VR Group
Encyclopedia
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland
. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet (Finnish State Railways) until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna (State Railways) until 1995. Its most important function is the operation of freight and passenger rail services.
Since 2010, the maintenance and the construction of the railway network are the responsibility of the Finnish Transport Agency . The operation and network were originally carried out by the parent company Valtionrautatiet until 1995, when it was split into VR Group and the rail administration entity Ratahallintokeskus.
, and a road freight haulage company VR Transpoint.
Altogether the group of companies includes 21 companies employing a total of about 14,400 people.
area, but express trains interconnect most cities. As in France
, the majority of passenger services are connections to the capital, Helsinki. VR provides car transport services. Seven stations allow loading and unloading of cars on trains: Helsinki
, Turku
and Tampere
in the south, Oulu
further north, and Rovaniemi
, Kemijärvi
and Kolari
in Lapland. Car transport trains stop at other stations along the way for normal passenger transport.
. As of June 2011, there are four Allegro passenger trains per day to Saint Petersburg
and one overnight train to Moscow
via Saint Petersburg called the Tolstoi (named after Leo Tolstoy
). On , Allegro traffic increased from two to four trains per day in each direction. The tracks on the Helsinki - Saint Petersburg line were upgraded to enable a higher running speed before the Allegro started its service.
rail network in Tornio
and rail ferry connections from Turku
to Stockholm
, Sweden, and to Travemünde
, Germany.
s until 1975; the regular use of steam traction for scheduled passenger services ended in 1970 but occasional use continued until 1975. As of 2011, the company operates two classes of electric locomotive
s (Sr1
and Sr2
) and three classes of diesel locomotive
s (Dv12
, Dr14
and Dr16
). The use of diesel locomotive hauled passenger trains has declined due to electrification of all main lines and the (re)introduction of railbuses (Dm12
) on secondary routes. In October 2010, VR announced plans to renew its locomotive fleet by ordering around 200 new locomotives, which are expected to enter service in 2015-2025.
At the beginning of traffic, locomotives were distinguished by their names, and by 1865 also by their numbers. In 1887, the locomotives were given their original classification system. It was based on the wheel arrangement of the locomotives: each wheel arrangement was assigned a letter of the alphabet, which was followed by a serial number. The assignment of letters to different wheel arrangements was made when the first locomotive using it was brought into service; the letter A signified a 4-4-0 wheelbase in the Whyte notation
, B signified a 0-4-2ST locomotive, C a 0-6-0 locomotive, and so on.
On 8 October 1942, the notation system was changed to two letters and a serial number. The first letter in the designation now signified the types of trains the locomotive was generally planned to haul:
The second small letter indicated the weight of the locomotive:
When diesel locomotives were taken into service in the 1950s, they were additionally differentiated by the steam locomotive classes by beginning their numbering from 11 instead of the next free number in running order. As a result the last steam-powered heavy passenger locomotive class was designated Hr3, and its first diesel-powered counterpart Hr11.
The current VR locomotive classification system was taken into use on 1 January 1976. The first (capital) letter was now used to differentiate between locomotive types: S for electric, D for diesel and T for maintenance equipment. The serial numbers of diesel locomotive classes were not changed, the Hr11 class becoming Dr11. In addition to this the borderline between midweight and heavy locomotives was changed to 15,1 tons and the second letter in multiple units is always m (for ).
The wide Finnish loading gauge allows the passenger coaches to be considerably wider than most European passenger coaches. The aisle and seats are wider than in other European trains in the standard 2+2 configuration, and in commuter traffic 3+2 seat configuration is used to allow more seats for the same train length. The last wooden-bodied carriages were withdrawn by the mid-1980s. Prior to the 1970s these had been the mainstay of VR's passenger rolling stock.
VR has four types of locomotive hauled passenger coaches:
First class carriages used to be distinguished by a yellow stripe above the windows. On the "Blue" carriages, restaurant cars
are marked by a red stripe above the windows. Cars equipped with diesel generators, which are used to provide electricity to InterCity or sleeper wagons on non-electrified tracks, can be distinguished by a blue stripe above the windows.
services between Helsinki and Turku and Lapland, which also include car-carrying (motorail) wagons. Double-deck sleeping carriages (including rooms with en suite showers and toilets) were introduced on the Helsinki-Rovaniemi
service in the 2000s. These wagons are painted in a red-and-white livery similar to the InterCity coaches. Other overnight services (Turku-Rovaniemi and Helsinki-Kolari) are operated by older "blue" sleeper carriages.
