Randstad Rail | How the Dutch Combined Tram and Subway

Edit: 5:55 "Line 2" should be "Line 19."
On two lines that formerly belonged to NS, two local transport companies joined forces to create one of the most innovative public transport projects there is. Known as Randstad Rail, it combines the tram network of the Hague with the Rotterdam subway network. While both systems have different specifications, one stretch of track has been made suitable for both. Join Thom as he show you why Randstad Rail is worth every railfan's visit.
Trains are Awesome!

[@pietrocentofanti2880]

It is very similar to what the eastern section of Line C of the Rome Metro was to look like: in that section, trains of Line C (standard gauge) would have shared the tracks with the narrow-gauge light rail Rome-Pantano, built in 1916.
The stations on that section were even rebuilt with double-height platforms, like the ones seen in the video. The decision, during construction, to build Line C as a fully automatic subway led to the abandonment of the track sharing project.
(Sorry for my english)

[@Thom-TRA]

I never knew that about the C Line! Thank you for sharing

[@pietrocentofanti2880]

@@Thom-TRA you're welcome! If you look on the internet about the history of the Roma-Pantano line, you'll find everything

[@rikkichunn8856]

Thanks, Thom, for an excellent presentation of an interesting system!
It is also very similar to the Rapid in Cleveland.
The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (today's Rapid Blue and Green lines) was built as part of the development of Shaker Heights as a streetcar suburb. Originally it ran on the streets in Cleveland, and on the medians of two major boulevards in Shaker Heights. Pretty advanced for 1920, eh? It was considered an interurban line, and even named the Cleveland Interurban. Over the next few years, the route into Cleveland was gradually moved off-street onto its own private right of way, arriving at Cleveland Union Terminal in a short underground subway line.
Cleveland's heavy rail subway, the Rapid Red Line, was built in 1955. It shares the mainline of the Green and Blue lines between Union Terminal and 55th Street. It runs high-platform subway cars and there are infill stations where both services stop, and just like on the Randstad Rail, one end of the platform is high for the Red Line, the other end is low for the Blue and Green Lines. All the trains share the same 600 volt overhead power catenary system.

[@Alexbenjamin0627]

3:57 its kinda like here in Canada where on some stations on the Kitchener go line where up express train share track with go train so there is a part where the platform becomes higher

[@SpotterCrazyperson]

Very nice tour!

[@layadown4596]

Your videos are great and so informative Thom. Thanks for sharing with us and your English is perfect 👌 love you also speaking in Dutch . Keep up the good work. ❤️

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks! My English is perfect because it's my mother tongue

[@EmilePoelman]

@@Thom-TRA Haha, in that case your Dutch is awesome... ;-) Backstory? You seem to have a lot of time to travel...

[@Thom-TRA]

@@EmilePoelman born in NL, but immediately moved abroad (US & Japan). Grew up speaking all 3 :)

[@dasmaris9267]

The RegioTram Kassel is using RegioCitadis too.
It is an awesom Tram-Train system. The Tram lines 4 and 5 in Kassel are using EBO tracks too.

[@starforce9740]

The Rapid system in Cleveland has this same setup. The track is shared between downtown Cleveland and East 55th Street on the city's East Side. It's nowhere near as good as this but it's worth checking out for sure!

[@europatube7009]

Leuke video
als je meer wilt weten over de zoetermeerlijn op station Centrum west kan je aan het eind van het peron een stuk oude perron zien wat van de ns was en als je dan ook nog eens Tram 3 zou nemen richting Station Driemanspolder/Zoetermeer dan kan je duidelijk nog een stuk trein perron zien
op de stations Buytenwegh en De Leyens kan je dat ook een beetje zien

[@YTYoshi_LP]

Se Germans also have it in Kassel called RegioTram

[@Thom-TRA]

Hope to ride this someday

[@DanielP-jq4dj]

Does the subway line use a third rail? I ask because I’m used to the terms subway and metro being associated with third rail, while light rail, tram and streetcar are associated with overhead wire.

[@Thom-TRA]

The subway uses overhead catenary until it switches to third rail in Rotterdam.
There are many, many metro systems that use overhead wires.

[@DanielP-jq4dj]

I’m from Baltimore and lived Maryland my whole life, and I’ve honestly rode Washington’s metro fast more than either of Baltimore’s metro or light rail, not once have I been on the latter.
Also, I always thought subways were supposed to be underground because that’s why they’re called *sub*ways, while they call it metro where I’m from because they would come out from underground in spots.
The only other cities I rode rail transit in were New York, Charlotte and Denver, the last of those three I’m fairly more familiar with than the other two.

[@mariopiriapolis9007]

¿De qué país son estos tranvias?

[@roemerjonker284]

Germany goes one step further

[@jonaw.2153]

Karslruhe?

[@roemerjonker284]

@@jonaw.2153 correct

[@jonaw.2153]

@@roemerjonker284 oh yeah I love the Karlsruhe Zweisystemfahrzeuge, absolutely lovely system