Mixed-use lines: the backbone of our network.
Do you know whether the route you take is also used for freight, or whether it is reserved solely for passenger trains? Réseau Ferré de France’s network comprises both mixed-use lines and single-use lines, whether dedicated to passengers or freight.
freight and passenger lines combined
Mixed-use lines
Mixed-use lines make up the major part of our network. These lines, which carry both freight and passenger trains indiscriminately, are complicated to manage for two main reasons:
Intricate flow management is needed for the more congested lines, since freight and passenger trains do not travel at the same speed. We are looking to lay more high speed lines and hope soon to bring certain under-frequented routes back into use in order to exploit additional capacities for unloading and freight traffic.
High construction costs. The lines are expensive to maintain since they must follow wide curves so that they can carry high speed trains and are limited to gentle gradients to support freight transport.
Dedicated lines
However, passengers and freight do not always travel along the same tracks of Réseau Ferré de France’s network:
When you travel along a high speed line (HSL), on the RER or take some regional routes, the lines that you are using are reserved only for passenger traffic.
On the other hand, there are some 8,000 kilometres of track used solely to carry freight traffic and that serve industrial sites.
The vocation of future lines
The lines that we build in the future will not be exclusively for high speed traffic. Only those with sufficient traffic levels to be able to use the line to full capacity and make it profitable shall be reserved solely for passengers. The other lines shall be for mixed-use.