Electrification extends from Oulu
northwards to Rovaniemi. In 2006, direct sleeper services were discontinued beyond Rovaniemi (to Kemijärvi
) because the new double-deck sleeping carriages were unable to operate with diesel haulage. The sleeper service to Kemijärvi was restarted in March 2008, by adding to the train in Rovaniemi a new diesel generator car supplying 1,500 V electricity for the sleeper cars between Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi. Sleeper services between Turku and Joensuu and Helsinki and Kajaani were withdrawn in 2006, but with the new direct line between Lahti
and Kerava
, the daytime services were made quicker.
On 12 January 2009, VR announced they had requested tenders for the purchase of 20 new sleeping cars, valued at 60–70 million euros. The two bidders interested were Alstom, which manufactures the Pendolino and some commuter trains for VR, and Finnish Transtech, which manufactured VR's new sleeping cars. The decision led to the resignation of the President and CEO of VR-Group, Henri Kuitunen, and the group’s Chairman of the Board, Antti Lagerroos. Helsingin Sanomat reported they had wanted to defer the replacement of older sleeping car rolling-stock until 2012 at the earliest. However, the decision went ahead because VR is a state owned business and there was pressure to seek orders from Finnish Transtech, which is currently struggling due to market downturns, in order to secure jobs.
) can be easily accommodated on ordinary flat wagons. Much of the freight on the VR network is carried from Russia in Russian wagons, including large capacity eight-axle oil tank wagons.
VR also has a one-third ownership of SeaRail
, a specialist operator of freight wagons designed for through running (via ferry) to Sweden and elsewhere in Western Europe.
The Sm3 class Pendolino
is the VR's "flagship", mainly connecting largest cities to the capital. Other EMUs
in use are the Sm1
, Sm2
and Sm4
in Helsinki area commuter services
. In addition, VR operates Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy -owned Sm5
class EMUs in Helsinki local traffic and Sm6 Allegro under a joint venture of VR and the Russian railways
, Karelian Trains
, between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg.
VR currently operates one class of diesel-powered multiple units: the Czech
-built single carriage Dm12
, which is used mainly on secondary lines.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet (Finnish State Railways) until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna (State Railways) until 1995. Its most important function is the operation of freight and passenger rail services.
Since 2010, the maintenance and the construction of the railway network are the responsibility of the Finnish Transport Agency . The operation and network were originally carried out by the parent company Valtionrautatiet until 1995, when it was split into VR Group and the rail administration entity Ratahallintokeskus.
History
Rail transport started in Finland in 1862, and multiple main lines were built at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century in addition to smaller private railways. Valtion Rautatiet operated mainly on the bigger and longer main lines. During the twentieth century, most private railway companies were shut down and Valtionrautatiet assumed a monopoly in rail transport. In 1995 the company was privatised into VR group.Company organisation
Companies in the group provide road freight and bus services, catering and real estate management, and provide data, technological, and telecommunications services for the transport and logistics sectors. The group owns a bus company, Pohjolan LiikennePohjolan Liikenne
Oy Pohjolan Liikenne Ab is the road services division of the state-owned VR Group. It is a major bus and road haulage operator in Finland.-Freight:The company has three freight companies / business divisions:...
, and a road freight haulage company VR Transpoint.
Altogether the group of companies includes 21 companies employing a total of about 14,400 people.
Services
Because in most parts of Finland the density of population is low, Finland is not optimally suited for railways. Commuter services are nowadays rare outside the HelsinkiHelsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
area, but express trains interconnect most cities. As in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the majority of passenger services are connections to the capital, Helsinki. VR provides car transport services. Seven stations allow loading and unloading of cars on trains: Helsinki
Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building...
