HaRakevet ISSN 0964-8763

Series 24#2 Issue No. 93 June 2011 ,cfrv A Quarterly Journal on the Railways of the Middle East Edited and Published by Rabbi Dr. Walter Rothschild PhD Passauer Strasse 4, D-10789 Berlin, Germany e.mail:[email protected] 93:02 93:04. EDITORIAL. NEWS FROM The word that comes to mind this quarter is ‚turbulent‘. Throughout North Africa and the Middle East there have been political tensions, revolutions, civil wars - in THE LINE some countries it appears the existing regimes have been toppled, in others they have been, like a James Bond Martini, „shaken, not stirred“ - but things will never be the same again. It is hard for a dictator to massacre large numbers of people in a modern hi-tech (i). MORE MANAGEMENT CHANGES. society where almost everyone has a camera in their Mobile phone and access to inter- Issue 9 had barely gone to press net, and then claim to be the benign father of his people. Some will no doubt continue - literally, Steve had just completed the lay- to try. And whether the new régimes will be able to concentrate much on infrastructure out - when news came on 16.03.011 that rather than religious fundamentalism, and whether surviving regimes will decide to invest IR General Manager Yitzhak Harel had an- more in infrastructure projects to create employment opportunities for disaffected and nounced his final resignation after three frustrated younger people - no-one as yet knows. It is almost amusing to read press re- and a half years in the post and about nine leases prepared only a couple of months ago when everything seemed stable, solid and months following his initial resignation static. Some are reproduced here ‚for the historical record‘ only; it is unclear whether they and then return at the personal request of are still actually valid as ‚news‘. Press date for this issue is 8th. May. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Transport & Within - an amazing island of political content, one of the few countries Roads Safety Minister Katz. He would how- where the government is not sending tanks to shoot at its own citizens - there is turbu- ever continue his duties only until a suc- lence of another sort. Major plans for expansion of the railway system are taking shape, cessor was found. but there is also a power struggle for control within the Railways - a struggle between the There have been many achieve- various Ministries, struggle between Management and Unions. It would be nice to con- ments during his term of office; turning the centrate only on the good news but, alas, that forms only a part of the content. railways into a commercial company, a re- Once more the sheer weight of news makes it harder to squeeze in historical cord in track laying (95km. in 010 alone), items. One item worth mentioning is however that Chen Melling and others have worked purchase of new rolling stock (including 31 enormously hard to ensure that Paul Cotterell‘s book will soon be available also in Ger- single-deck Siemens push/pull carriages; man, as ‚Bahnt den Weg‘ (Hentrich & Hentrich, ISBN 978-3-94 71- 0- .) This is more 4 double-deck push/pull carriages from than just a straightforward translation of the original English version, and includes also Bombardier; 34 main line diesel-electric extensive maps. locos from Vossloh); the $8.4 Billion devel- Nevertheless - Enjoy! opment agreement was signed, the subsi- The Editor dy agreement was amended to change the Railways from an operational to a service- directed company; a wages agreement was signed for the first time since 006, the Retirement programme has been implemented, and attention has been paid to excessive wages. Mr. Harel also put especial emphasis on integrity. He said „Railway man- agement is a challenging, fascinating, hard and sat- isfactory job; I have taken no simple and certainly no populist decisions in order to promote reforms and lay the foundations for a more modern and efficient railway, always aiming at rail devel- opment and the company‘s welfare. Isra-Rail Co. Ltd. is today a powerful company in growth mode facing an 93:03. increasing demand for services from the passengers who have decided to use rail Accident at Netanya, see next page. as their transport mode. During the past years I have acted to promote an advanced infrastructure for the large growth forecast for the coming years as a result of opening new lines and stations, and particularly in 93:01.(Cover) terms of the switch to electrification which At press date (end of May) Muammar Gadhaffi was still refusing to stand down as I am promoting, and which will put the rail- State leader in Libya. Maybe this is one reason? The IC-4 diesel unit, luxuriously out- ways in a position to provide a service level fitted and a gift from Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, on a section of the new railway under comparable to that of the world‘s advanced construction in Libya. (Photo courtesy of Minirex AG).

Page  ,cfrv rail networks. I am leaving the privilege of ries - this category includes trauma without is only the second actual collision between cutting the ribbons to others!“ physical harm. The main Tel-Aviv - Haifa two passenger trains in the entire history of Transport Minister Katz has line had to be closed until the Saturday for IR; the previous one was in summer 1963 thanked Mr. Harel for his contribution and clearance and repairs. near Beit Yehoshua, a head-one smash wished him well in the future. which led one loco to climb onto the other There is a link to photos of the ac- - again, there were injuries but no fatali- cident (scroll down a bit in the link) (ii). FURTHER BRAKING INCIDENT. http://www.hnn.co.il/gal- ties. On Thursday 17.03.011 there lery13615.html On .05.011 IR announced was a further incident of a jammed parking that all passengers who were on board the brake disc on a double-deck train which left Of course this all came on top of two trains involved will rceive a free month- Nahariyya in the morning. The brake over- other lines being closed this week for in- ly ticket. Those who had been registered heated. One of the passengers who saw frastructure works, even with replacement and taken to hospital are known, but oth- white smoke rising from underneath one of buses organised, for traffic is heavy on ers will have to contact the railways. the carriages applied the emergency brake Thursdays, and resulted in some chaos. and the train stopped several kilometres The Transport Ministry and Police immedi- (iii). COMPENSATION ISSUES. south of Nahariyya. No-one was hurt but ately established an investigative commit- The YNET website (part of the passengers had to wait a long time - one tee. popular newspaper ‘Yediot Acharonot’) in report says several hours - for replacement Benny Attar commented:- mid- March raised the question as to why buses, though the management claim that „Here is a link to the police heli- the penalties paid by bus companies for they had called immediately for buses. copter‘s video of the accident site:- late arrivals and departures are much high- h t t p s : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . er than those of the railways; One example ACCIDENT AT NETANYA. c o m / w a t c h ? v = X l F - given was an bus which arrived over Around 09.0 on the morning 0 w 9 F T E 0 & f e a t u r e = p l a y e r _ an hour late, and the penalty was $3360!!!! of Thursday 8th. April a serious accident embedded#at=35 [Ed. adds - this can NOT be per person, occured at the southern end of Netanya I understand that one carriage is a total but must imply everyone on the vehicle!] station - with ca. 60 casualties but fortu- loss, and at least one other carriage - the On the railways, for a delay of 30-60 mins. nately no fatalities. As is usual news came driving trailer of the northbound train - can- the passenger receives one free ticket, for in dribs and drabs but it appears that a not be repaired in Israel and will have to be two hours two tickets, and for less than 30 southbound train (Train 47 Binyamina returned to Bombardier in Germany for re- minutes, nothing. The site also complains - Tel-Aviv - Ashkelon) of double-deckers pair. The locomotive is too badly damaged that the Railways’ General Manager sets headed by 767 and due to depart 09.15 to be moved by rail on its own bogies. It these levels and not the Transport Ministry. departed from Platform  against a red sig- has been mentioned that it might need to The campaign is not new, but the public nal and hit the second and third coaches be removed by road. It will be anything pressure on the Ministry is growing. (also double-deckers, the driving vehicle from 1 to 3 years before it is returned to was 401) of a terminating - Tel- traffic (It will go to Spain for repairs - at (iv). INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS. Aviv - Netanya suburban service Train 06 the Alsthom factory, now owned by Voss- These continue, of course, and being propelled by 756 from the north- loh - the Vossloh builders plate appears on involve much disruption to traffic. (One bound main line track 1 into the Platform locos from number 778 onwards). wonders - too much?) The lines Tel-Aviv 3 loop line. This was due at 09.13 so was currently has no - Beer-Sheva - Dimona, Tel-Aviv - Rishon- running some seven minutes late. The reserve carriages and might have to make LeZion, Tel-Aviv - Ashkelon and Tel-Aviv - loco and lead carriage of the southbound cuts in the timetable, following the recent Jerusalem were to be closed from Monday train were derailed and damaged; at least losses of rolling stock (IC3 set number 5 04.04.11 - Friday 08.04.11 (inclusive - i.e two coaches of the northbound train were destroyed by fire in December, two double an entire week!), traffic being due to re- very badly damaged and look from photos deck carriages damaged in a shunting in- sume Saturday night 09.04. Services to the to be write-offs. (JUST what IR needs at cident a couple of months ago, the loss north and Modi‘in will operate as usual, but present!). of loco 767), the stations at Tel-Aviv Hashalom and Ha- a push-pull Haganah will of course be reduced and the The collision driving trailer stations Kfar-Habad, Ganei-Aviv, Lod, took place at damaged by Rishonim, Be‘er-Ya‘akov, Rehovot, Yavne, relatively slow an electri- Ashdod, , Beit-Shemesh, Jerusalem speed since cal fire last (Zoo & Malcha), Kiryat Gat, Lehavim-Ra- the brakes are year)“. hat, Beer-Sheva North/Universita, Beer- automatically A Sheva Central and Dimona will effectively applied after few days later be closed for the week. Works will include: a ‚SPAD‘ (Sig- Chen Melling Upgrading Lod station, infrastructure and nal passed confirmed signalling works on the Ayalon line be- at Danger‘). that the lead- tween Tel-Aviv Haganah and Universita to Nevertheless, ing cars of increase capacity at peak periods from the combined train 06, 11 to 14 trains/hour each direction, and closing speed Nos. 401 the project ‚Tel-Aviv to Beer-Sheva in 50 was ca. 60 and 431, are Minutes‘ which is now approaching com- km/h., hence believed to pletion; within this project 95km. of line the damage. be write-offs, between Lod and Beer-Sheva has been The southbound train probably passed while three others are withdrawn from ser- doubled, upgraded and where necessary the red signal, the northbound train would vice for repairs. All were taken to Haifa on realigned and straightened, thus enabling also have been moving slowly if it was ap- their own wheels, but loco 767 was taken a cut in journey time from 75 to 50 min- proaching the station and over a crossover. by truck. utes. The loco driver suffered moderate injuries, Aharon makes the point that this some sixty passengers reported slight inju-

,cfrv Page 3 (v). THE NEW AKKO - CARMIEL LINE. ready paid the higher price will be refunded low average’.] From a press release of the Trans- the difference. port Ministry & National Roads Co.: On However, a later report was that Thursday 17.03.011 the first tender will (ix). PUNCTUALITY AND the negotiations over changes to transport be published for building the $0.78 Billion, CONGESTION. rules for soldiers hit an unexpected snag double-track, 3km. line between Akko Y-NET published a special article which left Harel disappointed; he had be- (Acre) and Carmiel (in the Lower Galilee), in March which claimed that IR is mas- lieved that matters had been settled, when to run parallel with Road No. 85. saging its punctuality figures - in 008 for the Army authorities on 31.03.011 in- The tender also includes pre- example it claimed 91% punctuality overall formed the railways by fax that the agree- paring the alignment for laying tracks be- whereas on Sundays it was only 70.5% in ment was not yet ready; The Army wants tween Na‘aman Junc. (operational station) the morning peak hours; in January 008 to raise the budget by $5.6M and demands in the west and Yasif road junction in the 6.5%, in November 008 58% and in De- a fare reduction for soldiers from % to east. The line will have two new stations cember 008 67%. Between January and 34%. Even were this to be speedily agreed, at Achihud and another at the entrance to May 009 average punctuality in morning implementation could only begin at the Carmiel; there will also be tunnels, bridges peak hours was about 63%. In the first half earliest on 01.05.011. This means that and new alignments for creeks, two railway of 010 punctuality reached around 91%, matters rest with the Defence Ministry and bridges over Na‘aman River and Khilazon which is % than that required by the gov- congestion on these services on Sundays creek, and rebuilding Road No. 4 along ernment; however, in the second haf it was and Thursdays will continue for the time 1.km. to run over the planned tracks. only 87%; the figures are even more prob- being. The National Roads Co. General lematical for December 010 when as a Manager, architect Shay Baras, said that result of the IC3 ‘punctuality’ was 90% and (x). IN THE SUMMER TIME...... works on the planned 160km/h line will be yet many services were cancelled. Due to the introduction of sum- completed within five years. Minister Katz The State Comptroller, who mer time on 01.04.011, trains on Fridays and Mr. Baras said that the line to Carmiel checked these figures, introduced the poli- will terminate one hour later than until was only the first stage of the planned line cy that created the bonus/penalty mecha- them, and Saturday night services will start to Kiryat Shemona (in the Upper Galilee nism, which means that when punctuality two hours later. The weekday timetable is near the Lebanese border). which will en- is good the railways will receive a bonus, unaffected. able those living on the country‘s periphery whereas in case of delays they will have to to reach easily. pay a penalty. According to Y-NET the bud- (xi). EMEK LINE - FURTHER TENDERS. The Roads Co. will also publish get for bonus/penalty payments is around On 03.04.011 the Transport the second tender for the revival of the Hai- $.8M as against an annual subsidy of over Ministry announced that the third tender fa - Afula line; this will deal with the 7.5km $95M and a current bduget of $84M. for the Jezreel Valley line rebuilding had of line between the future stationsof Kfar The Railways’ response was that been published: For the 6km. section (A1) Yehoshua and Kfar Baruch, including also some of the delays in 010 were due to from Haifa Lev HaMifratz station and Nesh- agricultural bridges and a bridge over Na- speed restrictions due to intensive infra- er cement plant including bridges over Ha- halal Creek. structure works (in addition to the line clo- Histadrut Avenue (Road No. 4) and a total sures which still continue); in addition traf- length of  km. (See under Tenders.) (vi). UGLY CONTROVERSY. fic on Sundays and Thursdays (when many The General Manager Harel can- soldiers use the trains to reach their homes (x). REINSTATEMENT OF THE OLD not enjoy his final weeks in office in peace; or their remote bases) rises from 130,000 MAIN LINE. in the week of 0th. March he and his regular daily passengers to 150,000. This Sudden news on 04.04.011 was Chairman of Directorate Uri Yogev were is in addition to the well-known shortage an announcement by the Ministry of Inter- subjected to a ‚siege‘ from angry employ- of rolling-stock caused partially by several nal Affairs that the Eastern Line project ees protesting against the proposed out- accidents, and which will be resolved only under the National Infrastructure Plan No. sourcing of rolling-stock maintenance; with the delivery of rolling stock already  has been handed over to the regional even death threats were apparently made! ordered. The first of these will be the 37 councils for study and to be published so The police and security forces were called Siemens push/pull carriages due to start as to allow for public comments and ob- to evacuate the senior managers. Mean- arriving in August 011, much earlier than jections. while the workers‘ union has instructed originally planned. The so-called ‚Eastern Line‘ is railwaymen to start sanctions, including Harel, the retiring General Man- actually the section of the historic line be- the holding- of freight traffic, and de- ager, and himself an Army General in re- tween Haifa, Lod and Egypt. The section nied the accusations of having made such serves, had suggested some time ago that now to be revived after more than forty extreme threats. (And see below.) the Army and the Defence Ministry enable years of abandonment and dismantling soldiers to reach their destinations later (due to the short-sightedness of both the (vii). HIGH TENSION. on Sundays, to board trains at 08.30 on railways and of course the Finance Min- On Wed. 3.03.11 there was Sundays and after 19.00 on Thursdays; istry in 1968, when it closed) is 65km. concern that an overhead high-voltage ca- the Finance Ministry has allocated the long and stretches from Lod to Hadera ble might fall onto the line between B‘nei $8.5M necessary and if the Transport & East (and thence to Remez Junction on Berak and Hod HaSharon. Traffic was sus- Road Safety Ministry gives its approval this the ‚new‘ coastal main line.) The plan in- pended for several hours until teams from new arrangement (which would ease the volves doubling the section still in use the Israel Electric Co. had repaired the peak loadings) could start from Sunday from Lod to Rosh-HaAyin South as well line. 03.04.011. as new double track from the entrance to [Ed. adds: Of course the whole Kfar Sava and Hadera East; this will involve (viii). MONTHLY SEASON TICKET point of ‘average’ figures is that they round partly upgrading existing alignments and CONFUSION. out the peaks and troughs. I recall Clive partly constructing new alignments (as the Due to the reduction in the prices Lawton once explaining hilariously how trackbed has not been kept totally free of of monthly bus passes, the sale of com- a British Minister of Education had com- development.) The line is intended as an bined bus/rail passes started only on 30.03 plained bitterly that, despite investment in eastern rail spinal route for hauling freight after updating; Passengers who had al- Education, 50% of the pupils were still ‘be- and north-south passenger lines whilst by-

