RijnGouweLijn
Encyclopedia
The RijnGouweLijn or RGL is originally a plan for a light rail
project in South Holland
, Netherlands
, with partly new rail tracks and partly using existing rail tracks of the Gouda–Alphen aan den Rijn railway and the Woerden–Leiden railway.
However, for the parts that would require new rail tracks (the western section) possibly a system of bus rapid transit
(with bus lanes that could later be replaced by light-rail tracks) will be realized instead.
From 2003 to 2009 light rail vehicles have operated on the Gouda–Alphen aan den Rijn railway, sharing these tracks with regular NS material. Currently, again, only the latter is used.
s, like the tram-train
systems around Karlsruhe
and Saarbrücken
, Germany
.
This shared track is from Gouda
through Alphen aan den Rijn
to Leiden. The existing heavy rail track will be adapted and there will be seven additional stops.
For Leiden the plan was to have new track through the center (Breestraat) at street level (alternatives that have been proposed were around the center on existing track, or in a tunnel
through the center). The province of South Holland
is in favor of this, but based on a referendum in March 2007 among the Leiden population, the municipality is against it. The province has threatened to force the municipality to accept a trajectory through Leiden. Following that, the municipality agreed to accept the RGL through the city. Province and municipality have now agreed that this will be the route Hooigracht/Langegracht.
The proposed line passes through Leiden Centraal railway station
and then proceeds on new track to Katwijk
with a branch to Noordwijk
.
The liĘ-rail vehicles used are of type Flexity Swift
, produced by Bombardier Transportation
in Vienna
. The LRVs were originally meant for SL
(lines 12
& 22
) in Stockholm
, Sweden
(hence the usage of the designation A32).
To start with they are used in the regular railway service between Gouda and Alphen aan den Rijn. The stations have been adapted: new low level platforms
have been added either
as extensions to existing high level platforms or by building them on the opposite side of the track to
the high level platforms.
From 2003 to 2009 there was test traffic with light rail vehicles on the heavy rail track from Gouda to Alphen aan den Rijn. The RGL is divided into two subprojects: RGL-East (Gouda - Leiden Transferium 't Schouw A44) and RGL-West (Leiden Transferium' t Schouw A44 - Katwijk / Noordwijk). The completion of both sections is planned for late 2015. Completion is dependent on financial support from the national government. The decision came about in the autumn of 2009. State Secretary of Transport Tineke Huizinga indicated € 45,000,000 would pay for the line to Katwijk. The line to Noordwijk will not be built now, but will have bus traffic.
In the 1960s, 70's and 80's there were often put forward plans for the tram to return to the previous sections of the Blue and Yellow Tram. The first ideas for the RGL were presented in the early 90s. Its creator was Leeuwenburgh Baldwin, the former district chief of NZH. Initially intended to be a much larger set light rail network, with branches to Leiderdorp, the district Ridderfeld in Alphen
and Schiphol. There are also suggestions of linking the RGL to Randstadrail
, for example by establishing the trajectory of Leiden - Zoetermeer
and / or Leiden - Leidschendam-Voorburg
via Voorschoten. These ideas have so far not been realised.
The RGL soon met opposition. Tram traffic was seen as a hazard for cyclists and pedestrians. There was also criticism of the high construction cost of the project. In the 90s it was budgeted for 450 million guilders, in 2007 the amount had risen to 470 million euros. There were fears of cuts in city and regional bus networks. Furthermore, there was doubt about the effectiveness of the RGL. The critics were in favor of extending the rail line from Leiden to Utrecht, and investment in dedicated bus lanes on the route from Leiden to Katwijk and Noordwijk.
. In the period 2012-2014, the whole section will be upgraded to double track
.
as a city tram to Leiden Central Station. This process is controversial, especially regarding safety, cost and impact on cyclists and bus network. Especially controversial was a single track section through the Breestraat. Therefore, in addition to the original plan several alternative plans were developed. In one of those alternatives the RGL would follow the existing route of the railway line all the way to Leiden Centraal, or to a point near the station. The railway would be doubled, and perhaps be moved to a concrete overpass above the current track.
These alternative plans were shown to be three to four times more expensive than the originally proposed route through the city center. On March 7, 2007 a referendum was held in Leiden, on the arrival of the RGL to Leiden (a specific route is not mentioned in the referendum question). 69% of the Leiden inhabitants voted 'no' to the proposal. Accordingly, the town rejected the RGL, but the province threatened to impose the tram line anyway. This led a majority of the politicians in Leiden to accept, in 2008, an alternative route of the RGL, through Hooigracht / Langegracht.