, Turku
Turku Central railway station
The Turku Central railway station is a railway station in the VII District of Turku, Finland. It has VR services to Helsinki and towards Joensuu...
and Tampere
Tampere railway station
The Tampere railway station is a functionalist building in Tampere, Finland, designed by Eero Seppälä and Otto Flodin, completed in 1936. The 36-metre clock tower was later added because the Finnish railway bureau required it...
in the south, Oulu
Oulu railway station
The Oulu Railway Station is located in the centre of Oulu, Finland, in the city district of Vaara. All trains are operated by VR. Nearby is the bus station for long-distance buses....
further north, and Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi railway station
Rovaniemi railway station is located in Rovaniemi, Finland. The line from the south opened in 1909; it is now the northernmost point of VR's electrified railway system, with direct daytime and overnight passenger trains to Oulu, Tampere, Helsinki and Turku...
, Kemijärvi
Kemijärvi railway station
Kemijärvi railway station is located in Kemijärvi, Finland.As of 2010 VR operates one overnight passenger train service from Kemijärvi to and from Helsinki Central railway station...
and Kolari
Kolari railway station
Kolari railway station is located in the municipality of Kolari in the Lapland Province of Finland. It is the northernmost railway station in Finland, located north of Helsinki Central railway station ....
in Lapland. Car transport trains stop at other stations along the way for normal passenger transport.
Commuter traffic
VR runs commuter traffic in the Helsinki area.International services
There is an international passenger rail service from Finland to RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. As of June 2011, there are four Allegro passenger trains per day to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and one overnight train to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
via Saint Petersburg called the Tolstoi (named after Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
). On , Allegro traffic increased from two to four trains per day in each direction. The tracks on the Helsinki - Saint Petersburg line were upgraded to enable a higher running speed before the Allegro started its service.
Freight
Domestic and international freight services are provided by VR Transpoint, part of VR Group. In 2009, both domestic and international freight traffic declined, which worsened VR Group's financial position. International freight traffic is concentrated to the four railways across the Russian border, but there is also a connection to the SwedishSweden
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....
rail network in Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
and rail ferry connections from Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
to 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, and to Travemünde
Travemünde
Travemünde is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes subsequently strengthened it. It became a town in 1317 and in...
, Germany.
Rolling stock
Locomotives
VR operated steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s until 1975; the regular use of steam traction for scheduled passenger services ended in 1970 but occasional use continued until 1975. As of 2011, the company operates two classes of electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s (Sr1
VR Class Sr1
The Sr1 is a class of electric locomotives built for VR . These 25kV locomotives were built in the Soviet Union at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Factory between 1973 and 1985...
and Sr2
VR Class Sr2
The Sr2 is a class of electric locomotives of the VR Group. They were built by SLM / ABB and later by Adtranz and finally Bombardier Transportation and assembled by Transtech Oy...
) and three classes of diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s (Dv12
VR Class Dv12
The Dv12 is the standard Finnish medium-weight diesel-hydraulic road locomotive operated by VR. As all the main lines of Finnish railway network have been electrificied, the locomotive is designated mostly to unelectrified, less frequently used side lines. Occasionally it may still pull cargo...
, Dr14
VR Class Dr14
The Dr14 is a heavy shunting locomotive used by VR Group. Some of the locomotives can be radio controlled.- History :VR ordered 24 locomotives to improve the efficiency of shunting work, which was back then mainly done with class Vr3 steam locomotives. Two locomotives were delivered for testing...
and Dr16
VR Class Dr16
The Dr16 is a class of diesel-electric locomotives used by VR . The 23 locomotives have a single, off-centre cab and are currently VR's most powerful diesel locomotives. Their nickname is "Iso Vaalee"...
). The use of diesel locomotive hauled passenger trains has declined due to electrification of all main lines and the (re)introduction of railbuses (Dm12
VR Class Dm12
- History :The national Finnish rail operator VR Group ordered 16 diesel motor cars from the Czech manufacturer ČKD Vagonka, now ČKD Škoda Vagonka, in 2001....
) on secondary routes. In October 2010, VR announced plans to renew its locomotive fleet by ordering around 200 new locomotives, which are expected to enter service in 2015-2025.
Locomotive classification system
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
, B signified a 0-4-2ST locomotive, C a 0-6-0 locomotive, and so on.
