Eastern Blue Line (Rockall)

File:Eastern Blue Line.png
File:Rockall Eastern Blue Line.jpg
Overview
Status	operating
Owner	Rockallic Railways
Locale	Rockallic Federal District, Líchthiach Thiair, Cóste Ígheainne
Termini	Stáition Céintrall nan Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine Nuirdhebh
Stations	39
Service
Type	Intercity and local
System	Rockallic Railways
Operator(s)	Rockallic Railways
History
Opened	1970, 1984
Technical
Line length	272 miles
Track length
Character	At-grade, Elevated, Underground
Minimum radius
Operating speed
Highest elevation
Route layout
Route map Template:Rockall Eastern Blue Line

The Eastern Blue Line (Rockallian: Líne Góirm nan Oirthear, Fernolian: Line Gláis na iÚrrain) or Eastern Line (Líne hÓ nOirthear, Line iÚrainne), also known as the Two Peninsulas Line (Líne na nDái Léitheainnisanna, Line na Dai Pheirreaichea) or Loch Line (Líne Loch, Line Loch) is a Rockallic train line connecting the Nuardhnúille peninsula and the Duadhnúille peninsula with the Rockallic Federal District and Mhólanne, as well as with each other, serving all coastal towns of Líchthiach Thiair and around Loch Mhólanne.

Services

Trains depart two times per hour from Stopper stations and four times per hour from Intercity stations. Unlike the other train lines in Rockall, the frequency of trains per hour does not increase during rush hour. Instead, the number of coaches on one train is increased from one or two to two or three on Intercities and increased from one or two to four on Stoppers.

Intercities take 4 hours and 33 minutes to complete the whole journey from An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine to Nuirdhebh, whilst Stoppers take 5 hours and 42 minutes, including the 15 minutes waiting at Mhólanne, 5 minutes waiting times at Intercity stations, and 2 minutes waiting time at Stopper stations.

Languages

Platform and train announcements are provided first in Rockallian followed by Fernolian for Stáition Céintrall and Léacheannelochián. For all other train stations, announcements are provided in Fernolian first, then followed by Rockallian.

History

1970

The first part of the Líchthiach Thiair Line was built in the late 1960s and finished in 1969 as commissioned by the Marquessate of Transport and Infrastructure. On 21 June, 1970, it was officially opened. Trains on this line provided transport between An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine and Duaidhebh, calling at all intermediate stations.

1984

In 1976, the Duke of Rockall voted to extend the line by building a connection between Duaidhebh and Mhólanne and between Mhólanne and Nuardebh. This was decided under the National Rail Network Act of 1976 (NRNA 1976), which also spawned the Green Line, Orange Line, and the Yellow Line. The Orange Line was meant as a direct connection between An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine and Mhólanne and Régnich na Nuardh, whilst the Eastern Blue Line was intended as an extension of the Western Blue Line, connecting Duaidhebh and Nuardebh with Mhólanne.

Building of the line started in 1977 and was finished in 1983. On 21 June, 1984, exactly 14 years after the opening of the first part of the line, the second part was opened.

Historic material and planning

Between 1970 and 1990, the Eastern Blue Line was served by Blue Angels, which had been bought by the RNR from the Netherlands Railways.

The whole line was electrified in 1990. Since diesel trains were not needed anymore, the RNR decided to buy Mat '64 material from the Netherlands Railways. Also in 1990, the RNR decided to install intercity connections. The Mat '64 was used both as Stopper and as Intercity.

In 1998, the RNR bought ICM trains, again from the Netherlands Railways. These trains were commissioned for the Intercity connections, making around 40 of the Mat '64 trains redundant.

In 2004, the RNR bought 70 FLIRTs from Stadler Rail to be used as Stoppers contemperaneously with the Mat '64 trains. In 2006, another 35 FLIRTs were bought and the Mat '64 trains were completely decommissioned.

In 2011, the ICM trains were replaced with KISSes, again from Stadler Rail, commissioned to take the Intercity connections instead.

Material

The Eastern Blue Line uses two types of trains: the Stadler KISS and Stadler FLIRT.

KISS

File:Eastern Blue Line KISS (1 of 1).jpg

A KISS on the Eastern Blue Line near Tíg na Lóda.

Intercity services on the line are carried out by KISS material, known by its tradename Glós as provided by the RNR, a bilevel electric multiple unit commuter train. As provided for the Rockall National Railways the trains have ten cars each and provide a total of 112 first class and 626 second class seats per train.

