Commonwealth Rail

Part of the industry series of articles

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 #

Commonwealth Rail (trading as CommRail or CNR) is the national rail transport operator in Vekllei. It is a complex organisation federalised across dozens of 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. For CommRail, these include its service ubiquity, corporate complexity and network diversity in 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 complexity: 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 an organisation is as a pillar of society; a provider of an essential trait of commonwealth society. Vekllei is not just a place with a lot of trains, but in fact a railgoing nation. 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 nationalisation of the private Vekllei rail companies in 1925, the structure and reach of Vekllei National Rail has changed several times. Operated as a for-profit enterprise at a historical loss, the National Rail’s history of service is reflected in the variety of trains and track gauges it maintains.

Vekllei is unique in the density of its rail, a feature of deliberate postwar city planning and the Home Island’s history as an industrial port city-state. Very few Vekllei people own automobiles, and trains remain by far the most common method of travel in the country. Because of this, the rail network in metropolitan areas is extraordinarily dense, and is designed to offer access to nearly every residence in urban areas. This fact also explains the presence of dedicated rail lines to small towns and villages that would otherwise not justify their maintenance. As visible on the map above, the passenger rail network in Vekllei is unsurpassed in its density, which contributes to the dependence Vekllei people have on their trains.

Similarly, almost all freight is run along rails of varying gauges. These range from conventional freight trains at standard gauge, to municipal delivery trains at metre guage, and even narrow gauges for moving freight and equipment within large factory complexes. Most major stores and grocers are arranged along freight lines with dedicated sidings, or have their own narrow-gauge tracks dedicated to their use.

Unusually, Vekllei National Rail is legally absolved of all non-rail transport, and possesses no busses or ferries for public use, which are operated and maintained by dedicated adjacent bureaus.

History #

Although Vekllei has used wagonways since the 18th Century and developed horse-drawn railways for industrial transport in its ports, the first passenger rail line in Vekllei was founded in 1855 by the Pharos Rail Company.

The history of rail in Vekllei can be summarised in three key eras of development.

• Early Development and expansion, from early service in 1855.
• Late Junta/Prewar nationalisation, from nationalisation in 1925.
• Postwar refounding and development, since independence in 2015.

Since the foundation of VNR after nationalisation, rail in Vekllei has seen the scale of its passenger rail networks quadruple in size. It is internationally regarded for its safety and reliability.

Early Development #

The first railways in Vekllei developed alongside its ports, as Vekllei’s position as an intermediary free port between Europe and the Americas rapidly developed Vekllei’s industrial base. Although the earliest internal rail wagons were pulled by horses, primitive steam locomotives had modernised most ports by the early 19th Century.

The first passenger rail line opened in 1855 between Pharos and the present-day borough of Little Vekllei to alleviate the expense of moving goods from the Port of Pharos to established settlement further inland. The original line was only a few kilometres long, but was extended in 1858 and again in 1872. By this time, several other lines had been established under private rail companies, including passenger services between Vekllei Proper and Little Vekllei, as well as the beginnings of the Montre-Vekllei Railroad.

By the beginning of the 20th Century, Vekllei had a half-dozen major railroad companies, and dozens other limited/local services provided by private operators or their municipality. This saw a massive increase in both the movement of freight and ridership, and helped entrench Vekllei’s position as a stopover port city for transatlantic freight and passage.

Nationalisation #

The early 20th Century was marked by an exponential increase in ridership, which saw a proliferation of new railroads across the Home Islands. Metropolitan and suburban lines during this period were characterised by overcrowding, poor reliability and irregular service. These factors, in addition to the growing economic power of rail barons in the country, saw the Atlantic Junta (known as the Crown) move to nationalise all metropolitan and intercity passenger rail service in 1925 as the Vekllei National Rail Company (VNC).

The centralisation of Vekllei rail accompanied standardisation of its commuter track gauge, which improved travel times across the country. The VNC period was characterised by reliable investment and a commitment to modernisation of rail in the country. By the late 20th Century, the Vekllei Metropolitan Underground was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful subway systems in the world.

In the late 1980s, VNC started work on what would eventually become the Vekllei-Montre bullet train. The programme overran its cost estimates and was delayed several times, and was not completed until 2004, shortly before the Atomic War.

Postwar Development #

National Rail Company assets that had been operated by the occupation Vekllei Provisional Government were transferred to the Vekllei Interim Government in 2015 and reestablished as Vekllei National Rail (VNR) in 2018. The Floral Period has been marked by steady growth in ridership and the scale of its network. The organisation also invests heavily into the development of new locomotives and EMUs, culminating in 2047 with the announcement of the Vekllei East Coast Maglev Scheme, which are the fastest commuter trains in the world.

In 2055, VNR celebrated “250 years of rail,” and its livery and staff uniforms were overhauled to mark the occasion.

Today, VNR represents the sole means of medium/long-distance transport for over 80% of Vekllei commuters, indicating its continuous status as a monopoly of travel, not just rail, in the country.

Structure #

Vekllei National Rail is an organ of the Transport Requisite of the Vekllei Government (A.r.R., or requoisesiasn amourisocietie resmesnghet) as several individual state requisite bureaus, which in turn are charged with different transport companies. Although its structure in Vekllei might be analogous to a government ministry abroad, it functions in practice more like a state-owned enterprise with private subsidiaries. It is not a state-run corporation, and maintains seperate accounting.

Vekllei National Rail is administered through three State Requisites: the Vekllei National Rail itself including all regular operations and rail service, the National Rail Insurance Scheme which finances construction through Government White Bonds, and the Rail Safety Commission.

