Arco National Railway Service
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 1 Railway Avenue, Commerce District, Kurst Capital Region, Arcerion |
| Reporting mark | ARNS |
| Locale | Arcerion Washakara Paulastra Kelekona Titechaxha Alstin |
| Dates of operation | May 1, 1886–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Length | TBD |
| Other | |
| Website | www.arns.arc |
The Arco National Railway Service (reporting marks ARCO, AN) is a Class I government-owned freight-hauling railroad that operates over 2,000 locomotives over 50,000km of routes in thirteen different Cronan countries. It is the largest freight railroad in South Crona in terms of track length, freight hauled, passengers carried, and locomotives/cars used. Its subsidiary, Southern Railways is one of the largest and most extensive passenger rail lines in South Crona.
Founded in 1886, Arco National Railway Service was part of the first transcontinental railroad in South Crona, with locomotives purchased in pieces from Levantia and shipped and assembled in Kurst. Over the next several decades, the speed and breadth of the railway's expansion meant that there was little to no direct competition to its construction. It was the first railroad to expand across the Malentine Basin, as well as into Central Crona. It notably never had lines or routes extending into Varshan. As of the end of the Second Great War it remained the largest railway in South Crona. There continue to be expansion plans into the Southwestern Cronan Peninsula as well as along the newer Northern routes towards the Albion Sea. The railway remains at its original headquarters in Kurst, although the building, the Confederation Railway Station, has undergone multiple renovations and expansions.
History
-old lore-
The first steel factory, employed a few hundred naturalized Arcers, Ardmori immigrants, and indigenous labourers began its operations in refinement of raw iron ore into finished, flat rolled steel, the first finished pieces being shipped via the predecessor to Arcer National Railway Service (ARNS), Easthampton Railways, to Chester-on-Moore in 1851.
Originally founded in 1834 as part of Arcer expansion into the Southeastern Cronan Peninsula, Easthampton was founded only five years prior to the Second Bush War. During this time, a major engagement was fought at the settlement, when in 1848 members of 1st Battalion, Royal Arcerion Regiment defended the settlement from a large indigenous assault aimed at removed Arcerion from the Northern Washkaran Area. Following the war, the establishment of the Arco National Railway Service (ANRS) in 1886 resulted in the nation's first heavy commercial rail line from the Kinnaird-Kurst areas to Easthampton to carry raw resources to ports for transport to manufacturing facilities abroad. This was followed by a significant economic boom over the next three decades.
A significant boom occurred once the Arco National Railway Service had been created and a major railway station was built in Kinnaird.
The keystone of Arcerion is the Arco National Railway Service (ANRS). Founded shortly after economic independence from Ardmore, the ANRS serves as the lifeline for much of the country's rural communities for the efficient transportation of goods and services. The ANRS is also one of the largest employers in the Arco public sector, and with dozens of rail lines operating across all four governates, it is a critical piece of infrastructure. Within cities, the ANRS has several smaller, governate-specific or province/city-specific rail lines including light rail systems for commuting, although these are usually prevalent in more affluent cities such as Kurst or Kinnaird. The ANRS itself is managed by the Ministry of the Interior, under the Department of Infrastructure. Maintenance of rail lines and engines is one of the largest sectors of the Department's budget, surpassing road maintenance year-on-year.
With the introduction of the Arco National Railway Service (ANRS) the pace of industrialization in Arcerion increased rapidly. The first rail line was set from Port Hughes in the South to Dunborough in the North, with a new line set up to Easthampton to help ship the vast quantities of iron ore and steel products being manufactured in the town. It was during this time of rapid economic expansion and mass emigration that Crown Governor Sir William Walter James requested permission on Arcerion's centennial birthday to have a special status as a semi-sovereign state. Granted by the Crown Regent in Ardmore, this gave Arcerion control over its own international relations, diplomatic presence, its own sovereign coat of arms, and control over its economic policy. This petition formed the second of three documents that formed the basis for the Arcer constitution.
Rosmore Station in Kurst, the largest railway station and trainyard was seeing daily regular traffic in the thousands, and major corporations from Arco Steel to Foxhey Shipyards were quickly competing at an international level and establishing Arceiron as the dominant Malentine economic power.