Whereas the tram in the initial proposal would go through Steenstraat/3e Binnenvestgracht Stationsweg to the station, it will now go through the Lammermarkt and Schuttersveld.
According to the latest urban vision, the tram will cross the railroad in the Rijnsbruger Tunnel instead of the Joop Walenkamp tunnel. The bicycle lane and taxi stop must be removed
After Leiden Centraal Station, the line will pass the Leiden University Medical Center and the Bio Science Park, reaching Transferium 't Schouw.
, after which the path forks into one branch to Katwijk aan Zee
, and one to Noordwijk
. In 2005, an agreement was signed between all municipalities except the municipality of Leiden to distribute the costs of the project. The national government covers a large part of the construction costs, as well as the province. The distribution of possible cost overruns in the cost of various government contracts. The county bears all risks for the operation of the line. The western branch of the RGL is also important for the opening of the new building located on the former Valkenburg Naval Air Base
.
In Katwijk and Noordwijk there was much opposition to the tram plans, both among the general population and in the city councils. Neither community wanted tram traffic in the town centers. For Noordwijk if he or end at the European Space Research and Technology Centre
on the border with Katwijk. The municipalities presented an alternative alignment of the RGL. The RGL Noordwijk-Binnen would drive to Voorhout station and the target station Sassenheim. In Katwijk there was oppostition against the branch to Katwijk aan Zee. Both communities were imposed by the tram but the provincial government, as had happened earlier Leiden. In the autumn of 2009 the national government provided 45 million euros for the line to Katwijk, but not to Noordwijk. There is a gap of 55 million euros, for which a solution must be found.
In June 2009, the preferred route by the Provincial Council of South Holland was approved. Both Katwijk and Noordwijk get a tram to the coast. However, the province address the concerns of Katwijk to the line not to ride on the Boulevard but to finish in the Badstraat.
traffic on this route was largely performed by RGL vehicles. These are the type of Bombardier
A32, a model that is also used on the Tvärbanan
light rail in Stockholm
. The grey and blue trams were fitted with yellow stickers to look somewhat similar to the color of the "sprinter" train from NS. On December 13, 2009, the trial ended with the equipment and "sprinter" train took over the line. The A32 trams will be sold to Stockholm.
Lower platforms
In North Waddinxveen
the existing platform was extended with a low wooden platform. Boskoop
in the center platform has been considerably extended and this is the only concrete platform apart from the platform of Gouda
. In Alphen aan den Rijn
is finally the new 4LR wooden platform constructed along the old freight track. This is by means of a fence between the two separate tracks of track 3, because the safety of the driver. The door of the cab directly to the outside located in Alphen aan den Rijn is not on the platform side.
About why this line in the period 2003-09 in the striker also regular trains. Because trains are wider than the A32-trams, and so in passing something about the low platforms that protrude platforms, there are low platforms made extra warning stripes.
The operation was mainly characterized by many in the early signal interference caused by malfunctioning axle counters and / or ATP-NG-train security. Soon the RGL got a bad reputation because of the failure of a large part of the schedule. The number of passengers per day, around 5000, during the period 2003-2009 is also stable, despite a large increase in many other rail routes in the Randstad. The six light rail vehicles purchased for the test eventually proved inadequate, also because of the large amount of problems it faces.
End of test
In August 2009 it was announced that the proposed precursor of the RGL on the route Gouda - Alphen as of December 13, 2009 would disappear because only with Sprinter
s the train timetables could be improved. There came more direct trains Gouda - Leiden Centraal, decreasing the travel time by 8 minutes.
There are also technical challenges. Thus the ground in some places soft, so that a base should be applied. Now the longer procedural side, there are voices in order to take more time for the subsidence of the land. A base can be omitted. Whether this is a technically feasible solution, is unclear, with the adjacent N11 include regular repairs needed because of subsidence.
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
project in South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, with partly new rail tracks and partly using existing rail tracks of the Gouda–Alphen aan den Rijn railway and the Woerden–Leiden railway.
However, for the parts that would require new rail tracks (the western section) possibly a system of bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
(with bus lanes that could later be replaced by light-rail tracks) will be realized instead.
From 2003 to 2009 light rail vehicles have operated on the Gouda–Alphen aan den Rijn railway, sharing these tracks with regular NS material. Currently, again, only the latter is used.
Original plan
It will be the first system in the Netherlands where light rail vehicles will partly use heavy rail tracks, sharing these tracks with heavy rail trainTrain
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s, like the tram-train
Tram-train
A tram-train is a light-rail public transport system where trams run both on an urban tramway network and on main-line railways to combine the tram's flexibility and availability and the train's greater speed...
systems around Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
and Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
This shared track is from Gouda
Gouda
Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
through Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn , where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 72,674 in 2010, and covers an...
to Leiden. The existing heavy rail track will be adapted and there will be seven additional stops.