Page 4 ,cfrv passing the Greater Tel Aviv (Dan) area. It (‚Induktives Zugsicherung‘) safety system have advertised for a successor to General will have seven new stations: Hadera East were in Israel to check its functioning. Manager Yitzhak Harel. (which will involve preserving the original On Saturday night a train hit and building), Achituv, Taibe-Kalansua, Tora, killed a pedestrian on the tracks south of „Globes“ on 6.04. 011 had Kfar-Sava North, Elad and Te‘ufa (Aviato), Binyamina, and on Tuesday morning 6.04 the following „Interview with Minister of in addition to the two existing stations of a train hit a horse at B‘nei Berak station. Transport Katz on the recent collapse of Rosh HaAyin North and South (the latter quality and safety at Israel Railways: Katz not currently in use, it will also need to (xiii). SAFETY DEMANDS. has reservations on railway reform. The be enlarged.) Additionally an urban trans- On 17.04.011 Transport Minis- Minister of Transport is discovering that port interchange centre will be built in the ter Katz told the press that he had ordered railway construction is more expensive and northern industrial zone at Lod, just km. the Railways administration to introduce complicated than in the Ottoman era.“ By north of Lod station. within four months a programme to pro- Amiram Barkat: The works will require - in ad- vide drastic improvements in passenger „Changing the collective agree- dition to new tracks and stations - thirty services, especially safety levels. If these ments at Israel Railways is one of the grade-separated crossings, ten other road precautions are not taken, he has threat- most burning issues in transportation to- structures and rail links to the coast line, ened to close down the railway passenger day. Minister of Transport Israel Katz knows HaYarkon line (Tel-Aviv Universita to Rosh- services entirely until the company has this, but his intentions are still unclear. To HaAyin South), the A1 fast link to Jerusa- been reorganised!! date, he has demanded that railway em- lem and the Tel-Aviv - Lod line. The line will [Editor adds - At first I considered ployees allow the installation of critical significantly change some areas, in partic- this a late Purim joke - after all, would he safety measures on trains, such as camer- ular east of , as well as stop all car traffic until the dreadful road as in the drivers‘ cabins and GPS systems changing the alignment of the gas pipeline accident rate has been eliminated?] He for positioning. (approved in the National Plan 37B) near also instructed the Ministry‘s General Man- But when asked how far he in- planned stations at Kfar Sava North and ager Daniel Harel to prepare an alternative tends to go on structural reform of Israel Elad. transportation plan should the precautions Railways, Katz is ambiguous. He supports fail! According to Minister Katz, Harel - for- some changes, but opposes the reform (xi). PESACH TIMETABLE merly an Army Deputy Chief of Staff - had plan published in the media. As a friend ALTERATIONS. said during a meeting that ‚if the mainte- of the strong workers committees, Katz From an IR press release of nance level of the railways had applied in says that he will support measures that will 1 .04. 011: „During the Passover holi- any army unit, that unit would already have strengthen the position of Israel Railways‘ days trains will be operated to the follow- been closed down.‘ Katz added: ‚Trains employees and that he will oppose any at- ing special timetable:- are not supposed to be a battle field - rail- tempt to dismantle or privatize the com- On Sunday 17.04, the morning trains will ways must be safe and I do not intend to pany. Israel Railways will continue to be a run to the normal Sunday timetable, the compromise on safety; in a country where monopoly. afternoon ones as on a Thursday. people have suffered terror against buses Can‘t stand on its own feet On Monday 18.04 - the Eve of Passover - and yet continued to use them, it is unac- The Ministry of Finance also un- as on a Friday. ceptable that rail - which is supposed to be derstands that Israel is too small for sev- On Tuesday night, 19.04 - conclusion of the safest and most comfortable mode of eral train operators. It is far less clear why the first day of Passover - as on a Saturday transport - is considered by the public as Israel Railways should continue to own the night. unsafe, meaning that people either cease network of railway lines, train stations, and On Wednesday 0.04 as on a Sunday. to use it or board but only with misgiv- huge swathes of real estate around them. From Thursday 1.04 to Saturday 3.04 ings.‘ Israel Railways does not publish regular - as normal for these days.. The programme referred to by financial reports, but according to figures On Sunday 4.04 - eve of the 7th. and last the minister includes an approach to all as- collated by „Globes“, it owns assets worth day of Passover - as on a Friday. pects of railway operation: rolling stock and NIS 0 billion, and its annual turnover ex- On Monday 5.04 - conclusion of Passover motive power maintenance, driver training, ceeds NIS 1 billion. - as on a Saturday night. and inspection of daily staff behviour. The The ratio between assets and On Tuesday 6.04 - as on a Sunday. intention is that all this inspection should turnover, as well as the return on equity all Due to expected high traffic volumes there be carried out by an external independent indicate a distorted and illogical operation- will be no seat reservations.“ body. Katz has instructed the railways to al structure that cannot stand on its own Behind these apparent complexi- install surveillance devices to monitor the feet. ties lies the principle of large traffic flows drivers‘ behaviour; this is because of sever- The professional echelon at the home before a Sabbath or festival, a sys- al cases where drivers had passed signals Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport, tem shut-down on a Sabbath or festival set at red, and caused collisions - the worst and the Government Companies Authority itself, and a large traffic flow back to work / being the recent one at Netanya on 07.04, are prepared to be satisfied with modest base afterwards. though fortunately without fatalities. targets, the most important of which is re- He denied however that it was laxing the collective agreements with the (xii). FREIGHT COLLISION AND OTHER his intention to privatise the passenger Israel Railways workers committee. Oth- INCIDENTS. operations, saying, „My policy is clear: erwise, there is no way to meet the pas- On Tuesday 1.04.011 the The operation must be in the hands of senger service, scheduling, and passenger driver of a freight train entering a terminal the workers and of the railways‘ manage- safety targets. ignored a red signal and collided with a ment.“ [The sequence here is interesting! The second step is to transfer re- standing empty freight. Luckily there were Ed.] There were no railway representatives sponsibility for maintenance of Israel Rail- no casualties. On 13.04 a gate on one of at the conference, but Katz said the resign- ways‘ rolling stock to their manufacturer, the station platforms at Beer-Sheva Cen- ing General Manager Harel is involved in Canada‘s Bombardier Inc. This step is nec- tral, intended to regulate passenger flow, implementing the programme. The railway essary because Israel Railways‘ employees was left open and was hit by a train, caus- workers in the meantime responded with a do not know how to maintain the rolling ing some slight damage to the train. threat for a general strike. stock and they are not subject to minimal Representatives of the ‚Indusi‘ In the meantime the Railways supervision or control.

,cfrv Page 5 The third step is to establish two But Israel Railways continues to laxed safety standards to reduce costs - af- subsidiaries: one to market cargo services, create new problems almost daily: safety ter the Chinese competitor was disqualified and the second to handle business devel- flaws, irregularities in procurement ten- on the grounds that their carriages did not opment of train stations. ders, and incessant labour sanctions and meet current European safety standards. The government hopes that these internal disputes. If this is the situation IR‘s response was that they were agreeing changes will transform Israel Railways from now, it is clear that Israel Railways has no to purchase carriages with the older safety a failing company into a „somehow func- chance of meeting the high expectations standards because these would be built tioning“ company, but it admits that this is made for it for the future. on existing production tooling - effectively only a partial correction of the distortion. Israel Railways by the numbers copies of the older double-deck carriages The great chance to create an advanced Number of employees - ,160 in use - and this would drastically shorten company was missed in 003, when Israel Annual operating budget - NIS 1.3 billion the delivery schedule. Railways was established. Annual income from passengers - NIS 550 The Finance Ministry have ques- A neglected stepchild million tioned the need for additional carriages; 10 years ago, the Ottoman Annual income from cargo - NIS 140 mil- They set up a committee to find out how Turks built Israel‘s first railway line at an lion many carriages IR needs, and when they insane pace. With no planning commit- Annual government subsidies - NIS 350 got an answer they didn‘t like, they altered tees or workers committees, they built million the assumptions to get a different answer. the railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem in less Other subsidies - NIS 150 million The Finance Ministry would question the than two years, and in the same period of Passengers to be carried in 01 - 36 mil- need for drinking water and fresh air, if time built the Jezreel Valley line from Haifa lion it cost too much money. A decade ago to Tzemach; 30 kilometers of track with Passengers target for 00 - 7 million they questioned the need for desalination more than 300 bridges altogether. plants, which is why Israel is suffering from But once the era of the Ottomans Railway lines planned by 2020 a severe water shortage. The expert opin- and the British ended, Israel‘s railways de- Tel-Aviv - Rishon LeZion line: cost - NIS ion is that IR needs carriages and needs teriorated. For decades, the government . billion; completion date - September them fast, not just to replace the ones they neglected them and channelled budgets to 011 keep damaging in accidents, but also to roads. The railways were a neglected step- Double tracking the Lod - Beersheva line: run the new Tel-Aviv - Rishon LeZion line, child of the Ports and Railways Authority. cost - NIS .7 billion; completion date - due to open within a year, and to boost the Since the reform of 003, which separated December 01 capacity on the Beer-Sheva line when the the ports and the railways, the government Rishon LeZion - B‘nei Darom line: cost line is double-tracked (work in progress). has tried to close the huge gap between - NIS 1.03 billion; completion date - De- Rush-hour trains are already over-crowd- the railway and roads networks. cember 01 ed. Within the next 7 years, IR is going to More than NIS 30 Billion has Double tracking the Tel-Aviv- need more than an extra 7 carriages.“ been promised for a series of railway proj- line: cost - NIS 683 million; completion ects: electrifying the trains from diesel; date - March 01 (xvi). INDUSTRIAL UNREST. build a new Jezreel Valley line, a line from Double tracking the Motzkin - Nahariya On Thursday 1.05.011 there Acre to Carmiel, and completing the high- line: cost - NIS 590 million; completion was a one-day wildcat strike by railway em- speed line to Jerusalem. date - April 013 ployees; Aharon had already advised that The future includes building the Ashkelon - Beersheva (Western Negev) line: „the struggle between the railway work- eastern line along Road 6 (the Yitzhak cost - still in the tenders stage; completion ers‘ union and the Managament as well as Rabin Highway), a high-speed line to Ei- date - 015 the Transport & Roads Safety Ministry was lat, and, most important of all - a fourth Acre - Carmiel line: cost - NIS .5 billion; heating up. Union members often appear line along the Ayalon in Tel Aviv, which will completion date - 015 in the media, where the correspondents double the traffic at the national railway Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem high-speed line: cost have no idea what is really going on, but bottleneck from 10 trains an hour to 0. - NIS 6.7 billion; completion date - 017.“ they are treated mercifully by the media. A lack of capabilities Matters have reached the point where These projects are just as am- (xiv). SERVICE CUTBACKS. workers have threatened the General Man- bitious as the railway lines built by the As predicted above - Due to the ager and the Human Resources Manager Turks, but their construction has become severe shortage of rolling-stock caused by so that they required bodyguards! far more expensive and complicated, and the various accidents, IR announced on A violent demonstration near the many times slower. Again and again, plans 01.05.011 the cancellation of further no- home of Isra-Rail Co. Chairman of Direc- are delayed for the same reason: Israel tice of train No. 640 (07.14 from Tel Aviv torate Mr. Uri Yogev including a threat to Railways lacks the necessary capabilities. Central to Kfar Sava) and in addition all kill him had resulted in the arrest of ten The first warning sign came dur- services between Beer Sheva and Dimo- demonstrators. In response the union de- ing the construction of the high-speed line na. clared an overall and unlimited strike. The to Jerusalem. This line is now due to open railway management in turn immediately in 017 and its cost has reached NIS 6.5 (xv). ROLLING STOCK PROCUREMENT asked the General Trades Unions leader- billion: eight years behind schedule and WOES. ship to become involved; the Labour Tri- NIS 3 billion over budget. On 03.05.011 it was suddenly bunal published an enforcement decree The conclusion reached by Is- announced (Haaretz p. 1) that the Min- commanding the workers to return to their rael Railways CEO Yitzhak Harel was to istry of Finance had frozen the order for tasks immediately, but the union claims transfer the building of other lines to other 7 new coaches from Bombardier, due to that this came after midnight and so most companies. Israel National Roads Com- allegations of corruption in the tendering of the workers did not receive it! pany Ltd. will build the Jezreel Valley and process, and because they were not con- Benny Attar adds: „Illegal strike Carmiel lines; the Cross-Israel Highways vinced these coaches were needed! by the union. Trouble started when 50 work- Company will build the eastern line; and To this one of our ‚Israeli corre- ers (mostly union members) demonstrated the Eilat line will go to a private contracture spondents‘ added: (without a licence) outside the home of the under a BOT contract. „The corruption bit is correct, candidate for post of general manager. also the allegations that IR specified re- The police were called, the demonstrators