Service #

Since most Vekllei people catch a train each day, VNR is a uniquely intimate and treasured organ of the Vekllei state. It is somehow exempted from the public apathy and resentment of bureaucracy that targets other monopolies of the Vekllei state, and is routinely regarded as among the most beloved and appreciated “companies” in Vekllei.

Access to public transport is considered a “critical luxury” of the Vekllei state (the Vekllei turn-of-phrase for essential state services) and, by extension, the functioning of its society. By design, it makes no profit, and is subsidised entirely by the Transport Requisite of the Vekllei Government and various independent transport bureaus for the benefit of any Vekllei person. Even prior to the war and investment of the Floral Period, Vekllei’s public transport was widely regarded as among the finest of any network in the world thanks to its impeccable safety record, timeliness, and comprehensive coverage.

Rail transport contributes tremendously to the national culture and common affection for Vekllei’s public institutions. It is also commonly percieved as a triumph of the postwar floral Period, despite rail history in Vekllei dating back hundreds of years prior. The ongoing expansion of the VNR network and renovation of stations and railhubs commands attention internationally, which is watching Vekllei celebrate its golden age of rail.

National Rail #

National rail access is generally provided directly by Vekllei National Railway A.r.R. through a branch office dependent on the location. The Home Islands are served by VNR Atlantic, whereas Kala is served by VNR Overseas. The Home Islands house thousands of rural villages outside of urban metropolitan service, and Vekllei’s dependence on rail transportatiion demands their inclusion in the VNR network. As such, almost every village in Vekllei has a rail line or interurban tramway, and villages as small as 20 persons see daily service to the capital.

Metropolitan Service & Subways #

The majority of VNR’s ~10,000 trains per day run in metro or subway services throughout Vekllei urban and interurban routes. These lines are primarily serviced by the EMU workhorses of the VNR fleet, particularly 56 and 59-Series trainsets. In urban centers, VNR service is frequent enough to be unscheduled, with trains arriving every other minute or so.

The majority of Vekllei’s underground metro network has been automated by Automatic Train Control, an industrial automan system that allows for driverless trains. Although still serviced by VNR platform staff with training to stop the train in emergencies, Vekllei’s automatic metros are otherwise entirely driverless. VNR Overseas metros in Kala and the Kalina Isles retain drivers.

Tramways #

Vekllei operates a variety of trams and streetcars, including double-decker street-level units in the capital region 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-seperated or integrated into streets. Their ubuquity in urban areas has caused observers to regard them as the principle method of transport in the country, second only to the bicycle.

Freight #

VNR’s main freight lines run mostly on a seperate gauge and network, and are composed of several companies that operate regionally across a variety of locomotive types and industries. These include traditional freight locomotives and long/short cars, as well as freight trams and wagons used to transport goods around and between factories.

Operations #

✿ Read more: Station Logic

VNR is typical of a ‘great Vekllei bureau’ – it instills national pride, is well-run and maintained, and loses tremendous amounts of money. It is the crown jewel of Vekllei’s insolvent organs, whose thin profit margins and charming inefficiencies are tolerated and even encouraged in this society which subsidises social benefit above all else.

Nearly 17 million people per day commute via VNR’s networks each day, making up a majority of the Vekllei population. In this sense, VNR’s quality of operations affects the Vekllei person more than the quality of their government. In addition to commuter service, VNR automatic freight transit systems are the lifeblood of all industry and commerce in the country, and are regulated directly as a state requisite for their critical importance to the functioning of Vekllei society.

VNR operates 2,114 stations across the Home Islands, which vary from uncovered concrete platforms to tremendous terminus complexes that cover multiple city blocks. The largest station in the country, Vekllei Central, sees over 1 million people per day pass through its gates.

Vekllei’s stations are well-regarded for the beauty and decoration overseas. As part of the Millenia Rail campaign in the mid-21st Century, VNR initiated a dramatic overhaul of its passenger infrastructure, restoring heritage-listed station interiors and renovating much of the early postwar metro construction with murals, new lighting, enlarged caverns and shafts, and improved safety features. The cleanliness and safety of Vekllei National Railway is a great point of pride in the country, and in part justifies VNR’s tremendous fiscal losses in daily operation.

VNR services are mostly unticketed, and as a Vekllei industry, are free to ride.

Staff #

✿ Read more: The People of Vekllei National Rail

VNR employs 65,240 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.

The organisation is administered by the President of the Rail Central Office, which is responsible to the Transport Requisite and the Palace of Rail. VNR has a close relationship with bureau and petty-bureau coachbuilders, and wields considerable power in Vekllei’s heavy industries as a major manufacturing partner.

Fleet #

✿ Download the 📄 VNR Rolling Stock List (PDF)

Vekllei National Rail is perhaps unsurpassed in its variety of trainsets and their length of service. An unofficial policy of preservation has ensured that every unit type since the 1980s has seen an ongoing minor presence in current service. VNR rarely retires a trainset completely – in keeping with the contemporary cultural-political valuation of machines, a few units of each model are retained on various lines for their historical and technical significance. This includes steam locomotives, which continue to operate regular passengers service on some routes.

The backbone of the contemporary Vekllei rail fleet is the Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), which are designated by their year of manufacture.¹ In particular, the 56 and 59-Series trainsets make up the majority of EMUs in service today, as they exclusively populate primary commuter lines in Vekllei’s southwest. VNR also retains Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) in its long-haul cold-weather routes, particularly in the Afouisneh region and Kala.

VNR pioneered super-conductive maglev transport for mass consumption, and its SC3 trainsets are the fastest in regular service in the world today, reaching nearly 750km/h in places. Its slowest locomotive, the T400 2-6-2 steam locomotive Small Movements built in 1928, averages just 30km/h on its tourist route in rural Krafla. VNR is also experimenting with nuclear-powered trainsets, but none have so far entered public testing.