For Leiden the plan was to have new track through the center (Breestraat) at street level (alternatives that have been proposed were around the center on existing track, or in a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
through the center). The province of South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
is in favor of this, but based on a referendum in March 2007 among the Leiden population, the municipality is against it. The province has threatened to force the municipality to accept a trajectory through Leiden. Following that, the municipality agreed to accept the RGL through the city. Province and municipality have now agreed that this will be the route Hooigracht/Langegracht.
The proposed line passes through Leiden Centraal railway station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
and then proceeds on new track to Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
with a branch to Noordwijk
Noordwijk
Noordwijk is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 51.53 km² and had a population of 24,707 in May 2006....
.
The liĘ-rail vehicles used are of type Flexity Swift
Flexity Swift
The Flexity Swift tram is a family of urban and inter-urban light-rail vehicles manufactured by Bombardier Transportation for a wide number of customers across Europe...
, produced by Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. The LRVs were originally meant for SL
Storstockholms Lokaltrafik
Storstockholms Lokaltrafik AB, , commonly referred to as SL, is the organisation running all of the land based public transport systems in Stockholm County....
(lines 12
Nockebybanan
Nockebybanan is a tram line between Nockeby and Alvik in the western suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden. The long line is part of the Storstockholms Lokaltrafik public transport network, and connects with the Stockholm Metro and Tvärbanan light rail at Alvik...
& 22
Tvärbanan
Tvärbanan is a light rail line in the suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden. Its name literally translated into English is Crossways line. It links together many bus and rail lines crossways through its connections with the southern and western subway branches of the Stockholm Metro and the Stockholm...
) in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(hence the usage of the designation A32).
To start with they are used in the regular railway service between Gouda and Alphen aan den Rijn. The stations have been adapted: new low level platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
have been added either
as extensions to existing high level platforms or by building them on the opposite side of the track to
the high level platforms.
From 2003 to 2009 there was test traffic with light rail vehicles on the heavy rail track from Gouda to Alphen aan den Rijn. The RGL is divided into two subprojects: RGL-East (Gouda - Leiden Transferium 't Schouw A44) and RGL-West (Leiden Transferium' t Schouw A44 - Katwijk / Noordwijk). The completion of both sections is planned for late 2015. Completion is dependent on financial support from the national government. The decision came about in the autumn of 2009. State Secretary of Transport Tineke Huizinga indicated € 45,000,000 would pay for the line to Katwijk. The line to Noordwijk will not be built now, but will have bus traffic.
Background
Long before there was light rail, some of the tracks had tram traffic. In the 1960s there existed in Leiden the Blue and Yellow Tram lines.In the 1960s, 70's and 80's there were often put forward plans for the tram to return to the previous sections of the Blue and Yellow Tram. The first ideas for the RGL were presented in the early 90s. Its creator was Leeuwenburgh Baldwin, the former district chief of NZH. Initially intended to be a much larger set light rail network, with branches to Leiderdorp, the district Ridderfeld in Alphen
Alphen
Alphen can refer to several towns in the Netherlands:* Alphen aan den Rijn, town in the province of South Holland* Alphen, South Holland, a former municipality, including Alphen aan den Rijn...
and Schiphol. There are also suggestions of linking the RGL to Randstadrail
RandstadRail
RandstadRail network in the southern part of the Randstad conurbation in the west of the Netherlands, connecting The Hague, Zoetermeer and Rotterdam, consists of a metro-like line between The Hague and Rotterdam and two light rail lines between The Hague and Zoetermeer...
, for example by establishing the trajectory of Leiden - Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...
and / or Leiden - Leidschendam-Voorburg
Leidschendam-Voorburg
Leidschendam-Voorburg is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 73,832 in 2004, and covers an area of 35.68 km² of which 2.86 km² is water.-Origin:...
via Voorschoten. These ideas have so far not been realised.
The RGL soon met opposition. Tram traffic was seen as a hazard for cyclists and pedestrians. There was also criticism of the high construction cost of the project. In the 90s it was budgeted for 450 million guilders, in 2007 the amount had risen to 470 million euros. There were fears of cuts in city and regional bus networks. Furthermore, there was doubt about the effectiveness of the RGL. The critics were in favor of extending the rail line from Leiden to Utrecht, and investment in dedicated bus lanes on the route from Leiden to Katwijk and Noordwijk.