Page 6 ,cfrv started shoving the policemen, and some Aharon Goldman (Deputy General Manag- was published. This includes a double-track of them, including the union leader, were er of Governmental Companies Authority); railway line linking the existing line to Kfar- arrested. In response, the union called an Mrs. Na‘ava Kraemmer (Wages Manager Sava Hod-HaSharon Sokolov station with immediate strike (this is illegal under Israeli of Governmental Companies); Mr. Hezy the Tel-Aviv - Haifa coastal line near She- law - strikes must be preceded by a -week Lipschitz (representatives of Governmen- fayim, north of Herzliyya; this will include work sanction notice). The labour court tal Companies); Mrs. Hamutal Ben-Dror two new stations, Ra‘anana and Ra‘anana issued a back-to-work order within a few (representative of Finance Ministry Wages West and will provide a much faster jour- hours, which the workers disobeyed. Manager); Micha Friedman (representative ney both to Tel-Aviv and the south, and to The strike is over two issues; of the Finance Ministry‘s Budget Dept.) Haifa and Nahariya in the north, compared 1 - increased outsourcing of and Yehuda Elbaz (representative of the to the current journey through Rosh HaAy- maintenance and other duties, which obvi- Transport & Roads Safety Ministry). in North and B‘nei Berak. ously puts jobs at risk The Workers‘ side were repre-  - Who is running the railway, sented by Avi Edri (Chairman of Transpor- (xviii). GERMANY PULLS BACK FOR management or the union? (Both are try- tation Workers‘ Union); Mrs. Irit Ben-Ami (a POLITICAL REASONS. ing to). senior member of the same union); three From the ‚Jerusalem Post‘ Management claim that the representatives of the three railway unions, 1.05.3011, (by Tovah Lazaroff and union refuses to co-operate with (possibly and a representative of the Clerical Work- Benjamin Weinthal):- big-brother like) safety rules and inspec- ers‘ Union. „Israel on Wednesday said it re- tions. Union leaders, when interviewed on As agreed previously between gretted the decision by German National the radio talk shows, were largely incoher- Harel and Edri, this meeting was essen- Railways (Deutsche Bahn) to halt its work ent (as union leaders everywhere tend to tially to decide on subjects to be discussed on the high-speed train line from Tel-Aviv be) and spoke of management‘s refusal to at following meetings, and to arrange for to Jerusalem because a small section of negotiate with them. They didn‘t mention fair negotiation. the route crosses over into the West Bank. the word „passengers“ at all, only spoke of Regarding the maintenance of A spokeswoman for Israel Railways said their „regret“ over an „unavoidable“ strike. new rolloing stock on order, the Finance Deutsche Bahn informed them recently Typical trade-union nonsense. Not all rail- Ministry and Transport Ministry represen- of their decision, saying they withdrew be- way workers have respect for their union tatives announced that at the next nego- cause a portion of the project is located bosses.“ tiating meeting (date still to be decided) over the pre-1967 border. She added that On 16.05 the Labour Tribunal in- detailed information as well as policy and Israel Railways was looking at options to structed the railway workers not to strike considerations regarding the maintenance replace the company. “We regret this de- until 01.07 and in the meantime called for to be carried out by the manufacturer (in cision,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal management and labour represenatives to this case Bombardier) will be presented to Palmor told ‚The Jerusalem Post‘. sit around a table and disuss matters of the worker‘s negotiating representatives, Already in February, German maintenance, safety and wages. They will have the right to respond and to Transportation Minister Peter Ramsauer, reject, but the decision to outsource is it- answered a query on the matter by Rudiger On 3.05 both sides (manage- self non-negotiable. They will be invited to Grübe, the CEO of Deutsche Bahn. ment and workers) as well as senior rep- present their opinions concerning implica- “In recent weeks Palestinian resentatives of the union and the General tions for the workers. Foreign Affairs Minister [Riyad Al-] Malki, Labour Union met for negotiations for a However, Mr. Edri and Mrs. Edrei members of the German Parliament and new agreement according to the decision have stated unequivocally that they refuse media have criticized a project in which DB of the Labour Tribunal of 16.05 and the de- to discuss the implications and the only International is acting as adviser to Israel’s cision of Minister Katz. issue for discussion is the decision itself. state-run Israel Railway,” Ramsauer wrote. These negotiations reached a This brought the discussions to a dead „I want to advise you...that this Israeli rail- dead end. end. way project which runs through occupied The Workers claimed: ‚The ne- The Railways Management and territory is problematic from a foreign gotiations were tough as the railways‘ the company‘s Directorate have stated policy standpoint and is potentially against management did nto provide full informa- clearly that the whole issue of Safety is international law,” he wrote. tion and did not reveal all their cards. The entirely under theior responsibility; a spe- In an e-mail response to the Post workers wished to negotiate also on safety cial team is currently preparing a compre- on Tuesday, Vera Moosmayer, a spokes- issues but the management claimed the hensive programme of improvements for woman for Germany’s Federal Ministry time for this was not yet ripe, addiing that system safety and this will be presented to of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs they would be ready only by 01.07.011, Minister Katz in early July 011. Only after said her office would continue to support the date given by the labour tribunal for it has been approved by Government will it the railway project, but not this particular completing the negotiations. The man- be presented also to the workers‘ represen- line. The ministry “explicitly welcomes the agement is therefore blamed for being un- tative to hear their opinions - but this topic engagement of DB-subsidiary ‘DB Inter- prepared to discuss this major issue. The is also non-negotiable. national’ to contribute to the international workers insist on explanations for the in- The organisational and struc- development of railway traffic through tention to outsource rolling stock mainte- tural chanegs in the company are being passing on its experience and know-how. nance; the management refused but said prepared by the two Ministries and when “It goes without saying that this is also they would bring this to a future meeting. ready will be presented to the workers‘ rep- the case with regard to Israel,” she wrote. The Management claimed:The resentative and negotiated in terms of any “However, the federal government out of participants were Yitzhak Harel (General expected implications for the railway work- principle sees to it that this activity does Manager), Yaron Hadari (Deputy Gen- ers. The Unions rejected this, as well as an not include projects that might be poten- eral Manager for Logistics and Human agreement to negotiate on wages. tially sensitive politically or with regard to Resources); Mrs. Laliv Baram-Elkayam international law – as the Deutsche Bahn is (Deputy General Manager for Economy (xvii). TENDER FOR EAST-WEST LINE a company that is 100% state-owned. That and Finance); Mrs. Shemesh (General ISSUED. was a matter of principle and applied in all Manager‘s Office Manager); Mrs. Levy-Meir On 11.05.011 the long-awaited countries,” she wrote. (Human Resources Dept. Manager); Mr. tender for the east-west Highway No. 531

,cfrv Page 7 According to Moosmayer, “illegal Israeli construction projects in the Haifa Hof HaCarmel and Atlit); passenger Deutsche Bahn has been active in Is- occupied Palestinian territories,” she said. services were held back temporarily and rael since 1990. Moosmayer noted that “There is a discrepancy between what EU southbound services were terminated at Ramsauer visited Israel last year to discuss governments say and what actually hap- Hof-HaCarmel whilst northbound ones ways that the two countries could coop- pens,” Amir said. “Governments issue were held at Binyamina. Traffic returned to erate on infrastructure matters. During statements about the illegality of Israeli normal after a few hours once the fire had the March 010 visit, both governments settlements in the occupied Palestinian been extinguished. signed a memorandum of understanding territories, but when you see what the EU On .05.011 a man was hit to increase their cooperation in the railway commercial sector actually does, many by a train between and Kfar sectors. times it violates those very declarations, Shmaryahu, north of Herzliyya. Traffic The German National Railways’ encouraging and profiting from Israeli was disrupted, although trains were later decision to drop out of the Tel-Aviv to Jeru- control over occupied territory.” allowed to pass on the second line while salem line came after a campaign against A report on ‚Y-Net‘ on 16.05. 011 MDA emergency teams attended. It is be- the rail line was launched last fall by the added that Deutsche Bahn had been re- lieved he was pronounced dead on arrival. Women’s Coalition for Peace, an Israel- sponsible for electricity and communi- Traffic returned to normal at 16.10. based NGO. In a report titled “Crossing the cations control on the new line and will On 3.05.011 an underground Line,” compiled by a section of the NGO continue to work on other projects in Is- hollow was discovered near the track on called “Who Profits“, the report explained rael, and IR had said that „we are currently the Lod - Ramla section during works that six kilometres of the 60-km track working on finding a substitute company.“ on upgrading and doubling the Tel-Aviv crossed into the West Bank. One section - Beer-Sheva line. As a precaution traffic of the rail line goes into the West Bank by The Editor will refrain from mak- past the site was suspended for over an the settlement of Mevo Horon and the sec- ing any sarcastic comments in this case, hour and replacement buses provided; ond crosses over by the Palestinian village but has heard that the Dutch are now in- Traffic resumed gradually from 15.45. of Beit Iksa and Beit Surik. terested in taking over. It is a moot point Special additional services were “Who Profits” coordinator Merav what ‚technical advice and assistance‘ is run to/from Ramat Gan Stadium for the Amir congratulated the German govern- actually necessary in this case. And should National League Final. ment on its decision to pull out of the proj- the Palestine Authority ever in the future ect. “It’s encouraging to see a government ask for Israeli assistance in providing a rail (xx). TIMETABLES AND PUNCTUALITY. abide by their own treaties and adhere to link to the coast, one can only guess what The District Court of Haifa in May international law, and we call on other Eu- the response might be.... rejected a claim against Israel Railways ropean governments to follow suit in mak- for not keeping to the contract - due to ing sure that companies in their countries (xix). FURTHER MINOR INCIDENTS. unpunctuality. The Court stated that „al- abide by international law,” Amir said. The On 18.05.011 a fire broke out though efforts should be made to keep to rail line is one of many projects in which near the track at HaHotrim station (an op- the timetable, it is not considered to be a international companies are involved in erational passing place with loops between contract as such.“

93:05. TENDERS.

(i). Tender No. MC/RC/01/10: For the Maunfacture and Supply of an Ultrasonic In- and upgrading existing tracks; preparatory spection System for Rolling Stock Wheelset Axles - Already published, the date for and dismantling works, earthworks, drain- submissions is postponed to 04.05.011. age, building supporting walls, and railway and signalling works. (ii). Tender No. HN/KB/03/11: Design and Implenentation of Earthworks, Infrastruc- The tender includes the follow- tures, Bridges and Landscape Rebuilding of the Netivot - Goral Junction section. ing: Structure 01: Upgrading existing (Tender 8). This is an integral part of the 60km. Ashkelon - Beer-Sheva line currently under construction. This 30. km. double-track line, planned for 160km/h is to be built platforms; 0 Upgrading station build- on the Design and Build system, implementation time is 3 months, dates for proposal ing;: 03: Track doubling and upgrading:; submissions: 1.07.011. 04; control works. Implementation time is 18 months, Latest date for submissions: (iii). Tender 48/11: Designing and Building section No. 1 between Na‘aman Junc- 0.05.011. tion (near Akko) and Kfar Yasif Junction, as part of the planned Akko - Carmiel line. Implementation time: 7 months. Bids by 1.06.011. (vi). Tender No. TH/SR/02/11: Frame- work agreement for providing mainte- (iv). Tender 34/11. Designing and Building section No. 4 between Kfar Yehoshua nance services for hydraulic systems and Kfar Baruch as part of planned Haifa - Beit Shean line. Implementation time: 7 months; Bids by 7.06.011. - up to 300-bar pressure - installed on the track maintenance and other engineer- (v). Tender No. BN/KB/01/11. Upgrading of Nahariyya Passenger Station. Works ing mechanical equipment used by the include: Lengthening and enlarging the existing platform, expanding the station building, railways. The tender refers to two service upgrading the air-conditioning system in the station building, adding new canopies, rein- areas, north and south; there will be a forcing the memorial monument (to victims of a terrorist attack here), installing a water separate tender winner for each area. The supply system both for washing/drinking purposes and fire-fighting including reservoir contract is for 1 months with optional ex- tanks and a pressure-increasing device; supply and installation of a sprinkler system in tensions of up to additional 48 months. the station building, supply and installation of toilets for the disabled; laying new tracks