On 8 October 1942, the notation system was changed to two letters and a serial number. The first letter in the designation now signified the types of trains the locomotive was generally planned to haul:
- H for passenger trains,
- P for local (commuter) trains,
- T for freight trainFreight trainA freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s, - S for mixed freight-passenger trains and
- V (vaihto, literally "switch") for shunters.
The second small letter indicated the weight of the locomotive:
- r = heavy (axle load over 14,1 t)
- v = midweight (axle load 11,1–14 t)
- k = light (axle load under 11 t)
- m = mechanical transmission (in multiple units)
- s = electrical transmission (in multiple units).
When diesel locomotives were taken into service in the 1950s, they were additionally differentiated by the steam locomotive classes by beginning their numbering from 11 instead of the next free number in running order. As a result the last steam-powered heavy passenger locomotive class was designated Hr3, and its first diesel-powered counterpart Hr11.
The current VR locomotive classification system was taken into use on 1 January 1976. The first (capital) letter was now used to differentiate between locomotive types: S for electric, D for diesel and T for maintenance equipment. The serial numbers of diesel locomotive classes were not changed, the Hr11 class becoming Dr11. In addition to this the borderline between midweight and heavy locomotives was changed to 15,1 tons and the second letter in multiple units is always m (for ).
| Class | No. in use | Years of manufacture | Max. speed | Power type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sr1 VR Class Sr1 The Sr1 is a class of electric locomotives built for VR . These 25kV locomotives were built in the Soviet Union at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Factory between 1973 and 1985... |
110 | 1973-1985(1996) | 140 km/h | Electric | some had originally a maximum speed of 160 km/h |
| Sr2 VR Class Sr2 The Sr2 is a class of electric locomotives of the VR Group. They were built by SLM / ABB and later by Adtranz and finally Bombardier Transportation and assembled by Transtech Oy... |
46 | 1995–2003 | 210 km/h | Electric | |
| Dv12 VR Class Dv12 The Dv12 is the standard Finnish medium-weight diesel-hydraulic road locomotive operated by VR. As all the main lines of Finnish railway network have been electrificied, the locomotive is designated mostly to unelectrified, less frequently used side lines. Occasionally it may still pull cargo... |
181 | 1963–1984 | 125 km/h | Diesel-hydraulic | pre-1976 classes: Sv12 & Sr12 |
| Dr14 VR Class Dr14 The Dr14 is a heavy shunting locomotive used by VR Group. Some of the locomotives can be radio controlled.- History :VR ordered 24 locomotives to improve the efficiency of shunting work, which was back then mainly done with class Vr3 steam locomotives. Two locomotives were delivered for testing... |
24 | 1968–1971 | 75 km/h | Diesel-hydraulic | pre-1976 class: Vr12 |
| Dr16 VR Class Dr16 The Dr16 is a class of diesel-electric locomotives used by VR . The 23 locomotives have a single, off-centre cab and are currently VR's most powerful diesel locomotives. Their nickname is "Iso Vaalee"... |
18 | 1985–1992 | 140 km/h | Diesel-electric | 3-phase AC inverter drive |
| Class | No. built | Years in use | Wheel arrangement | Max. speed | Power type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tv1 (K3) | 148 | 1917–1974 | 2-8-0 2-8-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels... |
60 km/h | Steam | 142 locomotives were built for the VR and 6 for the Latvian Railways. |
| Tk3 VR Class Tk3 The Finnish Tk3 class was a light freight locomotive. It was the most numerous steam locomotive class in Finland with 161 built. 100 locomotives were constructed between 1927 and 1935, with a further 61 ordered and constructed 1943 - 1953.They were designed for a low axle load of just 10.7 tonnes... (K5) |
161 | 1927–1975 | 2-8-0 2-8-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels... |
60 km/h | Steam | most numerous steam locomotive class in Finland. |
| Hr1 VR Class Hr1 Hr1 class was the largest passenger express steam locomotive built in Finland. Twenty-two were built between the years 1937–1957.... (P1) |
22 | 1937–1974 | 4-6-2 4-6-2 4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics... |
110 km/h | Steam | last Pacific-type locomotives in everyday use in Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... outside the Eastern Bloc Eastern bloc The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact... . |
| Tr1 (R1) | 67 | 1940–1975 | 2-8-2 2-8-2 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle... |
80 km/h | Steam | |
| Dr12 (Hr12) | 42 | 1959–1990 | Co-Co | 120 km/h | Diesel |
Carriages
VR has four types of locomotive hauled passenger coaches:
- "Blue" carriagesVR blue carriagesThe VR classes Eit, Eip and Ein , better known as blue carriages due to their colour, are passenger cars built between 1961 and 1985 for long-distance passenger travel in Finland...
