HaRakevet ISSN 0964-8763

Series 28 Issue No.107/4 December 2014 ,cfrv

A Quarterly Journal on the Railways of the Edited and Published by Dr. Walter Rothschild PhD Passauer Strasse 4, D-10789 Berlin, e.mail:[email protected]

A steam railtour in Tur- key in 2014. The former Kriegslok hauls two TCDD coaches which had been restored and repainted single-handedly by Ali Aksin. (Photo Ali Aksin).

Yes, it does rain in , sometimes with a vengeance! Left - , right Ayalon High- way 107:02 concluded Tuesday morning with the ar- rests of over 25 managers and supervi- sors. According to police, the investiga- EDITORIAL tion – conducted with the full cooperation A bizarre change of emphasis in this issue. After moaning recently about the of CEO, Boaz Zafrir – de- lack of any positive news from most countries in the Middle East, the Editor found lots termined that the sanitation employees of information at Innotrans in Berlin and yet more in relation to proposed conferences colluded for months to commit bribery, (to which he could NOT go) in and , discussing all sorts of fancy, expen- money laundering, fraud, and tax offenses sive and hi-tech projects throughout the region! Of course there is a major disconnect totaling “tens of millions” of shekels. between what one reads in the newspapers and what one sees as a serious discussion In a statement, police said the investi- about building tramways in Kurdistan. So a lot of this is presented here, in this issue, at gation was launched after suspicions were the expense of several historical items which have had to be held over to the next edi- raised that a number of sanitary inspectors tion. This leads to some imbalance. for the railway falsified inspection reports Unfortunately and sadly the in Jerusalem has been in the headlines for all and vastly overcharged or bribed third- the wrong reasons and we report quite extensively on this - with some repetition as dif- party contractors hired by the railway. ferent reports gave different versions and because sometimes the same attacks were Additionally, a number of the sus- repeated..... And an Israeli soldier was murdered on a station in Tel Aviv.... and the whole pects arrested are accused of “creating a region remains a powder-keg of irrationality and hysteria. On 27.11.14 it was reported systematic mechanism for inflated invoic- that Israeli secret services had broken a terrorist cell which was planning attacks on ing,” involving fictitious companies that the new in Jerusalem and also on the .... allegedly provided cleaning services and Normally I end each editorial with a comment to the reader to Enjoy! This time things manpower that was funnelled into a fake seem a bit too grave for that. But read with interest – despite the bad news, there ARE account. good things happening. “This morning over 25 employees were The Editor. questioned and arrested following dozens of raids into their homes and offices,” a police spokesman said, adding that all the 107:03.

Alstom freight loco 709 + veteran GM-EMD G12 No 124 loco heading a works train at , with the new IR Training Centre under construction in the background. (Photo: Aharon Gazit.)

107:04. suspects were arraigned at Rishon Lezion NEWS FROM THE LINE. Magistrate’s Court later that afternoon. (a). CORRUPTION ARRESTS. In response to the arrests, an Israel Rail- On 02.09.12014 – JUST after Harakevet 106 went to press – this appeared in the Jeru- ways spokesman stressed Tuesday that salem post, by Sharon Udasin and Daniel K. Eisenbud. the investigation was actually initiated by ‘’Over 25 Israel railway employees arrested on corruption charges. Zafrir, who ordered an internal audit and ‘’Police: Undercover investigation concludes members of railway’s Sanitation Division examination of relationships with railway stole ‘tens of millions’ of shekels through bribery, money laundering, false billing and contractors at the beginning of 2013. tax evasion. “Israel Railways is making every ef- A large-scale undercover corruption investigation into Israel Railways Sanitation fort to maintain integrity and good gov- Division by police, in coordination with the Israel Tax Authority’s Economic Crimes Unit, ernance, and denounces all conduct that ,cfrv Page  is not within the framework of the law,” a German workers and the breakthrough ate as on regular Thursday. statement from the company said. Israel can be found under: https://www.youtube. On Wednesday 24.09.2014 – the eve of Railways, which is state-owned and based com/watch?v=KK9heEe_34Y . It is worth the new year – trains will operate as on in Tel Aviv, is responsible for all commuter, noting that links on the sidebar will also regular Friday. inter-city and freight rail and in- lead you to several other promotional and On Thursday 25.09.2014 and on Friday, spections to and from the country.’’ other video films on the Eilat line, the Tel 26.09.2014 the two holy days of the New (It seems ironic that it was those Aviv – Jerusalem line and others. Year, as well as on Saturday 27.09.2014, concerned with cleaning who then laun- there will be no services. dered money.... ) (h). WINTER TIMETABLE. Services will resume on Saturday night, The following changes on the timetable 27.09.2014. (b). SMART CARDS. on Fridays started on 19.09.0214: Yom Kippur – the Jewish holiest day: On 05.09.2014 the railways announced Southbound: On Friday 03.10.2014, the eve of Yom Kip- that as from 01.12.2014, only those pas- The following trains are not operated on pur and Saturday, trains will operate as sengers using the Multi-Liner Smart Card Fridays: on a regular Friday until 12:00; between will enjoy fare reductions of 30% on the The 14:31 from to Beer-Sheva 12:00 and 14:00 some trains will not oper- average, and will also be given two digital Central, the 14:53 from Acre to -Hof- ate, while other trains will operate on only books for their smart phones; this bonus Ha-Carmel, the 14:57 from Nahariya to parts of the lines; traffic will stop at 14:00. is valid until 30.09.2014 only. Modi’in Central, the 15:14 from Tel-Aviv On Saturday night 04.10.2014, only the Savidor Central to Jerusalem Malkha, the train at 23:13 between Modi’in Central, (c). STRIKE! 15:20 from Nahariya to Haifa-Hof-Ha-Car- Ben-Gurion airport, will be operated; full On 11.09.14 it was reported: The loco mel, the 15:29 from Nahariya to Modi’in traffic will resume at 00:01. drivers of freight trains started recently Central, the 15:44 from Tel-Aviv Savidor The Sukkot holidays – between 07.10.2014 a strike without any explanation; the As- Central to Beer-Sheva Central, the 16.07 and 14.10.2014: sociation of Industrialists appealed to the from Binyamina to , the 16:20 On Tuesday 07.10.2014, trains will operate Labour Tribunal claiming that they would from Tel-Aviv Savidor Central to Rishon as on a regular Thursday. suffer damages of millions of Dollars as a Le-Zion Harishonim, the 16:37 from Bin- On Wednesday 08.10.2014 (the eve of result; the government was considering yamina to Tel-Aviv Hahagana, the 16:53 Sukkot) trains will operate as on a regular hiring lorries and firing the loco drivers. from Hod-Ha-Sharon Sokolov to Rishon- Friday. Le-Zion Moshe Dayan, the 16:58 from Tel- On Thursday 09.10.2014, trains will oper- (d). VALLEY LINE PROGRESS. Aviv Savidor Central to Rishon-Le-Zion ate as on a regular Saturday night. In early September Sybil went to Beit Moshe Dayan. On Friday 10.10.2014, trains will operate Shean and reported: ‘’I’ve been to see how The following trains will provide shorter as on a regular Friday. the work is progressing there. The old services: On Saturday night 11.10.2014, trains will station buildings are being preserved and The 14:53 from Hod-Ha-Sharon Soko- operate as on a regular Saturday night. the new station is coming along nicely! I lov will terminate at Ashkelon instead of On Sunday 12.10.2014, trains will operate could walk around freely – I had visions Shderot. as on a regular Sunday. of having to go down on my knees and The 15:37 from Binyamina will terminate On Monday 13.10.2014, trains will operate wave my press card, but nobody cared at Tel-Aviv Hahagana instead of . as on a regular Monday. that I was walking around. There were a The 15:53 from Hod-Ha-Sharon Sokolov On Tuesday 14.10.2014, trains will operate few workmen there and they must have will terminate at Rishon-Le-Zion Moshe as on a regular Thursday. thought I was barmy, but they just waved Dayan instead of Ashkelon. and said ‘Hello’. The station has two side Northbound: Between Sunday, 12.10.2014 and Tues- platforms, and the end of the platform The following trains are not operated on day, 14.10.2014 there will be additional ramp is about 350 metres from the water Fridays: trains as follows: tower.’’ The 14:10 from Modi’in Central to Naha- Between , Tel-Aviv, and Jerusa- riya, the 15:01 from Beer-Sheva Central lem, the trains departing from Herzliya at (e). HAIFA NEW STADIUM OPENING. to Haifa Lev-Hamifratz, the 15:10 from 09:29, 11:29 and 13:29 will terminate at On 15.09.2014 the railways played a vi- Modi’in Central to Kiryat-Motzkin, the Jerusalem Malkha (instead of at Beit-Sh- tal role in the opening of one of ’s 15:28 from Beer-Sheva Central to Tel-Aviv emesh) at 11:10, 13:10 and 15:09 respec- most modern stadiums for an audience Savidor Central, the 15:29 from Rehovot tively. of 30,000 in the south-western outskirts to Binyamina, the 15:31 from Ashkelon to Three trains to Tel-Aviv and Herzliya will of Haifa; special trains were added, all of Binyamina, the 15:43 from to Hod- depart from Jerusalem Malkha (instead at which ran to full capacity; the stadium is Ha-Sharon Sokolov, the 15:46 from Jeru- Beit-Shemesh) at 10:17, 12:16 and 14:16. located near Hof-Ha-Carmel station. salem Malkha to Tel-Aviv Savidor Central, The trains departing from Beer-Sheva the 15:58 from Haifa-Hof-Ha-Carmel to Central at 08:59, 09:59, 10:59 and 11:59 (f). NEW AIRPORT LINE? Nahariya, the 16:08 from Rishon Le-Zion will terminate at Haifa Central the 8 (in- On 18.09.2014 ‘Times of Israel’ report- Harishonim to Tel-Aviv Savidor Central, stead of Tel-Aviv Savidor Central) at 11:21, ed that negotiations between the Defence the 16:10 from Modi’in Central to Haifa 12:21, 13:21, and 14:21 respectively. Ministry and the Transportation are taking Central the 8. Four trains to Tel-Aviv and Beer-Sheva will place for the Ramat David military airbase depart from Haifa Central the 8 (instead of to be opened to civilian traffic, in which (i). HIGH HOLYDAY TIMETABLE Tel-Aviv Savidor Central) at 11:06, 12:06, case a branch line will be built to serve the CHANGES. 13:06 and 14:06 respectively. new terminal. Due to the Jewish festivals: The following changes on the timetable will take effect Simkhat Torah – the last holiday: (g). CARMIEL LINE. TUNNELLING due to the holidays of September and Oc- On Wednesday 15.10.2014 (the holiday ACHIEVEMENTS. tober 2014: eve) trains will operate as on a regular Fri- A 5-minute film showing work The New Jewish Year – between 23.09.2014 day. on the Gilon tunnels on the Akko – Car- and 27.09.2014: On Thursday night 16.10.2014 trains will miel line by Israeli, Chinese, Arab and On Tuesday 23.09.2014, trains will oper- operate as on a regular Saturday night. ,cfrv Page  On Friday 17.10.2014, trains will operate Hz which means gradual replacement of The “Rail Freight Company Ltd.”, is the as on a regular Friday. the outdated equipment [again - the old- Israel Railways Ltd. subsidiary for freight est rolling stock dates from 1992...is this haulage, created on July 2014 according (j). ELECTRIFICATION TIPS. so old?]. to the government decision. The forecast One notes from Innotrans that for the Both Minister Katz and The Israel Rail- for revenues from freight haulage until new Israeli electrification there are such ways Ltd. CEO Mr. Boaz Zafrir said: “The 2020 is estimated at NIS 400 Million ($109 innovations as cast glass fibre reinforced $3.2 billion project (including purchasing M) annually. resin catenary poles, which are lighter, and conversion of rolling stock), will sig- The first task of “Rail Freight Com- non-corrodable and do not require com- nificantly increase speed and frequency, pany Ltd.” directorate, which started activ- plex insulators on the cantilevers since and reduce noise and air pollution, im- ity on July 2014, was to activate the pro- the poles themselves act as insulators; prove passenger services and increase re- cedure for finding a General Manager for and is offering a dual-power loco liability and punctuality; it will change the the company. This has now commenced. based on the Euro 4000 which can be op- face of transportation, will help to reduce Once the general manager starts his job, erated on both electric and diesel systems social and economic gaps and will diver- the procedure of developing the compa- – surely convenient for a small system like sify employment possibilities.” The fol- ny’s managerial backbone will start, after Israel where trains could then run partially lowing statement raises - to my opinion - which the company will become active. on the electrified ‘spine’ but not every sid- some questions: “Electrification has many The company will be customer- ing would need electrification, and also advantages such as: higher reliability than focussed, and will act to increase the va- providing a secure back-up should the diesel, longer maintenance intervals, at riety of logistic services to be provided, overhead electric supply system for any least 20% saving in (particularly fu- such as full door-to-door services; other reason be shut down.... els), 30% less maintenance costs of rolling activities will be: storage, containerization, ‘Railway Gazette’ Sept. 2019 p. stock, increasing speed from 160 km/h bonding, despatching, etc. 13 also has an item on the IR Tender – for to 220 km/h as against from 140 km/h to The company will have the right to between 62 and 78 mixed-traffic electric 160 km/h on diesel, and the possibility to carry freight through the railways for the loco with options for more, to be suitable build new lines in mountainous topogra- customers; the railways through its freight for regenerative braking, have a maximum phy.” department will operate the haulage for axleload of 22.5 tonnes and be capab- [While no one can ignore the advan- the subsidiary. able of operating up to 20hr. per day and tages of electrification, the statement ig- The government decision is that 250,000km/year. They are required for nores the 200 km/h British Intercity 125 the company will recruit a strategic inves- 160km/h push-pull passenger trains, with trains and other, the new USA deal for tor who will become a 51% shareholder, up to eight D/D or ten single-deck carriag- 200 km/h; more unclear is the fact that thus the company will change from a es, and freight trains of 3,600 tonnes at up the Vossloh Euro 3200 new locos already governmental company to a mixed com- to 120km/h. with the ability for up to three in service can currently operate at 160 pany. Israel Railways Ltd. CEO Mr. Boaz to work in multiple. km/h (speed currently limited to 140 km/ Zafrir who is also the Chairman of “Rail h) while they can be easily geared up to Freight Company Ltd.” said: “Creating the From a press release of 22.10.2014 by the 200 km/h (this being included in the con- “Rail Freight Company Ltd.”, recruiting a Transport Ministry: (Thanks to Aharon tract); for some reason the statement also general manager and activating the com- Gazit, who also adds comments):- ignores the catenary maintenance costs pany is a significant step for the railways ‘’The electrification programme moved which can be high in desert areas! There and for the Israeli Industry. The company one step forward after the Inter Ministerial is also a criticism about the sort of roll- will do its best to increase significantly Committee for Internal Affairs, Services, ing stock to operate on the Acre - Carmiel the volume of freight haulage by rail, thus and Local Government approved today line under construction; the population reducing the number of trucks and their – 22.10.2014 - Transport Minister Israel of each of these cities is around 46,000 mileage, contributing to road safety, and Katz’s plan for railways electrification, inhabitants and according to all surveys reducing air pollution; all these will aid the known also as National Infrastructures can hardly justify a heavy rail service; even railways’ development, the stability of its Project No. 18. The Inter Ministerial Com- travelling to Haifa means around 45 km, economy, and its contribution to the state mittee for Internal Affairs, Services, and so a tram-train would possibly have been economy.” Local Government gave the approval after more appropriate, but the railways dislike completion of all the necessary procedures LRV!] (l). BAGGAGE ASSISTANCE. including: publishing the programme for By 28th. Oct. 2014 IR was an- Stewardesses will help with passengers’ the public, receiving appeals from all par- nouncing that the following five firms or baggage at Ben-Gurion airport station ties involved, changing the programme consortia had fulfilled the Pre-Qualifica- (24 hours/day) according to flights, and where needed, and approval by the Na- tion stage for tender EL/PQ/01/12: at Haifa Central the 8 station according to tional Infrastructures Committee. - (Siemens AG and Siemens Is- cruise sailings at the nearby port, between The National Infrastructures Committee rael Ltd.) 21.09.2014 and 21.10.2014 (holidays). has defined the electrification programme - Elecnor as a Nationally Important Project, after the - SEMI (Sociedad Espanola de Montajes (m). NEW BUS SHUTTLE LINKS. Transport Ministry and Israel Railways Ltd. Industriales S.A.) The railways have announced on their had crystalized the it as a master plan. - CRPM: China Railways Constructions; website that from 26.10.2014 and onwards, The programme speaks of electrifying Electrification Bureau Group Co, Lts. free bus shuttle services (on showing a rail 420km of lines both existing and planned, (CRCC), and Pan-Mediterranean Engi- ticket) will operate to/from the railway sta- as well as building transformer sites and neering Ltd. tions of and Kfar-Sava. control centres. The system is today - (Alstom Transport SA (); The shuttle services between dominated entirely by diesel traction while Citadis Israel Ltd.; AFCON Holdings Ltd. Netanya station and the Ruppin Academic most intercity railway lines in the world are (Israel). Center (called RUP-KAV which means a electrified [Minister Katz ignores for some line to Ruppin) are as following: From Ne- reason the USA, Canada, etc. where diesel (k). NEW ‘RAIL FREIGHT COMPANY’ tanya station to the Ruppin Academic Cen- dominates...]; the intention is to convert all ESTABLISHED. ter: Sunday to Thursday at 07:35, 09:00, the systems to electric voltage of 25 KV 50 From an IR press release of 22.09.2014: 09:40; from the Ruppin Academic Center ,cfrv Page  to Netanya station: Tuesday to Thursday Zafrir said: “Today we’re completing an to 9-coach rakes leaves six coaches and at 11:25, on Sunday, Wednesday, and important phase on the A1 route. The two driving trailers, of which two and one, Thursday at 14:40, Sunday to Thursday at railways are enjoying an era of accelerated respectively, are used as spares. 