Page 8 ,cfrv (vii). Tender No. HN/KB/06/11: Perfor- tory works and dismantling; treatment of (xiv). Tender No. TK/SR/07/11: A frame- mance of archaeological rescue excava- existing lines, plating with piling, excava- work agreement as part of a Turnkey tions at the Hermes ruins located on the tions, building concrete supporting walls, scheme to design, manufacture, supply, install, test, operate and hand over, sup- alignment of the Rehovot - Benei Darom and a concrete roadbed at both entrances/ port, guarantee and maintain low-level (near Ashdod) line. Works include: Coor- exits, partial submersion of the passage digital transmission systems. The con- dination and obtaining necessary approv- in the ground while the line is operating, tracts is for 60 months wih optional exten- als from the Antuiquities Authority, carrying and building a pumping station. Imple- sions of up to additional 60 months. Sub- out rescue excavations, preparing reports mentation time: 7 months, submissions by missions by 13.06.011. on archaeological finds. The project is di- 05.05.011. vided into two sites: Site A (North): located (xv). Tender No. TH/SR/08/11. Frame- between cuts 11.800 and 11.880 of the (xi). Tender No. RF1 - for preparing a work agreement for providing mainte- track and up to a distance 40m from the tender for leasing an area at the hazard- nance services for pneumatic systems with up to 20 Bar pressure, railway en- track; Site B (South) between cuts 11.880 ous material storage centre at Ramat gineering equipment. The tender is divid- and 1.80 and up to 45m from the track. Hovav, using the rail link for transporta- ed into two areas, North and South, with The excavations will comprise 180 sq. (5 x tion to and from the centre. Proposals by a separate winning bidder for each area. 5m.) sites totalling 4,500 sq.m,. of which 1.05.011. Contract is for 1 months with optional 40 sites comprising 1,000 sq. m. form Site extensions of up to additional 48 months. A and 140 sites of 3,500 sq. m. site B. The (xii). Tender No. TM/KB/91/11: Frame- Proposals by 0.06.011. intention is to have two separate winners, work agreement for maintenance works one for each site. Implementation time is around all railway lines, including cutting (xvi). Tender No. MH/SR/01/11: Frame- four months, submissions by 13.04.011. trees and weeds, anti-weed spraying, work agreement for supply, installation and integration, operation and main- maintenance and cleaning of ditches, tenance of a computerized system for (viii). Tender No. MC/RC/05/11. For culverts etc. The intention is to divide this managing the IR refuelling system and design, supply and installation of a full work into two areas, the northern area from maintaining control hardware. The con- testing system for Diesel Engines, Bids Nahariyya to Tel Aviv South (inclusive), the tract is for 60 months with optional exten- by 30.05.011. southern area from there to Har Tzin, and sions of up to a further 60 months. Sub- to select two winning bidders, one for each missions by 31.07.011. (ix). Tender No. 17/2011: Yizra’el (Jez- area. The contract is for 1 months with (xvii). International Tender No. MC/ reel) Rail Project, Section A1, design optional extensions of up to additional 48 RC/01/10 For Manufacture and Supply & build system, from Haifa Lev HaMi- months. Proposals by 5.05.011. of an Ultrasonic Inspection System for rolling stock Wheelset Axles. Latest date fratz to Nesher. Implementation time: for proposals: 31.05.011 - later extended 30 months. Latest date for submissions: (xiii). Evidence that the plans for open- to 14.06. 03.07.011. ing the Tel Aviv - Rishon-LeZion West - B‘nei Darom line this summer are really (xviii). International Tender No. MC/ (x). Tender No. CA/RS/01/11: An annual concrete can be found in the following ten- RC/05/11: For Design, Supply and Instal- framework agreement for supply of of- ders:- lation of a Full testing system for Diesel fice furniture for all the railways‘ sites. Tenders Nos. RC/2011/8 - Providing Engines. Proposals by 1.06.011. The agreement is for 1 months with op- Coffee and baked products sales stands tional extensions of up to additional 48 at Junction and Holon Wolfson sta- (xviv). Tender No. MS/RC/2011/11: Pro- viding Taxi Services from/to Asdod-Ad- months. Submissions by 03.05.011. tions; RC/011/9 for the same at Bat-Yam Halom railway station. Contract is for 36 Komemiyut and Bat-Yam Yoseftal stations; months, bids by 16.06.011. (xi). Tender No. HN/KB/04/11. Building and TC/011/10 for the same at Rishon a Pedestrian and Bicycle passage un- LeZion West (Moshe Dayan) and Yavne Tender TC/MT/18/10 for a chief designer der the B‘nei Berak - Petah-Tikvah line West stations. for the electrified lines has been won by at km. 7.500 (measured from Tel-Aviv) The contract for each station is Yani Ltd., a local design firm. to link the Petah-Tikva Em-HaMoshavot for 36 months with optional extensions of neighbourhood with the agricultural areas up to additional 4 months. Latest date for north of the line. Works include: Prepara- submissions is 30.05.011.

,cfrv Page 9 93:06. SCHEMES.

A. JERUSALEM. (i).LOGO. From a press release by CityPass on 13.03.011: CityPass has unveiled a new and drivers know the exact limits of the logo as part of overall preparations towards the start of commercial services iin August danger zones. 011. The advertising officer, Shalmor-Avnon Amichai, who introduced the new logo - ) Increasing visibility of the three red windows of a train in motion - explained that it reflects the fast traffic sequence, rolling stock by retrofitting flashing lights the landscape of the city as seen from the train windows, the variety of colours of the city that operate automatically when the train and even the stones of the old city wall. is in motion. The choice of colour is due to the fact 3) Outfitting that this first LRV route is called the Red the front of each train Line. The new logo will soon be seen not with an automatic only on the trains, but also on stations bell to ring every few and ticket sale points. seconds and warn of the train‘s approach. (ii). WARNINGS (I).. 4) Instal- From a press release of lation of permanent 30.03.011 by City Pass: This week City- fencing in pedestrian Pass has removed the temporary fencing zones wherever side- along Jaffa Street which had been set walk width is less than up during the infrastructure works and two meters, or where should now enable the public to become the sidewalk narrows accustomed to the new transport mode. and channels pe- destrians toward the A publicity campaign on the new ar- right-of-way. rangements and the risks associated with 5) Estab- them includes distribution of leaflets by lishment of appropri- stewards and stewardesses and advertis- ate Light Rail speed ing on boards, hoardings, bridges, buses and newspapers at a cost of several hundred limits, allowing for safe stopping distances thousand dollars. These instruct the public how to behave when a tram is passing. [i.e. in different field-of-view conditions, and don’t walk in front of it! The Editor sadly expects nonetheless to be reporting the first not to exceed 5 km/h in pedestrian zones casualties by the next issue....]. or 30 km/h at unguarded vehicle cross- ings. However, since none of these (iii). WARNINGS. (II). measures has been adopted by the au- As an example of public reaction, here is a statement Aharon Gazit forwarded, thorities, the organization claims that it is from: „METUNA: The Organisation for Road Safety P.O. Box 7 08 Jeru- forbidden - from both a moral and a legal salem 91071 point of view - to remove the temporary protective fencing from along the right-of- LIGHT RAIL TO OPERATE IN JERUSALEM WITHOUT NEEDED SAFETY way and knowingly subject the public to MEASURES mortal danger.

In view of the fact that certain crucial safety measures have yet to be imple- mented for the Project, Metuna, the Voluntary Organization for Road Safety in Israel, has written to the Israeli Trans- portation Minister and the Mayor of Jerusalem informing them that their decision to remove the temporary fencing along the rail right-of- way that has protected the residents during the test phase of opera- tion is illegal, unreasonable, and engages their personal responsibil- ity. Metuna points out that on the one hand the authorities an- ticipate up to 10 killed and dozens injured in Light Rail accidents dur- ing the first year of operation, while on the other hand advertising and educational campaigns to educate the citizenry on proper com- portment in the vicinity of Light Rail have just begun, in spite of the fact that such campaigns can take up to a year before they have a significant effect on behavior and safety. During testing, the Light Rail has proven to be silent and in- visible, with residents marveling at how the train „just appears before your eyes“. To counter this danger, Metuna has demanded the implementation of five basic safety measures prior to commercial op- eration of the Light Rail: 1) Designation of the right-of-way with ADA strips or some other conspicuous and uniform marking so that pedestrians

Page 10 ,cfrv Metuna‘s Chairman, Mordechai tember.“ And then: „This morning the pa- seven BRT lines in the first stage, of which Feder, says: By agreeing to removal of the per said there is another delay; the German three lines will later be converted to LRT; fencing at this premature point in time, company which is testing the safety of the both modes of will have the Transportation Minister and the Mayor system did not give it a passing grade and high capacity, will operate along the main have in essence approved a trial said there are still things to fix. So it looks traffic axis at high frequency and will enjoy involving human beings under conditions like it won‘t start running before the begin- segregated alignments. The lines will be that would be considered abuse and cru- ning of May.“ identified by colours - yellow, brown, blue elty to animals Unwavering adherence to and pink = BRT; red, green and violet = the architectural concept of an open pe- (v). UNIONISATION. LRT. NTA is interested in awarding the destrian plaza „just like in other cities of Even before the LRV commenced tenders to several main designers, each the world“ has caused the authorities to ig- services the 80 trainee drivers have created such team manager will be responsible for nore the toll in human lives that will result their own union in order to improve terms a single line or a section of it. from unsafe operation of the Light Rail. of employment, arguing that their work in Latest date for submission of Jerusalem‘s residents and visitors have a a closed environment with up to 500 pas- proposals: 11.04.011. right to be properly protected from the sengers aboard a train will put them under dangers of the Light Rail in Israel‘s capital. both mental and physical pressure. Both (ii). NTA Tender No. 010/2011 for pro- It is unconscionable that the authorities CityPass and Veolia have declared that ev- viding preliminary design services for should deliberately endanger the public erything had already been established in the deployment of metropolitan transpor- while knowing full well that alternatives are the work contracts, and that their terms tation control systems. Submissions by available, and we hold them personally re- are alreay the best among all public trans- sponsible for any deaths and injuries that port drivers. 01.05.011. may result. (iii). Tender No. 014/2011: Providing Metuna is an independent, apo- (vi). ENVIRONMENTAL IM- consultancy services for control centre litical volunteer organization dedicated to PROVEMENTS. and priority at traffic lights. Submission reducing deaths and injuries from road ac- On 04.05.011 The Minister for Environ- by 9.05.011. cidents in Israel. mental Protection Mr. Gilad Arden visited (iv). NTA Tender No. 024/2011- Provid- Mordechai Feder the LRV project and was hosted by City- ing consultancy services for creating Chairman, Metuna Pass management. He visited the control schedules; senior Consultant. Latest date P.O.B. 708 centre and was impressed by the quiet for submission of proposals: 0.06.011. Jerusalem 91071 ISRAEL journey along the entire line. He stated (v). Tender No. 025/2011- Providing Tel/Fax: +97-6-197 ‚The LRV is an environmentally-friendly consultancy services for creating sched- [email protected]“ transport mode and a comfortable and ef- ules; Project Consultant. Latest date for ficient alternative to the private car. Since submission of proposals: 0.06.011. [Ed. adds: Well, they don‘t as yet the LRV started running on Jaffa Street (on (vi). Tender No. 026/2011- Providing demand a man with a red flag walking in test only so far) and the street was closed consultancy services for creating sched- front of each tram, nor do they seem to for buses and taxis, air pollution has de- ules; Primavera Consultant. Latest date consider what happens when buses also creased by an average of 65%. This is the for submission of proposals: 0.06.011. use public highways. But it is an interest- first Israeli green urban public transport (vii). Tender 030/2011. Providing eco- ing example of moral blackmail. ] vehicle.‘ nomic and commercial consultancy ser- vices. Bids by 6.06.011. (iv).DELAYED (vii). IMPATIENCE. INTRODUCTORY RIDES. On 4.05 some fifty people dem- On 07.04.011 the Transport onstrated on Jaffa Street aganst the delays Ministry‘s General Manager announced to the project. they threw garbage on the that the intention was to run trams in pre- tracks and were arrested by the police. public service not from 07.04, as previous- Meanwhile 98 people, mainly ly announced, from 17.04.011 along the businessmen, have lodged a Court Appeal Jaffa Street, at a ‚symbolic fare‘, to help against CityPass, demanding ca. $150M acquaint the public with the new transport compensation due to the fact that more mode. Sybil notes that these introduc- than 70% of businesses were effectively tory rides will be from Damascus Gate to closed since the works ebgan and more the Central Bus Station, and „Road safe- than 15000 opeople lost their jobs. City- ty organisations expect that there will be Pass claims in return that property values around thirty people killed by the light rail along Jaffa Street have risen sharply re- every year. I wouldn‘t be surprised, because cently. The Court will have to decide. The there is nothing to distinguish the pave- General Workers‘ Union has declared a ment from the light rail tracks, no fencing work conflict with CityPass due to the firm or anything. People wander across Jaffa firing six employees and ceasing special Road everywhere, with just a quick look bus services to/from work. to see whether a tram is coming (they are now going up and down all the time.)“ B. TEL AVIV. Then on 1.04 Jeremy Topaz first reported: „On April 17th. the light rail (i). Tender: NTA ()/ LRV will begin to carry passengers between the Project management) tender No. Central bus station and the Damascus 017/2011: Design of BRT lines. Gate. The ride is free for Jerusalem resi- The BRT (i,.e. Bus ) dents (on presentation of an ID) but the lines are an integral part of the National fare is NIS  for non-residents. The full Plan No. 3/A/4; defined as a public trans- opening of the line is slated to be in Sep- port mass transit system it will consist of