Number of passengers
In the 90s it was projected that approximately 78,000 passengers a day would use the RGL (total number for the system Gouda - Katwijk / Noordwijk). Despite the negative impact on the bus network in favor of the RGL it was expected that the accessibility of the Leiden center would be greatly improved. A track through the center of Leiden would mean that the travel time for people who have a destination outside Leiden would be significantly extended, and this course has repercussions for passengers forecast. These estimates were repeatedly reduced. The most recent lists a number of 50,000 passengers. This is still more than 42,000 travelers in the busiest tram line in Amsterdam (number 5). On the route Leiden - Katwijk / Noordwijk the number of passengers would only be slightly higher than on the current bus network.Eastern section (Gouda - Alphen aan den Rijn - Leiden)
The section between Gouda and Leiden, was originally scheduled to be inaugurated in 2005. This was later postponed to 2007. The current schedule is that the eastern section will open in 2015, simultaneously with western section. From 2003 to 2009 light rail vehicles were in traffic on the existing railway between Gouda and Alphen aan den Rijn. The future RGL will then continue to Leiden Lammenschans railway stationLeiden Lammenschans railway station
Leiden Lammenschans is a railway station in Leiden, the Netherlands. The station, designed by Koen van der Gaast, was opened on 18 May 1961. It is served by trains running between Leiden Centraal and Utrecht Centraal, and by RijnGouweLijn trains running between Leiden Centraal and Gouda at Peak...
. In the period 2012-2014, the whole section will be upgraded to double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
.
Through Leiden
The original plan was that the RGL should continue from Leiden Lammenschans railway stationLeiden Lammenschans railway station
Leiden Lammenschans is a railway station in Leiden, the Netherlands. The station, designed by Koen van der Gaast, was opened on 18 May 1961. It is served by trains running between Leiden Centraal and Utrecht Centraal, and by RijnGouweLijn trains running between Leiden Centraal and Gouda at Peak...
as a city tram to Leiden Central Station. This process is controversial, especially regarding safety, cost and impact on cyclists and bus network. Especially controversial was a single track section through the Breestraat. Therefore, in addition to the original plan several alternative plans were developed. In one of those alternatives the RGL would follow the existing route of the railway line all the way to Leiden Centraal, or to a point near the station. The railway would be doubled, and perhaps be moved to a concrete overpass above the current track.
These alternative plans were shown to be three to four times more expensive than the originally proposed route through the city center. On March 7, 2007 a referendum was held in Leiden, on the arrival of the RGL to Leiden (a specific route is not mentioned in the referendum question). 69% of the Leiden inhabitants voted 'no' to the proposal. Accordingly, the town rejected the RGL, but the province threatened to impose the tram line anyway. This led a majority of the politicians in Leiden to accept, in 2008, an alternative route of the RGL, through Hooigracht / Langegracht.
Whereas the tram in the initial proposal would go through Steenstraat/3e Binnenvestgracht Stationsweg to the station, it will now go through the Lammermarkt and Schuttersveld.
According to the latest urban vision, the tram will cross the railroad in the Rijnsbruger Tunnel instead of the Joop Walenkamp tunnel. The bicycle lane and taxi stop must be removed
After Leiden Centraal Station, the line will pass the Leiden University Medical Center and the Bio Science Park, reaching Transferium 't Schouw.
Western section (Leiden - Katwijk / Noordwijk)
From Transferium 't Schouw A44, the RGL will go as light rail to Katwijk aan den RijnKatwijk aan den Rijn
Note: parts of this article have been translated from the Dutch version of this page.Katwijk aan den Rijn is a population centre in the municipality of Katwijk in the province of South Holland, in The Netherlands, with approximately 6020 inhabitants. Katwijk aan den Rijn lies between Katwijk aan...
, after which the path forks into one branch to Katwijk aan Zee
Katwijk aan Zee
Katwijk aan Zee is a seaside resort located on the North Sea at the mouth of the Oude Rijn. It is situated in the municipality of Katwijk and the province of South Holland.- History :...
, and one to Noordwijk
Noordwijk
Noordwijk is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 51.53 km² and had a population of 24,707 in May 2006....
. In 2005, an agreement was signed between all municipalities except the municipality of Leiden to distribute the costs of the project. The national government covers a large part of the construction costs, as well as the province. The distribution of possible cost overruns in the cost of various government contracts. The county bears all risks for the operation of the line. The western branch of the RGL is also important for the opening of the new building located on the former Valkenburg Naval Air Base
Valkenburg Naval Air Base
Valkenburg Naval Air Base is a former air base located just south of Valkenburg, which is part of Katwijk and close to the city of Leiden, that was used by the Royal Netherlands Navy up until 2006, being their base for the Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft, which were sold to Germany and Portugal,...