The Glósa have a maximum speed of 160 km (99.4 miles) per hour, but on the Eastern Blue Line they do not exceed 130 km (80.8 miles) per hour for safety reasons. As such, it takes them 4 hours and 33 minutes to complete the whole line, assuming there are no delays.

A total of 46 Glósa are commissioned on the Eastern Blue Line, and between 18 and 40 will be on the line at any given time between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m.

FLIRT

File:Eastern Blue Line FLIRT (1 of 1).jpg

A FLIRT on the Eastern Blue Line near Duaidhebh.

Stopper services on the line are carried out by FLIRT material, known by its tradename Glóiseaig as provided by the RNR, an electric multiple unit commuter train. As provided for the Rockall National Railways the trains have two or three cars and provide a total of 16 first class seats plus 68 second class seats in two-car trains and 116 second class seats in three-car trains respectively.

The Glóiseaiga have a maximum speed of 160 km (99.4 miles) per hour, but on the Eastern Blue Line they do not exceed 120 km (74.6 miles) per hour, except if they are permitted to increase their speed by the railway regulators in case of a delay. As such, it takes them 5 hours and 42 minutes to complete the whole line, assuming there are no delays.

A total of 56 two-car and 49 three-car Glóiseaiga are commissioned on the Eastern Blue Line, for a total of 105, and between 22 and 88 will be on the line at any given time between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m.

Colour scheme

The Eastern Blue Line has similar colour schemes for both Stoppers and Intercities, although there are several differences between the two.

Stoppers

Stoppers follow a simple colour scheme consisting of turquoise, lime, baby powder white and ash grey.

The main body is lime green, except for the lower strip and the roof, which are ash grey. The roof's ash grey continues across the front of the driver's cabin, with the rest of the driver's cabin coloured baby powder white. Horizontally along the main body is a turquoise strip around the windows. Door sets are all lime.

Intercities

Intercities follow a more complicated colour scheme consisting of turquoise, celeste, Robing egg blue, lime, white and black.

The main body is turquoise, as well as all door sets. The only exceptions to the door colours are the first and last sets of doors, which both are white. The front of the train is white with black decorations that protrude onto the first car. From the first car a diagonal line of celeste rises to the upper strip of the car and continues along the upper strip across the first and second car. A strip of lime rises diagonally to halfway up the first car at its second set of doors, then continues along the first and second car around the lower row of windows. It then moves up diagonally together with a strip of robin egg blue to stop at the upper row of windows. Then, at the fourth car, it moves down again diagonally and continues across the lower row of windows on the fifth car, where it meets up with the end of the symmetrical pattern on the other half of the train.

Route

The Eastern Blue Line follows the Líchthiach Thiair Line and the Northern Loch Mhólanne Line and connects all its stations with An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine and Mhólanne. It has twelve intercity stations.

From An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine, the stations the Eastern Blue Line calls at are:

• Stáition Céintrall nan Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine (intercity), located in the north of Báiruinteachd na nBhá nan Éirith Ghréine. From here, trains run over an elevated train track through urban landscape of An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine and the baronetcy of Léacheannelochián until they call at:
• An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine Léacheannelochián, located in the baronetcy of Léacheannelochián. From here, trains continue through urban Léacheannelochián until they arrive at:
• Méasa na Déarnuiardh Ó Nuardh, located in the northern part of the baronetcy of Méasa na Déarnuiardh serving the An Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine International Airport. Right after this station, trains split from the Orange Line and turn sharply soutwhards into the Tùinnaill na Méasa na Déarnuiardh running underneath the town of Méasa na Déarnuiardh until they call at the underground station of:
• Méasa na Déarnuiardh Ó Duach, located in the southern half of the baronetcy of Méasa na Déarnuiardh. After this station, trains leave the tunnel and split off of the Red Line (Rockall), continuing southwestwards through the urban areas of Méasa na Déarnuiardh until they arrive at:
• Tíg na Lóda (intercity), a moderately sized city located on the eastern side of the Bhá nan Éirith Ghréine on the slopes of the South Mholanne Ridge. From here, trains continue south-southeastwards through the urban areas of Tíg na Lóda and the baronetcy of Gríaghe t-agus Léuinnache until they call at:
• Cóste Gríaghe, a small seaside resort located in the Duadhnúille grasslands, at the mouth of the Óibhennig na Ghríaghe. From here, trains continue south-southeastwards through the urban areas of the baronetcy of Gríaghe t-agus Léuinnache, crossing the Óibh Léuinnacheighe, then turning eastwards further through the urban areas of Cóste Léuinnache until they arrive at:
• Cóste Léuinnache (intercity), a coastal town on the Beinrinn na Dídh. From here, trains continue eastwards through the urban area of Cóste Léuinnache, then continue through the Duadhnúille grasslands until they arrive at:
• Péintreudh na Chranna, a village located on the border between the baronetcies of Gríaghe t-agus Léuinnache and Tír na Teuibhoig at the banks of the Óibhennig na Chrannaghe. From here, trains continue eastward across the Óibhennig na Chrannaghe and continue turning gradually northeastwards through the Duadhnúille Rainforest until they arrive at:
• Meudhnis Páiris, an edge city of Tábelghe, located along the coast. From here, trains continue turning gradually northeastwards through the urban areas of Meudhnis Páiris and Tábelghe until they arrive at:
• Tábelghe (intercity), a small coastal city. From here, trains continue in a northeastward direction for approximately two miles through the urban area of Tábelghe, then through the Duadhnúille Rainforest for approximately, then through urban land before calling at:
• Cóste Dùigheanne, a small coastal town. From here, trains continue northeastwards through the Duadhnúille Rainforest for approximately until they arrive at:
• Óibhennig Múiseoighall, a small village located on the western bank of the Óibhennig Múiseoighall in the baronetcy of Tír na Teuibhoig, but in almost every way a neighbourhood of Tíbheuth Thir. From here, trains run across the Óibhennig Múiseoighall through the neighbourhood of Múiseoighall for approximately until they arrive at:
• Tíbheuth Thir Múiseoighall, located in the neighbourhood of Múiseoighall in Tíbheuth Thir, in the southernmost part of the city and baronetcy. From here, trains continue through the urban area of Tíbheuth Thir, turning gradually further northwards until they call at:
• Tíbheuth Thir Cáinill nan Dinear (intercity), located in the Tíbheuth Thir City Centre just south of the Tíbheuth Thir Harbour. From here, trains continue aside the sea through the harbour, across the Tíbheuth Thir Harbour Bridge, turning gradually northeastwards until they arrive at:
• Tíbheuth Thir Tréaieth, located in the Tréaieth neighbourhood of Tíbheuth Thir just north of the Tíbheuth Thir Harbour. From here, trains continue gradually further northeastwards through the urban area of Tréaieth, skimping along the base of the South Mhólanne Ridge before entering a natural cave and stopping at:
• Tíbheuth Thir Ógóibha, located in a natural cave of the Ógóibha na Thíbheuth Thir and located within the Ógóibha district of Tíbheuth Thir. From here, trains continue through a manmade tunnel for approximately two miles in a northeastward direction before emerging into the urban area of Cóste Abhaill, through which they run for another two miles before calling at:
• Cóste Abhaill, a coastal town spread out along the coast of the southern tip of the Duadhnúille peninsula, in the Nuadhnúille Rainforest. From here, trains continue along the northern edge of Cóste Abhaill in an east-northeastward direction until they arrive at:
• Óibhennig Abhaill, located across the Óibhennig Abhaill, serving both the easternmost part of the town of Cóste Aibhaill and the Abhaill neighbourhood of Eoilanthir in the baronetcy of Pen na Duadhnúilleach. From here, trains continue through the urban area of Eoilanthir, making a sharp turn northwards before calling at:
• Eoilanthir (intercity), a harbour town located on the Pen na Duadhnúilleach. From this station it is possible to take a bus to the harbour, from where one can take the ferry to Eoil Sceilge. From here, trains continue through urban Eoilanthir for approximately three miles in a more or less northward direction, then another four miles through the Duadhnúille Rainforest, turning sharply westward along a small strip of coast known as the Duadhnúille Turn, continuing for approximately two miles of the Duadhnúille Rainforest and approximately five miles through the urban area of Duaidhebh, until they call at:
