new map for you all: "how big can trains be?" across europe using declared loading gauges from the ERA RINF. purple = big trains, red = small trains, green = somewhere in between.
https://compute.olie.science/expo/?data=loading_gauge/2026-03-18#x=8.0973&y=48.8056&z=5.0605
thanks go to @kaat0 for helping with the data. all mistakes are my own :)
@bovine3dom Don’t show this to Swedish railnerds, they’re already arrogant enough about our large loading gauge :D
(And then we have like 25%-50% shorter platforms so I’m not even sure who we’re trying to fool.)
@[email protected] @[email protected] Though, ETCS + TGV M will increase passenger capacity for sure, kicking the can down the road a bit further. Is the 400m length a signalling constraint or only a platform length one ? Making longer trains would be another engineering solution to bypass the doubling of the line, and lengthening platforms can't be as expensive as doubling up lines ?
@aslakr @cycling_on_rails @stefanlindbohm @kaat0 @Sobex
since you asked nicely - platform heights and lengths
https://compute.olie.science/expo/?data=platform_heights/2026-03-19
https://compute.olie.science/expo/?data=platform_lengths/2026-03-19
Oliver Blanthorn
Stefan Lindbohm
Cycling on Rails
Aslak Raanes
Simon
Martin Hoffmann