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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 2h

Latvia became less civilized in 1934 when one of the main persons responsible for our independence decided that it would be even greater if he'd overthrow the government and become our Great Leader.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 3h

European civilization in Latvia began in 1918 and ended in 1940. Then restarted in 1990.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 23h

For instance, our town of Liepāja improved its loading gauge twice. In the 1970s the network was modernized along the core section. And then again in the 2010-2020s.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 23h

meter gauge is not far from what the dimensions of urban vehicles used to be in the old days - it made sense but it no longer made sense in the 1960s, which is why trams were seen as outdated it is only through investment into improving the loading gauge and length that systems survive and thrive

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

But Tallinn trams for some reason use cape gauge :D 1067 mm

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

And then we could have nice regional services Limbaži-Rīga-Bauska :)

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

I hope that someday, after we finish Rail Baltica (fingers crossed), we could build a 1435 branch from Skultes muiža to Limbaži to offer fast regional services But LV should promote urban development around these stations. Which, sadly, we don't.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

That's the only closed railway in LV that I'm sad about ~2.5 km beyond Skulte the new Rail Baltica alignment will use the old track alignment and have a station "Skultes muiža", to which the 1520 line would (maybe not initially) be extended

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

all stations and train services on the Skulte line are now fully accessible with level boarding, except for Inčupe station which is in a forest and is planned to be relocated into the built-up-area

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

or simple accessible single-level cars + the transition sleeper car

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

I was thinking more about something like this

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

In that case - a 3-car fixed formation set with accessible rooms, restaurant and observation car could be made.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

I have also heard a version that they chose 1520 to simplify calculations. In Latvia, the tram networks are still 1524, while railways are 1520. In Estonia, they took over Finnish standards and so now are part 1520, part 1524!

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

If you know about ADA, can you explain if it really mandates all coaches of a train to be accessible? Why cannot Superliner trains have one accessible single-level car?

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Because you can have a ramp or lift to access the train from low platforms, but you cannot have a ramp or lift inside the train to get down from a higher platform

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

If EU would introduce a 760 height standard, then there would be a period of inaccessibility for all the trains with 550 low floor

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Most countries have not even rebuilt all historical platforms to the current EU standards... LV built wooden height extensions to 550 to enable level boarding before reconstruction. LT all platforms except Mockava are 200 But all trains are with floor height for 550. Impossible to raise to 760

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

But my point was also that the EU should mandate countries to adapt a single platform height standard for all non-HSR stations. To press DE and PL to adopt a single standard. And to make sure that no other country decides to start using two standards - because it is allowed

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

My point is that cross-border regionals are already messed-up, but at least intra-country trains should not be messed-up and should follow a single platform height standard. Benelux+DE(+PL?) 760mm, the rest 550mm as the base height

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

As @jonworth.eu always points out, double-deck TGVs are problematic for the European network in many ways :D The EU could say that nations can retain 550 HSR platforms for domestic HSR services, as long as 760 are provided for international services :)

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Perhaps the EU should set 760 as the HSR platform height and then make countries choose either 760 or 550 as their regional train platform height. Germany should go all in on 760.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

But in any case would be cheaper to do transshipment than regauge

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

But there have been ideas on regauging Jūrmala commuter line, because it would simplify track junctions in Torņakalns. But it would be bad operation-wise.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

It's a EU requirement to study regauging. Which is why there are sensationalist articles about Finland planning to regauge, even if it's just an EU-mandated study. I doubt LV or EE will have any feasibility for regauging

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

That's true. But also the Baltics are so rural that it's more expensive to build 760 everywhere. That's why Baltic 1520 network is 550. (And LT de facto is 200 still......)

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

It should. And I guess Poland is indeed opting for 760mm HSR platforms. So RB platform heights are not a problem - if it's an isolated network. It becomes a problem only if we regauge some lines to 1435.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Rail Baltica decided to do 760mm platform. While I used to think it was a good choice, now I'm starting to doubt it. Hard to say.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

88050 - the yellow barrel tram wagon - the quirkiest tramcar in Riga

Same yellow barrel wagon from a different viewpoint. A modern low-floor tram in the background.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

New style tram signals also being implemented

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

After the successful implementation of traffic signal priority on tram lines 1 and 7, Riga is currently installing the necessary detectors on tram line 11 as well! Tram line 11 is the slowest tram line in Riga and badly needs this

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Riga infrastructure close-ups, courtesy of Riga municipality Flickr account

Renovated historical kerb made from fieldstones

Sloped kerb between asphalt bicycle path and concrete paving stone sidewalk.

Asphalt bicycle street with granite central divider.

New concrete paving stones for sidewalks with a slightly rough surface for better grip during icy conditions

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

In 2005, the Riga transport plan study predicted a 70-80% growth in car ownership in Riga in the next 20-30 years. The actual growth over 22 years has been... drumroll... 4,6% But population has decreased by 20% :/

The study predicts a 5% decline in Riga population but a 70 to 80% growth in car ownership rates between 2003 and 2030.

Current car ownership rates per 1000 inhabitants. 318 in Riga, around 380 to 400 in denser sattelite town areas, around 410 to 450 in more rural suburban areas.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

How to score technical solutions of the different bids - what exactly does one measure

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

how to do technical scoring with pre-determined objective and measurable criteria? i've never understood

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Riga had its vorstadts - which would be made of wooden buildings and burned down in case of a threat of war. The last burning was ~1812. Vorstadts housed people of various ethnicities and religions which weren't let into Riga - like catholics :D

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

But wait - does TOD zoning actually mandate a certain density in each of these areas? So you can only build like 12-20 storeys in the green area, 6-12 storeys in the pink area, 3-6 storeys in the blue area or similar?

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

and arbitrary distances in geometrically perfect circles, abstracted from the actual pedestrian walking distance

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Latvian Railways start this year's spooktober with the 2nd series of their scary railway safety videos. Episode 1: Car driver smoothie www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im9E...

youtube.com

Šoferīša smūtijs

YouTube video by Latvijas Dzelzceļš

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Amazing! Would you care to add the commuter railways of Riga? They are available in GTFS www.vivi.lv/lv/sadarbiba...

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

In the old days we used to have "tramvajs-kalpotājs" - night trams for staff which were also publicly accessible. Sadly, no longer a thing

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

In Riga the operator provides staff buses during the night for drivers to get from/to work.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Riga has thus far planned such facilities in case of tram line extensions to Berģi and to Ziepniekkalns, but neither extension have yet been realised. Currently line 1 has extremely long suboptimal runs between depot and terminus due to space constraints for necessary curve.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

And, of course, these BEMU routes are being designed with future electrification in mind.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

There we're in the process of receiving dual-voltage Škoda BEMUs for routes to Daugavpils, Rēzekne, Valmiera, along which there will be 25kV fast charging stations. We will still need to replace remaining DMUs for Liepāja, Gulbene and the long services to Indra, Zilupe, Valga.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Yeah, I think this is correct – remote places that are not feasible to connect otherwise. Also, I'm not an opponent to short-haul flights that provide connections to long-haul flights.

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briedisunanonims.bsky.social @briedisunanonims.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It's because the top priority right now is reconstructing the existing catenary that has reached the end if it's life – causing frequent problems with the new EMUs. And Rail Baltica. Catenary upgrades are done with 25kV AC provisions and often – speed upgrades to 140 km/h.

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