Tallinn–Tapa railway

The Tallinn–Tapa railway is a 77.8-kilometre (48.3 mi)[2] long double track partly electrified railway line in Estonia, connecting the cities of Tallinn and Tapa.

Tallinn–Tapa railway
Tallinn–Tapa railway at Ülemiste station
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerEesti Raudtee
LocaleEstonia (Harju County, Lääne-Viru County)
Termini
Stations17
Service
TypeRegional rail
Commuter rail
Freight rail
Route number
List of routes
Operator(s)GoRail
Elron
EVR Cargo
Depot(s)Tallinn Baltic Station
Tapa railway station
Rolling stock2TE116
DR1A (withdrawn)
DR1B (withdrawn)
Stadler FLIRT (from 2012)[1]
ER2 (withdrawn)
GE C36-7i
GE C30-7Ai
ChME3
M62 (withdrawn)
History
Opened1870
Technical
Track length77.8 km (48.3 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,520 mm (4 ft 11+2732 in) Russian gauge
Electrification3 kV DC OHLE
(Tallinn to Aegviidu)
25 kV AC OHLE
(to be installed 2021-2024)
Operating speed120 km/h (75 mph) (operational)
135 km/h (84 mph) (planned)
160 km/h (99 mph) (long-term planned)
Tallinn–Tapa
railway
Tallinn Mainline rail interchangeTram interchange
Rohu street
Tabliczka E265.svgM8-EE.svg E265 / T8
Endla street
Kitseküla
Tabliczka E67.svgM4-EE.svg E67 / T4
Tabliczka E263.svgM2-EE.svg E263 / T2
Veerenni street
Ülemiste Airport interchange
Vesse
Smuuli Road
Tabliczka E265.svgM11-EE.svg E265 / T11
Freight line
to Muuga Harbour
Lagedi
   
11300
Kulli
11304
Aruküla
Raasiku
11310
11313
Parila
Kehra
   
   
Lahinguvälja
Mustjõgi
   
Aegviidu
Nelijärve
Jäneda
   
Lehtse
   
Tapa

Operational use

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The line starts at Tallinn Baltic Station, runs through Northern Estonia in eastern direction and ends in Tapa, where it connects with railways to Narva and Tartu. It has 17 stations, including its two termini. The line is equipped for speeds up to 120 km/h on its entire length. Ülemiste train station and Tallinn Baltic Station are included into planned Rail Baltica high-speed standard gauge railway. Passenger train operators include Elron and GoRail. Lux Express announced its plans to operate the line between Tallinn and St. Petersburg with two Stadler trains.[3] The line has a railway connection, which serves Muuga Harbour, the largest cargo port in Estonia. Large marshalling yards are at Tallinn Baltic Station, Ülemiste railway station and Tapa railway station.

History

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The railway forms together with the Tapa–Narva railway the Tallinn–Narva railway. Its length is 209.6 km (130.2 mi). This line was completed in 1870 and was originally a part of the railway line, which connected St. Peterburg and Paldiski through Tallinn and Narva as a part of the railway network of the Russian Empire.

Future

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The second stage of the Rail Baltica development includes the modernisation of Tallinn–Tapa railway as a part of Tallinn–Riga railway, so trains could run at 160 km/h.[4] A new train station is to be built at Ülemiste in 2019, making it the largest station on the line and starting serving the whole region through Rail Baltica HSL in period 2020–2025.[5]

Infrastructure

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The railway is maintained from Tallinn Baltic Station and Tapa railway station. The railway infrastructure operator is EVR Infra – a subsidiary of the national railway company Eesti Raudtee. Modernisation of interlocking of the stations will be made in 2014[6] and implementation of the ETCS second level is dependant from the phase of development of the technology and comes as the third stage of ERMTS implementation plan for Estonian conventional rail network in period 2019–2025.[7]

Track

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The track is 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+2732 in) Broad gauge. The line is electrified between Tallinn and Aegviidu using overhead lines with 3 kV DC railway electrification.

Stations

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All stations are being rebuilt according to European Council decision 2002/735/EC and Estonian standard EVS 867:2003[6] from a platform height of 1,100 mm to the EU standard platform height of 550 mm.

Route

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Tallinn Baltic Station
 
End of the electrified section in Aegviidu
 
Tapa railway station

From Tallinn Baltic Station, trains travel around the centre of Tallinn through Kitseküla railway station heading eastwards towards Ülemiste train station. After Vesse station they leave borders of Tallinn and continue in a south-eastern direction through Harju County and Lääne-Viru County till Jäneda station, crossing several rivers on their way. After Jäneda the railway runs mainly in eastward direction till the end point in Tapa, where it splits to railways to Tartu and Narva.

As railway electrification ends in Aegviidu, this station serves as a terminus station for Elron EMUs in eastern direction.

Services are operated by Elron Stadler FLIRT trains, which replaced the DMU and EMU rolling stock of Edelaraudtee and Elektriraudtee.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Elektriraudtee and Stadler signed the procurement contract for the new FLIRT trains". Estonia. 4 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
  2. ^ "MONITORING OF DEVELOPMENTS RELEVANT FOR THE PAN-EUROPEAN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS AND AREAS". www.unece.org. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Lux Express hangib raudteeärisse sisenemiseks kaks luksusrongi" [Lux Express acquires two luxury trains to enter the rail business]. Delfi (in Estonian). 28 February 2012.
  4. ^ "The government approved Estonia's plans for railway developments". Estonia. 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Tallinn algatab Ülemiste supervaksali planeeringu" [Tallinn initiates the planning of the Ülemiste super station]. Delfi (in Estonian). 22 March 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Euroopa Ühtekuuluvusfondi kaasfinantseeritud reisiplatvormide projekt". www.evr.ee. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 11 June 2012.(in Estonian)
  7. ^ "ERTMS implementation plan for Estonian conventional rail network" (PDF). ec.europa.eu/transport/. Retrieved 11 June 2012.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Elektriraudtee orders Stadler Flirt trains". Railway Gazette International. 12 April 2010.