- popularly known as such due to their blue and light gray liveries. Once the mainstay of VR's network, they have now been replaced on most long distance services starting from Helsinki. They are still used on slower routes, for example between Turku and Tampere, and some regional train services. Top speed is 140 km/h. - "Red" carriagesVR Class EilThe VR class Eil and Eilf are passenger cars used mainly during rush hour in Helsinki commuter rail traffic. The cars were built between 1982 and 1987 by VR Pasilan konepaja. The seating capacity is of 105 for Eil-class and 89 for Eilf-class cars. Maximum speed is 140 km/h....
- similar to the "blue" coaches but designed for commuter traffic, with a red and light gray livery, different seat layout and repositioned entrance doors. They are mainly used for locomotive-hauled commuter services to and from Helsinki during rush hours, but also on special occasions in place of the blue carriages in long-distance services. Top speed is 160 km/h after modernisation. - Single-deck InterCity carriages - used on many routes. Top speed is 160 km/h.
- Double-deck InterCity 2 carriages - extensively used on the Helsinki-Tampere and Helsinki-Turku routes. Most long distance trains consist of both InterCity and InterCity 2 coaches. Built in Finland by Transtech OyTranstech OyTranstech Oy is Finland's major domestic manufacturer of railway rolling stock. It specialises in building railway vehicles for extreme climatic conditions, such as those encountered in Finland.-History:...
, these are VR's most modern carriages. Their top speed is 200 km/h.
First class carriages used to be distinguished by a yellow stripe above the windows. On the "Blue" carriages, restaurant cars
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
are marked by a red stripe above the windows. Cars equipped with diesel generators, which are used to provide electricity to InterCity or sleeper wagons on non-electrified tracks, can be distinguished by a blue stripe above the windows.
Sleeping cars
VR operates sleeperSleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
services between Helsinki and Turku and Lapland, which also include car-carrying (motorail) wagons. Double-deck sleeping carriages (including rooms with en suite showers and toilets) were introduced on the Helsinki-Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its...
service in the 2000s. These wagons are painted in a red-and-white livery similar to the InterCity coaches. Other overnight services (Turku-Rovaniemi and Helsinki-Kolari) are operated by older "blue" sleeper carriages.
Electrification extends from Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
northwards to Rovaniemi. In 2006, direct sleeper services were discontinued beyond Rovaniemi (to Kemijärvi
Kemijärvi
Kemijärvi is a municipality of Finland and the northern-most town in Finland. It is located in the province of Lapland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
) because the new double-deck sleeping carriages were unable to operate with diesel haulage. The sleeper service to Kemijärvi was restarted in March 2008, by adding to the train in Rovaniemi a new diesel generator car supplying 1,500 V electricity for the sleeper cars between Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi. Sleeper services between Turku and Joensuu and Helsinki and Kajaani were withdrawn in 2006, but with the new direct line between Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
and Kerava
Kerava
Kerava is a town and municipality in Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
, the daytime services were made quicker.
On 12 January 2009, VR announced they had requested tenders for the purchase of 20 new sleeping cars, valued at 60–70 million euros. The two bidders interested were Alstom, which manufactures the Pendolino and some commuter trains for VR, and Finnish Transtech, which manufactured VR's new sleeping cars. The decision led to the resignation of the President and CEO of VR-Group, Henri Kuitunen, and the group’s Chairman of the Board, Antti Lagerroos. Helsingin Sanomat reported they had wanted to defer the replacement of older sleeping car rolling-stock until 2012 at the earliest. However, the decision went ahead because VR is a state owned business and there was pressure to seek orders from Finnish Transtech, which is currently struggling due to market downturns, in order to secure jobs.
