A simple station incorporating a passing loop on the Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway, with roofed bicycle storage for customers
Rail transport in the Netherlands uses a dense railway network which connects nearly all major towns and cities. The network totals 3,223 route km (2,003 mi) on 6,830 kilometres (4,240 mi) of track, of which three-quarters of the lines have been electrified.
What is not focused on is the number of secondary, non electrified regional railways, operated to cater to local customers.
Over 400,000 people live within the E&N catchment area, (over 500,000 if one includes the Port Alberni branch line) which only travel mode is the car. This ignored by those who want to turn the E&N into a glorified bike trail, who continue to pander the all too common “fake news” and “alternative facts” trying to drum up support for their cause.
The ‘Cycle’ lobby likes to point to the Netherlands as some sort of cycle utopia that BC should aspire to, yet they fail to recognize that Netherlands has an extensive passenger rail network. Also forgotten by the more ardent members of the ‘Cycle” lobby is that a large portion of the Netherlands is flat and cycling is far more easier for the population.
When this is mentioned for BC’s rail debates, especially on the E&N railway issue, when comparing the E&N to European regional railways they cycle lobby point out that the population of European counties is much, much greater than Vancouver island, but never admit to the fact that most European regional railways operate in areas where population densities are on par with the E&N of Rail for the Valley’s interurban service.
Of course, portions of these railways share track with the mainline, but large portions of the route, mostly single track, services small towns and villages, providing quality public transport.
What the various anti-rail lobby’s ignore is that regional railways are so designed to operate in areas of lesser populations, are largely single tracked and non electrification. They are much cheaper to operate and maintain than mainline railways, yet they provide a vital function of offering a viable and proven alternative to the car.
It is time to realize that regional railways are vital to sustain BC in this time of Global Warming and Climate Change and those who fail to realize this are strangling the province with dated perceptions and deliberate misleading information, punctuated with “man of straw arguments”.
It is time both the federal and provincial governments stop playing trains with high speed rail (which will never happen in the Pacific North West) and invest in what is needed, a program of regional railways, providing a user-friendly and affordable alternative to the car.
Single track stub terminal station at Leeuwarden.(Harlingen–Nieuweschans Railway)
Scheemda Station. Please note, cyclists use bicycles to commute to the station to take the train!(Harlingen–Nieuweschans Railway)
A single stub terminal station at Stavoren.(Leeuwarden–Stavoren Railway)
Franeker Station. Simple platform station with minimal amenities.(Harlingen–Nieuweschans Railway)
Save that picture for the stub terminal at Leeuwarden, my friends still don’t believe that European railways would allow curved platforms, especially at a stub terminal
Save that picture for the stub terminal at Leeuwarden, my friends still don’t believe that European railways would allow curved platforms, especially at a stub terminal