei republics are small islands, there are only a handful of Rapid Express routes across the country, including Oslola and Kairi.

Vekllei operates a variety of trams and streetcars, including double-decker street-level units and so-called “fast trams” (inter-urban cars) outside of the cities. Depending on the make and route of the tramway, they may be grade-separated or integrated into streets. Their ubiquity in urban areas has caused observers to regard them as the principal method of transport in the country, second only to the bicycle.

Freight #

CommRail Freight operates as an integrated system serving industrial and consumer needs through an extensive system of dedicated freight lines, shared passenger tracks and specialised delivery services. Structured as an integrated constituent company, CommRail Freight includes conventional mainline operations, industrial sidings serving major facilities and narrow-gauge networks penetrating individual factory complexes and commercial districts.

The system utilises both electric and diesel traction depending on local conditions, with electric freight locomotives handling the majority of heavy haulage on electrified routes. Diesel units serve areas where electrification remains impractical, particularly in remote polar regions or specialised industrial applications.

Automatic freight systems operate continuously on dedicated routes, serving as the primary distribution network for consumer goods throughout the commonwealth. These unmanned cargo trains follow predetermined schedules, serving distribution centres and retail outlets across the network. The automation reduces operating costs while maintaining precise delivery schedules essential for Vekllei’s commons.

Operations #

CommRail’s operations reflect its role as the physical network of Vekllei society. With nearly 20 million passenger journeys daily across a population of nearly 27 million, the system achieves rates of utilisation that demonstrate its centrality to Commonwealth life and culture. The quality and reliability of CommRail services directly impacts daily life for virtually every Commonwealth person.

CommRail’s operating philosophy values accessibility and comprehensive service over pure efficiency. Services are designed to connect every community regardless of economic viability, and so their network should not be understood as a commercial enterprise. This approach results in the maintenance of extensive rural networks and specialised services that would be unsustainable under conventional commercial operations.

Operational Subsidiarity #

CommRail is one of the finest examples of a federalised Vekllei corporation. It is ostensibly government-owned – at least on paper – but has little resemblance to foreign national corporations. Instead, CommRail is a consortium of people, routes, stations and machines assembled in various fashions according to what suits their local conditions. It is a corporation made up of hundreds of smaller corporations, which may themselves be federations of owner-operators. Yet all of them are wearing CommRail uniform.

In the same way we describe a network of rail lines, it is appropriate to think of CommRail as a network of services and infrastructure, organised in ways that make sense to their communities and benefited by common standards, practices and designs. Local operators maintain autonomy over scheduling, route naming, aspects of rolling stock liveries and service patterns within their territories, creating distinct regional railway cultures while ensuring network compatibility.

This subsidiarity extends to individual services and crews. Long-term driver-conductor teams on rural routes develop intimate knowledge of their communities, often knowing passengers by name and adjusting services to accommodate local needs. These crews operate with considerable discretion in service delivery, from making unscheduled stops for elderly passengers to coordinating with local events and festivals. Eventually, they can come to claim these routes and the machines that run them as their own – at least to some extent.

Crew Stewardship and Route Ownership #

One of CommRail’s most distinctive features is the development of stewardship relationships between crews and their routes. In a fashion similar to the Vekllei legal understanding of property, stewardship forms the basis for legal ownership. In Vekllei’s railways, this concept manifests as a claim to ownership through long-term commitment to specific services. This is an expression of Commonwealth subsidiarity, and among its more idyllic examples.

The railways have a close relationship with Vekllei communities, and the drivers and conductors that work them are easily recognised and well regarded. So why not, in the principle of subsidiarity, allow them to manage their own affairs, so long as the services run reliably and on time?

Route Stewardship, as it’s called, allows experienced drivers, conductors and station staff to gain formal recognition as route stewards after demonstrating long-term commitment to specific services. This recognition increases their operational autonomy, priority in crew assignments and eventually, ownership claims over station housing and route-specific equipment including locomotives and trains. Like other kinds of property ownership in Vekllei, this does not necessarily mean a binary or exclusive claim to ownership – the land sovereign and society, in this case represented by CommRail, would retain a claim.

Stewardship Development typically follows this pattern:

• Years 1-5: Standard employment with rotating assignments across multiple routes, directed by the constituent company and ultimately CommRail.
• Years 5-10: Preferred assignment to specific routes, developing passenger relationships
• Years 10-15: Senior crew status with training responsibilities for junior staff. The right to develop and maintain route stewardship.
• Years 15-20: Route stewardship recognition with operational autonomy. Development of claims over routes.
• Years 20+: Substantial claims over station housing and equipment relevant to regular service, including trains and locomotives.

Rural and branch line services particularly benefit from this system. A driver who has operated the same route for decades develops knowledge of track conditions, local weather patterns and community needs. Their stewardship ensures service continuity while fostering deep community connections that strengthen CommRail’s social role and emphasise the ludic aspects of Vekllei society.

Community Integration #

CommRail operations are a foundation of social life in Vekllei, and integrate with the communities it serves through flexible scheduling and service adjustments. Local operators coordinate with municipalities to accommodate community events, seasonal activities and cultural celebrations.¹

Station staff often serve multiple community functions beyond transportation. Rural stations frequently house post offices, community meeting spaces, and information centres. Station masters play broad and often undesignated roles in many towns and villages, including arranging furniture deliveries and maintaining town bulletin boards.