Freight wagons
The Finnish loading gauge allows the operation of freight vehicles considerably larger than most other railways in the European Union. Road trailers (often of VR's subsidiary TranspointTranspoint
Transpoint Oy Ab is a Finnish freight logistics company. It is owned by VR Group and is part of VR's Pohjolan Liikenne road services division. Transpoint trucks can be seen throughout Finland; trailer units are often carried around Finland by train.-External links:*...
) can be easily accommodated on ordinary flat wagons. Much of the freight on the VR network is carried from Russia in Russian wagons, including large capacity eight-axle oil tank wagons.
VR also has a one-third ownership of SeaRail
SeaRail
SeaRail operates a train ferry for railway freight wagons between Turku, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden. Because the track gauge of the Finnish railways is wider than the standard gauge of much of the rest of Europe , a special fleet of freight wagons with interchangeable bogies is used...
, a specialist operator of freight wagons designed for through running (via ferry) to Sweden and elsewhere in Western Europe.
Multiple units
VR Class Sm3
The Sm3 Pendolino is a class of high-speed body-tilting trains operated by VR Group. It is a member of the Pendolino train family; its design is based on the ETR 460. The first two trainsets were assembled in Finland by Rautaruukki-Transtech in the mid-1990s...
is the VR's "flagship", mainly connecting largest cities to the capital. Other EMUs
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
in use are the Sm1
VR Class Sm1
The electric multiple unit Sm1 is the oldest type of commuter train equipment still in active use by the VR Group . Fifty Sm1 units were built between years 1968 and 1973 at Valmet airplane factory in Tampere. It was put into use on the first electrified Finnish railway line between Helsinki and...
, Sm2
VR Class Sm2
The Sm2 is a class of electric multiple units in use by the VR Group in commuter traffic in the Helsinki area. 50 Sm2 units were built between 1975 and 1981 by Valmet airplane factory in Tampere. The electric systems were built by Strömberg in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki. The Sm2 units have undergone a...
and Sm4
VR Class Sm4
The Sm4 electric multiple unit is a low-floor train used by the VR Group in Helsinki commuter rail services. The initial order was for ten EMUs with the first unit entering service in 1999. Another 20 units were ordered in 2002 and the deliveries were completed in 2005...
in Helsinki area commuter services
Helsinki commuter rail
Helsinki commuter rail is the commuter rail system serving Greater Helsinki, Finland. The network is operated by VR, the Finnish national railway company. Together with the Helsinki Metro and trams, the network forms the heart of Helsinki's public transportation infrastructure.Trains run above...
. In addition, VR operates Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy -owned Sm5
JKOY Class Sm5
The Sm5 electric multiple unit is a low-floor train used on the Helsinki commuter rail network. Unlike other train types on the network, the Sm5 units are owned by Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy, a subsidiary of the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen and the VR Group...
class EMUs in Helsinki local traffic and Sm6 Allegro under a joint venture of VR and the Russian railways
Russian Railways
The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
, Karelian Trains
Karelian Trains
Oy Karelian Trains Ltd is a joint venture agreed on 23 November 2006 between Russian Railways and VR Group to facilitate the operation of international express passenger rail services between Helsinki, Finland and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Karelian Trains is registered in Helsinki, VR and RZhD...
, between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg.
VR currently operates one class of diesel-powered multiple units: the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
-built single carriage Dm12
VR Class Dm12
- History :The national Finnish rail operator VR Group ordered 16 diesel motor cars from the Czech manufacturer ČKD Vagonka, now ČKD Škoda Vagonka, in 2001....
, which is used mainly on secondary lines.