16:55 and 17:55 respectively. growth; more than 500 trains, both pas- The creation of a shortened rake comes The shuttle services between senger and freight are operated daily..... in handy at a period when the availability of Kfar-Sava Nordau station and the high- We are proud to lead the national project, the IC3 DMU sets remains low, with about tech area at the eastern part of the city we thank both the Transport Ministry and a third of the fleet out of use at any given are provided by the bus operator Metropo the other government offices involved for time. This is starting to look like a major Line as a result of cooperation between the trust and backup given to us; We’ll do fiasco, as Alstom continues to fail meeting the Transport Ministry and the Kfar-Sava all that is needed to start operating ser- their obligations as an out-sourced con- Municipality; called “Continuous Line” and vices on the A1 on time, within the budget tractor for the daily maintenance of the consisting of bus line 40 between 07:00 constrain, and of the required quality”. IC3 fleet since taking over last January. and 10:00 and bus line 41 between 10:00 Attached herewith are 2 pictures from The summer timetable change saw the and 19:30; bus timings are coordinated the tunnel breakthrough; from right to left: DMU sets relegated to peripheral service with the railways’ timetable. Mr. Zafrir, Prime Minister Mr. Netanyahu, - ( and Jerusalem lines plus Haifa Transport Minister Mr. Israel Katz; the pic- suburban runs) with usually no more than (n). TUNNELLING BREAKTHROUGH tures are by courtesy of the Transport Min- three sets used in multiple. ON A1 JERUSALEM LINE. istry and Israel Railways Ltd. Driving trailer no. 304 currently leads From a press release of 06.10.2014 by the shortened push-pull rake, with loco the Transport Ministry and Israel Railways (o). INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS TEL no. 1301 at the other end. The 4-coach Ltd.: AVIV - LOD. rake replaces a two-set IC3 consist in the ‘’Today, 06.10.2014, the ceremony of Between Thursday, 23.10.2014 at 21:05 Haifa suburban service and is the shortest breaking through the rocks of the second and Sunday, 26.10.2014 at 05:00 the line loco-hauled passenger train seen here for tunnel of the twin-bored 11.6 km tunnels section between Tel-Aviv Hahagana and some years now. (tunnel No. 3 between Yitla and Mev- Lod stations was to be closed for traffic aseret Zion), took place, thus marking the due to infrastructure works; This would (s). NEW BALLAST WAGONS. completion of tunnelling on the A1 fast rail affect traffic over the whole network; trav- Well, actually second-hand, from the link to Jerusalem with the participation of elling times would be extended by a few – fifteen four-wheel Tds Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, minutes, while some trains would not ballast hopper wagons have arrived and Transport Minister Mr. Israel Katz, Israel operate; the railways provided alterna- are in use on IR. They are numbered from Railways Ltd. CEO Mr. Boaz Zafrir, and tive bus services from/to the stations of ‘Resh 54 001 onwards. additional VIP’s. Kfar-Chabad and Lod Ganei-Aviv (both Prime Minister Mr. Netanyahu said: “In between Tel-Aviv Hahagana and Lod). (t). SPORT SPECIALS AND UNREST. the last year we have seen a sharp decline Israel Railways Ltd. announced on their in the number of casualties in road acci- (p). WINTER TIMETABLE. website that passengers going by rail to dents (though many will disagree regard- On Sunday, 26.10.2014, the Winter time- the recently opened Sami Ofer stadium at ing this news), and the main reason is a table will commence; the changes will be the south-western outskirts of Haifa (not dramatic improvement in our transporta- on Fridays and eves of holidays, in which far from Haifa-Hof-Ha-Carmel railway sta- tion means (road and rail) - they are more traffic will end one hour earlier than so tion) to watch the football game between open and faster than before, despite the far, and on Saturday nights and ends of the teams of Israel and Bosnia on Sun- growth of both population and car owner- holidays in which traffic will start 2 hours day, 16.11.2014, would enjoy a 50% reduc- ship. earlier than so far. tion on tickets after showing their game Regarding rail, I believe that one day ticket. the railway lines will link us with the neigh- (q). NIGHT-TIME WORKS. The railways provided additional trains bouring countries; this is currently just Israel Railways Ltd. announced on their after the game from Haifa-Hof-Ha-Carmel a dream, but may become a reality one website that starting on Saturday night, to Nahariya, Modi’in, Rehovot, Lod, Ash- day”. 08.11.2014 and until further notice there kelon, Ben-Gurion airport, Beer-Sheva Transport Minister Mr. Israel Katz said: will be changes in schedules of the trains North/University, and Beer-Sheva Central. “I’m fully satisfied today; this is a huge running between Nahariya and Ben-Gu- However, this was initially threatened by and complex engineering project nearing rion Airport between midnight and 05:00, sanctions proposed by various groups of completion. I have the right to say that due to infrastructure works to be carried workers protesting against the govern- I’ve taken the A1 project out of the frozen out and in order to minimize disruptions. ment and railway management’s intention state in which it stood for many years and to debit the train drivers (and other em- took care to implement it. Prime Minister (r). PUSH-PULL SET AND IC3 ployees) for taxis from the points where Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and I share the PROBLEMS. they finish their work to their homes. same concept, according to which Israel The first week of November 2014 saw the - It was later reported that the railways must be densely populated and enjoy a reappearance on IR metals of a shortened had carried some 10,000 fans to and from network of highways and high-speed rail- GEC-Alsthom Push-Pull coach rake, this the Sami Ofer stadium at Haifa for the way lines; this is one of the biggest nation- time powered by a Euro3200 loco. This fol- football game between the national teams al, economical, and social revolutions that lows a decision by IR to lengthen the other of Bosnia and Israel, which ended with Is- have ever taken place in Israel. rakes of this type to nine coaches each (a rael winning 3:0. How symbolic it is, that today when we driving trailer and eight regular coaches are at the eve of Sukkot Holiday, when in each), as this better suits demand and (u). IC3 BRAKE PROBLEMS. ancient times it took days for the Jewish matches them with most Siemens rakes. On Monday 10.11.2014, an IC3 dmu pilgrims to reach the temple in Jerusalem, While all five driving trailers of this type en route from Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv was we will be able to reach Jerusalem from are still in active stock, two of the regular stuck somewhere midway due to brake Tel-Aviv in just 28 minutes and within 20 coaches have been scrapped following the problem; there were only 120 passengers minutes from Ben-Gurion Airport.” Bet Yehoshua level-crossing collision of on board, but even after the railways or- Israel Railways Ltd. CEO Mr. Boaz 2006, leaving just 30 in stock. The move dered buses, only two arrived in a reason- ,cfrv Page  able time taking only 100 passengers; an- 20-year old soldier off duty, was repeat- in winter only, also flooded parts of the other bus was late, thus causing a lot of edly attacked with a knife whilst standing Ayalon highway, and for a short while also anger to passengers. at Tel Aviv HaHaganah station. He died of Tel-Aviv Savidor Central station; However, [It is interesting that no lesson has been his wounds that night. The 18-year old at- next day the weather was nice and morn- learned; with a wheelbase of 3000 mm the tacker from , Nur al-Din Abu-Hadja ing punctuality was 98%! trains can’t negotiate the sharp curves, had entered Israel illegally. A 50-year old and as a result there are frequent cracks man who attempted to come to the aid of (y). SECURITY EXERCISE. on wheels and wear on brakes. the soldier was lightly wounded in the at- From a press release of 20.11.2014 by Is- Besides, (writes Aharon) it seems to me tack. The organisation Islamic Jihad later rael Railways Ltd.: useless to operate such expensive trains claimed responsibility for this and another On Friday, 28.11.2014, between 07:30 and (EURO 6 million each) with 160 km/h ca- knife attack in which a young woman was 11:30, the Ben-Gurion airport station will pability on a 35 km section of line with a murdered at a bus stop. be closed due to a security training exer- maximum spead of 50 km/h; I have been As usual the EU and USA called upon cise at the airport. The following trains will claiming for more than nine years that ei- Israel to react ‘with moderation and re- not call at the station: ther a or a diesel LRV would do the straint’ without actually defining what that Between Beer-Sheva Central and Tel- job much better and at a much cheaper means in such circumstances. Aviv: price!] The trains of 06:28, 07:28, 08:28, and (x). MORE FLOODING. 09:28, which normally call at the airport (v). ANOTHER IC3 FIRE. On Sunday, 16.11.2014 there were heavy station at 07:36, 08:36, 09:36 and 10:36 From a press release of 26.11.2014 by rains in most areas, and consequently respectively. Israel Railways Ltd.: ‘’This morning when floods hit many places. At Nitzanim - Between Tel-Aviv Savidor-Central and train 805 consisting of an IC3 Flexi-Liner just north of Ashkelon - lightning struck Beer-Sheva: dmu was en-route from Beer-Sheva North the signal box and there were no trains The trains of 07:44, 08:44, 09:44, and to Dimona (departure 10:52), the crew de- between , Ashkelon, and Shderot 10:44; these normally call at the airport tected smoke from one of the engines at for several hours; buses were provided, station at 08:02, 09:02, 10:02 and 11:02 11:15; the train was brought to standstill. but it took some time until all waiting respectively. The 6 passengers on board… were sent passengers - many of them angry - were Between Modi’in Central, Tel-Aviv, and on by taxis to their destination. Meanwhile, transported. Nahariya: the train crew tried to control the fire, but At Shefayim - north of Herzliya - there The trains of 07:10, 08:10, 09:10, and due to strong wind had to call for nearby was more flooding and traffic was in- 10:10, and 11:10; calling normally at firemen, who dealt with the incident. Af- terrupted for a while between Tel-Aviv, 07:28, 08:28, 09:28, 10:28 and 11:28 re- ter 2 hours the train continued on its own Haifa, and Nahariya; here, however, the spectively. power to the depot. Nobody was hurt and cause was not only rain, but also huge Between Nahariya, Tel-Aviv, and Modi’in no other train movement was affected. earthworks connected with extension of Central: The whole event raises however, the the Ayalon highway northwards on both The trains of 05:57, 06:57, 07:57 and question: If so few passengers are using sides of the tracks, as well as building a 08:57, normally calling at at 07:55, 08:55, this loss-making services, is it justified to new interchange with transverse road No. 09:55 and 10:55 respectively. operate a Euro 6 Aharon adds: He has million train (badly personally suggested needed elsewhere); recently to the railways even on the old line administration, that dur- to Jerusalem there ing normal weekdays are many more two morning trains from passengers daily; Modi’in to Tel-Aviv should it seems again that not call at the airport due either a railbus, or to passenger complaints a single passenger that journey time to Tel- car coupled to a Aviv are too long and that freight train could not calling at the airport be sufficient for the station would save about 36 km journey pro- 10 minutes; This is being vided four times examined. daily on each di- (z). DEFENCE rection! CONCEPTS FOR At right, a picture SDEROT LINE. of the defective Aharon Gazit writes: The engine after fire following idea seems to treatment pro- be either unusual or fancy: vided by cour- the Authority for National tesy the railways Security together with the spokesman Mr. Defense Ministry are pro- Shahar Wies- moting what is defined as man. 531 and a double-track railway line in the the solution for the threat of rockets/mis- road’s to link Kfar-Sava and siles from the against trains Ra’anana with the coast roads Nos.2 and running between Ashkelon and Sderot at w). TERRORIST MURDER ON 20 (Ayalon extension) and with the Haifa the section near Erez where the HAHAGANAH STATION. - Tel-Aviv line near the remote-controlled trains are fully exposed; the solution is a On Monday10.11.2014 Almog Shiloni, a loops of Shefayim. protective freight train that would run on The Ayalon creek, in which water flows the parallel track along the dangerous ,cfrv Page  vice oriented culture in the company over recent years. The railways’ performance shows that it is possible to be service minded, punctual and also profitable. Our aim is to put the railways on a firm profitable footing, thus reducing the budgetary load.” Israel Railways now reports a financial yield in the figures for the first half of 2014. The current operating profit, mainly due to the rise in the number of passengers carried and freight haulage, came to about NIS 106 million in the first half of the year; the company expects this trend to continue in the second half of the year. The company’s profits amount to 10% of the current turnover, which is higher than the target set in the operating agreement recently signed with the government; the profits will be used for improving passenger services. The trees which have been planted along the Ashkelon-Shderot line The company’s growth and development trend continues apace in to hide the trains passenger transportation and freight haulage, as may be seen from section, after which the passenger train the half-yearly revenues: will continue as usual; it is claimed that The number of trips taken in the first half of 2014 totalled 23.5 million, an increase in such a way, the trains will be operated of about 35% compared to 2011 (17.5 million)—as a result of new lines being opened, during emergencies too, unlike what hap- increased frequencies, improved punctuality, and upgraded service. pened in the last war when the line was Freight haulage revenues—up by some NIS 11 million, about 14% more than the closed for a period. equivalent period last year. There have been some It is to be noted that an operating agreement has recently been cynical responses to signed between Israel Railways and the Finance and Transport Min- this idea but tests have istries regulating both the development element and the regular op- been run elsewhere on erating charges. Among other areas covered in the agreement are the system and more Israel Railways’ preparations in coordination with government repre- tests are to be carried sentatives for a public bonds issue to a value of up to NIS 2 billion. out soon. Passengers Above is a picture of the The number of passengers carried in the first half of 2014 totalled trees planted on other 23.5 million, an increase of about 8% compared to the equivalent sections of the line and period last year (21.8 million); fare revenues grew by some NIS 31 the train as seen from million—around 10%—compared to the equivalent period last year. the Gaza strip at the The following lines accounted for the major part of the growth: dangerous section. Ashkelon – Tel Aviv—about 3 million passengers were carried in the first half of 2014, 22% more than the equivalent period last year, when some 2.5 million trips were made. Also attached is a map of the section, The increase is mainly due to the new connection between West and Ashdod showing on the left the protected freight inaugurated in August 2013, and the express train service from Tel Aviv via Yavne West train to run on the western track, the paas- to Ashdod and Sderot operated in December 2013. enger train to run on the eastern track; at Hod HaSharon – Tel Aviv—about 2.1 million passengers were carried in the first half of the bottom is the station of Shderot. 2014, 18% more than the equivalent period last year, when some 1.7 million trips were made. Binyamina – Tel Aviv—about 4.8 million passengers were carried in the first half of ISRAEL RAILWAYS SPOKESPER- 2014, 7% more than the equivalent period last year, when some 4.5 million trips were SON’S ANNOUNCEMENT made. Cont. foot of page 

RAILWAYS’ PROFIT- Flooded Ayalon highway, trains still operate ABILITY ON TRACK FOR FIRST HALF OF YEAR ISRAEL RAIL- WAYS SHOWS A CURRENT OPERAT- ING PROFIT OF NIS 106 MILLION; NET PROFIT OF ABOUT NIS 1.47 BILLION INCLUDES A ONE- OFF GAIN OF AP- PROXIMATELY NIS 1.36 BILLION.

