Finnish Route: Helsinki - Karis

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by kosti.nuuja, May 8, 2021.

  1. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    Finnish Coastal Railway (fin: Rantarata se: Kustbanan) is a railway connecting Finland's capital Helsinki to Turku, the oldest city of Finland. DTG has said that they want to add more countries for TSW2, and hopefully Finland is one of those countries. First I thought that this suggestion would include also section between Karis and Turku, but the full length of this line is almost 200km, and it would be too massive, because TSW2 doesn't have any routes yet, that has Finnish signalling and safety systems. So that's why I decided to suggest approx. 85km section of this line between Helsinki and Karis. There's a lot of information coming of this line. This suggestion will split into many posts, because there's a limited amount of images per post. Let's get started.

    VR Group is the state owned railway company of Finland, and operates all passenger train traffic and the most of freight train traffic of Finland.

    Finnish railways has 1524mm gauge.

    Helsinki central railway station:

    The Helsinki central railway station (fin: Helsingin päärautatieasema) is the main railway station of Finnish railway network. The station building was designed by architect Eliel Saarinen. The station construction started at 1905 and it was opened at 1919.
    1920px-Helsinki_Main_Station_(17248824906).jpg Screenshot (104).png Helsinki central railway station has 19 platforms. Platform 1 in east and 19 in west. Trains from Helsinki to central, northern and eastern Finland leaves from the eastern side of the station, and trains to western Finland leaves from the western side. In this route, all trains are using the western side, and eastern side would be operated of some AI only trains in service mode.

    888b159b411562df_800x800ar.jpg
    Next station is Pasila, which is a station where Finnish mainline and Coastal railway are separated.
    The long lasted big construction work of Pasila was completed in autumn 2019. In this image you can see the separating railway lines and Ilmala depot. The left side line is Coastal railway and Right side is Finnish mainline. 1920px-Ilmalan_varikko_2019-08-09.jpg
    The Ilmala depot is the main depot of VR. Here is a drone image of this massive depot. In this route this depot could be used as repository for trains, which are currently not in service. There's no very much shunting opportunities for this line, because the trains of this line are EMUs and cab car equipped loco trains.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2021
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  2. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    Huopalahti_raudteejaam.jpg
    Huopalahti is a commuter train station, where the Ring rail line (fi: Kehärata) to Helsinki airport branches. In this section i will give some information of commuter trains running on this line. This route includes a section of Helsinki area commuter rail network between Helsinki and Siuntio. The lines are maked with letter signs ABCD, like S-Bahn trains are S1, S2, S3 etc. The commuter train lines on this line are A, L, U, E and Y. The railway line between Huplalahti and next station Leppävaara is four track line. Right 2 tracks used by long distance, and faster U, E and Y commuter trains, and two left side tracks used by slow A and L trains.

    300px-Leppavaaranjuna-asema.jpg
    A train terminates at Leppävaara, E train continues to Kauklahti, U and L trains to Kirkkonummi and Y train to Siuntio. Leppävaara is also a stop for Long distance trains from Helsinki to Turku.

    espoon_asema.jpg
    Long distance trains are used to stop here at Espoo, and passed Leppävaara, but the stop was moved recently, and now only commuter trains stops at Espoo.

    Kauklahden-asema-kuva-04.jpg
    E line commuter trains terminates here at Kauklahti, the last station in Espoo city area of this line. There's also smaller commuter stations on this line, but i'll not present them.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2021
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  3. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    Kirkkonummen_rautatieasema_2011-09-28.jpg
    When we reach the 36 km milepost of this line, we will reach Kirkkonummi station, which is a terminus for U and L commuter trains. Some long distance trains are stopping here, but some passes it.

    1280px-Siuntio_asemalaiturit.jpg
    Siuntio is the last, and the most western station of Helsinki area commuter rail network. It's terminus for Y train. Y train is used to run to Karis, but during the modernization of Helsinki area commuter train rolling stock, terminus was moved from Karis to Siuntio. Railway strech between Kirkkonummi and Siuntio is the only section of Helsinki area commuter rail network, where commuter trains are able to reach 160 km/h speed. Otherwise the speed limit of this network is 120 km/h.

    1920px-Karjaan_rautatieasema_2014.jpg
    When we reach the 85 km milepost, we will reach Karis (fi: Karjaa) which is the end station of this suggested TSW2 route addon. In Karis, two railway lines will branch from the Coastal railway. Karis - Hyvinkää and Karis - Hanko.

    This was the route introduction. Please note, that I didn't mention all commuter train stops and abandoned stations of this line.
    In next part I'll present the rolling stock and train stops.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2021
  4. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    Now I'll present the stops of commuter trains. A train from Helsinki to Leppävaara stops at all stops including non-mentioned stations of Ilmala between Pasila and Huopalahti, and Valimo, Pitäjänmäki and Mäkkylä between Huopalahti and Leppävaara. L train from Helsinki to Kirkkonummi runs only at nights and mornings. It stops at all stations including A train stops. The other stops that I did't mention are Kilo, Kera, Kauniainen, Koivuhovi and Tuomarila between Leppävaara and Espoo, and Masala between Kauklahti and Krkkonummi. U-train stops Between Helsinki and Leppävaara are only Pasila and Huopalahti. After Leppävaara it will stop at all stations, and Same for E-train to Kauklahti. Y train is the fastest. It stops at Pasila, Huopalahti, Leppävaara, Espoo, Kauklahti, Masala and Kirkkonummi before reaching Siuntio. All long distance trains stops at Pasila and Leppävaara, and some of them at Kirkkonummi.