,cfrv Page 11 93:07. The buffet on the train is primi- tive, inconvenient and sells only one kind of drink, and that costs no less than 30 NOTES AND COMMENTS. agorot. On our return home from Tel Aviv, (a). A DUTCHMAN IN EGYPT. a few hours later, the situation wasn‘t much Marc Stegemann has sent a (translated) excerpt from a book with the snappy better. The ‚express‘ train took an hour and title „Mijne reis naar Java in 1869 en terugkeer over Engelsch Indie, Palestina enz. in 43 minutes instead of an hour and 5 min- 1870.“ (J. van der Chijs, 1874, printed by C. van der Post, Utrecht, 1 5pp.) i.e. „My Jour- utes according to the timetable. In view of ney to Java in 1869 and return via India and Palestine etc. in 1870.“ Mr. van der Chijs this fact we don‘t understand the justifica- travelled initially by ship from the Netherlands to Egypt and noted in his diary:- tion for charging an ‚express passenger‘ „Upon arrival in Alexandria, with regard to the lower temperature in the evening, supplement. by the way, passengers were we went to the train station. The ‚Expresse‘ fast train turned out to be uncomfortable even still putting their feet on the padded seats. in the first class coach. For 54 florins it would bring us over 4 miles to Suez. Because We asked a railway employee the reason of darkness I missed the desert view. In 1840 a stage coach was run and camel caravans for the state of neglect. The man shrugged over five stages, but at that time you could not find hotels in Cairo and Alexandria! The his shoulders in despair. ‚We have to ar- canal was still not yet completed. A steam launch took us to the English mail steamer gue with those responsible, with our col- Candia. After arrival in Surabaya (Netherlands East Indies) I had a walk with a surveyor leagues, with the stationmasters and even who told me that when on the Suez train he was travelling behind a goods van that with the public.‘ he complained about the caught fire. They could not give an alarm signal and ran the risk their coach would catch police, who according to him don‘t come fire too. It was not before the next stop (which were few) that the crew discovered the to the aid of the ticket seller when there is fire.“ a dispuite between the ticket seller and a Some months later he returned from the East Indies:) On the return trip from passenger. ‚The most that happens is that Aden, he made acquaintance with an Irishman and decided to travel together by train the policemen try to settle matters instead from Suez to Ismailia. „The train runs alongside the Suez Canal, the river Nile and the old of arresting someone who doesn‘t pay for Irrigation canal. It seemed the Suez Canal was in many places not yet navigable because his ticket or fining him for not buying a of sand blown into it and soil displacement induced by the water displacement by steam ticket at the station‘, he said.“ ships. There was an English ship with a draught of 6.5 metres stuck at El Gizar where a dredger had to remove another 4 metres. For dredging, narrow gauge trains and bucket (c). MOTIVE POWER PROBLEMS IN dredgers were empoyed. A weekly steam boat service connected Madras with Marseilles; WORLD WAR 1. if there would have been a Dutch service the journey to Batavia would take just 45 days That things were very difficult for without the troublesome overland transversal of Egypt. In Ismailia there were abundant those running the supply routes to the Bal- donkey drivers who were a real nuisance, but you could not find any in Port Said. kans and the Middle East in World War 1 We boarded a steamer of the Austrian Lloyd to go to Jaffo/Joppe, but it was can be seen very clearly in a letter from the overcrowded and only seats were available, no cabins. The food was excellent, especially ‘Direction’ of the ‘Compagnie d’Exploitation the fresh fish. I made acquaintance with a German Polishman who had worked on the des Chemins de Fer Orientaux’ to the Suez Canal and wanted to visit Palestine before returning home.“ They saw the Lebanon ‘Vertreter des k.u.k. Feldeisenbahnchefs, and Mount Carmel and finally after 18 hours on board Jaffa came into view. „For landing, Herrn Generalstabshauptmann Hoffmann we had to board a dinghy and traverse the breakers and avoid the rocks. The Turks com- von Ostenhof’ - i.e. to the representative in mand high rents which ruin the land, which lacks beauty of nature, sights and lodgings. Constantinople of the Imperial and Royal Because of the latter we stayed at the Franciscan monastery. Although nowadays it is not Austrian Military Railways. (Thanks to Keith unsafe for Christians, it is not recommended not to observe women. We passed Jasor Chester who found this in archives in Vi- and Lod and then it did not take longer than half an hour to the monastery at Ramleh. enna). Travellers will not find food in this dirty place. From here to Jerusalem there was no stage “We have the honour to inform coach service so we had to ride horseback in a caravan for eight hours.“ you that we are in negotiations with the Central Direction of the Royal Hungarian (b). TRAVEL IN THE 1960‘s. State Railways in Budapest regarding the I have been sent a translation by Sybil of an article from ‚Ma‘ariv‘ of June 4th. purchase of three six-coupled superheated 1964 Reproducing it here allows for some comparisons with the modern equivalent steam locomotives of the -6-6-0 Mallet services..... type, however these can only be complet- „The Train between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is late, dirty and uncomfortable. By ed when the Royal Finance and War Minis- Y. Ben-Shaul. „Israel Railways makes things very easy for the inhabitants of Beit Shem- try gives its approval to the purchase and esh and the surrounding villages who are forced to travel to Jerusalem and back to do delivery. We have already submitted such their daily errands, and for some of them their daily work. a request to the Finance Ministry, however The railway station is right at the edge of the town and the residents do not need the carrying out of this request has hit dif- to go to the distant Shimshon Junction to catch a bus from there to Jerusalem. In addi- ficulties in terms of approval by the War tion, the train is much cheaper than the bus or the sherut. So naturally most residents of Ministry. We therefore allow ourselves to Beit Shemesh and the surroundings would prefer to travel by train to and from the capital approach you directly with the request that but for the terrible state of the line. you intervene as quickly as possible, and ‚I went by train almost every day in the last few weeks,‘ a resident of Beit Shem- will therefore explain here fully the circum- esh tells us, ‚and I don‘t remember a single time when the train wasn‘t eight to 30 minutes stances that have led to the urgency of this late, and even more. The dirt in the carriages and the lack of comfort are indescribable, request. and I prefer to pay more and go by bus.‘ Already in the Balkan War of At the beginning of this week we went by train ourselves from Jerusdalem to 191-1913 our locomotive stock was very Tel Aviv. We left Jerusalem five minutes late, and this delay increased to 0 minutes by intensively used and fifteen locos were in the time we arrived in Tel Aviv. On the way we managed to count 7 (twenty-seven) pairs of shoes (with feet in them) on the padded benches. When we reported this to the train conductor he reacted as if it was nothing to do with him. This was train No. 54 on Sunday of this week.

Page 1 ,cfrv the hands of the enemy for the duration; negatively affected. Since our Company is over Holocaust: The measure seeks to these were only returned to us at the be- largely financed from funds from the Aus- counter SNCF’s argument that it is im- ginning of 1914 and in very poor condi- tro-Hungarian Monarchy and our railway is mune to legal action thanks to the Foreign tion. It was not possible to repair all this also serving the needs and interests of the Sovereign Immunities Act, the new pro- damage before the outbreak of the World Austro-Hungarian forces in the Orient, it posal’s Republican and Democrat authors War in 1914, since on the one hand the seems to us appropriate in these circum- said as they unveiled it Thursday. materials had first to be ordered, and sec- stances that the k.u.k. Military authorities ‘Nothing will ever make up for ondly the emigration of populations after recognise our urgent need for locomotives the atrocities undertaken by Nazi Germa- the Balkan Wars led to major changes in and especially so, since the Royal Hun- ny and its collaborators - but every bit of our workforce and the loss of many experi- garian State Railways are in a position to justice is important’, said Democrat rep- enced workers, who could not be replaced offer us the three locomotives demanded resentative Carolyn Maloney, one of the immediately. from a large order for such engines which bill’s lead sponsors. ‘This bill allows some As a consequence of this the pro- is currently being delivered to to the Royal measure of justice and closure for those portion of our stock of engines awaiting re- and then replace who have suffered.’ The measure has been pair as the war began was already higher these. introduced in the House of representatives than normal, and this has risen even further In view of your reliable support and the Senate, which would need to pass during the past three years, since following so far, which you have always provided identical legislation to send it to President the closure of the Dardanelles our railway our company, we hope that you will in this Barack Obama to sign into law. The bill has provided the only artery of communi- case too inform the k.u.k. War Ministry of aims to clear a legal path for Holocaust cation with the Orient for the entire mass the absolute necessity for meeting our re- survivors and their heirs to sue the SNCF, of military and civilian traffic. What this quest...... Yours Sincerely,....” which is seeking lucrative contracts to means in terms of an enormous rise in build high-speed rail in the United States. demand can be seen from the following: (d). GERMAN MILITARY RAILWAYMEN The company has formally ex- In 1911, the year that is best taken as a ON HEDJAZ LINE. pressed remorse and insisted it was forced datum before the war, with a system length In Alfred Gottwaldt’s ‘Heeresfeld- by France’s World War II German occupi- of 470 kilometres we transported on aver- bahnen’ (Motorbuch Verlag 1986) on the ers to help deport 75,000 French Jews to age only 4,300,000 wagon axle kilometres German military railways of both world the gas chambers, and noted that ,000 of per month, whereas in June 1917 with a wars, p. 1 5 is a very tiny item on the ‘Pal- its own rail workers were executed. system length of only 34 kilometres we estine Front’ - which at least adds some The SNCF is bidding on a $.6 moved 7,700,000 wagon axle kilometres. bits of information from the German ar- Billion rail project linking the Florida cit- In order to cope with these de- chive perspective, though the information ies of Orlando and Tampa that is part of mands we have spared ourselves neither is also a little dated and incorrect! Obama’s multi-million-dollar initiative money nor effort; we have - at great ex- “The well-known Hedschasbahn of to improve rail service across the United pense - brought experienced railwaymen 1050mm gauge from Damascus to Me- States. In California, where the SNCF is in- from Germany, when it became clear our dina, 1305 km. long, was opened on 1st. terested in another rail project, lawmakers demands could not be met from Austria- September 1908 together with the 161 km tried last year to pass a law obliging bid- Hungary. We were also able to hire locomo- long branch Dera - Haifa. In the world war ders to disclose details of their involvement tives and crews from the German Military it became a transport line to the Turkish in wartime deportations. It was vetoed.” Administration, and at present  of these Front in Palestine, which was supported by are at work. This increased motive power the German ‘Asien-Korps’. To support the Related to the above is a story stock also means of course an increased Front (against England) the Turkish Army, which appeared in several media in early amount of maintenance is necessary. Our supported by German railway troops, built 011: The closed station at Bobigny near main workshops in Jedikule - which is the a 1050mm gauge line in 1914 from Sileh was to be handed over by SNCF to only one available to us for all repair work (Nazareth) - Nablus (- Jerusalem) 10 km. the local authorities who would then re- now that the second one at Adrianople/ long with stations 30km. apart and 50m store it as a memorial to the deportations Odrin has been handed to the Bulgarians long. The continuation to Jerusalem was of Jews and others from nearby Drancy. - is hardly able to keep up with the regular built by four contractors. In later war years, routine maintenance workload. The num- starting in Winter 1917/18, two German (f). BUYING ‚MAKE STRAIGHT THE ber of locomotives awaiting heavier repair Special Companies Nos. 11 and 44/48 WAY‘. is therefore steadily growing and is cur- were sent to the Orient Front to take over As has been noted, Paul Cotterell‘s rently 43 - 45%, whereas in normal times operations on the main lines; these com- book has been published in Hebrew and Eng- one would reckon with around 0%. prised mainly professional railwaymen. lish and a German version (slightly expanded As one can see from this over- The last military train on the main line was with a map and a couple of additional photos) view we will not be able to last long even an armoured draisine that left Amman on will be published in September 2011 by Ver- with the German locos currently on hire 4th. September 1918 at 10.30pm.” lag Hentrich & Hentrich, Berlin. and we must decide to purchase new ma- [Notes: The line to Nablus was This latter will be available from chines, especially as the German authori- from Afule through Sileh and was not near bookshops but the Hebrew and English ones ties have made it absolutely clear that they Nazareth, the line to Jerusalem was never are not. Gerry Kandler has informed me that are not able to provide us with any further in the end completed (it is unclear how IR will indeed accept cheques in Sterling or engines. much was even done in terms of earth- US Dollars - anyone interested in purchasing That our decision is forced works - instead the line from Massoudiyeh is invited to contact Aviad Shafir at upon us by the bitter and urgent need is on the Sileh - Nablus line went down to the [email protected] also documented by the exorbitant prices coastal plain at Tulkarm and Jerusalem The price is roughly £16 plus postage and which are currently demanded for loco- was eventually reached via Lydda. WLR.] packing. Gerry adds„ He had rather a lot of motives. But apart from this, we also con- copies when I went to his office in Tel Aviv sider it our patriotic duty and a matter of (e). MORE ON SNCF AND AMERICAN and I thought I would like to help them out a honour to undertake whatever we can to LEGAL ISSUES. bit (they made me very welcome).“ ensure that the traffic on this so-important (See issue 90). On 1.03.011 stretch of line to the Orient is in no way AFP reported: “US Bill targets French rail

,cfrv Page 13 to the Israel Railway Museum. (g). ROBERT W. RICHARDSON - OBIT- Mr. Gur approached IR‘s Gilad Helfer, who referred him to me. I was naturally UARY. all-too-willing to accept the kind offer, but there was still the small matter of getting the Back in issues 30:25, 31:6:(d) and owner‘s permission for not only handing-over the loco, but also giving it a little cosmetic 45:9 we featured some memoirs of Robert W. restoration at the works, as the Museum would have been hard-pressed to deal with the (‚Bob‘) Richardson under the title „A Yank missing bonnet and the many dents. This was eventually agreed, as the owner of the in Palestine“; Chen Melling has sent me an works, Rami Shani, considered the project to be in memory of his son, Assaf, who was obituary by Ron Hill from the website of tragically killed in an accident at the works. the Colorado Railroad Museum. It seems he As there was no documentation left at the works of the loco, and my contacts was born Rochester, Pennsylvania on 21st. failed to come up with appropriate drawings in time, the works‘ fitters and welders cre- May 1910 and died at State College, Penn- ated a rough approximation of the missing bonnet, based on the pictures of similar locos sylvania, on 23rd. Feb. 2007 at the age of found on-line, and welded a spare Deutz engine inside. While this is inoperable and of a 96. He moved age 5 to Akron Ohio, became somewhat larger type then the original, it does look very nice when viewed through the a printer there, had to close down in 1937, imitation ventilation screens in the sides of the new bonnet. They were also kind enough and became co-editor of a stamp-collecting replace some wasted panels and to eventually paint the loco in scheme similar to what it magazine. His other hobby was photograph- probably wore when new. ing railroads, and he later served in the US Finally, the loco was ready for dispatch and approval was received from IR‘s Army in Iran in WWW2, studying the Per- management for the transportation expenditure. The little machine was loaded on a sian railroads and learning Farsi. In 1941 he truck by a very large forklift, thoughtfully supplied by the works, and off we went to Haifa, had got to know the narrow-gauge railroads keeping our fingers crossed that the rather thin chains used to secure the Deutz would of Colorado and in 1948 moved to Alamosa, not fail while travelling on the area‘s busy main roads. Eventually all was well, and after Colorado and opened a motel there featuring figuring out that in the intended spot of disembarkation the track was about half-an-inch narrow-gauge equipment he and others had too narrow, the road crane in attendance managed to push the shunter a few metres saved, started a magazine on the topic and further, where the old track widens. camapigned against total abandonment of the There still remain some cosmetic finishing-touches to perform on our new ac- network. This interest and the contacts he de- quisition. First and foremost is the reassembly of the Deutz emblem on the cab‘s back veloped led to the formation of the Colorado side, and the surviving works-plate on the bonnet. Then, we hope to be able to replace Narrow Gauge Museum, which has grown the missing glass windows in the cab and perhaps correct a couple of painting errors on steadily with a roundhouse, loop of track, a the buffer beams. And who knows, perhaps some day in the distant future, someone de- library named after him, and more. He retired cides the Museum needs an operable small shunter, and funding will be found to restore in 1991 and moved back to Pennsylvania. it both externally and operationally.“

(h). DUBAI TRANSPORT FAIR. (j). SCHIENENZEPPELIN BEGINNINGS. The 59th. UTIP World Congress Baruch Katinke had a predecessor. An article in ’Lok Magazin’ No. 83 for March/ and Fair ‚Mobility and City Transport‘ was April 1977 p. 107 describes a small, low 4wh. long-wheelbase trolley (built by Sternberg held at Dubai 10-14th. April 2011. The motto & Co. who built Draisines) which was fitted with a 100hp motor and in 1909 was used was „The smartest way to save the Planet.“ at the Airship Exhibition at Frankfurt am Main to test and demonstrate the use of various One could (cynically) assume that not flying types of propellor, which could be powered at anything between 00 and 1,00 rpm. large numbers of European tourists unneces- sarily to a beach on the Persian Gulf might be one contribution to this laudable aim.... Bombardier had stand 7C200 in Hall 7, next to the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA). http://uitp.bombardier.com/1_0.jsp.