Israel Railways CEO Boaz Tsafrir: “These positive results ex- press the fruition of steps taken to improve efficiency, restructure, and im- plant a business-ser- ,cfrv Page  107:05. This is another typically lengthy document systems regarding communication and se- TENDERS. and clearly written by a team of enthusiastic cured data, is Bezeq International (Israeli Telecom). A. and ambitious young lawyers; responses are (ii). The Israeli company Bashik Ltd. won (i). Tender No. 11410: Providing printed mat- to be submitted in English by 01.10.2014 and Tender No. MS/RC/2014/9 for operating a ters services for the railways.The contract is the text makes it clear that this is ‘’merely stand selling cellular phone accessories at for 12 months with optional extensions of for the purpose of obtaining any relevant in- Tel-Aviv Savidor Central station at $2,030.00 up to additional 48 months. Latest date for formation for consideration purposes only’’ monthly. submission of proposals: 21.09.2014. and commits no-one to anything. It is not to (iii). The Israeli company Shon Hirschler (ii). Israel Railways Ltd. Tender No. MN/ be considered as a request for proposals or won Tender No. MS/RC/2014/9 for operat- KB/01/14: Completion of infrastructure and as a tender. ing a stand selling watches and jewellery at building works on Section A (Anava - Latrun) ‘Appendix A’ includes some techni- Tel-Aviv Savidor Central station at $3,800.00 Stage B of the A1 fast link to Jerusalem: The cal specifications. The coaches are needed monthly. works to be carried out are between control to traverse all lines in the country, the lon- (iv). The Israeli company Shon Hirschler won building Daniel on the Ben-Gurion Airport gest route being ca. 200km. The planned Tender No. MS/RC/2014/9 for operating a - Modi’in line and east of bridge No. 6 near schedule would not begin before 2017, stand selling accessories at Tel-Aviv Savidor Latrun Monastery, after which track laying and 144 double-deck coaches will require Central station at $2,506.00 monthly. will start. The contract is for 24 months with planned Midlife Maintenance, having been (v). The Israeli company Naya Mor won Ten- optional extensions of up to additional 36 purchased in the period 2001-2006. I think der No. MS/RC/2014/9 for operating a stand months. Latest date for submission of pro- the normal English term would be ‘refurbish- selling leather bags and other leather prod- posals: 21.09.2014. ment’ involving not only maintenance but a ucts at Tel-Aviv Savidor Central station at (iii). Tender No. MS/RC/2014/15: Permission possible upgrading of the specifications. IR $1,270.00 monthly. for renting an open area of 8244 sq.m. At is seeking guidance from the respondents (vi). The Israeli taxi company Rehovot Taxi Kfar-Sava for Parking only. The contract is on the necessary works required based on Ltd. won Tender No. MS/RC/2014/13 for op- for 24 months with optional extensions of lifetime and kilometrage, and applicable erating taxi services to/from Rehovot station up to additional 36 months. Latest date for standards for passenger trains, in terms also at $6,800.00 p.a.. submission of proposals: 02.10.2014. of interior design, Passenger Information (vii). The Israeli taxi company Sea Mall Taxi (iv). Tender No. 3142: Frame agreement Systems (PIS), diagnostic systems and any Ltd. won Tender No. MS/RC/2014/11 for for supply of work stations (computers and other improvements to the technical level. operating taxi services to/from Ashdod-Ad- screens) and laptops: The contract is for 12 (viii). IR Request for Information for Pro- Halom station at 9,500.00 p.a. months with optional extensions of up to grammable Bolting systems for Wheelsets. (viii). The railways have announced that the additional 36 months. Latest date for sub- ‘’To investigate the possible purchase of the winners of tender No.2014 for providing mission of proposals: 30.09.2014. system, as well as to review and estimate the Real Estate and land valuation services are: (v). Israel Railways Ltd. Tender No. 11419: costs involved.’’ Suggestions by 11.12.2014. General Valuation: Architect Mrs. Penina Offers for providing services of supply, in- (ix). Tender No. 21418: Construction of a Noy, Karol Gideon, Havkin Valuators Ltd, stallation, and maintenance of rotating building for trackmen at the Railways com- and Roni Gevilli. gates, emergency gates, and accessories at plex (depot) of Beer-Sheva. Latest date for (ix). Windhoff Bahn und Anlagetechnik stations and railway sites. The contract is for submitting of proposals: 11.12.2014. GmbH won the €498,000 Tender No. 41401 12 months with optional extensions of up to (x). Israel Railways Ltd. Tender No. 11409: for manufacture and supply of screw lifting additional 36 months. Latest date for sub- Supplying and Maintenance services of Lift- jacks. mission of proposals: 02.11.2014. ing Devices for the Disabled at platforms. (x). The Israeli company Almog Techni- (vi). Israel Railways Ltd. Tender No. 21407: The contract is for 36 months with optional cal Equipment Ltd. won Tender No. 11311 Providing management services for design, extensions of up to additional 24 months. for services in maintaining auxiliary track implementation, and maintenance of roads Latest date for submission of proposals: equipment at $65,940 annually. at level crossing at roads that are under the 25.12.2014. (xi). The Israeli company Reshef Secu- railways’ responsibility: The contract is for B. TENDERS AWARDED. rity (1993) Ltd. won the $4,523 contract 24 months with optional extensions of up to (i). The railways have announced that the for Watchmen and patrol services at level additional 36 months. Latest date for sub- winner of $156,500 Tender No. 11303 for crossings. mission of proposals: 06.11.2014. providing internet services, maintenance (xii). Ken-Ha-Tor Engineering & Construc- (vii). IR Request for Information for Midlife and technical support at the internet ac- tion has won the US$3.9M contract to up- Maintenance Services for Double Deck cess, integration and hardware/ software grade Netanya and West stations. Coaches. (xiii). GRE is to provide tender design man- agement services for the railway systems element of the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem fast line Cont’d from page  project. (xiv). On 5.11.2014 The railways announced For 2014 a total of about 48 million trips is predicted. the names of the winners for Tender No. 21417: providing Survey services for bridges Freight Haulage Revolution and other engineering structures: Freight haulage by rail is an important element in Israel Railways revenues, and over For zone 1: S. Mualem Engineers $ Consul- recent months has been undergoing a transformation. tants Ltd. In the first half of 2014 revenues in excess of NIS 86 million have been recorded, repre- For zone 2: Gregory Kelzel Engineering So- senting a growth of about 14% in Freight Division revenues. lutions Ltd. Changes in freight haulage in the last half year compared to 2013: Over 85% of planned train movements implemented (compared to 70% last year). C. Tenders Delayed:- 85% punctuality in destination arrival times (compared to no more than 45%). Tender No. 31402: Supply of Electrical Lo- comotives For Israel Railways Ltd. -latest Additional goods wagons purchased as well as augmentation of fleet to date for submission of proposals postponed enable more trains to be run and higher freight capacity to be offered. from 15.12.2014 to 29.01.2015. Maximum track time utilisation and optimised wagon turnaround.Substantially higher Tender No. 41402: cancelled. revenues.

,cfrv Page  107:06 (ii). WALTER ZANGER TAKES A RIDE. From Walter’s ‘From Jerusalem’ News- letter Vol. 16 No. 4, September 2014 pp.6f. LIGHT RAIL. - a personal but experienced view – which was calm and relaxed at the time, but of A. JERUSALEM. course much has happened since:- (i). ARAB AREA TRAM STOPS REMAIN CLOSED. ‘’Jerusalem has been unquiet this past It was announced on 02.09.2014 that, due to repeated riots at the Arab neighbor- month. The events in Gaza started out hood of Shuafat in Northern Jerusalem, it has been decided not to provide for the time with the murder of three Israeli teens from being, rail services; consequently, the three destroyed stations have not been rebuilt, the Etzion Bloc. Some half-witted young and trains are just passing through. Jewish idiots decided to get even by mur- On 07.09.2014 A report by Yedidya Ben-Or, Ari Yashar was headed: ‘’Arab Rock Terror dering an Arab kid in Jerusalem a few days Limits ’’:- later. And the you-know-what hit the you- ‘’The constant terrorism of rock throwing in Arab neighbourhoods of Jerusa- know-what. Great; just what we needed! lem is becoming an increasing threat, not only for who happen to pass near such The youth of the Arab street, always neighborhoods but for residents of all parts of the capital city. on the edge of hysteria, erupted in vio- CityPass, the company operating Jerusalem’s light rail system, announced lence, of course, burning tyres, throwing Sunday morning that “due to continued and repeated rock throwing that inflicts dam- stones and fireworks and Molotov cock- age to the trains, this morning we only have 16 operable trains out of a total of 23.” “What that means is that fewer than needed trains are active on the line, and the frequency (of trains) throughout the line will be harmed,” added CityPass, noting the long-term effects of the rock terror that has decommissioned nearly half of the trains. CityPass has been complaining for a while that their train cars have been turned into a target for Arab terrorism, a fact which prevents smooth Results of the terror event earlier transportation service to resi- this evening at the Jerusalem LRV dents of the capital. The rock terror, which has often targeted station of Ammunition Hill Jewish children, has prevented residents of the northern neigh- borhood of Pisgat Ze’ev from using the light rail for several weeks, given that the rail tails at the police, passing cars, whatever. passes from there through Beit Hanina and Shuafat, areas of heavy rock attacks. The Police (in Jerusalem) and Army (on the In early July as Arab riots flared in Jerusalem over the death of an Arab teen, ) and Border Police responded who was killed by a mentally ill man after the murder of three Jewish teens by Hamas with crowd-control stuff: water cannons, terrorists on June 12, violent Arab rioters destroyed three light rail stations, inflicting tear gas, rubber bullets, etc. A few of these enormous financial damage to the system. went wrong and one or two more Arab The light rail was restarted for service in the area later in July, skipping stops in kids got killed as a result. And then there the Beit Hanina and Shuafat areas, but as noted residents of Pisgat Ze’ev remain unable were the funerals, and more demonstra- to take the trains due to attacks on them in the area. tions, more riots, etc. Dreary, dreary! After a young father was critically wounded by a rock attack in Judea while Rioting like this happens after the sun driving with his wife and baby daughter last month, Har Hevron Regional Council head goes down and is therefore dangerous Yohai Dimri told Arutz Sheva “this isn’t the first time that it’s been proven rocks are just and nasty to the people who happen to be as dangerous as gunfire or a rocket.” around after most of the others have gone A similar report appeared in ‘’United with Israel’’ on 08.09.2014, by Aryeh Sa- home for the day. Not nice, but we know vir: ‘’...Recently the attacks have increased to several a day, and therefore the repairing we can live with this situation as long as of the damaged trains takes longer.... The train line, which runs through Israel and Arab we can avoid doing permanent damage. neighbourhoods in Jerusalem and serves all of Jerusalem’s residents, has become the The anger will die away in a while and life focus of Arab terror in recent months, especially after the murder of teenager Muham- will go on as it has for the past 47 years mad Abu Khdeir from the Arab neighbourhood of Shuafat by three . The line is since we unified the city in 1967. perceived as a symbol of Israeli sovereignty in Arab neighbourhoods and is therefore re- Well, the chief victim of Arab rioting petitively targeted. The riots following the murder left segments of the track completely has been, nebbish! - the Light Rail! This unusable, and the 45,000 Israeli residents of Pisgat Ze’ev in northern Jerusalem were wonderful transportation line goes east left with almost no public transportation. The train line required extensive repairs at the down to the corner of the Old cost of millions of shekels. ‘’We must remember that at the end of the day, the people City, up north past Gate and that suffer from this situation are the residents who use this train to get to the centre the (Arab) Wadi Joz neighbourhood to Ra- of town, and now they cannot,’ said a City Pass spokesman. ‘’We need to understand mat Eshkol and French Hill, then (here’s that the light rail is a microcosm of Jerusalem. The train goes through Arab and Jewish the problem!) through the Arab neigh- neighbourhoods and they all use it. That’s the beauty of Jerusalem and we need to be bourhoods of Es-Sahl/Shuafat and Bet careful with this delicate reality.’ ‘’ ,cfrv Page  ers who have the universal problems of testosterone, etc., living un- der enormous pressure – re- ligious, so- cial, sexual and political – dominated by us in every part of their life, stifled in ambition and crippled by the failure of Mus- lim civilization everywhere, hating while envying Israel and the West and humili- ated by their own failure to compete, ac- customed to Jerusalem LRV under a heavy rain (not of stones violent reac- tions to stress Hanina to connect with the largest sub- I was actually of equal parts curious and a because that’s all they have ever known; urb of the city, Pisgat Ze’ev. (Shuafat has bit nervous. The train kept going. It wasn’t poor people! They’re screwed.’’ about 35,000 inhabitants and Beit Hanina the end of the line at all, despite what about 28,000. Pisgat Ze’ev is the largest had been announced on the news. After (iii). ‘’ANXIETY TRUMPS COEXIS- neighbourhood in Jerusalem with more French Hill we came to Es-Sahl and Sh- TENCE.’’ than 50,000 people: young families, im- uafat. We found the stations demolished, By coincidence, on the same day I migrants, and a lot of Russian Jews living awnings, shelters and benches ripped received Walter’s newsletter this rather sad there.) Bet Hanina is largely middle-class down, change and ticket machines (now article by Elhanan Miller appeared in ‘The and Christian Arab, but Es-Sahl/Shuafat wrapped in a protective cocoon) burned Times of Israel’ (2.10.2014):- (two train stations serve that neighbour- and destroyed. The tracks and area had hood) are Muslim, and the latter has a big been cleaned up, but there was fairly little ‘’Zemira Tahan thought twice before refugee camp. That’s where the trouble left of the stations themselves. boarding the tram at the north Jerusalem happens at night. Two middle-aged guys were neighborhood of Pisgat Zeev. “My kids tell We have friends who run the sitting on bridge chairs on the platform me, ‘It’s scary there, why go on?’” she told huge glass factory at Kibbutz Tzuba. They behind a makeshift table on the Shuafat The Times of Israel on Tuesday afternoon, make the safety glass for the Light Rail.... station. One was selling tickets to anyone as the tram made its way southward, and maybe they’re happy making money (presumably local Arab residents) who got downtown. It had been pelted with stones on replacing windows. Doubt it, actually, on and needed to buy a ticket, and the three times that morning. “But I say to but the fact is that as soon as the sun goes other was presumably doing security for myself: if I don’t ride, and you don’t ride, down, the youth of Shuafat start pelting him. I didn’t see that he was armed. They and no one rides, the train may stop enter- the train with rocks, fireworks, paint, etc. didn’t look nervous. ing Pisgat Zeev. We’ve waited many years Things got worse the night that first Arab The Beit Hanina station, next for this train and we deserve to enjoy it.” kid was murdered and the locals went on stop, was untouched, and the train con- Tahan is not the only Jerusalemite wary a rampage, completely destroying the Es- tinued right up to the last stop in the high, of boarding the light rail these days. Laud- Sahl and Shuafat train stations. wide, wild, open spaces of Pisgat Ze’ev. I ed as an oasis of coexistence in a deeply So they discontinued the line got off the train, breathed the clean, cool conflicted city upon its inauguration three north of French Hioll for a bit. But that air of the hills of Benjamin, crossed the years ago, the tram carries some 130,000 couldn’t last; you can’t cut off 50,000 peo- tracks and took the next train back down passengers a day along a 14-kilometer ple in Pisgat Ze’ev from the rest of the city. to French Hill to worry about filing my in- (8.5 mile) route from Pisgat Zeev in the And you don’t want to cut off the 50,000 come tax. Struck up a lively (and actually northeast to in the southwest, Arab residents of north Jerusalem either. friendly) conversation with a wild looking traversing the Palestinian neighborhoods Well, it happens that my accountant has fellow who was the only other passenger of Shuafat and Beit Hanina. her office right at French Hill, the tempo- there, which began when I suggested he But when riots erupted in Palestin- rary end of the line on the day I needed take his feet off the seats. Jerusalem never ian areas of Jerusalem early July following to go see her. So I got on the train at Mt. ceases to amaze me.’’ the kidnapping and murder of teenager Herzl as usual and zipped right up there. And a P.S. - ‘’I wonder if anyone Muhammad Abu Khdeir — apparently But then I decided to make the brave ef- has ever made a psycho-social study of at the hands of Jewish extremists, in a fort... to see what in fact was happening if the hysteria lying right beneath the sur- revenge attack soon after the bodies of we all passed farther north. The train was face of the Arab population of the area. three murdered Israeli teens were found in pretty empty of both Jews and Arabs, and These poor people, especially the teenag- the West Bank — the tram’s infrastructure ,cfrv Page 10 in Shuafat was the first to be targeted. Ri- effort. “Right now coexistence is an illu- tension.” oters set on fire the stops and the ticket- sion, but it did happen at first. I believe we The increased presence of police selling machines, and even attempted to will return to that situation, but time must and light rail security has not added to bring down an electric pole using an angle pass. Both sides need to be more tolerant; Khawla’s sense of safety; quite the op- grinder. The tram stopped running north this doesn’t happen overnight.” posite. “The police haven’t left the area of French Hill for a week, as the police and Despite the anxiety, and Hebrew since the riots. Just two days ago a 16- city hall assessed the damage. still mixed on the tram Tuesday in the