Kalistan

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Odufaray completes repairs to National Railway
Service between Addisjah and Lucid Valley completely restored
Eshar, Duchy of Odufaray
November 24, 5560


Last length of track placed in new "Empress Pavlina Bridge" to complete connection through Odufaray

The last remnants of the destruction to the National Railway infrastructure were repaired this week just outside of Eshar, Odufaray.  Several dozen miles of track were destroyed in the Rebellion earlier this decade as insurgents tore up the track to prevent Kalistani Regulars from using the train system to attempt to address the rebellion.  The most extensive damage to the rail system was outside of Eshar, where the bridge across the meandering Vrassa River was completely demolished, cutting rail service between north and south.  The National Railway was cut for almost four years now and has finally been restored.

"We would like to thank Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Pavlina for her continued dedication to our community," said Eshar's Lord Mayor Daniel Hollingsworth.  "She has made the restoration of our city's homes, businesses and infrastructure her top priority since returning to Kalistan from Gaduridos, and has shown us that she is committed to our well being and prosperity."  The Bridge, which was dedicated to the Empress this week, is the final link in the restored National Railway system, and the Trans-Seleyan Railroad which passes through Kalistan.

"For the past four years, almost, passengers have been having to disembark in Senvias Station," said Lord Hollingsworth, "and then finding some way to Eshar, whether it be overland bus, or via the ferry across Eshar Bay, or whatever, and then re-embark at Eshar.  The entire process would add hours onto someone's trip from north to south, including all the international passengers.  It tended to encourage plane travel over Kalistan from other countries rather than use of the high speed rails.  With this bridge reconstructed and the new track completed, we're going to see those commute and transit times drop back down to what we have become accustomed to, and the rail will once more outcompete the plane."

Other sections of track have been restored over the past several years, and only a few bridges needed to be replaced as a result of the insurgents' destruction.  "Having to rebuild parts of this track, more than 50 miles of it in all, in Odufaray alone, has also given us the opportunity to go over the entire length of the track and inspect and update the infrastructure across the entire Duchy.  We needed to repaid some bridges and replace some tracks that were worn out and were out of tolerance for the high speed trains, and ultimately our processes have improved significantly since laying the track in the first place, and a lot of the updates we put in will last for a long time into the future."

Track repairs in Vrassa and Suldanor have been completed for more than a year now, and Odufaray was the last Duchy to complete repairs.  "We had the most serious damage," said Lord Hollingsworth, "but the Empress herself put her own money into our repairs, and as a result, we are at least a year ahead of the projected completion date.  So we appreciate the Empress' willingness to look to our needs like this, and we honor her with the Vrassa River crossing."