    In next section I'll present rolling stock suggestion.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2021
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  5. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    VR SR2:
    VR_Sr2_3202_Tampere_2012-06-22 (2).JPG
    The SR2 is the most common electric loco of Finland, used on almost every IC train alongside SR3. It's a Finnish variant of Swiss RE460. The SR2 is the classic of Finnish modern electric locos.

    SR3
    Vr_sr3_3304_3307_3306 (2).jpg
    The SR3 is the newest loco of VR, which belongs to the Siemens Vectron family. It's used alongside the SR2 on IC services.

    IC coaches:
    427-112671v0_20200716 (1).jpg
    The VR IC coaches can be compared to Dostos or bi-level cars. As you can see, VR trains has a bit unique design.

    VR SM3
    427-112566v0_20200713.jpg
    Pendolino is a premium long distance service of VR, and it's named after the SM3 EMU, which belongs to the Pendolino family. However, some people would call it rather overpriced than premium service. The SM3 EMU has reached many technical problems during it's short history.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2021
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  6. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    JKOY SM5
    1280px-JKOY_Sm5_at_Tuomarila_Station_2019.jpg
    The SM5, which is a member of Stadler FLIRT family, runs the all Helsinki area commuter rail network trains. Although the train services are operated by VR, the trains are owned by private Junakalusto OY, which would require another license, and that's why it would come as separate loco DLC.

    Here is all rolling stock suggestions.

    Speed limits:
    Helsinki - Kirkkonummi 120 km/h
    Kirkkonummi - Karis 160 km/h for IC trains, 180 km/h for Pendolino trains.

    Conclusion:
    This route is a busy commuter train route Between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi, and a scenic rural route running trough forests, fields and tunnels between Kirkkonummi and Karis. This route would be a magnificent addon for TSW2. It would also include rush hour. Finnish signalling is not very unique. Actually it's similar to German HV signals. The major difference is that driver don't need to acknowledge yellow signals, but slow down to 35 km/h. And Finnish trains doesn't have PZB or LZB. They have JKV, which is going to be replaced by ETCS in near future. The SR3 has ETCS already.

    The possible code name for this route would be:
    SBB-R7-01

    S comes from Finnish name of Finland, Suomi.

    Thanks for reading. :)
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2021
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  7. Purno

    Purno Well-Known Member

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    Not much of a fan of those modern trains, but I do like the architecture and scenery of the line. I'd definately be interested in such a route, although preferebly with slightly older trains I guess :P
     
  8. jolojonasgames

    jolojonasgames Well-Known Member

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    Would love to see a new country into the game. The VR rolling stock has a nice look to it, that I really like.
     
  9. altsku#7170

    altsku#7170 New Member

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    Great suggestion!

    A good addition could be the Karjaa - Hanko line, where VR Dm12 rail buses would operate.
     
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  10. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

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    Excellent since this will be the very first route to feature 1.52m Track Gauge and What Train Safety Systems is used by VR Group AB? If I have to guess it's going to be the same as neighboring Sweden EBICAB ATC or the former Soviet Union Klub-B & Asln. You might need to consider rush hour train traffic and Station announcements in this case of the route Swedish and Finnish Languages.
     
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  11. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    jkv demonstration.jpg
    This is the JKV panel of SM3 EMU. Hopefully you can understand something of this image. The yellow LED in the 0 km/h tells that next signal is red. When the train gets closer, the red LED starts slowly drop towards yellow LED, so the red LED works like the red needle on LZB speedometer. However, this system is getting old and being replaced by ETCS in near future.
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2021
  12. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for the information and for the JKV Panel top is Swedish Language Bottom is Finnish Language. Is there a voice prompt for doing those actions in the German Routes there's Zugsbeeinflussung for acknowledging PZB & LZB if there's one then it's either Swedish or Finnish Languages
     
  13. LodeStar

    LodeStar Active Member

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    I like the diversity of trains VR has bought over the last couple of years, their striking colors I love too! Any Re460, Vectron will do for me as well as any Pendolino...
     
  14. kosti.nuuja

    kosti.nuuja Well-Known Member

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    There's no speech, only beeping sound. And there's no need to acknowledge yellow signals. In yellow signal driver must slow down to 35 km/h.
     
  15. Monttukani

    Monttukani New Member

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    There's no swedish text in that picture, only finnish.
    From what is visible in the JKV panel it reads: Tekstinäyttö (Text display), Tavoite-Etäisyys (Target-Distance), Seis ohitus (stop override), Nopeuden ohitus (Speed override), Jarrujen irroitus (Brake release), Vaihtotyö (Shunting). Those two knobs at the bottom are light and sound.

    Swedish language is visible (and audible) mostly in the west- and south- coast regions and archipelago. Dual language signs are not generally a thing you would see outside those swedish speaking towns.
     
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