(i). NEW ARRIVAL AT ISRAEL RAIL- WAY MUSEUM! DEUTZ 0-4-0D. FROM KIRYAT HAPLADA Chen writes: „On Friday, May 13th, the little Diesel-mechanical Deutz in- dustrial shunter which used to work in the Kiryat HaPlada („Steel City“) steel recycling complex near Akko was transported to the Israel Railway Museum in Haifa. The 1960-built 55hp loco was desig- nated by Deutz as type KS 55 B (not A4L 514 R as I erroneously en- tered in Paul Cotterell‘s Little is known about its operational history but by the time second book, Make I first had the chance to view it in person in 00, it was Straight the Way) and already withdrawn at least since the original owners, ‚Kur‘ worked the complex‘s closed-down the plant in 000. Since then its Diesel en- standard-gauge sidings gine was also taken out, and it was on the verge of being for some four decades, scrapped in the summer of 010, when one of the works‘ losing its engine bonnet operational managers, Roni Gur, whose grandson is a sometime near the end. train-loving kid who recognized the loco from Paul‘s book mentioned above, came up with the idea of presenting it

Page 14 ,cfrv 93: 08. OTHER MIDDLE EAST RAILWAYS.

INTRODUCTION AND WARNING. The political upheavals in the region continue - this may be obvious to readers right now but is included as part of the his- torical record should anyone read this magazine in future years. For decades Dera‘a was known to railway enthusiasts merely as a sleepy town with a station boasting a footbridge and a two-road engine shed, where loco changes occasionally took place - now, on 23.04 it was reported that seven people had been shot by Syrian security forces in Dera’a and other Syrian cities in anti-Government demonstrations; the following day that another fourteen had been shot during funeral marches, the town was sealed off, international sanctions were being threatened.... . In Yemen at the same time the long-term ruler had finally agreed to go, President Gadhaffi of Libya was acknowledging the loss of the city of Misrata to ‘rebels’, and for all we know his wonderful new train is already a smoking ruin; there were tensions in some Gulf states, and Yemen, (and even Morocco), and of course Iran remains a totalitarian enigma. (Part of the enigma being why so few in the West are prepared to acknowledge this.) What all this means is that Nobody Knows what is really going to happen, or what effect all this may have on long-term politi- cal coalitions, on national and international infrastructure works, on investment, on hobby-based tourist activities, on anything much at all. All we can do is report the items we consider relevant that come to us, in the secure knowledge that any quarterly magazine is already out of date before it is despatched from the printers or put on the net. Maybe in ten years or so one can look back at past issues and at least have the information of the time recorded. The Editor.

- 810km. long. Russia is building the 554km. “With over 1 M inhabitants A. LIBYA. line from Sirte to Benghazi. The contract to the has grown into one of the largest cities in the Further to 9:08 (and see 93:01): Russians also includes signalling and safety world. Just as the population, within the past In ‘Eisenbahn Magazin’ 4/ 011 p. 1 is an item measures and communications. As regards twenty years the urban transport network has regarding the Ansaldo-Breda IC4 diesel mul- rolling stock, the newly-formed ‚Libyan Rail- also grown rapidly This process is even more tiple units for the DSB (Danish State Railways); road‘ has ordered 16 locos as part of an Egyp- remarkable since at the beginning of the 1980’s 83 of these four-car units have been ordered, tian order for 56 locos from General Electric. one was starting basically from nothing. At this at an original price of 700M, but delays due The traditional links between Italy period there only existed a modest suburban € to all sorts of reasons including software mean and Libya are also noticeable in this railway service on the two railway lines left and right that entry into service has been delayed for project. The Italian Finmeccanica has, through of the Bosphorus, whereby these services even years and the builders have had to pay 85M a subsidiary Ansaldo STS, gained the contract today still share the same two tracks as the in- € due to penalty clauses! In addition, 3 -car for the signalling on the sections of line (to- frequent freight and long-distance passenger ‘IC ’ units were ordered and there is a photo of talling 1460km) being built by the Chinese. services. To this could be added the ancient the first of these at the Velim test circuit in the In return, Italy has also presented Muammar ‘Tünel’, an underground dating from Czech Republic. al-Gaddafi with a Saloon Train to mark the 1875. In this respect Istanbul could at least lay It transpires that the DSB was aston- fortieth anniversary of the revolution - an IC4 claim to possessing one of the oldest under- ished, in view of all these problems, to learn set taken from the running production line of ground railways in the world, but nevertheless from the press that an 84th. set had been com- sets for the DSB and rebuilt with a luxurious this was one which had only very limited and pleted and had been in use in Libya since last interior. This includes two Saloon Cars and a local significance. A really decent urban rail year! Further, Libya owns (or had owned until Conference Car. The chances for this unit ever network simply did not exist. Buses, taxis and now - there are so many changes at present to reach its designated top speed of 00km/h ferries dominated local public transport, but in this region) % of Finmeccanica, of which are probably still intact... were increasingly unable to keep pace with the Ansaldo-Breda is a subsidiary.... Hardly anyone would ever have demands caused by the expansion of the city So this is what Signor Berlusconi had guessed that the IC4 would also run under the and the increasing congestion on the streets. presented to the Libyan leader Gadhaffi...... !! hot African sun. The DSB learned of the de- The former tramway network, which like the livery of an IC4 to Libya only from the press. railways had been divided geographically into In ‚Schweizer Eisenbahn-Revue‘ Since the technical problems of these trains two separate sections on the European and the 4/011 p. 173 is more: The double-track main have been resolved partially with Danish know- Asiatic sides, had been run into the ground and line along the coast from the Tunisian border how, any series delivery to Libya could run into closed in 1961 (European) and 1966 (Asiatic). at R‘as Ajdir via Tripoli, Misrate, Sirte to Beng- contractual or legal difficulties. However, at hazi is intended to link the largest Libyan cities; present no-one can tell how the political situa- Development of ‘Schnellbahn’ and Tramways The 600km. extension via Tobruk to the Egyp- tion there may develop.“ in Istanbul. tian border at Umm Sa‘ad and thence on to a In view of the increasing traffic prob- link with ENR at Sollum is being planned by B. TURKEY. lems, in 1986 construction of the so-called the German ‚Dorsch Afrique‘ agency. A single- (i). HIGH SPEED TO KONYA OPENED. Hafif Metro commenced, with Swedish as- track freight line will head south from near In ‘Eisenbahn Amateur’ 04/ 011 sistance. This is the sort of system which the Sirte to Sebha - this line is intended mainly for p. 00: “On 17th. Dec. 010 the 1 -km. long Stadtbahn in Nordrhein-Westfalen was actually transport of minerals such as iron ore, kaolin high-speed line Ankara - Konya was formally meant to be - a completely crossings-free ‘Sch- and quartz sand; In the longer term there is the opened. This is electrified at 5kV/50Hz and nellbahn’ with high platforms and overhead intention to extend it via Al Gadrun and Tournu laid out for maximum speeds of 50km/h. The power supply, laid out for vehicles 100m long into Niger, in order to provide African markets line, which is also fitted with ECTS Level 1 sig- and .65m wide. The Hafif Metro was opened with access to the Libyan ports. The coastal nalling, reduces the travel time from ten hours in stages from 1989, and in a large semi-circle line will be laid out for 50km/h running, to one hour, fifteen minutes! This is the second connects up the new suburbs at the western though initially it will be operated at 160km/h high.speed line to be opened, following that side of the city, the enormous long-distance and with diesel traction. Electrification can be from Ankara to Eskisehir in March 009.” bus station and the Atatürk Arport. In the city provided later. Near Tripoli a five-kilometre trial centre and also in some outer regions there section is already in operation. (ii). FORMER KÖLN ‘B’-CLASS STADT- are short stretches in tunnel. 6-axle units are The main contract was awarded in BAHNWAGEN IN ISTANBUL. used, built by ABB; their technical parameters 008 to the China Railway Construction Copr. In ‘Nachrichtenblatt’ No. 100 (4/10) are very similar to the then-Stadtbahn B trams. and the Russian State Railways (RZD). China is of the ‘Arbeitskreis Schienenverkehr im Rhein- They are currently used in sets of four, and building the 650km. western section from R‘as land Köln/Bonn/Koblenz’ pp. 34-46 is an article under the line designation M1 convey some Adjir to Sirte and the north-south line from the by ‘chg’ on the second career of these -car 40,000 passengers per day. coastal town of Al Hisha (near Sirte) to Sebha articulated electric units. The next step was a modern surface

,cfrv Page 15 tramway in the early 1990’s. This, designated provisional needs of this expanding high-plat- therefore work now as permanently-coupled line T1, serves the historic axis of old Istanbul form network. However the newly-ordered sets. The lower fixed step was removed since in on the European side. At two places there are high-platform cars ordered from Hyundai Istanbul all stops have either the 35 or 90cm. interchange possibilities to the Hafif Metro, and Rotem were initially faced with major teething platforms. The folding steps were however at the Zeytinburnu terminus even a rail connec- problems, and the creation of a local tram- retained - this is another element that makes tion. It was initially intended that the tramway building industry also took a lot longer than thes cars so well-liked in Istanbul, they are should work from the start with low-floor vehi- expected, despite the production and lengthy the only vehicles that can be freely employed cles, but at the opening in 199 these were not testing of some prototype cars. At the same on both the high- as well as the low-floor net- yet available; instead some of the Hafif Metro time a massive increase in passengers on the works. In terms of livery they are now in the cars were adapted, since some were temporar- two initial lines M1 and T1 led to the need to corporate design of Istanbul Ulasim, white with ily surplus as the line was not yet fully com- employ more vehicles on these as well. As a grey shading at the bottom and grey steps, a plete; in consequence the stops received tem- result of this situation the opening of line T4 black band over the windows and a blue roof. porary higher platforms. The low-floor trams was substantially delayed, even though the Apart from the doors there is a thin red line at only entered service since 003, and the high infrastructure was ready. Suddenly some new entrance level between the grey base and the platforms were then removed. Vehicles used provisional solutions were required. white sides. The lamp surrounds at the vehicle are Bombardier Flexity Swift, similar to those Once more it was really nothing ends are painted blue like the roof. used in Stockholm, which in turn were derived more than coincidence that these develop- During a visit to Istanbul at the end from the Köln K4000 type. They operate in ments in Istanbul should take place at approxi- of 009 numerous B-Cars were found in ser- pairs. The tramway is now one of the busiest in mately the same period as Köln was beginning vice. They provided the entire services on Line the world, with 45,000 passengers per day. to withdraw its first Class B Stadtbahn units. T with its provisional high platforms, eight In the following years the rail network These had become largely surplus to require- double-sets are in use to provide a five-minute was further extended, however without the use ments following the delivery of the K4500 series interval service. The Cars were also active on of identical standards. At various ends of the in 005-7 and the expansion of the low-floor the high-floor line T4 together with the first of urban area new rail systems sprang up, often system. This meant that suddenly second- the Hyundai-Rotem cars which were entering not even linked to one another. There is now hand cars were available on the market which service and some of the Hafif-Metro cars. Fi- a wholly-underground M metro line, with lon- would suit wonderfully the specifications em- nally two double-car sets were used for peak- ger and broader trains than those used on the ployed in Istanbul. This was a stroke of luck for hour supplementary services on the low-floor Hafif Metro, as well as third-rail power supply; both sides, for there is no other network really line T1. two ‘traditional’ tramways with historic trams, in Eastern - where many old vehicles In the meantime deliveries have the modern ‘Funiküler’ cable car and the Me- are sold on - which possesses such an infra- begun of the new Citadis trains from Alstom. trobüs guided bus system with its own lane in structure suitable for the broad and high-floor These should permit the removal of the high the centre reservation of the motorways. In ad- B-Type cars. In other words, Köln would oth- platforms on T and a conversion to low-floor dition two new lines, T and T4, were built con- erwise have had to scrap the cars, even though operation. Theoretically through services be- necting to the Hafif Metro and T1; these are they were essentially in good condition in tween T1 and T should then be possible, Stadtbahn lines but not free of all same-grade terms of bodywork and running gear. Instead, a transferring without problems at the Zeytin- crossings, albeit with high platforms. Currently deal was struck with the Istanbul transport op- burnu stop. However, the first Citadis have under construction is the Marmaray, the future perator Ulasim whereby the majority of these been put into service on T1 only, in order to S-Bahn system with the Bosphorus Tunnel. redundant vehicles would be sent to Turkey. strengthen the services here. Whether and Following some subsequent deals a total of 3 when T will also be converted to low-floor is Köln Vehicles in Istanbul. Stadtbahn B cars have gone to Istanbul, two of not at present clear. Likewise what would then Interestingly the network of Hafif these as sources of spare parts. happen to the B-Cars. Since a major extension Metro and Tramlines T1, T and T4 have al- to the Hafif Metro will also be completed in the most exactly the same technical specifications Transport of the vehicles from Köln near future, albeit no new vehicles have yet as the Köln Stadtbahn network. Although there to Istanbul was carried out by heavy lorries and been ordered for it, one can assume there will was no common consultation at the time, there overland. There are several anecdotes con- remain a need for high-floor vehicles for a while emerged in Istanbul a network with platforms nected especially to the transportation of the in Istanbul. The B-Cars will certainly then cel- set at either 35cm or 90cm height depending first two cars, through which experience was ebrate their 40th. birthdays on the Bosphorus, on line, both sections were worked by vehicles gained for later transports. For example, it was and who knows, maybe also their 50th.? Their .65m long, and electrified at 750V DC. The necessary for rails to be laid on the flat bed robust construction should enable this, if they alignment, profile and clearances and platform lorry, so at short notice some unused track was are well maintained. length permit the use of six-axle Stadtbahn dug up at the main workshops. Four cranes units in pairs on all these lines, and on the M1 could then lift the two cars onto the trans- A Bit of Statistics. even with four sets together. This internal unity porter. Due to the improvised piece of track the We could here take a quick look at between the lines is due partly to their origins load was now however 5cm. higher than per- the careers of these first series B-Type Köln with the provisional use of high-floor vehicles mitted, so it was necessary now to dismantle all Stadtbahn cars. A total of 59 of the cars of Se- on the T1 when it was first opened. The same equipment from the roofs of the cars and place ries 000 were delivered; the first two 001/ strategy was then used some years later when them in the interiors for movement. After eight were protoypes of 1973, the series production the T line was opened in 006. Here 35cm hours of work the convoy finally set off. They with 003-054 amd 095-099 followed in high platforms were built for double-trains, and came as far as without any significant 1976, 1977 and 1978. This later series was then fitted with temporary extensions to make problems, but here the next obstacle awaited separately numbered as they were originally then 90cm. high, and the Hafif-Metro units them. The heat. In summer 007 the weather delivered to the then-existing Köln-Bonner that had once been used on the T1 were used in south-east Europe was so warm that the as- Eisenbahn for the ‘Rheinuferbahn’ and were again. In this way the shortage of low-floor ve- phalt began to melt. The two transporters each taken over by the KVB in 199. The stock re- hicles could be covered for a while. The line T4 weighed around 50 tons and therefore left mained complete until three cars, 04, 046 which opened in stages in 007 and 009 was deep grooves in the road surface behind them. and 05 were victims of arson between 1996- also initially intended to be a low-floor operated The result was an enforced halt of one month, 1998; Prototype 00 was withdrawn in 1996 line but evolved during its construction into a until the authorities considered the asphalt had and 001 in 004, and both were scrapped. purely high-platform Stadtbahn line of the type cooled enough to become sufficiently hard. The rest remained in service until series K4500 known in Germany. There are some sections But all the cars had reached Istanbul by 008. were delivered in 007-8. A total of 3 were on a separate alignment in the middle of roads then sold to Istanbul - 003, 004, 006, and with same-level crossings, but also tunnel Service in Istanbul. 007, 010, 011, 013-016, 018-08, sections and other sections of above-ground The B-Cars were fettled and made 030, 034, 036-038, 040, 043, 045, track totally free of any road crossings. In the ready for their service in Istanbul. In the Ulasim 047, 051 and 097. In Istanbul they received end it was decided to build here proper perma- workshops at Esenier they received heavy over- three-digit numbers, simply by removing the 0 nent high platforms from the start. hauls and some technical modifications; thus, as second digit - so 097 became 97. Of course the stock of spare cars one coupling per car was removed to reduce A further 15 sets were withdrawn from the Hafif Metro could not match all the the risks while in use in the streets. Two cars and scrapped by the end of 008 - 005, 008,

