This might as well be one of the most heavily used group of corridors in Slovakia, and who said all suggestions must come to fruition? We can keep dreaming, right? So here I go with a grouping of routes/network that are pretty much home ones to me Bratislava - Galanta (mainline, around 49 - 50 km) Around 50 km in length, mostly two-tracked (tho select stations alongside it have more tracks as this route is also used for freight)... it is a part of international corridor/mainline from Bratislava via Galanta and Nové Zámky towards Štúrovo which then continues to Hungary (Budapest)... recently renovated and upgraded to 140 kph (tho I rode Vectron-ed EC train that occasionally reached 150 kph when it needed to make up for delay) As for services, it is used by many different kinds of trains like Os (osobný vlak, all-stops service), REX (regional express) and EC (probably also some IC, not sure) All stopping services can take up to 50-55 mins, REX and EC around 30 mins, so great length for this game EC is usually headed by Vectron (vmax 200, but on this part of route 140, sometimes 150 kph): REX-es tend to have various consists, but for the sake of simplicity, lets assume a complete Skoda dosto EMU (ZSSK 671/971, vmax 160 kph): Os services usually go in push-pull configuration, with variety of locos (ZSSK 362, 361 or 380, pretty varied ): Bratislava - Trnava (mainline, 46 km): Part of upgraded mainline, up to Žilina, many parts of this route have been upgraded to 160 kph and ETCS... all kinds of trains and services use this corridor, like those to Košice or to Czech Republic, from regional trains to EC and even other operators... as for rolling stock, it could be pretty much the same as with the previous one, maybe with added Stadler Kiss 160 new trains (that operate this route and also the one between Bratislava - Galanta) (vmax 160 kph): As for run lengths, regional services should be 45-50 mins, express and faster services up to/around 30mins Galanta - Trnava (around 25 - 30 km): More of a connecting route between the two mainlines, but I hesitate to call it a branch line... served by Skoda InterPanter EMUs (all stopping services only): Their vmax is also 160 kph, traction motors sound almost identical to Desiro ML These all stopping services take around 30mins for complete service, ideal for shorter but complete runs Bratislava - Galanta is mostly straight and flat, but fast and with nice views of villages/towns and fields, Bratislava - Trnava is more scenic as it passes through vinelands and such, and Galanta - Trnava is interesting cos it passes through smaller towns/villages and is relatively chill Together it is around 125 km, plus some more if they decide to incorporate some freight branches/sidings... so not too much, but also not little ... greatest challenge in making this route would not only be mostly new rolling stock, but also stuff like Mirel safety system, signalling and some ETCS on Bratislava - Trnava (and on to Žilina)
there were even speeds like 200 or at least 160 kph in consideration for Bratislava - Nové Zámky (and thus also Galanta), but both of those would require: - removal of grade crossings by creating under or overpasses - physical barriers/fencing along some sections - since Slovakia itself doesnt have signalling/safety systems that would work with that kind of speeds, the route and trains on it would have to be equipped with ETCS and so it was upgraded "only" to 140 kph... but still, it was and is still a nice change, 140 is a nice speed Bratislava - Žilina (and thus also Trnava) is 160 in some sections, and is almost fully equipped with ETCS I should probably add that Galanta, while relatively small (around 15k ppl official estimate), is still a major railway junction - passenger services to directions Trnava, Bratislava and Nové Zámky, and of course beyond) around 30-60 frequency, sometimes more, depends on time of the day and also has some freight traffic passing through or leaving wagons there (I remember, tho like really long ago, there was a furniture factory there that also had sidings and shunting services/yard work there connected to mainline... as a kid I would go there with my parents to watch those trains, as it was at the other end of our street )
Rail Relaxation, one of my fav trains/railway channels, has just uploaded a really good video of Štúrovo to Bratislava mainline... at around 53:00 mark or sth it passes by Galanta station: you can see the station itself, the tracks that go to Trnava, and also at some point after Sládkovičovo, the train hits the full line speed which is 140 kph ... not sure what loco is pulling this train, but since it passes Galanta and doesnt stop there, I am assuming it is Vectron, cos most of trains stop in Galanta, except some EC trains that are pulled by Vectron (tho a late night train from Prague/Bratislava does stop at Galanta station) enjoy
By the way you can also run Czech trains here because this used to be a main line of the former Czechoslovakia which explains why the Slovak Railways simply orders what the Czech Republic has for the railways.
yep ... I'm not a big fan of SK/CZ signalling and MIREL in general, but I wouldnt mind learning it for the sake of this game
If they can Make MIREL work then they can combine it with PZB like the Elbtalbahn Dresden Decin with the Czechoslovakian equipment that can work off German and Austrian PZB 15kv 16.7hz