loud year-old from my son’s school was beaten The light rail continued to be target- chatter of veiled Arab schoolgirls on their and arrested,” she said. “I don’t let my son ed by Palestinians throughout Operation way home and the raucous cellphone con- leave home. I fear for his future if he too is Protective Edge in Gaza, but violence did versations of middle-aged Israeli women. arrested.” Khawla bemoaned the situation not die down even after a ceasefire was A security guard in khaki and an earpiece of Jerusalem’s Palestinians, who she said reached. According to Jerusalem Police, (one is assigned to every car) paced slowly are shunned both by Jerusalem’s City Hall 13 cases of stone throwing were reported back and forth, as the loudspeaker an- and by the Palestinian Authority. between September 7 and September 28, nounced the next station in Hebrew, Eng- Like Khawla, Pisgat Zeev resident with two people arrested and one indict- lish and Arabic. Meital Balas, 32, was traveling on the light ed. Stone throwing has become such a Traveling on the tram has become rail for the first time in a month and a half menace, in fact, that a special police task a scary experience not only for Jews, but with her young son on Tuesday. She said force was recently created in Jerusalem to also for Arabs, albeit for different reasons. she has witnessed many cases of Jews combat the phenomenon. In a revelatory Since the kidnapping and killing of the provoking Arabs on the tram “for no rea- interview with Israel Radio on Tuesday, three Israeli teenagers Naftali Fraenkel, son,” sometimes even coming to blows. Yaron Ravid, the CEO of CityPass which Gil-ad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach south of Je- But If it were up to Balas, Khawla — like operates the light rail, said that police had rusalem in June, Palestinians — especially other Palestinian residents of Jerusalem instructed his company not to make pub- veiled women — have reported a sharp in- — would have limited access to the tram. lic the attacks on the tram, arguing that crease in verbal and physical attacks on “I think separation is warranted, and [the media attention would only encourage of- the tram, one of the only places of close tram] should not pass through Shuafat,” fenders. CityPass told on September contact between Jews and Arabs in the she said. “I’m not a racist or anything, but 16 that 95 attacks had been carried out city. One video of a verbal attack directed they show no willingness to live in peace. If against the light rail since July, mostly at a Palestinian woman was uploaded to they burn their own stations and start riot- during evening hours. Citypass has been YouTube and went viral. (Right wing Jew- ing again, and if we live in fear in our own forced to put 30% of its cars (7 of 23) out of ish teenagers wearing stickers that say city, what else do we have left?” service due to damage from stone throw- ‘Kahana was right’ and ‘Revenge’ were ing, and estimated the damage caused to seen giving the finger and yelling at Arab (iv). A further news item in ‘Times of its trains and infrastructure by the end of women sitting inside the tram in central Israel’ August at NIS 35 million ($9.5 million). A Jerusalem during a large right wing pro- by Lazar Berman on 12.10.2014 stated spokesman for the Jerusalem municipal- test against Arab terrorism, July 1, 2014, that there had been five further rock- ity informed The Times of Israel that all in response to the kidnap and murder of throwing attacks on the over Satur- cars are now equipped with stone-proof three Jewish teens. day night, in the Shuafat neighbourhood. windows. At Shuafat station, 41-year-old Four trains suffered damaged windows. Waiting at Givat Hamivtar station near housewife Khawla agreed to talk about her No arrests had been made but the previ- Mount Scopus, Hebrew University student experiences on the tram, but apologized ous Wednesday (8.-10) security forces had Ashraf Kheiri, 23, said that stone throw- for having to get off at the next station to announced the arrest of two men in their ing was a Palestinian reaction to ongoing buy a ticket. The vending machines have 20s for throwing stones at passing cars neglect on the part of Jerusalem’s munici- still not been repaired since being vandal- and the Light Rail. Prime Minister Netan- pality and the police. “There’s no other way ized, and she did not want to get fined. yahu ordered police to step up patrols in to protest,” he said. “Put yourself in their She stopped using the tram when the Pal- East Jerusalem, stating that he would not place. They have nothing and wanted to estinian teenager was murdered and only allow such riots to become the norn. But react to the murder of Abu Khdeir. What resumed traveling on it two weeks ago, then came: would you do? As far as they’re concerned, she said, when the financial burden of tak- no one takes care of them.” ing taxis finally overcame her. (v). ATTACK ON STATION AT AMMU- “I would never do something like that,” “I stopped using the tram because it be- NITION HILL. he said emphatically. “Do you know why? came too dangerous even before [the mur- From ‘Times of Israel’ 22.10.2014, by Ilan Because I use it every day. If it’s stuck, I der of] Abu Khdeir,” she told The Times Ben-Zion: can’t get home.” of Israel. “There were slogans written on ‘’Several people were injured Wednesday On a crowded northbound train, Monica, our walls in Shuafat: ‘Beware of child kid- afternoon after a car crashed into a light a 48-year-old tour guide from Pisgat Zeev, napping.’” The Shuafat tram station in rail station in Jerusalem in a possible ter- said she avoids taking the tram in the eve- East Jerusalem has still not been repaired rorist attack. A suspect attempted to flee nings, when the risk of stone throwing in- since being vandalized by Palestinian riot- the scene on foot and was shot by police, creases. “There’s no lack of security, but I ers in early July Once, at a tram station, a police spokesperson said. can sense the hostility outside in the three schoolchildren harassed Khawla and her A spokesperson for Israeli rescue ser- [Palestinian-area] stations. It’s scary,” she son with nationalistic chants, she said. vice Magen David Adom said a 60-year- told The Times of Israel. “Being attacked Two weeks later, a Jewish teenager spat old woman and a 3-month-old baby were with stones or Molotov cocktails is one on the boy unprovoked while she was leav- both very seriously injured, along with the experience I don’t want to have.” Pisgat ing Pisgat Zeev mall with him. “The situa- suspect. Unconfirmed reports said the Zeev’s local newspaper has begun refer- tion has escalated in all aspects,” she said, suspect was Abdelrahman al-Shaludi, a ring to the tram as “the roller coaster,” noting that at one point in recent months former Palestinian prisoner from the flash- and a group of residents has called for she would call another son — who works point neighborhood of Silwan. Another six a boycott until the tram is rerouted away as a truck driver in West Jerusalem — five people were also lightly and moderately from the problematic Palestinian neigh- or six times a day to make sure he’s all wounded in the attack, he said. borhoods. Monica said she opposed that right. “I’ve experienced a difficult period of Police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld ,cfrv Page 11 said on Twitter that all of those injured in they received a report saying that a car hit a number of pedestrians near the Ammuni- the incident were evacuated to local hos- tion Hill station. A paramedic at the scene told Ynet that the baby’s mother ‘brought her pitals and that an investigation was ongo- to me with a serious head wound. She told me that the car hit the stroller and she was ing. hysterical.’ The baby was unconscious. The incident took place at the Ammuni- In wake of the event, the Light Rail company said in a statement that a partial service tion Hill station, near police headquarters, was running between the Mount Herzl and Damascus Gate and Givat HaMivtar stations. police said. The light rail runs along the This is not the first time the capital has seen such attacks, and recent weeks gave seen seam line between East and West Jerusa- a number of incidents on the train. ….. The recent two months have seen a rise in the lem. number of attacks on the train, especially in the Palestinian parts of the city,. Those us- A Hamas spokesperson said in re- ing the Light Rail for their daily commute say incidents in the Shuafat and Beit Hanina sponse to the reports that if indeed it was stations have become routine.’’ a terrorist attack, that it was the natural By the following day it was confirmed that the attacker was the nephew of Hamas for- response to Israel’s actions in Jerusalem, mer top bombmaker Mohiyedine Sharif, and that the baby and its parents were Ameri- particularly Jewish incursions into the al- can citizens who had recently moved to Israel. Aqsa Mosque, Israel Radio reported. Initial reports indicated the attack oc- And just to show what sort of world we are dealing with, thanks to Steve Waldenberg curred as people were disembarking from here is a report on what might just be the same incident, from Al Manaar News:- the light rail. Preliminary reports indicated http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.phpeid=177472&frid=23&seccatid=18&ci that a train derailed during the incident. d=23&fromval=1 However, there was no immediate indi- ‘’A Zionist policeman killed a Palestinian man on Wednesday, claiming that his car cation of whether there was damage to slammed into a light rail station near the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East the train itself. The light rail has in re- Jerusalem. Eyewitnesses said Abd al-Rahman al-Shaludi, 20, was shot by Israeli guards cent months been repeatedly attacked by at the light rail station after he lost control of his vehicle and hit commuters standing stone-throwing Palestinians in the neigh- nearby. Eyewitnesses told Ma’an news agency that al-Shaludi had exited his vehicle after borhood of Shuafat, located just north of striking the pedestrians, at which point he was shot in the back by the guards.’’ where Wednesday’s incident took place.’’ On 26.10.2014 Karen Jemima Mosquera, who had been one of the injured, also died A later report (datelined 18.33 of her injuries – she had come from Guayaquil in Ecuador to convert to Judaism. Israel time) confirmed that the baby had died at the hospital of her injuries; eight A few days later there was yet another similar attack when a car drove deliberately into others including the baby’s father had a queue near the police station, and an off-duty Druze policemen was killed – as was the been injured in the attack; The attacker driver, who got out of the car waving an iron bar and was shot by police. was stated to be a member of Hamas. (vi). NEW CITY ENTRANCE PLANS. On Y-Net the same evening: by Noam From a press release of 05.09.2014 by the Transport Ministry: Dvir: ‘’Terror returns to Jerusalem: A 3- ‘’Minister Israel Katz announced today, that within five years the western entrance to Jerusalem (for those arriving from Tel-Aviv), will look entirely different with works to build Israel’s biggest month-old baby girl was killed and seven transportation centre soon to start. This is an additional stage of the so called “City Gate” to other people were wounded Wednesday include all the existing modes of transportation together with an innovative business and cultural evening when a Palestinian plowed his car centre. into a crowd of people waiting at the Am- To be located between Binynei HaUma (Congress Hall) and Central Bus Station, it will munition hill station of Jerusalem’s Light include the new HaUma railway station (currently under construction), 2 LRV stations, extensions Rail. The driver – a resident of the village of the , taxi stations, and an underground park and ride facilities for 1300 cars. of Silwad with a record of security-related Minister Katz added that the $420 Million project will significantly upgrade the city’s public offences – attempted to flee the scene on transport services and enable thousands of people arriving at and departing from Jerusalem daily to do so fast and comfortably.’’ foot but was shot by police. He sustained chest wounds and was taken to a Jerusa- (v). NEW APP. lem hospital in serious condition. The Transport Ministry, Jerusalem Municipality, Jerusalem Transportation Master Plan Team in Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said collaboration with the German company IVU, introduced on 15.09.2014 the application “Jerusa- the car struck the near the lem Trip Planner”, which is the first of its sort in Israel; it not only provides information about all the national headquarters of the police force. city’s modes of transport, but - and this is particularly important - it is in English! He said police were investigating but all Jerusalem is again ahead of other cities in Israel, not only with the LRV! The application can signs pointed to an intentional attack. be downloaded through Google. ‘There is a strong possibility that it was (vi). BETTER SHELTERS. a terror attack’, he said. Interior Security From a press release of 05.10.2014 by the Transport Ministry, the Jerusalem Municipality, and Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich, who arrived the Jerusalem Transportation Master Plan Team: at the scene, said that ‘all signs indicae Good news for the LRV passengers: all the stations, and particularly those located at areas this is a terror attack.’ He further said that exposed to harsh weather conditions, will be much better protected in the coming winter. the driver had served time in prison be- The stations are being redesigned, which include glass screens 2.5m high at the front of the fore. He praised the police for their quick station, and roofs with an area of 70 sq.m.; twice as much as at present. Thus the stations will response. ‘This is not an intifada,’ Aha- be wind, rain, and snow protected; in summer the glass screens will be removed to prevent the greenhouse effect. ronovich said, noting that he had spoken The improvements are a result of lessons from the 2013-14 winter when severe snow storms with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu caused a lot of suffering to passengers; the new design has been drawn up by the Jerusalem Trans- and that the police and the Shin Bet in- portation Master Plan Team with the assistance of architecture company Public Zone. ternal security services were investigating. The first station being redesigned is that on Mount Herzl, located at a height of about 830m Two men in their 20s were taken to Ha- above sea level. (Of course proetction against the weather is one thing, protection against deliber- dassah Medical Center on Mount Scopus ate terror attacks is something else....) with light wounds. Hadassah at Ein Kerem took in three wounded women, one in se- B. TEL AVIV. rious condition and two lightly hurt. Ac- News from here is held over to the next issue due to lack of space. (Editor.) cording to MDA paramedics, at 5.54pm ,cfrv Page 12 107:07.

The carriage sidings at Lod depot are filled with (Photos courtesy of Aharon Gazit.) stock awaiting the next rush hour. Bombardier Double-Deck coaches

107:08. OTHER MIDDLE EAST RAILWAYS. A. . (i). TRAMWAY. information:- Tarbes and Villeurbanne. (Translated from the August 2014 NVBS ‘’A consortium of Alstom and QDVC has won Civil works partner QDVC is a 51:49 joint magazine “Op de Rails” by Marc Stegeman): the €2Bn main contract for the construction of venture of Qatari Diar and Vinci Construction ‘’In July 2014 Lusail City in a four-line tram network in Lusail. Opening of Grands Projets. QDVC began earthworks for Quatar ordered Alstom to build a four- the Yellow Line is planned for 2018, with the the cut-and-cover tunnels in 2009, and in 2011 line 33 km tramway network, including Green, Red and Purple lines to follow in 2010. was awarded a €347M Design and Build con- 7 km as subway. Services will start with Alstom’s share of the contract, worth €450M, tract covering the eight underground stops, a 35 Citadis 302 trams with an option for includes trackwork, signalling, substations, vaiduct over a motorway and preliminary works 32 more. Current will be provided to the catenary, the APS ground-level power supply for the depot.’’ trams via the APS feeder rail system, as is system and 35 Cotadis trams. The 100% low- being built in Dubai. Lusail is a completely floor trams will be 32m long. Lusail LRT will (ii). TRAMS. A Siemens press pack at new city, 15 km north of Doha, intended be the second tramway in the Gulf region to Innotrans includes an item on the Avenio tram for 250,000 inhabitants. City and tramway use APS technology, after the Al Sufouh line in for München – which city has ordered eight and will be ready for the world football cham- Dubai where testing is now underway for open- classified them as T1. It is noted that ‘’The Ave- pionship in 2022. ing later this year. nio is the new tram platform of Siemens, and Note from the translator: APS current Options for a further 32 Citadis trams could has already been ordered also by customers in supply is not exactly as we know it from take the total value of the contract to Alstom Den Haag, , and Doha, Qatar. The the Märklin 3rd-rail or stud-contact model to €750M. Several Alstom sites will be involved München version is 100% low-floor and has railway, but integrated into the pavement. in the project, including Le Creusot, Ornans, place for 220 passengers, In ‘R.G.I.’ August 2014 p. 15 is more However, in ‘I.R.J.’ August 2014 p. 12 is ,cfrv Page 13 stated: ‘’A consortium of Qatari Diar Vinci Con- increase capacity, lengthen trains and cut the [sic.] TQ Education & Training was awarded a struction (QDVC) and Alstom has been award- 14-hour transit time for freight trains, by reduc- five-year contract to provide training and man- ed a €2Bn. design-build contract by - ing the occasions when trains have to wait in agement servcies to the Saudi Railway Poly- ways to construct a light rail network in Lusail, passing loops. technic, which has been established in Buray- a new city being constructed near Doha, which The double-track section will be de- dah through a partnership between Saudi Arabi will provide homes for around 200,000 people. signed for 150km/h operation as SRP is plan- Railways and Technical & Vocational Training QDVC has been working on the project since it ning to introduce a passenger service between Corp. TQ is responsible for developing the won the first of two construction contracts for Hofuf and Harad, and to Al Kharj at a later curriculum and learning materials, managing the 33km. four-line network in 2007 and 2012. stage. Tender documents are being prepared equipment and facilities and employing the So far, 7km. of tunnels and seven underground for the second phase of the project to double training staff. and four surface stations have been built along the line between Riyadh and Al Kharj. The con- The polytechnic will train 1500 students with the viaduct to the depot. tract will include reconstruction of bridges, and aged 18-21 years over five years, providing Under the new contract, QDVC will provision of signalling and telecommunica- vocational qualifications in health & safety, be responsible for constructing the remain- tions to enable use of the line by both freight mechanical, electrical and civil engineering, ing 25 stations, the depot, architectural and and passenger trains.’’ signalling & telecommunications, rolling stock electromechanical works, and project manage- Just to show how careful one must maintenance and train driving. All teaching will ment. Alstom, whose share of the contract is be, in ‘Railway Gazette’ Sept. 2014 p.26 the be in English. As well as Saudi nationals, it is worth €750M, will supply 35 LRV’s, and pro- distance is given as 241km not 214, and the hoped that the polytechnic will attract students vide catenary-free electrification, power supply, project is ‘’between Hofuf and Haradah, to in- from across the region.’’ track, signalling, telecommunications and train crease capacity and permit the planned opera- control. tion of 150km/h passenger trains on the freight (vi). REFURBISHED AMERICAN DIESELS. The network comprises 22.7km of at- route.’’ Molinari-Rail AG of Winterthur, , grade and elevated railways and 10.4km of cut- displayed information on several projects at In- and-cover construction, plus 10 underground (iii). DAMMAM LIGHT RAIL. From notrans. These included the Refurbishment of and 26 surface stations. The LRT network will ‘I.R.J.’ July 2014 p.10. ‘’An integrated transport SDL 40 Co-Co Diesel locos for ; connect with both the planned national railway network of light rail and buses in Dammam this included tracing and finding suitable locos network and the Doha , which is now un- could cost Riyals 60 Bn. ($US 16Bn) and be in the USA to purchase second-hand, find an der construction. The first line is expected to implemented by 2021, following its approval appropriate local workshops for the works re- open in 2018 followed by the remaining three by Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers on May quired, preparation of all specifications, includ- lines in 2020.’’ 19th. ‘The project needs a year to a year-and- ing lists of necessary spare parts and general a-half for studies to be carried out and to iden- project management. (iii). : In ‘Railway Gazette’ Sept. tify locations and stations,’ says the mayor of This project began at the 2010 Inno- 2014 p. 23, ‘’Atkins as been selected as lead Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, Mr. Fahad trans when Molinari was approached and asked designer for the Gold Line project. Al-Jubair. whether it would be technically and economi- The east-west line from Airport City North to The light rail network will comprise cally possible to make used US SDL 40 locos South is scheduled to open by 2019 two lines. One line would run south from Tarout suitable for use in the Saudi desert conditions under Phase 1 of Qatar’s four-line metro plans. Island via Al Qatif, Dammam and Dhahran to with their climatic extremes. With a selected The design contract is worth 80M Pounds over Al Khubar, the starting point for the King Fahd American partner Molinari achieved this; the two years. It was awarded by the consortium Causeway which connects Dammam with modifications required included a reduction of od Larsen & Toubro, Aktor, Yaps Merkezi, STFA Bahrain. The second line would along on King the axle loading from ca. 30tons to a maximum Group and Al Jaher Engineering which project Fahd Road in Dammam northwest towards of 25 tons, the installation of a third air filter- promoter Qatar Rail has appointed to design King Fahd International Airport.’’ ing system to prevent damage from ingress of and build the line.’’ sand and dust, and installation of air condition- (iv). . ing in the driving cabs. in addition all compo- The exhibits on show included the nents were checked and where necessary refur- B. SAUDI ARABIA. first Bombardier ‘Innovia-300’ trainset for the bished or replaced. Following the major works (i). DERBY VISIT. In ‘Push and Pull’, King Abdullah Financial District monorail cur- at a workshops in the Mid-West the locos were the magazine of the Keighley and Worth Val- rently being built in Riyadh. A German-lan- completed at a major railway works in Penn- ley Railway Preservation Society, Autumn 2014 guage press release stated:- ‘’On its way from sylvania, repainted and shipped from Norfolk p.27 is a report by Ralph Ingham on a visit by a where it was constructed in Kingston in Can- Va. The locos were each dealt with within six ‘Midland’ , ‘4F’ 0-6-0 43924 ada, the first Innovia Monorail 300.... is mak- months and since 2012 they have been haul- to the Bombardier works at Litchurch Lane in ing a call at the Innotrans in Berlin. Six two-car ing 4000ton container trains. In the meantime Derby for a series of festivities organised by trains will there work on the 3.6km. line with and due to the positive experience a further two Bombardier. Mention is made of new-build six stations. The computer-controlled, driver- such locos have been ordered. ‘A1’ Pacific 60163 ‘Tornado’ being in steam on less monorail is already in use in Sao Paolo in The locos are 20.98m long, 3.12m Friday 16th. May to run a special train ‘’for a Brazil, where this year the first section of the to- broad, 4.75m high, weigh 150tons, are of visiting party from the Saudi Government who, tal 24km long Metro Line 15 was opened. Here 3,000hp / 2,240kW, have a top speed of I read in the paper afterwards, are looking to there will eventually be 54 7-car trains and 17 105km/h and can now work between 0°C and make major investments in transport infra- stations. The system is a significantly cheaper +55°C. structure in and around their major cities. Al- alternative to an underground line, can allow though clearly impressed by No. 60163, I doubt 75-second intervals and transport up to 48,000 (vii). HARAMAIN HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY. if an ‘A1’ will feature on their list of propective passengers per hour, says Marco Krönke, Di- In the German-language ‘Die Bahn’ 9/2014 purchases. We wish Bombardier every success rector Product Management at Bombardier. p.32: ‘’The ‘Haramain High Speed Rail project’ in securing contracts.....’’ The rubber tyres make the Monorail especially is one of the greatest railway projects in the quiet for inner-city operations and permits op- Near- and Middle East in which DB Internation- (ii). TRACK-DOUBLING CONTRACT timal movement on curves and gradients. al is involved. The project sets new boundaries AWARDED. and not only for Saudi Arabia; travel between From ‘I.R.J.’ Sept. 2014 p.16. ‘’The (v). STAFF TRAINING COLLEGE. the holy cities of Mecca and Medina should in president of Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) From ‘I.R.J.’ Aug. 2014 p. 9: ‘’A new future be fast, comfortable and safe. The Saudi H.E. Mohamed Al-Suwaiket has signed a Riyals college to train staff for the Saudi Railway Railway Organisation (SRO) thereby sets high 391.5M ($US 104.4M) contract with a Saudi Company (SAR) has opened in Buraydah, on a standards based on European know-how. EU contractor for the first phase of track-doubling section of the North – South Railway currently norms form the basis here. on the Riyadh – Harad – Dammam freight-only under construction. Saudi Railway Polytechnic The 450km. long, double track and electri- line. will be run by TQ Pearson, Britain, and can ac- fied line is laid out for trains with a top speed The contract involves doubling a commodate up to 3,000 students between the of 320km/h; Investment costs run at around 214km section of the line from Hofuf to Harad, ages of 19 and 23.’’ 7 Billion Euros. The Spanish-built Talgo-350 and the project is expected to take two years to In ‘R.G.I.’ Aug. 2014 p.71: ‘’Last year trains will call at five stations. complete. SRO says the project will enable it to ,cfrv Page 14 Our experts at the Rail Systems Competence Island via Qatif, Dammam and Dhahran to the , the first contract being awarded Centre with their know-how in ETCS (Europe- King Fahd Causeway, the second line would in 2011.’’ an Train Control system), GSM-R, control and connect King Fahd Road in Damammam with energy supply systems form therefore one of King Fahd International Airport.’’ (ii). LIGHT RAIL. From ‘World the supporting pillars for the background infra- Railway’ magazine: ‘China Rail Report 2014’. structure parameters of this ambitious railway (x). SAUDI RAIL SHOW. On p.8: ‘’Huawei awarded Addis Abeba light project. Further achievements are the control From January 25-28th. 2015 the ‘SAUDI rail telecoms contract. Huawei has been of quality and planning of the papers prepared RAIL 2015’ trade show will be held ‘’under the awarded a contract to provide its Mass Transit by the Spanish planners in their initial and patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Turki el.TE communications technology for the Ad- then more detailed project documentation. Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz’’ Governor of Ri- dis Abeba light rail project. Huawei will provide The results are then discussed at workshops yadh Region. A look at the information on the fixed and wireless communications to support at Madrid, and . This work is website: ‘’The scope of the planned Saudi rail applications including telephone, SCADA, fare complemented by extensive checking before projects and required investment are massive, collection and IP-based video surveillance. The acceptance of the Balises and point motors in an estimated $45 billion. One third of the GCC north-south and east-west lines totalling 31km Madrid and Germany.’’ rail budget is allocated to upgrading existing are being built by China Railway Eryuan Engi- In ‘Railway Gazette’ Sept. 2014 p.28 is a lines and building the new rail network across neering group with completion scheduled for photo of a set under construction – ‘’SRO Pres- the Kingdom before 2030. However, with Saudi January 2015.’’ ident Mohamed Khaled al Suwaiket visited the Arabia’s vast land mass, varied geographical first trainset for the Haramain project at Talgo’s features, as well as the plan’s ambitious dead- (In this publication there are also some pretty factory at Rivabellosa in on August 11. lines and objectives, a unique set of financing, amazing illustrations here of monstrous bridg- Trial running between Rabigh and Madinah logistical and engineering challenges will re- es and flyovers. An advert (p.7) for Nanjing is planned for next year, with opening of the quire innovative and equally ambitious solu- Kangni Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd. - con- 450km high-speed line between Makkah, Jed- tions. structing door systems and platform screen dah and Madinah now expected in mid-2016. In response to this critical industry need, systems – illustrates its successes on a world Talgo is supplying 36 Talgo 350 trainsets suit- Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC) is proud to map and indicates sales to Shiraz in Iran and to able for 320km/h operation; 35 for passenger announce that the Saudi Rail Exhibition 2015 Saudi Arabia; Plus to a mysterious spot ‘KAFD’ services plus a royal train. The 13-car trainsets is taking place from January 25 to 28 at the in what looks to be Israel!) are based on the AVE 102 and 112 supplied to Riyadh International & Convention Centre (RI- iii RENFE. Bombardier has subcontracts worth CEC), under the auspices of the Saudi Railways (iii). CNR TRAM. From the September €281M to provide Mitrac 3000 traction and Organisation. Featuring an intensive three days 2014 NVBS magazine “Op de Rails”: control packages and Flexx 350 power car bo- showcase of the latest products, equipment, ‘’At the end of August 2014 Chinese manu- gies.’’ technologies and services, from the biggest facturer CNR presented the first low-floor level Saudi, regional and international industry play- tram for the future fast tramway network in the In ‘Railvolution’ 3/14 p.49: ‘’Talgo recently ers, the show will facilitate unique and highly capital of Ethiopia, Addis Abeba (3.5 million awarded BORCAD a three-year contract for effective networking opportunities. inhabitants). 41 units of this three-part articu- 3,885 Comfort seats for installation in the first With the Saudi government awarding con- lated tram with a 70% low floor will be built. The class accommodation of the 35 trains whose tractors worth billions for the design and con- trams will be operated coupled in pairs. The design is based on the Talgo 350 ‘Pato’ [‘Duck’ struction of its rail and metro networks and, network will comprise two lines, north-south – based on the cab front which looks like a with numerous business opportunities being and east-west oriented, each approximately duck’s bill] currently being built for the Hara- created for the technology, rolling stock, con- 17 km long. Downtown a common track will main High Speed Railway between Makkah, struction and building materials sectors, this stretch over 3 km. Also building the network Jeddah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. Each prestigious and timely event will serve as the and the financing will be by the Chinese. The train will be fitted with 111 first-class seats, in meeting place for rail, metro line and urban first operations will start early 2015.’’ a 2 + 1 configuration. The Al-Shoula consor- transportation professionals in the Kingdom. (And a Note from the translator: tium, which ordered the trains, also requested A series of specialized seminars will be ‘’Ethiopia is not exactly Middle or Near East, an option clause in the contract for a further 23. offering insight about rail, metro, logistics, but who else would cover that forlorn area?’’) Winning this contract is another landmark for transport and freight by providing know-how BORCAD – the company’s first to be awarded and skill from international experts that can by Talgo. The choice of the seat units involved benefit the Kingdom in implementing its rail- E. . (i). ANKARA – HIGH SPEED the participation of members of the Saudi Ara- way and transportation projects, demonstrat- LINE OPENS. bian royal family. The Comfort seat bases are ing examples on how to execute these rail proj- From ‘I.R.J.’ Sept. 2014 p.8. ‘’The 500mm wide between armrests. The seat units ects in the GCC countries in the most efficient, Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr. Recep Erdogan, are fitted with individual audo and video equip- cost-effective, sustainable and profitable way, officially opened the 245km Eskisehir – Istan- ment, the video screens being installed in the resulting in a significant change and increase bul section of the 533km Ankara – Istanbul line seat backs. Litter bins, fold-down tables, lights in the region’s economic growth to levels never on July 25. High-speed services will initially directed into the aisle and adjustable footrests seen before...... terminate at Pendik, a suburban station 25km. are provided, and the seats are also equipped east of Istanbul, with a journey time from An- with adjustable reclining mechanisms. C. OMAN. kara of 3h 40min. All trains will stop at Eskise- From ‘I.R.J.’ 9/2014 p.16: ‘’Oman hir, with four serving Izmit. Services will later be (viii). . ‘R.G.I.’ Aug. 2014 Railway Company (ORC) announced a shortlist extended to Sögütlücesme in Haydarpasa on p.18: ‘’Systra has been awarded a 276M Riyal, of pre-qualified bidders on August 13 for con- the Asian side of Istanbul. 20-month contract to provide preliminary de- tracts to construct and equip the first phase High-speed trains will start running sign for the Jeddah Metro.’’ of the Sultanate’s 2,244km national railway through the Bosporus tunnel to the European From ‘Metro Report International’, Sept. network. According to a report in the ‘Times side of Istanbul next year, by which time the An- 2014, p. 6. of Oman’ on August 13, 18 international con- kara – Istanbul journey time will be reduced to ‘’Jedda Metro Co. has awarded AECOM Technol- sortia had prequalified for the civil works con- 3 hrs. ogy Corp an 18-month contract worth US$28M tract, which five groups are vying for the railway TCDD will initially operate six round to provide consultancy services to support the systems contracts.’’ trips a day using its fleet of 250km/h trains sup- preliminary planning and design phase of the plied by CAF, Spain. TCDD has also purchased Jeddah Project. Systra has a fleet of seven 300m/h eight-car Velaro trains been awarded a 276M Riyal, 20—month con- D. ETHIOPIA: from Siemens for operation on the route. tract to provide preliminary designs.’’ (i). ELECTRIC LOCOS. Train services between Eskisehir and From ‘I.R.J.’ Aug. 2014 p.16: ‘’CSR Zhu- Istanbul were suspended during the construc- (ix). DAMMAM. From ‘Metro Report Inter- zhou, China, has won a contract to supply 35 tion of the high-speed line, so TCDD will have national’, Sept. 2014, p.7. ‘’A 60Bn Riyal Dam- electric locomotives starting in 2015 for the to build the traffic from scratch. Nevertheless mam public transport project would include Addis Ababa - Djibouti standard-gauge line. TCDD is looking to carry 7.5 million passen- two metro lines. One would run from Tarout This is CSR Zhuzhou’s second order for such gers a year and to gain a 78% market share. ,cfrv Page 15 The $US 4Bn project has been com- for 70 more sleepers. Construction will take country’s rapid economic growth over the past pleted in phases. The Ankara – Polatli - Eskise- place at the Altenrhein works. This is Stadler’s 15 years. Since September 2013 RCG has hir section opened in March 2009, followed by first sale in Azerbaijan and a further milestone been working with Turkish freight forwarding Polatli - Konya in August 2011. A through ser- in the company’s strategy to tap into CIS mar- association Büyük Anadolu Lojistik Organiza- vice from Konya to Eskisehir was introduced in kets. syonlar (BALO), which led to the launch of the 2013. The new 160km/h carriages are to be used dedicated block train service in May linking the The Ankara – Istanbul high-speed on services linking Baku, Tbilisi and Istanbul Ruhr area to Tekirdag and Cerkezköy. ‘We are line has 31 tunnels totalling 40.8km., the lon- and will comply with UIC European loading taking an important step into a market that has gest of which is 4145m. There are 27 viaducts gauge. They will be 26.4m over buffers, 2.285m great potential’ says Board member for Sales totalling 14.55km., plus 52 bridges. wide and 4.2m high above rail top. They will & Distribution Erik Regter. Turkey has set it- TCDD is currently building four more be fitted with variable-gauge bogies with RA- self the goal of trebling its volume of exports high-speed lines: Ankara – Sivas (405km), Siv- FIL/DBAG type V gauge-changing wheelsets, by 2023, but rail currently has a market share as – Erzincan (235km), Bilecik – (106km) to enable the break of gauge between of only 0.85%, offering huge opportunities for and Polatli – Izmir (527km).’’ (1520mm) and Turkey (1435mm) to be tra- growth. Much of the traffic currently moves by versed without stopping. The gauge changers sea to Trieste, or over crowded roads, and he Interestingly the figures given in ‘Railway are to be installed at Ahkalkalaki (Georgia) reports that the Turkish government has lob- Gazette’ Sept. 2014 p. 17 are slightly different! near the Turkish border on the new line linking bied strongly for the establishment of a rail link The ceremony completed ‘’the 570km An- Tbilisi and Kars. with central and northern Europe. This, he be- kara – Istanbul high-speed corridor. The lat- ADY intends to form the cars into three ten- lieves, should encourage modal shift ‘to a more est section to open comprises 188km of new carriage rakes, each comprising one dining car environmentally-friendly mode.’ alignment between Eskisehir and Köseköy plus and nine sleepers. Of the 17 sleepers: RCG’s local partner is not an operator it- a further 56km of upgraded conventional line - three will be first class vehicles with eight self, but works on behalf of logistics compa- to Gebze at the eastern edge of the Istanbul two-berth en-suite (shower and WC) compart- nies, forwarders and service providers. The conurbation. An initial revenue service of six ments Greater Anatolian Logistics Organisation was trains per day each way between Ankara and - three will be first/second composites with established by TOBB, the national association Pendik in the suburbs of Istanbul was due to family compartments, with 20 berths available, of chambers of commerce and UTIKAD, the start the following day, with CAF trainsets oper- the first class compartments will be en-suite, Turkish association of logistics providers. Sup- ating at up to 250km/h to give a journey time of each with two berths. ported by the Turkish Ministry of Transport, it around 3 1/2 hr. Once upgrading is completed - three will be special purpose sleepers, with a has 94 stakeholders. BALO’s Selda Yiklmazo- between Gebze and Haydarpasa, services will more spacious wheelchair accessible compart- glu says the association helps to consolidate be extended to central Istanbul, with a 3hr. ment, a compartment for the train manager traffic from cities such as Manisa, Bursa, An- Istanbul-Ankara journey time envisaged. This and four second-class, four-berth comaprt- kara and Konya, which is collected at Bandirma is down from 7hr before the high-speed line ments. and shipped to Tekirdag for loading. In the lon- works began. - The remaining eighteen will be second-class ger term she hopes the service can be extend- Earlier in the day Erdogan visited the Tül- carriages with 34 berths in nine compartments, ed further into Turkey using TCDD’s train omsas plant in Eskisehir, where PowerHaul lo- eight of them wth four berths and one with two across the Sea of Marmara, and perhaps serve comotives are under construction.’’ berths, together with one WC and one shower some of the new logistics villages being devel- cubicle. oped by the state railway. Meanwhile BALO is (ii). IZMIR TRAMS. - The three dining cars will each have 28 seats. developing plans to serve cities in eastern Tur- From ‘I.R.J.’ Sept. 2014 p. 26. ‘’Izmir each 10-carriage train will this have 257 berths. key, such as Kayseri and Gaziantep ‘in the near Metropolitan Municipality has awarded Hyun- The carriages will be air-conditioned, the HVAC future’, and she says the association is also dai Rotem a $US 80M contract to supply 38 (Heating / Ventilation / Air Conditioning) incor- looking at international connections to Iran low-floor LRVs got two new light rail lines. The porating full redundancy. The WCs will be of and Kazakhstan. 16.6km Karsiyaka line and the 9.7km Konak vacuum retention type, and a diesel generator Initially departing from each end every line are due to open in 2017.’’ (‘Railway Gazette’ (with a fuel tank) in each car will be able to pro- other day, the train was operating six times a 9/14 p. 27 lists the price as TL 83.7Bn.) vide emergency power for up to 24 hours. week by early July, offering departures every weekday. Regter says the service is ‘market- (iii). . (v). INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT PROBLEMS. able’, but he hopes to be running 10 trains each I.R.J. August 2014 p. 13: ‘’Istanbul In ‘Rail Business’ 15.9.2014 38/14 p.23 is way by the end of this year. ‘We need to offer a Metropolitan Municipality has awarded Mit- an item: In the first months of 2014 many in- frequent service if we are to be a competitive subishi Corporation and CAF a €119M contract cidents including construction works and alternative to road.’ to supply 21 six-car driverless trains for the problems caused by weather have led to de- Routed via the border crossings at 19.7km Metro line M5 from Üsküdar to Cek- lays and cancellations in the train links to and Passau, Nickersdorf, Curtici and Ruse, the train mekköy, which is currently under construction. from Turkey. The container operator Inter Ferry is hauled for more that 2000km from Duis- The fleet will be delivered in 2016-17.’’ Boats reported that in consequence they have burg to the Turkish border at Kapikule by an created from 16.06.2014 an alternative link via RGC Class 1116 Taurus dual-system locomo- (iv). SLEEPER SERVICES TO AZERBAIJAN. Constanza in whereby trains from tive which is approved to operate in , More information from I.R.J. 7/2014 Zeebrügge, Antwerp, Genk and Duisburg will Germany, , Romania and . In p.15 on the (Switzerland) order for tranship containers here to short-distance some countries RCG provides its own crew, rolling stock. There will be 27 sleepers and ships on the Black Sea, with three trains in and elsewhere these are supplied by operating three dinng cars for use on the planned inter- each direction per week. partners such as ERS. End-to-end journey time national service from Baku to Istanbul via the But in ‘Railway Gazette International’ is currently 4½ days, which RCG says allows Baku – Tbilisi – Kars line, which is due to open Sept. 2014 pp.83f. is an article on Austrian Rail more traffic to be handled using a given num- in 2017. The coaches will be delivered between Cargo: ‘’Six times a week, an Austrian intermo- ber of vehicles. Rail Cargo Wagon is providing mid-2016 and mid-2017 and will be formed into dal train heads out of the DUSS terminal in the a fleet of Sggmrss wagons which are each able three sets of 10 vehicles and will be equipped German industrial hub of Duisburg, heading for to carry two 45ft. Containers. Tegter is keen to with interchangeable Rafil/DBAG type V wheel- Turkey. Less than five days later, the long string reduce the transit time but recognises that will sets to allow operation on both 1435mm and of 45ft. Containers will be delivered to the port require improvements to the rail infrastructure 1520mm gauge networks.’’ of Tekirdag on the Sea of Marmara, ready for in Romania and Bulgaria. One option might be In ‘Railvolution’ 3/14 p.12: The new Stadler onward transfer to Bandirma and cities across to avoid Bucuresti and Ruse by using the new sleepers for services between Istanbul and the Anatolian region. Operated by ÖBB’s Rail Calafar bridge across the , once the rail Azerbaijan – the coaches are to be delivered Cargo Group, the long-distance shuttle service links are ready, he says.’’ between mid-2016 and mid-2017. The contract is but one strand in the company’s ongoing Intriguingly, in ‘R.G.I.’ for August 2014 p. 11 provides for five different types of carriage, all drive to position itself as the leading rail freight had appeared:- with high-quality interior fittings, and includes operator in southern Europe..... ‘’DB Schenker Rail has launched a freight a comprehensive spare parts package and per- Rail Cargo group sees a major op- service carrying road semi-trailers between sonnel training. There is also an option clause portunity in the Turish market, thanks to that Köln and the Cerkezköy freight terminal near ,cfrv Page 16 Istanbul. The journey time is five to six days. Operational Metro and Light Rail networks opening of Line M5 now under construction on This follows the launch of the Germany – Tur- in Turkey the Asian side is due in 2015. The fully under- key ‘Bosporus Shuttle’ container and wagon- City Cars Network ground 16-station route will link Üsküdar on the load service in 2013. ‘Our new rail product is Length line to Cekmeköy; it will be 19.7km the first rail connection that is able to transport (km) long, including a spur to the depot. CAF and semi-trailers directly to their destination in Tur- Istanbul (light rail, tram, metro) 804 147 Mitsubishi are supplying 21 six-car driverless key, 40km. outside of Istanbul. Up to now, this Ankara (metro) 432 101 trainsets under a €119M contract awarded in procedure was only possible with containers,’ Izmir (metro) 19 91.6 June. The consortium beat bids from CSR, said Andreas Schulz, Head of the Intermodal Bursa (light rail, tram) 71 34 Hyundai Rotem, Siemens and Alstom. CAF is Industry Sector at DB Schenker Rail. Eskisehir (tram) 3 16.5 to produce the vehicles, with Mitsubishi Corp The service is operated for Ulusoy Adana (light metro) 36 14 supplying electrical equipment including the Logistics, which has transferred its exsisting Kayseri (tram) 38 17.5 automation systems which it says will be de- traffic from road and ferry to rail. Subject to de- Konya (tram) 60 1 ployed in Turkey for the first time. Deliveries are mand, DB hopes to increase the initial weekly Antalya (tram) 14 11 scheduled for 2016-17. semi-trailer service to three per week by the Samsun (tram) 16 15.6 The M6 ‘mini metro’ line will run as a five- end of the year.’’ Gaziantep 15 9 station shuttle from Levent on Line M2 which So it is clear that there are several Total 1,728 478.2 serves the financial district, to Hisarüstü, where competing routes and operators for this traffic! interchange will be provided with a cable car Turkish cities planning to open light rail over the Bosporus that is due to open in 2015. Yet further information on freight services lines by 2023: The end-to-end journey time on Line M6 will through to Turkey: In ‘Railvolution’ 3/14 p. 17: Trabzon Aydin be 5 min. and ridership is estimated at 10,000 ‘’...Rail Cargo Group operates two services be- Malatya Iskenderun passengers. tween Germany and Turkey. One of them is Denizli Rize On February 12 work began on the initial operating between Duisburg, Ludwigshafen, Izmir Saniurfa section of Line M7 between Mecidiyeköy and Sopron and Tekirdag or Cerkezköy, running Elazig Kahramanmaras Mahmutbey. The full route from Mahmutbey to thrice weekly. In September 2013 the Turkish Adapazari Diyarbakir Besiktas will be 25km with 18 stations. Con- freight forwarding company BALO.... started Mersin Isparta struction is yet to start on Line M8, although using this service, the partnership ensuring Afyon Erzurum. tendering began in 2012. This 25km route will that RCG enjoyed better loadings. BALO is also start from Bakirköy/Incirli on Line M1A and run developing plans for frequent Turkey to Europe Perhaps unsurprisingly, the country’s largest west to Beylikdüzü via Kücükcekmece with 17 rail services. city has the most extensive network. Istanbul stations. In early April 2014 RCG started using has four metro and two modern tram lines, in Under the slogan ‘metro everywhere, metro its own 1116 Taurus and the operating licences addition to suburban services running through to everywhere’, Istanbul Metropolitan Munici- of its own subsidiaries in Romania and Bul- the Marmaray tunnel under the Bosporus, which pality is continuing to invest in urban rail to garia for this service. This enabled the use of a opened last year. From July Marmaray services help relieve traffic congestion, and 10 longer- single locomotive for through haulage between have been strengthened from 5 to 10-car train- term projects are planned: Sopron and Nova Zagora (with an exception sets, doubling capacity to 3,000 passengers of the non-electrified Bucuresti – Ruse sec- per train, and in 2014 ridership is estimated to The first to open would be a 33km line link- tion, where a is piloting the reach 45 million passenger-journeys. Work is ing Halkah and the planned third airport in the train). Simultaneously Captrain, the operator in still under way to upgrade the suburban lines north of the city via Arnatvutköy; revenue ser- Germany, was replaced by ERS Railways. The at either end of the tunnel. The upgraded line vices are due to start in 2019. The new airport next development in the through haulage story is to open as far as Kaynarca on the Asian side is also to be linked to Gayrettepe with a 32km came in mid-May 2014 when a RCA Class 1116 of the Bosporus in 2015, with trains eventually line that is to open after 2019. Also due to open Taurus was used for the while 2,450km. run be- expected to run over the full 76.3km between after 2019 is a 6.8km line linking Sabiha Gök- tween Duisburg and Nova Zagora, enabling the Gebze in the east and Halkali in the west. cen Airport with Tuzla. Rail Cargo Group to establish what is probably Istanbul’s goal is to have a 400km a record length of run for through haulage in urban rail network by the end of 2019 and Trams in Izmir. Europe, excepting. The entire Duisburg 776km by 2023. Ridership across the network Turkey’s third-largest city currently has one to Tekirdag run takes up to five days.’’ Route Length (km) Stations Journey time (min.) (vi), TURKISH DIESEL LOCO IN U.K. Halkali – 3rd. Airport 33 33 In ‘Railvolution’ 3/14 p.15 is an article on the de- Sultangazi Habibier – Arnavutköy 1.5 10 35 livery of the new ‘Class 70 diesel locos for Colas Gayrettepe – 3rd. Airport 32 5 32 Rail in England, the last of the first ten arriving Halkah – Catalca 33 4 N/A at Liverpool on 3.6.2014, whereby it is noted Sabiha Gökcen Airport – Tuzla 6.8 10 that 70 801 ‘’was originally the demonstrator Sishane – Kabatas 1.7 2½ and was the first PowerHaul to be assembled Esenyurt – Avcilar 17 26 by Tülomsas in Turkey. It was sold to Colas Rail Büyükcekmece – Esenyurt 10.5 16 in late 2013 and entered service on 17 February Büyükcekmece – Silivri 32.5 49 2014. Some six weeks earlier, deliveries of the Besiktas – Sariyer 14.6  first of the operator’s other Class 70’s from the Üsküdar – Beykoz 15 23 USA began, with 70803 and 70805 arriving at Seaforth Docks, Liverpool on 4 January.’’.... is expected to increase to almost 5 million metro line and a two-line suburban rail net- (vii). EURASIA RAIL – This is the name of passengers in 2014, 7 million in 2016 and 11 work branded Izban. There are plans to build a major international trade fair from 05 – 07. million in 2023. Afer the opening of the 3.5km three tram lines by 2017 to replace current bus March 2015 to be held at the Istanbul Expo extension of metro Line M2 across the Golden routes. This is a part of the city’s 2010-30 sus- Center, Istanbul. Horn earlier this year, the next stage to open tainable development plan, intended to relieve vi will be a southern extension of Line M1 to Ye- the bus network and improve accessibility to (viii). TURKEY’S URBAN RAIL BOOM. nikapi by the end of 2014. On the Asian side, the historic city centre. An article from ‘Metro Report International’, Line M4 is to be extended southeast from Kar- The 12.6km Konak Line with 19 Sept. 2014, pp.37-39. tal to Pendk, and subsequently to Sabiha Gök- stops would run from Fahrettin Altay Meydani ‘’Turkey is undergoing a metro and light rail cen Airport, 45km southeast of the city centre. to Halkapmar via Konak. The 9.7km Karisyak boom. Many of the 11 cities that already have Line is to be extended south by 9km and Line in the north of the city would link Alaybey some form of urban rail are expanding their eight stations to Bakirköy on the Marmary line and Mavisehir via Karsiyaka with 16 stops. networks, and 16 others have plans to open in 2017. Construction is expected to cost light rail lines by 2023: New lines are planned too. The official €211M. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality will ,cfrv Page 17 provide 25% of the funds, with the remainder all metro lines are completed. covered by Treasury loan guarantees. A €165M A feasibility study is underway for a 29km line linking Kizilay with Esenboga International Air- financing agreement with the International Fi- port, and there are also plans to build a line from Kizilay to Ankara Gari main line station in the nance Corp., Agence Francaise de Développe- longer term. ment and ING was signed earlier this year, and construction tenders are to be called in 2015. Eskisehir has the only metre gauge tram network in Turkey. A 6km branch southeast from Yu- Gülermak and subcontractor Durma- nusemre to Acelya opened in March, and in June testing began on a southern branch from Atatürk zlar Makina have been selected to supply 21 Lisesi to Cankaya via Yildisztepe and Yenikent. bidirectional 32m long low-floor trams for the Konak Line and 17 for the Karsiyaka Line for Procuring new vehicles. TL182.1M, having beaten 14 other bidders. A limited service commenced on the third phase of Gaziantep’s tram network in March. No A third route is planned to run from Sir- date has been given for the start of full service on the Ibrahimli branch, which was built by Comsa inyer to Dokuz Eylül University in Tinaztepe. EMTE under a €20M contract. The branch leaves the Gar – Burc Kavsagi route at Harikalar Dyari This 6km line would be operated by a fleet to run north for 6.5km to Adilye. of 10 vehicles and ridership is estimated at Two further branches are at the planning stage. The fourth phase of the network would link 230,000 passengers per day; construction cost Cumhuriyet University with the main line station, and the fifth phase will run west from the station had been put at US$24M. ground surveys have along Ali Fuat Cebesoy Bulvar. The city plans to procure 25 vehicles for these extensions; it re- been completed following project designs and cently took delivery of 28 second-hand vehicles from Rouen to operate the existing three routes. feasibility reports prepared by Yüksel Proje. The municipality recently announced plans The Kayseri light rail line is operated with 22 Ansaldo-Breda five-section Sirio vehicles, and the for three more tram routes, with construction expansion of the network is necessitating a fleet expansion. Kayseri Municipality Rail & Transpor- tenders due to be called next year. The Yenise- tation Department has tendered for 30 vehicles with a budget of €57.7M. Bozankaya Otomotiv hir Line would run for 5.5km from Fevzipasa was announced as the winner in July. According to mayor Mehmet Ozhaseki, the ridership goal for Caddesi to Halkapinar, the 4.5km Bomova 2014 is 32 million passenger-journeys. Line would link Bomova Merkez and Bayrakli Adliye and a 2.2km single track circular route Delivery was completed this year of five 42m long trams which Samsun Metropolitan Municipal- would link Cumhuriyet Myd and Alsancak TMO ity ordered from CNR Tangshan in 2013. They offer a 25% increase in capacity compared to the Silos. Governor of Izmir Aziz Kocaoglu has said 32m long Sirio trams which AnsaldoBreda supplied for the opening of the 17km tramway in Octo- that a metro line to Buca in the south-east of ber 2010, as ridership has grown from 13 million passengers in 2011 to 17 million in 2012.’’ the city would be built in the longer term.

