Fair warning: This one is long.
Today I will do my best to hash out the general situation of European railways, Ukraine’s railways, and how it all impacts the ongoing war. Then I will take a look at future projects, and explain how they can shield Ukraine from future aggression.
Various nations of Europe have been building, maintaining and using rail networks ever since the ye olde times of industrial revolution. However, each nation/empire made their own network, with its own standards and with only limited connectivity abroad. Interoperability was not a priority, and at times of war, it could actually turn into a massive problem for the defender. More on that later.
Since the turn of the millennium, European Union has been tackling a problem of colossal proportions: its rail network was a disjointed patchwork, with very few universal standards to speak of. Worse still, trains had been in a losing competition with cars and planes. As a result, many tracks laid abandoned, and state railway companies were mostly decrepit shells, debating which saving measure to implement next. Depending on where you were, your state railway company could also be a relic of Soviet administration, which is its own brand of awful.
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Over the decades, EU implemented whopping four massive legislation packages, which demonstrates both how big the problem is and how determined they are to solve it. I am not going to describe each package in detail, we’d be here all day. Instead, I’ll just pick out the most important parts of each, and leave a link to further reading for those interested.
2001 — Opened the door for healthy EU-wide competition, tackling the decrepit state-run monopolies. Also laid some groundwork for future packages to build on.
2004 — Revitalized the aging railway, mostly by rapidly building new connections. Established European Railway Agency (ERA).
2007 — Operators could now have their passengers embark and disembark at any station of an international railway, and universal train driver licences were introduced. Plus more passenger rights.
2016 — Any rail operator based anywhere in EU could now offer their services anywhere in EU, boosting competition massively. One Stop Shop (OSS) system was created as a single point for all applications and certifications, simplifying paperwork for international operators.
The effects of these packages were noticeable to say the least. I remember when state-run Ceske Drahy was basically the only rail operator in Czechia, and it was absolute garbage. Since then it had to seriously step up its game in order to fend off RegioJet and other competitors (it’s still a bit garbage). Delays are still a thing, but they are not nearly as common or severe as they used to be. Trains are now competitive with cars and planes, which helps the environment and alleviates road congestion. There are also special projects that deserve a mention, like EuroCity or upcoming Rail Baltica.
Overall, 9/10, great job EU.
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Now, you may have noticed that Ukraine is not in the EU. All these wonders of legislative frameworks, interoperability and market liberalization have not reached them. And because of that, they are now in trouble.
Most of Ukraine’s rails are broad gauge, which means the rail is 1 520 mm wide. European standard gauge is 1 435 mm, so if you want to haul passengers or cargo, your best bet is a break-of-gauge station, which is connected to rails of both gauges. Whatever you’re transporting has to get off one train, and get onto another. This is… problematic. Mark Twain once bitterly cursed "the paralysis of intellect that gave that idea birth", when navigating the utterly cursed Australian railway with three different gauges.
And gauge is not the only problem. How about voltage of your electrified network? The signalling system? Oh, don’t forget the dimensions of train cars, like Spain once embarrassingly did.
Suffice to say, disparate standards of rail transport are a massive PITA and have been one of the factors slowing down both Western aid to Ukraine, and Ukraine’s trade with Europe. Remember Russia’s grain blackmail? If you ever wondered why Ukraine couldn’t just ship its grain westward on trains, this is one of the reasons.
Speaking of Russia, care to guess who shares railway standards with Ukraine, and therefore can merrily run their trains on occupied rails without a second thought? Correct. It’s a part of Soviet heritage, I’m afraid.
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After the war, or maybe even during it, Ukraine will undergo one critically important project that scarcely anyone will mention in the media — a total overhaul of its railway network. In 2021, there were already plans to create a Europe-standard rail line connecting Kyiv to Lviv, then to Poland, a first step of many.
This will connect Ukraine to Europe, which will simplify and speed up aid deliveries, commerce, and trade; all of which Ukraine will desperately need in order to rebuild. Not only that, they will also strategically protect themselves from future aggression.
Orcs are famously dependent on rail logistics, and if they ever decide to invade again, they will be the ones on the receiving end of break-of-gauge connections. Their broad gauge rolling stock will be useless. From then on, they will have two choices:
1) Find/steal/buy trains made for standard gauge. Their numbers will be limited, and they will have to manually haul all supplies from one train to another right at the border. Also, any standard gauge train in Russian possession will become a juicy target for partisans and artillery — not just for the cargo, but for the train itself.
2) Transport supplies by truck from the border. Ha, good one!
- With love from Czechia