Page 16 ,cfrv 009, 17, 09, 033, 039, 041, 048, Other bids were submitted by Bombardier 050, 053, 054, 095, 096, 099; this (vi). HAYDARPASA STATION FIRE. Transportation, AnsaldoBreda and Chinese meant that by the end of that year only seven On the afternoon of 8th. Novem- suppliers. Hyundai Rotem was the lowest were left in Köln - 01, 031, 03, 035, ber 010 fire broke out at this station, Turkey’s bidder, and has a strong footprint in Turkey 044, 049 and 098. 01 has since become most famous railway terminus and one of through its Eurotem local business. The South a museum car in original livery; 044 has be- Istanbul’s most important historic buildings. It Korean firm said it has now won orders to sup- come a works car and 098 was also scrapped started in the main roof at about 15.15, quickly ply around 800 heavy and light rail vehicles for after fire damage. This meant by the end of enveloped the centre roof section and spread seven projects in Turkey, and is hoping to win 009 only four cars were left as ‘iron reserve’ into the western ends of the roofs of the north an order to supply high speed trains.“ for line 5...... Their end is also in sight, but and south wings. Fire appliances arrived on (ix). GATX TANK WAGON CONTRACT. (from maybe Istanbul will need a further small deliv- the scene within 15 minutes and the fire was ‚R.G.‘ of 0 April 011). ery? We shall see.” under control within 45. It was at this time that „GATX Corp‘s tank wagon leas- three fire tugboats arrived and pumped tons of ing business GATX Rail Europe has entered (iii). “TCDD MODERNISATION: sea water onto the burning building. Two years the Turkish market with the deployment of a This and following items are from C.R.J No. earlier permission had been granted to convert fleet of 95 m3 petroleum tank wagons ordered 165, pp.315f. this listed building into a high-class shopping from RAIL Tur of Kayseri. Transtur will mange „Based on a visit in November 010: and tourist centre and a five-star hotel. Work the fleet, which carries refined products for BP With the Turkish economy flourishing, rail con- was well under way on the five million dollar Turkey. ‚It is especially satisfying to enter this struction is in full spate. The Marmaray project restoration work, but two months before the market with local experienced partners and will connect the European and Asian networks, fire, the director of the Department of Architec- high quality Turkish-manufactured wagons for by a tunnel coming off the existing line at Ye- ture warned that there as a serious risk of fire! service with our strategically important cus- nikapi (the third station out from Sirkeci) via a Since the disaster, questions have been raised tomer‘, said Johannes Mansbart, CEO of GATX new underground station at Sirkeci, then below about the type of insulation being installed in Rail Europe on April 18. ‚GATX works closely the Bosphorus to another such station near the roof, and the decision to use fire tugs to with companies in the BP family throughout the Üsküdar ferry terminal to join the existing pour salt water on a listed building. Tenderless Europe and North America to meet their rail line outside Haydarpasa station. The subur- -4-0 3004 (Sharp Stewart 3501/1888) for- transportation needs, and we are delighted to ban services on each side will use this line, as merly ORC No. 0, on display outside the sta- extend that relationship into the Turkish railway may high-speed trains in the longer term. Such tion appears to have survived unscathed, but market.‘“ existing services as continue may still use the our reporter has been unable to learn the fate surface termini. of the beautiful painted ceiling inside the main C. MOROCCO. The high-speed line from Ankara booking hall. There was certainly much water Not really ‘Harakevet’ territory as was opened to Eskisehir in April 009, trains damage to the lower floors, particularly where such, but an item in ‘Lok Magazin’ 04/ 011 p. running most hours and taking 90 minutes windows were broken. 30 by ‘WOH’ describes plans for a new TGV against the previous 3 1/ hours or so. Istan- Haydarpasa, in Scutari, on the east network in the country, work beginning in June bul connections are provided four times a day bank of the Bosphorus, was the starting point 011 on a 00km. line linking Tanger with by cross-platform connection, scheduled for of the Anatolian Railway, construction of which Kénitra (- Rabat) and further ambitious exten- 15-0 minutes, with an overall journey time started in 1871, with the first section opening sions planned towards Algiers. The total cost of 5 1/ hours or a bit more. One day train the following year. The original station had a will be some 1.8 Bn., of which Morocco will € and all night trains run throughout on the old grand but conventional building, set beside the pay 500M; and France 75M plus 845M in € € € line. Construction progresses towards Istanbul, tracks a little way inland. The tracks then con- cheap credit on condition that orders go to and from a triangular junction at Polatli, 90km. tinued onto two quays, built out into the Bos- French suppliers; But “Arab brother countries west of Ankara, south to Konya. Later sections phorus. The line was extended and became such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will contribute are planned from Irmak direct to Sivas, and to the CFOA, and plans developed to extend it to 380M.” One wonders whether such promises € Kayseri; from the Ankara direction via Afyon Baghdad and ultimately to Basra on the Per- have survived the recent turmoil. and Usak to Izmir, and from Bilecik to Bursa. sian Gulf. As part of this grand scheme, a new Further still in the future may be a link on the port was developed north of the quays, and the D. IRAN. European side from Istanbul to . The 6- area of the quays was filled in and a new ter- In ‘Eisenbahn Revue’ 4/ 011 p. car trains run at up to 50km/h, and the route minus was built there in 1908. It was designed 189, a photo of SBB Cargo Re 41.376 on ahead can be seen through a glass door be- by German architects Otto Ritter and Helmut 13/0/011 hauling four Siemens diesel loco- hind the driver. Cuno, and much of the construction was motives for Iran from München-Allach to Ham- carried out by German craftsmen and Italian burg-Harburg. (iv). ESKISEHIR. stonemasons. The resulting building is like a There is a modest-looking railway palace. In 1917 the building was severely dam- E. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. museum (closed for Moslem holidays) near aged by a fire, believed to have been started (i). In the Swiss magazine ‘Eisen- Eskisehir station (turn right outside). Plinthed in a store and generally thought to have been bahn Amateur’ 04/11 p. 00 is a brief note: “A between station and museum is 0-6-0T 333. sabotage.“ railway line is currently being planned between Other attractions in the pleasant town include Abu Dhabi and Riyadh; Should this be extend- an excellent modern metre-gauge tram system (vii). 8F‘S AT IZMIR. On 4th. Nov. 010 two ed into Jordan, it would take over the role of with two routes, and Venetian-style gondolas rusty 8F -8-0’s were seen being shunted out the former Hedjaz line.” on a revitalised canal through the centre. of a freight train at Halkapinar station.....” (ii). Several items from websites are worth including here though how much is fact (v). RAHMI M. KOC INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM, (viii). TCDD ORDERS 80 HYUNDAI ROTEM and how much propaganda is sometimes hard ISTANBUL. ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES. to tell. The following are all from the ‘Railway This is situated on the north side of From ‚R.G.‘ , 06 January 011: Gazette’ site: the Golden Horn (ferry from Galata Bridge to „Hyundai Rotem signed a contract to supply Kasimpasa), and has various transport exhib- state railway TCDD with 80 electric locomotives 18.11. 009. ‘Gulf Railway could its. The only TCDD loco is G10 0-10-0 550, and a driving simulator on December 0. The start next year’. The Gulf Co-Operation Coun- but Sultan Abdülaziz’s private coach from 1867 South Korean firm said this is its first export cil remains optimistic that a 1940 route-km. re- is displayed, along with three industrial diesels, order for electric locomotives, although it has gional network could be operational by 017. one horse and one electric tram, and red- exported diesels and multiple-units. Eight of Despite concerns that the ambitious railway painted 600mm gauge 0-6-0TT No. 6, with- the 5 MW locomotives will be manufactured by network linking the six states in the Gulf Co- out description, but American in appearance Hyundai Rotem, with the rest to be assembled operation Council could be delayed by the and reputedly a Davenport of 1930 originally locally in co-operation with Tülomsas for de- global economic downturn, officials are insis- supplied to the Turkish Forestry Commission. livery by the end of 014. Technology transfer tent that work will begin next year, and that the Curiously, their train models are mostly of UK agreements will see local content reach 35%. bulk of the 1,940 route-km. core route could types, and a further reminder of Great Britain is The order is worth a total of US$330m, with Is- be operational by 017. a Routemaster bus! lamic Development Bank providing US$0m. Painting a vision of 00km/h diesel

