Double post.
Fictious, not so distant future...
At middle 2010's, VR's passenger monopoly is starting to shatter. This is due to VR not having much intrests with local/regional traffic outside Helsinki metropolitan area (it is not so much profitable..).
At the same time, increasing fuel costs and taxes are cutting medium-range regional and some of local traffic with family cars and buses.
There is a tendency to transfer this traffic to the rails, via buses and trams.
There is a need for new, small and innovative local and regional traffic train, which can run under catenary and without catenary, but under catenary without consuming fuel oil.
Sm5 can't run without catenary.
And company to run it, without having a bad attitude to local/regional traffic outside metropolitan area.
New train company, Proxion Train decides to launch a passenger stock pool with new Bombardier stock, the Bombardier AGC from France (B81500/82500), and it has strong motivation to negotiate with local authorities to fund initial costs for new local and regional traffic to and between cities with over 60000 residents. Railway networks are double-tracked to not clog with regional and local traffic.
Passenger comfort is greatly increased, with use of ergonomic and soft seats, which can be lowered towards vertical position to take naps. WLAN and 230 VAC are available to every passenger. And vending machine for snacks, and a wc, of cource.
Unlike previous rolling stock such as Dm12, this Hybrid Multiple Unit has a complete integrated service for smaller local transportation needs, and it can be used on local, regional and intercity-traffic.
Municipal authorities are centering urban planning to certain distance within rail networks, to maximise amount of potential users.
Few years pass.......
Passenger rates are blooming, and several of those local and regional traffic becomes self-sufficent. New tram lines are introduced on even smaller towns, providing easy and cheap local transport on short distances and linking to railway stations and halts. Parking space is greatly increased on stations. Smaller and smaller towns have halts. Halts are self-service, and passengers can pay direcly with mobile phones. The future of regional and local transport is literally on rails.
Now, VR itself makes a historical decision to change attitude to local and regional traffic outside metropolitan area, and it does order the same Bombardier AGC's from reasons that they are innovative and flexible, and cost efficent.
Proxion has original blue SNCF livery with logos replaced, and VR has new green livery.
Info:
http://www.bombardier.com/en/transporta ... 0d80010382
(In reality, Proxion Train is just planning to start freight traffic, locomotives are not yet known, but is aiming for passenger traffic too)
(Proxion's website:
http://www.proxion.fi/en/unit/5/ )
Updated tracking tables too, this is now there.
EDIT: Fixed Sm6 stats on tracking table, too light and too few passengers