.
In Katwijk and Noordwijk there was much opposition to the tram plans, both among the general population and in the city councils. Neither community wanted tram traffic in the town centers. For Noordwijk if he or end at the European Space Research and Technology Centre
European Space Research and Technology Centre
The European Space Research and Technology Centre is the European Space Agency's main technology development and test centre for spacecraft and space technology. It is situated in Noordwijk, South Holland, in the western Netherlands....
on the border with Katwijk. The municipalities presented an alternative alignment of the RGL. The RGL Noordwijk-Binnen would drive to Voorhout station and the target station Sassenheim. In Katwijk there was oppostition against the branch to Katwijk aan Zee. Both communities were imposed by the tram but the provincial government, as had happened earlier Leiden. In the autumn of 2009 the national government provided 45 million euros for the line to Katwijk, but not to Noordwijk. There is a gap of 55 million euros, for which a solution must be found.
In June 2009, the preferred route by the Provincial Council of South Holland was approved. Both Katwijk and Noordwijk get a tram to the coast. However, the province address the concerns of Katwijk to the line not to ride on the Boulevard but to finish in the Badstraat.
Test traffic with light rail vehicles
In March 2003 test traffic was started between Gouda and Alphen aan den Rijn with light rail equipment on existing railroad tracks. Since then, the NSNederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
traffic on this route was largely performed by RGL vehicles. These are the type of Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
A32, a model that is also used on the Tvärbanan
Tvärbanan
Tvärbanan is a light rail line in the suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden. Its name literally translated into English is Crossways line. It links together many bus and rail lines crossways through its connections with the southern and western subway branches of the Stockholm Metro and the Stockholm...
light rail in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. The grey and blue trams were fitted with yellow stickers to look somewhat similar to the color of the "sprinter" train from NS. On December 13, 2009, the trial ended with the equipment and "sprinter" train took over the line. The A32 trams will be sold to Stockholm.
Lower platforms
In North Waddinxveen
Waddinxveen
Waddinxveen is a town and municipality along the Gouwe river in the western Netherlands in the province of South Holland near Gouda. The municipality had a population of 26,304 in 2004, 25.328 on new year's eve of 2010. and covers an area of 29.39 km² .In Waddinxveen, there's the so-called...
the existing platform was extended with a low wooden platform. Boskoop
Boskoop
Boskoop is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 15,217 in 2008, and covers an area of 16.96 km² of which 2.17 km² is water...
in the center platform has been considerably extended and this is the only concrete platform apart from the platform of Gouda
Gouda
Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
. In Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn , where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 72,674 in 2010, and covers an...
is finally the new 4LR wooden platform constructed along the old freight track. This is by means of a fence between the two separate tracks of track 3, because the safety of the driver. The door of the cab directly to the outside located in Alphen aan den Rijn is not on the platform side.
About why this line in the period 2003-09 in the striker also regular trains. Because trains are wider than the A32-trams, and so in passing something about the low platforms that protrude platforms, there are low platforms made extra warning stripes.
The operation was mainly characterized by many in the early signal interference caused by malfunctioning axle counters and / or ATP-NG-train security. Soon the RGL got a bad reputation because of the failure of a large part of the schedule. The number of passengers per day, around 5000, during the period 2003-2009 is also stable, despite a large increase in many other rail routes in the Randstad. The six light rail vehicles purchased for the test eventually proved inadequate, also because of the large amount of problems it faces.
End of test
In August 2009 it was announced that the proposed precursor of the RGL on the route Gouda - Alphen as of December 13, 2009 would disappear because only with Sprinter
Sprinter
Sprinter can refer to:in sport:* a person who participates in Sprint running* a cycling sprinter* Open-wheeled Sprint car racingmotor vehicles:* the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter , a cargo van...
s the train timetables could be improved. There came more direct trains Gouda - Leiden Centraal, decreasing the travel time by 8 minutes.
Future
With the route through the Hooigracht / Langegracht in Leiden decided (2008), and the decision of the provincial government on the western route, the future of the RGL is now a little clearer, but that does not mean that all obstacles have been overcome . The municipality of Noordwijk refuses to cooperate and several parties in the city council of Leiden remain fiercely opposed to the RGL (including D66, ever strong supporter of the RGL) indicating that the referendum result of 2007 is ignored.There are also technical challenges. Thus the ground in some places soft, so that a base should be applied. Now the longer procedural side, there are voices in order to take more time for the subsidence of the land. A base can be omitted. Whether this is a technically feasible solution, is unclear, with the adjacent N11 include regular repairs needed because of subsidence.
External links
- Official website (Dutch, with summary in English).