,cfrv Page 17 trains cruising seamlessly across the borders proposals are curently being developed in UAE, underway in the second half of this year. UR us within the planned common market and cur- while Union Railway is working on plans for a already prequalifying bidders for implementa- rency union, GCC Assistant Secretary-General main line railway linking the federal capital Abu tion of the 70km Shah Habshan Ruwais sec- Mohammed Obaid Al-Mazroui confirmed on Dhabi with the southern emirates. Over 360 tion in western Abu Dhabi, designated Stage 0. September 30 that the initial study by Systra, local, regional and international companies at- The scope of work covered by the civil works Canarail and Khatab & Alami had now been tended an Industry Outreach Workshop in Abu contracts includes earthworks, construction of approved by the region’s leaders. According to Dhabi on March 4 organised by Union Railway bridges, tracklaying, and installation of the sig- the study’s project manager David Lupton, a to outline the contracting and procurement nalling and communications systems, as well final decision to proceed is expected in 011, strategies for the first phase of its rail project. as construction of the depot and project offices followed by two years of engineering design and UR CEO Richard Bowker said the at Mirfa. four years for construction. The six countries strong attendance at the event ‘reflected the The next two phases of the project have agreed to share the anticipated US$5Bn confidence of the international business com- will see the establishment of a route linking cost in proportion to the length of main line munity in the investment climate of the UAE.’ Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Stage 1) and proposed in each country, says Al-Mazroui. Saudi-Arabia According to DB, the Al Masaood group al- network in the northern Emirates (Stage ). and the United Arab Emirates will shoulder the ready co-operates with German companies in UR has already appointed Atkins as largest proportion, with Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar the logistics sector, and now wants to establish preliminary engineering services consultant to and Oman the other partners. Each country a foothold in the rail sector. ‘We are delighted oversee the execution of all three stages, with will build its own branches, stations and freight to have found such a highly qualified partner selection of the project management consul- terminals to feed the core network. and are confident that our planning services tant expected to follow shortly. Preliminary de- UAE has already taken its first steps will play a part in the forthcoming projects’, sign for the Shah Habshan Ruwais line is due with the establishment of Etihad Railways said DB Chairman Dr. Rüdiger Grube. ‘Later, to be completed next month. Explaining that Co., also known as Union Railways [Al-Ittihad we also intend to deliver proof of our expertise ‘the development of an integrated and modern means Union or Joint; Ed.], following a decree as rail operators.’ railway network is critical to enhancing the cur- by President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Na- DB International Chairman Martin rent freight transport system and driving eco- hyan in July. With an equity capital of 1 Billion Bay said the German firm had gained extensive nomic growth in the UAE, Union Railway CEO Dirhams, ER will be responsible for building regional knowledge from being active in UAE Richard Bowker said a large number of leading around 1100 route-km at an estimated cost of for five years, undertaking a conceptual study international companies had expressed inter- 30 Bn dirhams. A second decree issued on Oc- for Union Railway and planning a tramway to est in prequalification, ‘allowing us to select tober 1 appointed the ER board members, who serve Al Raha Beach in Abu Dhabi. DB Interna- the best partner to undertake the frst steps in will serve for an initial period of three years. tional is also developing plans for the proposed constructing the network.’” New chairman Hassem Jasem Al Nowais has rail network in Qatar.” already started looking for potential traffic, On 4.03. 011: “Etihad Rail on opening negotiations with the Abu Dhabi Na- 01.1 . 010: “Union Railway starts course to open in 013. The first freight trains tional Oil Corp. to serve oil and gas fields in the prequalification process. on the emirates’ nascent rail network will start west of the country. Prequalification bids have been sub- running in 013, according to the Chairman of ER is to develop the network within mitted for the first two contracts on the 65km Etihad Rail Nasser Al Sowaidi. Speaking at an UAE, with main lines running from Al-Ghuwei- initial phase of the proposed Union Railway event in Abu Dhabi on March 3 to mark the fat on the border with Saudi Arabia to Al-Fu- network linking the Gulf port at Ruwais with the rebranding of the company previously known jayrah and from Abu Dhabi to Al-Ayn and the gas fields at Shah and Habshan in the western as Union Railway, Al Sowaidi confirmed that Oman border. It has a mandate to procure its region of Abu Dhabi emirate. the initial line between Ruwais and Habshan own fleet of freight and passenger trains. The first two lots to be tendered in- would be ready for operation in ‘early 013’ Qatar has also launched its own na- clude a contract for enabling works and earth- with the Habshan - Shah section to complete tional railway project, under the management moving valued at around 300 M. dirhams and the 64km Phase I ready ‘by the end of 014’. of state-owned property development group a larger civil engineering and trackworks pack- Civil works contracts have aleady been award- Qatari Diar. According to its chairman Gha- age worth up to  Billion dirhams; total cost of ed for the first phase, and tendering is now un- nem Saad Al Saad, railway development will the new line is put at around 11Billion dirhams. derway for electrical and mechanical systems run from 01 to 06, starting with a metro At least 4 companies had submitted bids by including track and rolling stock. network in Doha and a connection to the Gulf the November  deadline, including firms Etihad Rail has adopted a new cor- railway in the south. from Australia, Austria, China, Germany, In- porate image incorporating the colours of the To the east, Systra is working with dia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain, national flag ‘to symbolise the national signifi- Oman’s National Engineering Office on plans Turkey and the UK, as well as local companies cance of the railway.’ Al Sowaidi said the de- for an initial 400km network in the Batinah re- from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and Bah- velopment of a network of up to 1,00km was gion, with a feasibility study to be completed by rain. ‘one of the most significant national projects in the end of this year. The 60km nain line would According to Union Railway CEO the development of the UAE’, which ‘signifies follow the coast from Khatmat Malaha on the Richard Bowker, the first contract covers site a new chapter of transport’, forming a key part UAE border near Al-Fujayrah to Barka, with preparation and clearance works, whilst the of the country’s infrastructure and promoting a 30km link from Barka to Rusayl. A 110km main contract will include earthworks, installa- integration between different modes. Vice- branch from the port of Suhar would run to the tion of new utilities and access roads, highway Chairman Matter Al Tayer revealed that design UAE border at Al Buraimi near Al-Ayn. diversions and the erection of both operations work on the second and third phases would be As an aspiring candidate to join the and maintenance buildings. The trackwork el- finalised by the end of this year, allowing con- GCC, Yemen is anxious to plug into the emerg- ement includes the supply and installation of struction to get underway during the second ing rail network. On October 14 Yemen’s Min- ballast, sleepers, rails, switches and crossings. half of 01. istry of Transport invited tenders for a contract However, UR said it has cancelled plans to Phase  covers the remaining lines to manage the construction of three routes. A award a separate contract for a study into the in 5th Abu Dhabi emirate plus a link to Dubai, trunk line would run along the coast from the impact and mitigation of sand on the railway connecting the region’s two largest cities as border with Saudi Arabia in the northwest to where the line passes through areas of sand well as serving Mussaffah and the Khalifa and the Oman border in the east, with two branch- dunes. This work will now form part of the Jebel Ali ports. Phase 3 would add further es serving ports on the Red Sea and Arabian main construction contract which is due to be routes in the northern emirates. There will be Sea.” awarded in 011.” links to neighbouring countries as part of the emerging Giulf rail network, including Saudi 9.03. 010: “Partnership to devel- 4.01. 011: “Union Railways to call Arabia at Ghweifat and Oman at Al Ain. op Emirates rail projects. Deutsche Bahn and civils tenders. Union Railway announced on Al Sowaidi said Etihad Rail had made Al Masaood Group signed a memorandum of January 3 that it planned to call tenders in ‘dramatic progress’ since its establishment in understanding in Abu Dhabi on March 9 un- March for the first civil engineering contracts 009. completing technical, commercial and der which they will form a strategic partnership on the proposed 1,00km national rail net- financial studies to confirm the social benefits to plan, build and operate future railways in the work. The winning bidders will be named by of the rail network and predict traffic flows for United Arab Emirates. Various metro and tram mid-011, allowing contruction work to get the next 0 to 30 years. The railway is expected

Page 18 ,cfrv to carry around 50 million tonnes of freight and further south for sightseeing. In 009, No. 3 many photos displayed of steam specials, and 16 million passengers. had suffered mechanical problems en route a ticket office for the CFS. Where the lines once Etihad Rail is working with leading and got only to Al-Jizah, but in 010 it suc- ran south from the station there remains a big investment banks, and says its financing strat- ceeded in reaching Qatrana. The train depart- hole, with no signs of work to redevelop it, with egy is ‘close to completion’ and sophisticated ed Amman at 09.00, but en route the loco ran or without standard gauge tracks; a model in- studies have been undertaken to understand short of water and the driver called up a water side the station shows how it might look in the and manage rail operations in desert condi- tank truck from a vendor. This fed the tender future. tions. This had given the project ‘unstoppable with water at a crossing in the desert. The train The Cadem site is now promoted as momentum’, he believed.“ arrived at Qatrana at 14.30. 3 was turned on a a railway museum, an interesting one. As the triangle, and then hauled the empty stock back only visitor in mid-November, our reporter was F. ERITREA. to Amman. treated to a personal tour by Mr. Aboura of the From ‘C.R.J. No. 165 (Spring 011) p.303. On the 1st. 4-6- No. 85 (Nippon railway’s ‘General Establishment’, who spoke “An October 010 visitor found the Sharyo, 1953) hauled four coaches from Am- some English. Seventeen steam locos are rail scene much as previously reported, with man to Dera’a in Syria. The loco was deco- lined up side by side to the north of the work- Mallets 44.54 and 44.55 and Breda 0-4- rated with gold paint on its dome and some shops buildings, mostly in a good state though 0T 0.0 in action. Earlier Mallet 440.008 pipework, and red along the running plate and some with pieces missing. They are reasonably is said to be workable but unreliable. Mallets elsewhere. The train left Amman at 07.40, placed for photography, apart from most fac- 44.56 and 44.59 were in different stages of made several stops for run-pasts and arrived at ing north. They are (not in display order): reassembly, 0.004 was in the workshop, and Mafraq, 60.7km. north of Amman about 1.0. Hohenzollern 0-6-0T’s 33, 34, 35 and 37; 0.008 said to be next in line for a general After the loco had taken water there, the train Jung -6-0T 61 (6 is still outside Kanawat sta- overhaul. Biggest problems with the main-line departed at 13.10 and ran through to the Syri- tion); locos are their injectors and ther quality of an border, some 0km. distant. The tour group Hartmann -8-0’s 93 and 106; and -8- ’s coal. returned from Syria to Amman on the 5th. On 59, 60 and 63; Encouraging noises are being made the morning of the 6th. -8- No. 71 (Haine- Borsig -8-0 161, still with original 4-wheel ten- by railway staff about the 104km section from St.-Pierre 1955) hauled four coaches from Am- der like its three sisters which went to ; Asmara north-west to Keren. The trackbed is man the short distance south to Qasr...... SLM 0-6- T’s 751-754 and -6-0T 804; and now almost clear and bridges are intact, with Several other steam charters oper- Hartmann 0-4-4-4T 961 of 1906 with the track relaying and provision of rolling stock ated in the latter part of 010; from Amman to memorable works number 3000. the next steps. The commercial outlook of the Al-Jizah on 1th., 0th., 7th. and 8th. Sep- Another 0-6-T, 803 was tucked away beside Massawa to Asmara section is not encourag- tember and 4th. October with -8- No. 3, the buildings, behind which an unidentifiable ing, as up to October there had been only two and from Amman to Qatrana on 1st. October -6-0 was dumped. In the running/repair shed, rail tours in 010. However, one encouraging with 4-6- No. 85. being worked on, were three of the active fleet, event was the test run of a train hauling a wag- Hartmann -8-0 91 and -8- 6, and Borsig on loaded with a 0ft. container to see how it H. SYRIA. -8-0 160 with its 8-wheel tender, presumably negotiated the curves and tunnels.” From ‘C.R.J. No. 165 (Spring 011) ex-Hartmann. The de Dion railcar was tucked pp. 313f. Notes based on a visit in November away in a shed. Various diesel locos and coach- G. JORDAN. 010 by David Dixon. es, many of recent build, were lying around the From ‘C.R.J.’ No. 165 (Spring 011) pp. 31 f. “CFS Standard Gauge. yard, waiting for someone to decide to restart “Hedjaz Jordan Railway. Postcards produced Some passenger trains do run, railway operations. by the railway show its title as ‚Jordan Hejaz mostly from Aleppo to Damascus and Lata- Indoors was a good display of small- Railways‘, but it is not clear whether this new kia, but it is somewhat of a struggle to find out er items from the railway, including maps, pho- name has been formally adopted. when, as all publicity, departure boards, etc. tographs, signalling and ticket office equip- Picnic Train. are in Arabic script. Both routes appear to have ment. The workshop has belt-driven machinery The picnic train ever Friday between four trains each way a day, two fast and two which still functions. A series of illustrated bi- Amman and Al-Jizah has become popular. Af- rather slower and cheaper, though all costs lit- lingual (Arabic/English) brochures is available. ter a break for the winter, it resumed from April tle by European standards. The morning fast at Altogether, Cadem is well worth a visit - and 010, running every Friday and Saturday, with 06.50 from Damascus Cadem (or Qadam, de- the city of Damascus has some splendid sites a round trip fare of 3 Jordan Dinar (somewhat pending upon how it is transcribed) to Aleppo too!” under 3 Pounds) for an adult. The schedule consisted of a smartish 5-coach diesel unit, ap- remained as in 009: Amman dep. 09.00, parently unable to be trusted to move itself as I. EGYPT. Al-Jizah arr. about 11.00, dep. 14.00. After was hauled throughout by loco LDE-800 58, In ‚C.R.J.‘ No. 165 p. 98: The firm a break for Ramadan and the busy period of which ran round at the intermediate terminus ZTS Pohronské Strojárne s.p. was established steam charters, the picnic train resumed from at Homs. No freight trains were passed on the in 1990, independently from ZTS Martin in Slo- 15th. October. 5 1/ hour journey, but lines of wagons resided vakia; in 1996 the company was privatised but International Train Resumed? at many stations. Here as elsewhere, the lorry went bankrupt in 004. „The works was then On 8th. May 010 a special train seems to rule. taken over by a new company, PHS Stojárne ran from Amman to Dera’a in Syria commem- The only steam locomotive seen, a.s. The company‘s main output consists of orating Jordan’s Independence Day ( 5th. plinthed outside Latakia station, was out- locomotives for use underground in mines. In May) and carried more than 00 passengers. side-framed 0-6-0 030-159, plated Kessler September 009 a class DNH-18-50 (600mm After spending the afternoon in southern Syria, 490/1891. This loco is one of 18 supplied to gauge, four-wheel diesel-hydraulic, weighing the train returned to Amman. From the follow- the Anatolian Railway (CFOA) by Esslingen/ 18 tons and producing 50kW) was exported ing Saturday, 5th. June, an international work- Saronno in 1890-93 for the lines from Istan- to Egypt. Photographs of the locomotive show ing with the same schedule began to run every bul (Haydarpasa) to Ankara and Konya. This it was named ‚Marianna‘. It is hoped that this Saturday. After the pause for Ramadan it was one was CFOA 59, and would have reached will be the prototype for a new generation of intended the operation would resume, but lack Syria some time after completion of the Bagh- locomotives on the Egyptian sugar cane rail- of bookings meant that no train had run up to dad Railway extension from Konya to Aleppo ways; however, twelve months later PHS Stro- the beginning of November. Available diesel lo- opened in 191, and presumably got to Lata- járne were still waiting to hear if they were to cos in Amman are A1A-A1A DE 4010//3 (GE kia after the railway reached there in 1975.” receive a follow-up order.“ 1976, model UM10). Steam Specials. Hedjaz-Syrian Railway. In September 010 steam specials “There appears to be no traffic on HaRakevet is typeset were operated for the Railway Touring Com- the former Hedjaz Railway in Syria beyond the pany of Great Britain, with schedules almost occasional special for overseas enthusiasts. electronically in the UK by CPS the same as in 009. On the 18th. -8- No. The short Friday trip on a section of the for- AIredale and printed on Israeli 3 (RSH, 1951) hauled four coaches from Am- mer Beirut line may still run but was not in- designed digital equipment man to Qatrana, 103.8km. south of Amman, vestigated. The former Damascus city terminal where the group transferred to a bus and went at Kanawat remains in splendid isolation, with

,cfrv Page 19 Aerial views of Yavne West station on the Rishon-Le-Zion West - Ashdod line in a progressive construction stage; source: Israel Railways