I am in Milanówek near Warsaw and in this episode we will check the operation of Warsaw Commuter Rail.
Let's watch!
One of Polish railway network rarity
is Warsaw Commuter Railway.
Rail was by many people associated more with trams,
because of route going through urban streets,
form of units servicing the line
and use of 600V voltage,
which is standard for trams.
With successive years remained less and less of these associations
and now better word describing WKD is light rail.
This can be attributed to narrow gauge of rolling stock
and lighter pressure on axles.
WKD rails are independent from national railway network.
Its network consists of three railway lines with a total length of 39 kilometers,
of which nearly 3.5 km is technological track in Pruszkow
for connection with nationwide rail network.
Line between Warsaw and Podkowa Leśna Główna station is double track
and further sections to Milanowek and Grodzisk Mazowiecki are single track,
which of course limits the possibilities of transport on these routes.
Along line trains stop at 24 stops and 4 stations,
all equipped with platforms,
shelters and lighting.
Lines intended for passenger service are fully electrified.
Railway primarily handle inhabitants' traffic from south-western area of agglomeration to Warsaw.
In railways' area lives around 100 000 people
from surrounding towns and villages,
including the largest: Pruszków (60k),
Grodzisk Mazowiecki (30k) and Milanówek (16k).
Annually WKD transports about 7.5 million people,
which means that daily it is used by 20,000 people.
However much more people are using railway transport,
because just a few kilometers from WKD line,
run parallel two adjacent PKP railway lines,
which in simpler route connects Warsaw with Grodzisk Mazowiecki.
Connections are provided in three basic relations
between Warsaw Downtown (Śródmieście) WKD
and Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Milanówek or Podkowa Leśna.
On main route section from Warsaw Downtown to Podkowa Leśna Główna (Main) station
trains reach a fairly high transport speed
of 36.7 km/h.
On other sections speed is lower.
Still, there is a possibility of further increase,
thanks to better railway crossings protection.
Along WKD route there are up to 42 road or pedestrian crossings.
Only part of them is equipped with a turnpike, halfpike
or warning signals,
there are even some marked only by road signs.
As a result, before part of crossings trains firmly brake
or even reduce speed to a minimum.
In current timetable,
during rush hour trains provide ability to carry
more than 3 000 passengers.
In peak on main section of route between Podkowa Leśna and Warsaw,
departures are held every 10 minutes,
off-peak every 15 minutes
and every 20 minutes on weekends.
Single track section connecting Milanówek trains run every hour,
a little different is in case of Grodzisk Mazowiecki,
where basic 60-minute frequency
is periodically increased in peak hours
and time of leaving and going back to depot.
First WKD train departs on 3:51 from Grodzisk Mazowiecki
and last one depart 0:20 from Warsaw.
Ride on longest route takes 55 minutes.
Unique specificity of line decided
that each vehicle had to be specially designed for WKD,
which also allowed to make unification of their parameters.
Currently, most trains in passenger traffic are new
and totally there are 21 units.
15 vehicles were produced by PESA Bydgoszcz
and latest are 6 "EN100" units
made by Newag producer.
Many call them "Predators"
due to characteristic front of vehicle.
With exception of one train, units are made of 2 triple-segment-long parts
interlocked with each other by backs,
so you can change front of train and move in both directions.
All units are about 60 meters-long
and will take on board up to 500 passengers,
of which depending on unit
¼ or 1/3 will seat.
One unit weigh more than 100 ton
and in operation move at maximum speed of 80 km/h.
Vehicles are only partial low-floor
- central segment of unit has a floor on one step level
and outer segments outside of door area are elevated by 3 steps.
WKD has mixed ticket tariff,
other for single and periodic rides.
In case of the first, tariff has three time zones:
journey to 19 minutes, to 38 minutes and over this period.
Full ride from Warsaw to Grodzisk Mazowiecki costs 7 zloty (1.60 Euro).
There are also subscription tickets,
priced for 5 trips,
but allowing to take one more free trip.
Within Grodzisk Mazowiecki and Podkowa Leśna areas are also valid urban tickets for 2 zloty (0.45 Euro).
In case of periodic tickets tariff has 5 traveled distance categories
counted in kilometers.
You should also know that in area of Warsaw to Opacz station
are valid periodic tickets of ZTM Warszawa Public Transport Authority.
Near part of stations and stops there are racks for attaching bicycles,
which as you can see inhabitants use also during winter.
In 4 sites are also Park & Ride parkings,
allowing to leave car and interchange to train.
Supervised parking lots has surcharge applied to purchased WKD tickets.
Such elements are made to increase railway range of influence,
but also to encourage drivers to give up driving to city center.
I wonder whether those parking's are commonly used.
Initially, Electric Commuter Railway (EKD)
was operated by vehicles looking like trams.
For operation was also used voltage of overhead lines identical to that used in tram networks,
which is 600V.
However in 2016 was completed project of changing voltage to 3000V, which is standard for rails.
Change was mainly made to increase average speeds
and trains frequency,
where earlier state limited possibility of more than one train running on same section of route
and newer units were using only 60% of engines power.
Change had also to improve efficiency of power grid
by reducing by about 25% loss in transmission of energy.
Also number of needed traction substations was decreased from 7 to 3
and one section cabin.
Change of voltage resulted also with withdrawal from traffic
characteristic EN94 units,
which WKD operated on line for 44 years.
WKD runs almost like Swiss watch.
In 2015, rate of punctuality reached almost 99%.
Besides, railway with this country is bound also by financial support.
During investments WKD benefited from Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme.
In addition to the purchase of 6 train units
project included construction of passenger information system
and monitoring on stations and stops.
Forecasts of departures in real time
are displayed on 101 double-sided electronic displays.
Project was also expanded on modernization of track and construction of crossing signals.
For upcoming years there is also plan for modernization of stations and stops,
because they are at present moment the most neglected.
Among WKD plans for future is also a solution of network bottleneck problem,
which is one-track section between Podkowa Leśna Główna station
and Grodzisk Mazowiecki Radońska,
where is WKD depot.
Existing track is going to be modernized
and next to it will be built another track.
Investment is going to improve parameters of this section of network
to increase capacity and safety,
shorten travel time
and help rationalize operation of line.
WKD, next to Tri-City SKM, reaches highest level of punctuality in Polish railways.
It's interesting, because both companies are not only operators,
but also infrastructure managers, which they use to run trains
(although in case of SKM, units also use nationwide railway network,
but there is not reverse situation in normal traffic - no other operator use SKM line).
It follows that if operator uses line,
of which is also owner
it is easier to intervene in emergency situations
that may occur both in rolling stock and infrastructure.
At the same time their lines are not used by other operators,
so traffic punctuality is not affected by response standards of other companies.
This parameter is affected by a number of other factors,
but it is interesting that those two companies achieve highest results in this scope.
Meanwhile, thank you so much for your attention and see you next time!
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