| Class | No. in use | Years of manufacture | Max. speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sm1 VR Class Sm1 The electric multiple unit Sm1 is the oldest type of commuter train equipment still in active use by the VR Group . Fifty Sm1 units were built between years 1968 and 1973 at Valmet airplane factory in Tampere. It was put into use on the first electrified Finnish railway line between Helsinki and... |
50 | 1968–1973 | 120 km/h | EMU consists of an Sm1 car and an Eio or Eiob class car |
| Sm2 VR Class Sm2 The Sm2 is a class of electric multiple units in use by the VR Group in commuter traffic in the Helsinki area. 50 Sm2 units were built between 1975 and 1981 by Valmet airplane factory in Tampere. The electric systems were built by Strömberg in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki. The Sm2 units have undergone a... |
50 | 1975–1981 | 120 km/h | EMU consists of an Sm2 car and an Eioc class car |
| Sm3 VR Class Sm3 The Sm3 Pendolino is a class of high-speed body-tilting trains operated by VR Group. It is a member of the Pendolino train family; its design is based on the ETR 460. The first two trainsets were assembled in Finland by Rautaruukki-Transtech in the mid-1990s... |
18 sets | 1995–2006 | 220 km/h | Tilting high-speed Pendolino Pendolino Pendolino is an Italian family of tilting trains used in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Russian Federation, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Switzerland, China and shortly in Romania and Poland... train |
| Sm4 VR Class Sm4 The Sm4 electric multiple unit is a low-floor train used by the VR Group in Helsinki commuter rail services. The initial order was for ten EMUs with the first unit entering service in 1999. Another 20 units were ordered in 2002 and the deliveries were completed in 2005... |
60 (30 sets) | 1998–2005 | 160 km/h | EMU consists of two Sm4 units |
| Sm5 JKOY Class Sm5 The Sm5 electric multiple unit is a low-floor train used on the Helsinki commuter rail network. Unlike other train types on the network, the Sm5 units are owned by Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy, a subsidiary of the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen and the VR Group... |
12 | 2008- | 160 km/h | EMU consists of one four-section Sm5 unit. 32 Sm5 units are on order by Junakalusto Oy and are operated by VR Group. They will be operated also on Kehärata Kehärata The Ring Rail Line is a railway route under construction in the area of the city of Vantaa, in the Greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area of Finland. It will connect Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the adjacent Aviapolis business and retail district to the Helsinki commuter rail network... which will be completed in 2014. |
| Sm6 VR Class Sm6 The Sm6 Allegro is a high-speed train which runs between Helsinki, Finland, and St. Petersburg, Russia. The service started on 12 December 2010... |
4 | 2010- | 220 km/h | Tilting high-speed Pendolino Pendolino Pendolino is an Italian family of tilting trains used in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Russian Federation, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Switzerland, China and shortly in Romania and Poland... train. Services began in December 2010. |
| Dm12 VR Class Dm12 - History :The national Finnish rail operator VR Group ordered 16 diesel motor cars from the Czech manufacturer ČKD Vagonka, now ČKD Škoda Vagonka, in 2001.... |
16 | 2005- | 120 km/h | Single carriage diesel units |
Multiple unit classification system
The multiple unit classification system follows a similar logic as the locomotive classification system: the first letter signifies the power source (in addition to electric and diesel, gasoline (B, bensiini) and wood gas (P, puukaasu) have been used), followed by the letter m (moottorivaunu) signifyng a multiple unit, followed by a serial number.Livery
VR has used several liveries in the past. When InterCity traffic started during the 1980s, VR's colour scheme was changed into red and white. In 2009, VR changed its corporate colour into green and is currently (as of May 2001) repainting most of its rolling stock.Greenhouse gas emissions
As of June 2009, detailed statistics for VR's greenhouse gas emissions were provided by LIPASTO. On average, in 2007, carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per passenger-kilometre were- Electric, long-distance (intercity): 15g
- Electric, long-distance (pendolino): 25g
- Electric, local traffic: 22g
- Diesel-powered: 77g
See also
- ExpressBusExpressBusExpressBus is a Finnish express coach network covering most of Finland. It is a joint marketing brand of 23 coach operators and it was launched in 1991. The fleet has around 300 coaches with a white base colour and a red-blue arrow. The Savonlinja Group with Pohjolan Liikenne are two of the largest...
- Karelian TrainsKarelian TrainsOy Karelian Trains Ltd is a joint venture agreed on 23 November 2006 between Russian Railways and VR Group to facilitate the operation of international express passenger rail services between Helsinki, Finland and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Karelian Trains is registered in Helsinki, VR and RZhD...
- Rail transport in FinlandRail transport in FinlandThe Finnish railway network consists of a total of 5,919 km of railways built with Russian gauge track. Passenger trains are operated by the private state-owned VR Group. They serve all the major cities and many rural areas, though railway connections are available to fewer places than bus...
- VR Transpoint