Expanding networks. F. IRAN. (i). LOCOS. Not really News any more but an article in ‘Lok Magazin’ 10/2014 p. 64 on the Bursa has a light metro, a 6.5km single development of the new ‘’ series of electric and diesel locomotives by Siemens refers to track circular tram route in the city centre and a several stages of the ‘ER20’ platform: ‘’A further Diesel variant was ordered in 2006 by the Iranian short heritage tramway. An 8km eastern exten- State Railways (RAI). Special to this order was that the four-axle locos, similar to the type ER20, sion of the light metro network from were ordered with only one cab, so as to be used either in multiple on freights or singly working Arabayatagi to Kestel opened in three stages push/pull train sets. At the other end of the loco there is only a small control panel for shunting. this year. The RAI ordered a total of 150 locomotives, of which 30 were completed at München-Allach The municipality is giving priority to a [the former Krauss-Maffei works] and the other 120 were built in Iran as part of a technology trans- 10.2km route connecting the planned high- fer deal. This became therefore the largest single order for any version of the ES-2007 type.’’ speed station with the existing line at Os- mangazi. Five firms have been shortlisted for (ii). CARRIAGES. consultancy services: Altnok Müsavirlik, Botek, ‘Lok Magazin’ 09/2014 p. 12 has a photo of nineteen former DB carriages at Hegyesha- Emay Mühendislik, Prota Mühendislik and Yük- lom, on the Austrian - Hungarian border, on 12th. July, on their way to Iran where they had been sel Proje. Tenders have also been called for the sold second-hand. They seem to be a total mix – just visible in the distance are coaches in the procurement of 60 LRVs. white-with-red-stripe Inter City livery, closer are several in the red ‘local services’ livery, including

a ‘Halberstadter’ Brake/3rd., and there is even one, highly graffitied, in the older mint-green livery Until the first Skoda Transportation ForCity used for local services, which has clearly been standing somewhere for a long time. All, however, Classic 28T tram entered passenger service are technically still OK and are clearly the latest batch in a long tradition of such sales of surplus in February, the 21km tram line in Konya was vehicles from Germany to Iran. operated by second-hand Duewag trams from In ‘Lok Report’ 9/14 p.74 is more information – the carriages were acquired by Helevtic Rolling Köln. A follow-on order from Skoda for 12 trams Stock Gmbh (‘Heros’ – www.heros-rail.com) as dealer and then re-sold to Iran; this sale is not yet capable of catenary-free operation was placed listed on the ‘Heros’ website, which covers sales to Canada, Hungary, Romania, Austria etc. in May. These are to be delivered next year, and bring the total order value for 72 trams to KC (iii). ELECTRIFICATION TEHRAN - MASHHAD. 3.4Bn. They are to be used on a 14km line un- From ‘I.R.J.’ July 2014 p.7: ‘’Iranian Islamic Republic Railways (RAI) says it is seeking finance der construction between Alladdin and Adliye. from China for the electrification of the 926km Tehran – Mashhad line. RAI’s electrification projects This will include a 1.8km wire-free section in manager Mr. Qassem Saketi told Iran’s Fars News Agency that the project will be 85% financed by the area surrounding the historical centre and Chinese financial institutions, with the remaining funds coming from the Iranian government.’’ a 4.5km tunnel. These features mean that the 1 - and in ‘Railway Gazette Intl.’ August 2014 p. 7: TEHRAN-MASHHAD ELECTRIFICA- trams will meet high standards for fire safety TION. A consortium of Chinese companies CMC and SU Power plus subsidiaries of Iranian indus- and will be equipped with roof-mounted nano- trial group MAPNA has been awarded a contract to install and maintain overhead electrification lithium-titanium batteries for catenary-free op- equipment on the 926km. Tehran - Mashhad line, and to procure 70 electric locomotives. The eration. engineering, procurement, construction and finance contract was signed by national railway RAI on June 29. Construction is expected to take 42 months, followed by a five-year maintenance pe- After long delays, Ankara now has a three- riod. The project is to be financed from Chinese sources, with a 15% contribution from the Iranian line metro network. Following the opening of government. lines M2 and M3 in early 2014, the next to open 2 The existing infrastructure will be upgraded to increase speeds on the route from will be Line M4 between Keciören and Tando- 160km/h to 200km/h, with the capability of 250km/h operation in the future. This is intended to gan. According to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip increase capacity from 14milion to 35 million passengers/year and reduce journey times from 12h. Erdogan, passenger service will begin by the To 6h. Work to upgrade the line had been officially launched with a ceremony in February 2012. end of this year. As on Line M3, Ansaldo STS is MAPNA has now delivered half of the 150 Iran-Runner diesel locos that it is supplying to RAI installing communications-based train control under a 20087 technology transfer agreement with Siemens, and is planning to offer its own range on Line M4, and has upgraded the signalling of freight, shunting, electric and underground locos. on the older Line M1 to the same standards to enable interoperability. Full functionality of the upgraded signalling will only be available once G. DUBAI. with its 75km and 47 stations is the larg- The project faced (i). The RTA (Roads and Trans- est driverless Metro system in the world. In many challenges during the project life- port Authority) had a whole large stand terms of budget, the final project budget cycle from conceptualization to comple- dedicated mainly to the forthcoming Tram of approximately US$7.5 Billion exceeds tion. RTA documented these challenges rather than to the Metro (and there was no the annual budget of some small nations. as lessons learned to be used in future information to be found on .) In terms of labour force: Dubai Metro em- projects and also to be beneficial for the Several booklets were available for the ployed five main contractors, over 160 Engineering community as a whole. This taking, one of which called significantly: sub-contractors and more than 30,000 section provides a summary of the main ‘’Lessons Learned from the Dubai Metro workers. Due to its nature, the Dubai Metro challenges that faced the Metro Project Project’’. I found it quite fascinating be- project covered many varying disciplines classified according to the project phase cause it is NOT just the normal glossy ‘’Ho including civil, architectural, electrical, where they occurred: ho Everything is Wonderful’’ PR account mechanical, electronics, communications 1). Concept and Studies Challenges. but instead – following the usual guff - and software amongst others. Although - A large number of stakeholders were in- describes real problems (even though it some of the systems used in the Dubai volved in this project. many of the Stake- is careful not to allocate any blame) and Metro were tried and tested in other proj- holders were from outside the RTA result- makes one want so much to know more ects, their application in one single project ing in more difficult communication. of the story ‘behind the scenes’ and what was unique to the Dubai Metro. The Dubai - Constantly changing requirements and is ‘between the lines’ in this saga. Clearly Metro’s impact spread over several fields circumstances making traceability a chal- there was a lot of frustration and even including the economic, social and politi- lenge. bitterness at some professional level at cal arenas. Moreover, the project’s impact - Different nationalities of contractor(s) delay and incompetence and political in- is not limited to its immediate surround- and consultant(s) resulting in complicated terference and this is portrayed in veiled ings (in this case the emirate of Dubai) but communication. fashion, wrapped up as an earnest set of it also extends to cover the entire country recommendations for doing this differ- of the United Arab . On the open- 2). Design Challenges. ently and better in the future. It makes it ing of the Dubai Metro, H.H. Sheikh Mo- - Many changes and variations related to worth reading to the end! Using rabbinic hammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum empha- aesthetics were issued (e.g. flooring). techniques for analysing a text, it would sized the importance of the Metro project - Complex station shapes. appear that almost everything that could through his quote: ‘The (Metro) project is - A large number of complicated systems go wrong, did so – and was then wrapped Emirate’s Socio-Economic Future.’ It can with extensive integration requirements. up as an engineering triumph bringing even be argued that the Dubai Metro has glory to the Government.... a regional impact since it inspired other 3). Tendering Challenges. countries in the region to start building - Contract had a number of clauses which From this thin booklet:- their metro systems, including Saudi Ara- are found to be impractical, ambiguous ‘’The RTA is a government or- bia and Kuwait. and at times negative resulting in difficul- ganisation responsible for the planning, Features of the Dubai Metro Project: ties administering the contract. design, construction, operation and main- - Some equipment were ordered from the tenance of the land and marine trans- start of the contract although Red Line Total Length (km) they were not required until portation networks in Dubai, United 52.1 .5 74.6 Arab Emirates. The organisation was Stations 29 18 47 much later in the operating established in November 2005 as a Underground length 5 10 15 life of the Metro system. specialized entity to concentrate on Underground Stations 4 6 10 the challenge of planning and build- Depots 2 1 3 4). Construction Challeng- ing a world class transportation sys- es. tem for the city. The The first phase (Red Line) started revenue - Short period of construction. (49 months is very progressive and the population of service on schedule on 9/9/2009 and the for the red line.) the city is forecasted to increase from 1.8 second phase (Green Line) started rev- - Working in congested areas. million in 2011 to around 3.1 million by enue service on 9/9/2011. The system has - Tunnelling under the old city. 2020. Over the past few decades, Dubai been operating since then with over 99% has suceeded in developing its status as a availability and punctuality. Since its start 5). Operation and Maintenance Chal- major city, enhancing the wellbeing of its of operations, Dubai Metro transported lenges. people and creating an environment that more than 350 Million Passengers till the - Number of Automatic Fare Collection attracts business and individuals. end of November 2013 with a daily aver- machines not clearly specified. RTA’s structure is based on the age of 430,000 passengers. - Contractor’s accountability for repairs in agency model; it has three sectors, four The Red Line was completed the defects liability period not clearly de- agencies and one commercial agency in just 49 months from the start of con- fined by KPIs. At any one time there are approximately struction. (Timeline: contract was signed 250 projects running in parallel within in May 2005; works began in July 2005; Lessons Learned: RTA. The total annual projects budget Tunnelling commenced November 2006; To overcome the challenges faced by the of the organization exceeds $4.0 Billion Tunnelling finished Dec. 2007; first train Dubai Metro Project, RTA had to adopt in- with approximately 90% allocated to infra- test runs in Japan January 2008; first novative project management techniques structure projects of different types such train arrived in Dubai March 2008; Viaduct as well as utilize all the resources available as traffic and roads, rail, public transport completed August 2008; Underground for it. From these management techniques (buses) and marine transport. The major- stations finished March 2009; External and their adaptation, RTA could draw sev- ity of the budget (85%) goes to roads and finishing May 2009; Operations began eral lessons learned...... metro projects where huge infrastructure 9th. Sept. 2009.). investments exist. Managerial Lessons Learned: The Dubai Metro Project. Challenges faced by the Dubai Metro These managerial lessons learned apply to In terms of size, Dubai Metro Project. the top management of the owner organi- sation and can be useful to any govern- ,cfrv Page 19 mental agency and/or private developer project going into stagnation. possible time (300 metres per month.) who plans to undertake a mega project. - Client must ensure a balanced work dis- tribution between all parties. Administrative Lessons Learned. Leadership: Communication. - For Mega projects to succeed, the proj- Risk Management. - Client must identify all project stakehold- ect leader must possess, display and apply - The client must have a robust risk man- ers (internal and external) and their re- several characteristics of leadership excel- agement process of their own without quirements and influence on the project. lence as listed below: relying on those of the Engineer or the - Client needs to develop a clear com- - a clear, strong and unwavering vision. contractor. munication plan showing the reports, the - Absolute trust in the team and the team - Client must develop plans to deal with all meetings and all other items of commu- must have absolute trust in the leader and anticipated risks. nication. his vision. - The client should always have alternative - Client must develop and use a strong and - Ability to influence all the major players plans and work-arounds. robust document management system. on the project. - Client always needs an accurate and on- - Technical knowledge. Technical Lessons Learned: time reporting. - Momentum, control and follow-through- Systems: . - Client must develop a high level ‘Work Control. - a positive, no-nonsense, can-do atti- Breakdown Structure’ including all deliver- - Client must ensure that the ‘Engineer’ tude. ables to ensure everything is considered. and the ‘PMC’ are doing their work by reg- - Client must develop a high level time ular follow-ups and audits. Planning. schedule with milestones integrating all - Clients may use benchmarking wherever - Client must develop its own Project Man- activities such as detailed design, con- possible to compare your project to oth- agement Plan covering all aspects of the struction, testing and commissioning, ers. project including: certification, operator’s takeover, etc. - Client needs to be prepared to intervene - Integration of the work of the different - Client must develop its own procedures and replace contractor and sub-contrac- contractors/suppliers as well as the activi- for ‘Project Quality Management.’ tor staff when necessary. ties of all other players such as the Engi- - the client needs also to be prepared to - Client must also intervene to reward staff neer, the Project Management Company propose or consider value engineering on the spot for motivation. (PMC), the Independent Safety Assessor ideas. and the Operator. Contractual Lessons Learned. - Integration of the work of the Engineer, Monitoring. - Client need to spend sufficient time on the PMC and the client with clear roles for - Client management should use site visits formulating the contract to avoid ambigu- each. to ensure accuracy of reports (hands-on ity and confusion. - Studying the effects of any changes on management by Client – do not wait in the - Client can minimize the contractor’s all aspects of the project (Time, Cost, office and do not wait till the end.) chances for claims by providing all docu- Quality, Safety, etc.) - Client must have direct control over time mentation, approvals etc. on time. management. - Client must have a very strong contract Organizational. - Client must be able to double check management team. The Metro Project should be treated as a some of the construction works on site. - Client must keep and maintain accurate Portfolio of Programs, Projects and relat- - Client needs to use the opinions of ex- and complete documentation of all meet- ed technical work.... (One example) is the perts (sometimes external) to ensure they ings, correspondence, emails etc. geographical locations are each treated as are getting the right information. - Client must ensure that any and all a project. The Program Manager would be - Client management must not pretend to changes are processed through the responsible for the integration of different know it all, ‘’If you do not know something, change management procedure. projects while the Portfolio Director is re- ask about it and seek advice.’’ sponsible for the overall Metro portfolio. Financial Lessons Learned. - Client must develop its own complete Technical Lessons Learned: - Client must ensure that the cost of any project organization chart with experi- Engineering: variations is evaluated before approval of enced staff and clear roles. - For working in congested areas, the fol- change. - The Client’s project staff must focus lowing techniques can be adapted: - Client should carefully document the 100% of their time and effort on the deliv- - Using ‘Top Down’ construction tech- hours and utilization of any additional re- ery of the project. nique to build underground stations in or- sources to be able to counter contractor’s - The client must ensure you have a robust der to contain noise and dust generation. claims. change management procedure (variation (i.e. Cut and Cover.) - Client must also ensure that payments orders committee is recommended.) - Using launching gantries to eliminate the of contractors and consultants are made - Use mind maps as a powerful tool to need for ground level supports and mini- on time to gain their commitment for work identify and manage all aspects. mize disturbance to traffic. progress. - Using special modular transporters to Monitoring and Control. construct footbridges across a major Summary and Conclusions. - Client needs to set challenging dead- highway with minimal road closures. This case study explored the challenges lines. faced by the Dubai Metro Project and the - Client must develop and use strong re- For Tunnelling under existing old build- lessons learned from facing those chal- porting systems to monitor progress. ings: lenges. ….. Several conclusions could be - Top management should always use - Using Tunnel Boring machines custom- drawn from the lessons, as summarized multiple sources of information to ensure ized to work in the prevailing soil condi- below:- that they have full picture. tions. - ‘Strong leadership’ is probably the most - Client must make the right decisions at - Continuously monitoring the settlement important success factor in the comple- the right time. Delaying decisions will only of older buildings tion of mega projects. result in problems getting larger and the - Completing the tunnelling in the shortest - Mega projects need motivated leaders ,cfrv Page 20 who embrace excellence and empower member of the OSJD – the Organisation their teams. fifteen 12-car diesel-electric for Cooperation between Railways. From - the ‘Metro Project’ should be managed trains i.e. A total of 180 cars. The bodies the OSJD website, other members in the as a portfolio of Programs, Projects and would be built at Stadler’s works at Szol- region include Iran, Georgia, Kazakhstan, related Technical work. nok, the frames, bogies and mechanical Kyrghizstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbeki- - The Client should take firm leadership of parts at the Ganz works. A Credit of €1 stan. the project in the form of: Billion has been arranged. *Developing the top level project Man- (ii). EXPERTISE FROM IRAN. agement Plan integrating the activities of J. METRO. From ‘R.G.I.’ Aug. 2014 p. 71: Iranian all stakeholders and including the ‘Work From ‘Die Bahn’ 9/2014 p.32: ‘’In the Islamic Respublic Railways has signed a Breakdown Structure’ (WBS) and the ‘Or- capital of the , Abu memorandum of understanding to provide ganizational Breakdown Structure’ (OBS). Dhabi, the public transport network is to the Afghanistan Railway Authority with *Auditing the work of the ‘Engineer’ and be expanded. At present it comprises only training to support its plans for railway de- the ‘Project Management Company’ to en- bus routes and it should in the future also velopment and expansion. RAI said Iran sure they are fulfilling their assigned roles include tramways and a Metro line. DB would send technical experts to advise within the project. International is involved in the initial plan- on railway organisation, maintenance and *Developing clear stakeholder manage- ning of the technical infrastructure and of construction, to help accelerate the devel- ment and communication management the Depot, with questions concerning the opment of the planned networks. A group plans. vehicles to be used in the future and the of Afghans attended training courses or- *Monitoring the work on a regular basis. formation or an operational concept as ganised by RAI in Yazd and Bafgh during *Comprehensive and rigorous risk man- well as preparation of the relevant Tender June, visiting depots, bridges and other agement with regular updates and follow- documents for the Metro. facilities. ups The planners of the Rail Systems Com- Afghanistan currently has a 75km rail- *Developing own procedures for ‘Quality petence Centre are involved here in plan- way from Uzbekistan to Mazar-i-Sharif, Management’. ning the telecommunications network, while a short cross-border branch from - The tasks mentioned above should be control and safety features and the energy Turkmenistan services a freight terminal. undertaken by the client’s own staff and supply (for traction and stations and the A line from Iran to Herat is under construc- not be left to consultants to ensure Own- distribution netzwork). The fully-automat- tion with Iranian government support, and ership and accuracy. ed Metro will have a length of ca. 22 km. according to RAI Vice-President, Opera- - Innovative techniques should be used to (in tunnels and on viaduct) and include 12 tions, Hossein Ashoori, this is expected to ensure that the available resources are uti- stations. open as far as the Afghan border by the lized to their full potential.’’ A feasibility study has already been end of this year.’’ carried out with participation by DB [It may be noted that in conversation with International. The initial plans already list a member of the Atkins team who worked 8,000 items that place specific demands L. NOTES ON THE TENTH ‘MENA on the project – who shall remain name- and requirements on the new Metro line. (MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA) less for obvious reasons – he was pretty The transformation of these results into RAIL AND METRO SUMMIT CONFER- scathing about the level of incompetence tender documentation is currently under ENCE. amongst the local management that the way, whereby the publication of the tenders contractors encountered..... Clearly there is envisaged for early next year. Necessary This was held 20th.-22nd. October 2014, was indeed a lot to be learned. Editor.] is not only a definition of the technical at the Conrad Hotel, Dubai. Thanks to requirements but also cost estimates. ‘Meed’ which is an organising agency I (ii). A small French magazine ‘VR&T In- The traction will be provided by 750V received information on the programme. ternational’ (‘Ville Rail & ’) in DC with under-rail contact and This is from the online publicity its September 2014 edition p. XII has a set at the side. Two Metro-specific 33kC material): photo of the Dubai metro and notes that networks alongside the line provide for re- the French engineering group Systra was dundancy safety and supply traction cur- ‘’Set over 3 days, the 10th Annual MENA in charge of the entire multi-disciplinary rent and energy for the stations. Planning Rail and Metro Summit is a high-end in- management of the Dubai Metro project; involves not just the general construction dustry event for the Middle East and North train automation was supplied by Tha- of the necessary traction and station sup- African rail and metro industry. 2014 has les. ply equipment but also the necessary seen several large rail and metro projects components for the sub-stations, the me- awarded and tendered, this Summit is the dium-tension network and the third rail. definitive meeting place for regional gov- In order to find the best solutions for the ernments, transport ministries, rail agen- the team of experts has cies, regulators, operators, project man- H. IRAQ. worked closely with the client to discuss agers, consultants, contractors, rolling In ‘Railway Magazine’ Sept. 2014 the advantages and disadvantages of the stock and signalling providers, technol- is a photo of Stanier 8F 2-8-0 (Iraqi Re- various traction systems available (over- ogy, infrastructure and material providers publican Railways No. 1429, built North head or third rail, DC v. AC) in relation to to learn the latest on projects and oppor- British in 1940 for the War Department) the specfic local conditions. tunities in US$300bn industry. The MENA still standing with a tender and photo- The planning for this new line is be- region is one of the world’s fastest growing graphed in April 2014 in Baghdad, still in ing carried out by colleagues in the offices markets for rail projects with plans to build dusty light green livery. in Frankfurt am Main and in Abu Dhabi more than 33,712km of mainline routes itself.’’ and 3,004km of metro, monorail and tram I. . lines. The Summit will explore key proj- In ‘Lok Report’ 9/2014 p.74: Ganz-Ma- K. AFGHANISTAN. ects across the region and issues regard- vag, which exported carriages to ESR in (i). In ‘Railway Gazette’ Sept. 2014 p. ing projected rail plans, project updates, the 1980’s and still maintains links with 7 – Afghanistan has become the 28th. technology development, international the railway, is now proposing supply of best practices and case studies by MENA ,cfrv Page 21 stakeholders and operators. It will address Makkah via the King Abdullah Economic 3 years due to an intense amount of rail project delivery, operability and the imple- City, Rabigh, Jeddah and King Abdulaziz activity planned in the state (approx. US$ mentation of advanced engineering solu- International Airport and will connect with 35bn.) The mainline network will provide tions as well as technical best practices the national network in Jeddah. passenger and freight services to all ma- for state of the art and world class rail and EGYPT. Metro Update. Discussing jor urban centres in the country, as well as metro services. plans to finish establishing six metro lines to neighbouring countries. It will be com- The 2013 event was a tremendous by 2025 to transport 16 million passen- prised of one freight and one passenger success with over 500 delegates and ex- gers. line to be developed in four phases. The pert operator speakers from KSA, UAE, MOROCCO. Morocco’s TGC Maroc High- total network will be 486km long and fea- Qatar, Oman, Iran, Kurdistan, Iraq, Tuni- Speed Line. The most significant element ture 11 stations, 7 freight yards and 128 sia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Afghanistan, to the expansion of the Moroccan rail net- bridges. , Yemen, and Bahrain. The work is the creation of a $3-4Bn 1,500km SAUDI ARABIA. The Saudi Railway 10th Annual Summit will see all types of high speed rail network between Tangier Company’s initiatives for the Kingdom’s rail and metro in the MENA region being and Casablanca, via Rabat, due for com- Mega Rail Project Delivery. An upate on covered including mainline, highspeed, pletion in 2014. Construction on the proj- the Minerals Railway project’s civil works, freight, metro, light rail and tram along ect began in 2011.... signalling and telecoms and maintenance with a specially designed focus day on ALGERIA - Algeria’s Bordj Bou Arreridj to plans. Expansion of the North South high speed rail and urban rail projects in Khemis Millana High Speed Line. In the Rail. the MENA regio.’’ last ten years, the government has spent UAE – An update on the Etihad Railway $50bn on rail and the country continues to Network (US$11Bn) in execution, expect- A graph shows existing and planned press ahead with its ambitious rail plans, ed to be completed 2018. Latest updates lines in the following countries – Bahrain, to build new links or upgrade existing and procurement processes for Phase 2 Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, infrastructure. In March 2011, contracts and 3; Increasing Etihad Rail’s network UAE, Yemen, Jordan, , Syria, were awarded for a 130km (81mile) sec- and delivery capabilities for the region. Gaza/West Bank, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, tion of railway between Oued Tiélat and OMAN. Project plans of the Oman Nation- Mauretania, Morocco, Sudan, South Su- the Moroccan border. al Railway Conmpany. dan, Tunisia, Western Sahara. AFGHANISTAN. A ‘Keynote Address’ on: KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA – The Ri- The potential role it has to play as a rail yadh Metro. The is a rapid Recent attendees included: ‘’Saudi Railway land bridge between Euroasia and South transit system under construction in Ri- Company (SAR) • Roads and Transport Asia, Middle East and Far East. Connect- yadh, Saudi Arabi. The metro is part of the Authority (RTA) • Enterprise Metro d’Alger ing the future growth of Afghanistan to Riyadh Public Transport Project (RPTP). (EMA) • Makkah Mass Rail Transit (MMRT) the development of railways; projected rail The RPTP will be the largest public trans- • Metro Jeddah Company • Tehran Urban plans, developments and opportunities port project, which comprises construc- and Suburban Railway Co. • Casablanca emerging in Afghanistan. tion of a metro, a bus system and other Transports en Site Amenage • Etihad JORDAN: Developments in Jordan’s services in Riyadh and is expect- Rail • Oman National Railway Company• Network program and linkage to the Re- ed to be completed by 2018. The metro Egyptian National Railways (ENR) • So- gional Network. The 43 members of the project will be owned and operated by the ciété Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tu- for the Mediterranean have ap- Arriyadh Development Authority. (ADA). nisiens (SNCFT) • Jordan Hejaz Railway proved plans to develop the Jordanian Na- - THE MAKKAH MASS RAIL PROJ- • Bouregreg Agency (Morocco) • l’Office tional Rail Network to integrate with other ECT. (MMRP). In August 2012 it was an- Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Maroc rail networks, providing an integrated net- nounced that the Saudi government had (ONCFM) • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IS- work for the efficient transport of passen- approved US$16.5 billion to build the four LAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN) • gers and freights throughout the region. metro lines (182km (113.1 ml), 88 stations National Authority for Tunnels (EGYPT) • The project will be a 509km north-south of the system. The announcement of gov- National Transport Authority (NTA) (UAE) corridor and is expected to be complete ernment financing said that the entire ex- • Gulf Cooperation Council – Secretariat in 2017. pansion would take 10 years. Invitations General, Riyadh (KSA) • Ministry of Fi- KURDISTAN. An in-depth discussion on for tenders were due to be issued in Janu- nance (EGYPT) • Alstom Transport • Ital- Kurdistan’s urban transport projects worth ary 2013. Four new lines are to be built in ferr S.p.A. • Siemens • Kapsch • Atkins over $US 2.7bn and opportunities for bids, three phases, with work due to commence • Booz and Company • Bechtel • TALGO tenders and investment. The completion construction in 2015. • Thales • Bombardier • ZTE • Ansaldo of Phase 1 of US$1.1bn and 56km. long THE JEDDAH METRO AND INTE- • Egis • Cisco • Arcadis• Aedas • Archi- Suleimaniyah Light Rail Transit Project GRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION rodon • Fluor • GE • KEO • Larsen and and the progress of Phase 2; Assessing SYSTEMS. In March 2013, a ministerial Toubro • Louis Berger • Mitsubishi • Mott the Erbil Tramway design completion and decree was announced, approving project MacDonald • NCR • Odebrecht • Qatar subsequent opportunities for bids and implementation with a total budget of SR Bahrain Causeway Foundation • SACOR tenders on the value chain. Reviewing 45billion. The project includes commuter • Samsung • Saudi Oger • WorleyPar- possible options to finance these mega- trains, trams, metros with 72 stations sons • WSP • and many more...’’ projects. spanning 152km, marine networks, GCC. The GCC Railway Network will and commuter, rapid and feeder buses. Some items from the Sessions, unite the GCC region and other countries - MAKKAH MONORAIL. Four interna- Presentations and ‘Case Studies’ in the in the Middle East. Discussing the latest tional consultancy firms began feasibility Programme:- updates on the nearly US$200bn rail net- studies to undertake the SAR 65 billion SAUDI ARABIA. The Haramain High work. Challenges with delivering a regional project in early 2009. The rail network will Speed Rail project: ‘’Also known as the mega railway network. Updates on plans initially link the holy sites to the Haramain ‘Western Railway’ or ‘Makkah-Medina high to connect the Arabian (Eastern) Railway and other railway networks, and speed railway’ is a 449.2km (279.1 miles) to Maghreb (Western) networks. eventually to the GCC-wide railway. It is high-speed intercity rail transport system QATAR. Qatar Railway Company’s main- expected to solve the traffic difficulties pil- under construction in Saudi Arabia. It will line project developments and updates. grims face during the annual Haj. Each of link the Muslim Holy Coties of Medina and Qatar has made headlines over the past the five lines of the monorail project will ,cfrv Page 22 have an hourly capacity to carry 60,000 to fee. by this time some of the more spe- the extension of our existing metro net- 80,000 passengers between Nima, Arafat cialised exhibitors may well have packed work.... and Muzdalifah, and at a later stage Mina up and gone home but the majority stay The Gulf Cooperation Council has a raft and Makkah. on to get rid of their remaining promo- of public transport and strategic infrastruc- DUBAI (UAE). DELIVERING THE AL tional materials. ture projects on the agenda which amount SUFOUH TRAMWAY PROJECT. Dubai’s And..... on several occasions in to over $US100 Billion in the pipeline. Some long-awaited Al Sufouh Tram will meet its the past decade or so the Fair has fallen of these major projects are already under- deadline of November 2014, according across the major Jewish festivals of Rosh way, such as Etihad Rail in the UAE, the Ri- to the main contractor. The consortium Hashanah or Yom Kippur. I will not specu- yadh metro in Saudi Arabia, and the Qatar of firms working on the project said they late what Israel Railways trade teams or Integrated Rail Network. Oman has invited have now received outstanding payments other Jewish exhibitors do in this case; I tenders for a railway between Masqat and from 2009, after the government secured merely point out that the Editor is of ne- Al-Ain. By 2020, we foresee that modern a $675m financing deal for the project’s cessity employed elsewhere! world-class public transport infrastructure and systems will be a feature of many of the first phase. This year the Editor made it to major cities in GCC countries.’’ QATAR. Doha Metro. Qatar Rail Company the press conference and parts of the has awarded four contracts worth a total Tuesday and Friday sessions and accu- (b). MRCE (Mitsui Rail Capital Europe) is of $8.2bn to design and build railway lines mulated a lot of materials to peruse at the Amsterdam-based section of a leas- ss part of the first phase construction of leisure back home – and also was able to ing organisation based in Tokyo; the oper- the Doha Metro. Work under phase one talk informally and ‘off the record’ to a few ating base for Europe (there are others in of the project will include the design and exhibitors, handing over back issues of North and South America and in ) construction of four rail lines, as well as ‘Harakevet’ to those who might be inter- is MRCE Dispolok GmbH in München, op- an underground section; the entire project ested. Time permitted only a brief over- erating over 200 locos of different types. Of is scheduled to start in late 2013 and be view of most of the Fair and it is certain these one group is the Siemens ES 64 U2 copmpleted by 2019. that many potentially interesting stands (‘Taurus) type dual-system electric loco au- UAE – Abu Dhabi Metro and Light Rail were not visited. Of course the material is thorised for use in Germany, Austria, Hun- Project. The 131km Abu Dhabi metro and all very positive and jolly and stresses only gary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey light rail project will be split into three sep- successes. (With one intriguing exception, and now officially known as the ‘Bosporus arate contracts thatc ompriose civil works below.) Sprinter’ – i.e. suitable for through trains to for above-ground structures, rail above Turkey. ground and underground construction So here are a few snippets from what and is expected to be completed in 2020. was found. They claim no comprehensive (c). Istanbul Tram. ‘’The urban transport completeness. operator Istanbul Ulasim has recently un- M. INNOTRANS SNIPPETS. veiled a new high-tech Light Rail Vehicle (a). In the 23.09.14 ‘Daily Press report’ is an (LRV) with the brand name ‘Istanbul Tram’. Innotrans is an enormous Trade Fair held interview with Mattar Al Tayer, the Chair- Istanbul Ulasim has produced at the Berlin Messe every two years, and man of the Dubai Roads and Transport Au- a number of prototype and demonstrator September 2014 saw the tenth such. The thority (RTA). LRV’s over the past decade as it seeks to Fair has steadily expanded each time with From this: ‘’Public transport as a enhance its in-house engineering skills. new halls, stands and outside tracks for major sector in the MENA region is growing Thus, it has also designed, engineered and display of new vehicles. (235 this year). rapidly. Currently the Middle East is where commissioned the model for the Istanbul Each Hall covers several floors and each the world’s largest public transport projects Tram. The operator company also man- are under development and being imple- floor comprises rows and rows of stands, aged the manufacturing processes, which mented. Among the projects of interna- were carried out in cooperation with the lo- now partially organised by the sort of ma- tional significance in Dubai is the success- cal industry. terials or products or services on offer, ful launch and operation of Dubai metro, The bi-directional high floor ve- though sometimes the order is geographi- our bus and marine transport projects, as hicle is designed to meet dual operation cal with a German State like Saxony or a well as the Al Sufouh tram scheme, which needs by serving as both light metro and country like Turkey or Switzerland forming will open this November. Additionally, the tramcar and can serve in various train set a focal point with stands covering track- Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah metro in configurations of up to four cars. It ensures work, electronics, locos, workshops, roll- Saudi Arabia has been completed success- a pleasant and comfortable journey for pas- ing stock and whatever else. So in order fully. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have com- sengers with its modern state-of-the-art to cover the entire floor area in a system- prehensive bus networks. In addition, most exterior design reflecting the historical and atic manner requires either careful study countries starting from Morocco towards cultural heritage of the city, its spacious in- of the very thick catalogue/guide or just a Iraq and Jordan have begun tendering for terior and passenger information systems. lot of walking and a degree of luck. Some metro projects, which, when completed in Founded by the Istanbul Metro- stands are generous with leaflets and oth- the coming decades, will be a major public politan Municipality in 1988 to carry out er printed material (others are generous transport milestone for the region. the operation and maintenance services for with ball-point pens, mints, biscuits etc.!) As part of its involvement in Inno- metro, tram and cable cars, Istanbul Ula- and so a visit to some of them can lead to trans 2014, RTA would like to talk about its sim offers urban transportation services for several (complimentary) carrier bags being ongoing rail projects such as the Red and 1.5 million passengers every day in ten lines filled with remarkably heavy paper...... The Green metro lines and the Al Sufouh tram- with a network length of 121 kilometres.’’ general pattern is an opening Press Con- way. Secondly, RTA has an enormous re- ference on the Monday, whilst stands are sponsibility on behalf of Dubai and the Unit- (d). Road-Rail vehicles. A photo at the stand still being feverishly worked on; a formal ed Arab Emirates in preparing the transport of Zwiehoff of Roisenheim, Germany, which Opening on the Tuesday, a great deal of infrastructure for the event in manufactures Unimog – essentially road (closed) business sessions until the Friday order to make travel to the exhibition site lorries which also have rail wheels – showed – this is the period in which contracts are and around the urban area seamless and ten such vehicles recently exported to the discussed and signed - then at the week- confortable. We will soon be releasing our TCDD. public transport plans that will be designed end the grounds are thrown open to the CPS-Airedale/Thistle Print Ltd Leeds, UK: Bringing Quality and public, or lay visitors at a much reduced to meet the Expo requirements, including Colour to specialist publications ,cfrv Page 23 Computer generated images of Achihud and stations on the Acre-Karmiel line under construction, and of Beit-Shean station on the former Hedjaz line; all under construction.