The integration extends to freight operations, with industrial sidings and delivery services coordinated through local economic councils.

Technical Coordination #

While rail federalisation produces incredible diversity across the constituent operators, the basic operations of rail transport in Vekllei are heavily standardised. All operators are subject to the same technical and safety standards, and there are minimum requirements for operation for all kinds of rail transport.

Signals, track standards, emergency procedures are the same across all parts of the country. Rolling stock is diverse in appearance but technical specifications – carriage trucks, pantographs, air conditioning – are standardised in the central fashion of Commonwealth bureau industry. The result is a system that is varied and interesting while minimising hassle and avoidable maintenance.²

Technical maintenance operates through regional workshops coordinated by local operators, usually owned by municipalities. Today they are mostly automatic and work to central specifications, and specialise in specific equipment types.

Stations and Infrastructure #

CommRail operates over 3,200 stations across all 83 republics, ranging from simple concrete platforms serving rural communities to magnificent terminal complexes that anchor urban centers. The largest facility, National Station in Oslola, processes over 1.2 million passengers daily and serves as the symbolic heart of the entire network.

Stations in Vekllei are as diverse as the network, but generally reflect the energy and optimism of the railways, which are now in their fourth decade of federalisation and are reaching new heights of network size and demand. The Millenium Rail programme, which started in 2040, saw major transormation of many rural stations into distinctive piece of civic architecture that now characterise the communities they serve and are sought out for their own sake. Many stations feature local artwork and design motifs that indicate the history and culture of their towns.

Infrastructure varies dramatically across republics to accommodate local conditions. Arctic stations feature completely enclosed waiting areas and heating systems, while tropical facilities are characterised by patterned brick, natural ventilation and weather protection. Many islands settlements are on steep slopes that require cable-assisted systems, or require storm protection along the coast. From stations carved into volcanic rock to elevated platforms over permafrost, the network naturally resembles the ways people live in Vekllei.

Staff #

Read more: The People of Vekllei National Rail

CommRail employs 178,000 people, which include roles ranging from locomotive engineers and platform staff to editors of rail enthusiast periodicals. It is also one of the largest employers of 12-16 year olds in the country, via its Station Apprentice programme, unique among organisations of its size.

Professional Community #

CommRail is a uniquely attractive employer and many of its employees enjoy life-long career pathways from youth apprenticeships through to senior technical and management roles. Like most Vekllei employers, much of its staff are part-time or occasional, but the company benefits from a strong company and railway culture that sees strong retention. The diversity of operations provides opportunities for specialisation while maintaining broad railway knowledge across all staff.

CommRail staff form a distinct professional community with shared values and traditions extending beyond workplace relationships. Since federalisation, railway families have emerged that often span multiple generations, creating a deep cultural continuity within the organisation. Like most Vekllei companies, workers are able to participate in central decision-making through the Railway Working Council, which functions as a democratic assembly of sorts. Depending on the constituent operator, the Working Council can also interact with municipalities directly regarding local operations.

Fleet #

CommRail’s rolling stock represents perhaps the world’s most diverse operational railway fleet. Nearly every kind of passenger rail vehicle is represented across its republics, from express sleepers to micro-trams to funiculars.

Modern electric multiple units form the backbone of passenger service, with the 56 and 59-Series trainsets providing the majority of metropolitan and intercity services. These standardised designs simplify maintenance but take on their own character after local modifications and liveries are applied by constituent operators.

The retention of heritage equipment serves both practical and cultural functions. Steam locomotives continue regular passenger service in many republics and in areas where electrification remains impractical. These services maintain traditional railway skills and preserve the technological heritage that shaped Vekllei’s rail culture. They are also a great source of delight for passengers.

At the technological frontier, CommRail operates the world’s most advanced magnetic levitation services, with SC3 trainsets achieving speeds approaching 750km/h on dedicated routes. This technological spectrum – from steam locomotives built in the 1920s to cutting-edge maglevs – demonstrates the comprehensive approach to rail transport that defines the CommRail system.

This diversity extends to specialised equipment serving unique operational requirements. Cable railways, funiculars, automated people movers and industrial tramways all operate under the CommRail umbrella, as evidence of the principle that rail transport has a functional and useful place in the 21st Century.

Fleet Inventory #

A grand total of 147,977 units comprised of 399,168 individual cars are in service in Vekllei today – the highest per capita in the world. That comes to one unit per 175 people, which indicates the importance of the railways to Vekllei people.

The largest share of the fleet can be found in Oslola, which alone accounts for nearly 35% of Vekllei’s rolling stock, including its only super-conducting maglev services. Kairi, Karu and Barbados also retain a substantial share and have their own high-speed rail systems.

The majority of republics have a mix of standard EMUs, some DMUs and extensive tram networks. Even small republics, with populations of less than 10,000 enjoy specialised tram services. In general, the size and terrain of a republic will tell you what sort of trains it has in service – the exceptions being Kala and Helvasia, where almost all units are diesel-powered.

The result is that you can get from anywhere in Vekllei to anywhere else in Vekllei via public transit – a remarkable feat for such a disparate and far-flung union of islands.