• Duaidhebh Ó iÚrrain (intercity), located in Duaidhebh City Centre. From here, trains continue westward through the urban areas of Duaidhebh for approximately seven miles before arriving at:
• Duaidhebh Ó Thiair, located in the Óirbheaidhear neighbourhood of Duaidhebh and near Duaidhebh Harbour, where one can take the ferry of the Loch Mhólanne Crossing directly to Nuirdhebh if the desire is there. From here, trains continue west-southwestwards through the Duadhnúille Rainforest for approximately seven miles before arriving at:
• Tábelghe t-úinn Loch, a small village located along the coast of Loch Mhólanne in the Duadhnúille Rainforest. From here, trains continue turning gradually westwards over approximately 9 miles, climbing up to 350 metres above sea level, until they call at:
• Gríaghe t-úinn Loch, a village located on the Duadh na Loch Mhólanne plateau in the Duadhnúille Rainforest. From here, trains continue turning gradually westwards over the plateau and through the rainforest until they arrive at:
• Léuinnache t-úinn Loch, a small village located in the Gleoin na Léuinnache. The train station is located on the eastern side of the valley, approximately 325 metres above the village itself. From here, the trains cross the Gleoin na Léuinnache over the Léuinnache Bridge. From here, trains continue westwards over the plateau for approximately nine miles through the Duadhnúille Rainforest until they call at:
• Méasa t-úinn Loch, located on the Duadh na Loch Mhólanne Plateau in the Duadhnúille Rainforest. From here, trains continue westwards over the plateau for approximately six miles through the Duadhnúille Rainforest until they arrive at:
• Gáirdh úinn Loch, a village located in the Gáirdha t-uinn Loch Mhólanne on the Duadh na Loch Mhólanne Plateau in the Duadhnúille Rainforest. From here, trains continue westward through the Búilgheach na Mhólanne Máibheuirr pass for approximately four miles before calling at:
• Mhólanne Mábheuirr úinn Loch (intercity), a commuter town located on the Mhólanne Ridge. From here, trains descend westwards into the Gleoin na Ruidheachea for approximately five miles, then another four miles through Mhólanne before being joined again by the Orange Line right before turning northwestwards and calling at:
• Mhólanne (intercity), a city located near Loch Mhólanne at the base of the Mhólanne Ridge. From here, trains quickly part ways with the Orange Line again and continue northwards through the urban area of Mhólanne going through a tunnel underneath the Mhólanne Ridge before emerging at the seaside and calling at:
• Mhólanne tÁbeairrig Deaith, located in the Áibearrig Deaith neighbourhood of Mhólanne, near Mhólanne Harbour. From here, trains continue northwards through another tunnel underneath the Meoirr na Chreibh na Mhólanne tÓ Duadh, turning towards the east and emerging to immediately call at:
• Cáimrígh úinn Loch Ó Thiair (intercity), located in the western part of the city of Cáimrígh úinn Loch. From here, trains continue for approximately three miles through the urban area of Cáimrígh úinn Loch until they arrive at:
• Cáimrígh úinn Loch Ó iÚrrain, located in the eastern part of the city of Cáimrígh úinn Loch. From here, trains continue in a slightly east-northeastward directions, crossing the Óibhennig na Chiéiltiaghe and running through the outskirts of Álba t-úinn Loch, until they call at:
• Álba t-úinn Loch Eiseach (intercity), located in the Eiseach part of the city of Álba t-úinn Loch. From here, trains ascend along the Álba Ridge until they arrive at:
• Álba t-úinn Loch Árt, located in the Árt part of the city of Álba t-úinn Loch. From here, trains gradually turn northeastwards over approximately eight miles through the Nuirdhnúille Rainforest, initially climbing approximately 500 metres through the Búilgeach na tÁlba before descending back to approximately 300 metres above sea level before calling at:
• Nóisblóidhann, located on the Nuarth na Loch Mhólanne Plateau atop the Nóisblóidhann Fall. From here, trains continue initially east-northeastwards before turning northeastwards again through the Nuirdhnúille Rainforest before calling at:
• Blóidhann Gláis, located in the Nuirdhnúille flowerlands on the Nuarth na Loch Mhólanne Plateau. From here, trains continue northeastwards, descending to approximately 150 metres above sea level before calling at:
• Méas na Blóidhanna Dùinnaiga, located in the Nuirdhnúille flowerlands. From here, trains continue further northeastwards, climbing up again to an altitude of approximately 600 metres through the Nuirdhnúille Rainforest before calling at:
• Arbáirr na Phíseachterra, a small harbour town located along Loch Mhólanne. The train station is located approximately 600 metres above the town and connected to it by road and bus. From here, trains continue northwestwards along the same altitude through the rainforest before calling at:
• Arbáirr na Lóda, a small harbour town located near the mouth of Loch Mhólanne. The train station is located approximately 560 metres above the town and connected to it by road and bus. From here, trains turn northwards and descend through a tunnel before emerging from it in the urban area of Nuirdhebh before turning northeastwards again for approximately 1.5 miles before calling at:
• Nuirdebh (intercity), a city located on the Pen na Nuirdhnúilleachand near Nuirdhhebh Harbour, where one can take the ferry of the Loch Mhólanne Crossing directly to Duaidhebh if the desire is there.