HaRakevet ISSN 0964-8763
Series 25 #4 Issue No. 95 December 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]
95:01: One of the new Vossloh EMD Euro4000 diesel-electric locos for IR being unloaded at Haifa on 04.11.11. (Israel Railways). 95:01(2) Another dramatic shot of the loco being unloaded
95:02: Hod-Hasharon stations; the train on the opposite direction would leave Kfar-Sava- EDITORIAL. Hod-Ha-Sharon-Sokolov station at 08:23. This is yet another issue where the current news allows almost no place for the On 23.09.11 the new timetable was also to historic view or for specific essays and articles or items from the Museum Archive which be introduced. I have received - my apologies to the writers. Put simply, on Israel Railways there have A press release indicated the been openings, doublings, extensions, more plans for extensions, new stock arrivals - all anticipated service: This would be the in a time of major industrial unrest and significant management changes. And elsewhere first time in the Railways‘ history that five in the region massive investment is under way in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States - there new stations would be opened on the will be much more to report here in coming years, methinks. The whole region remains same day. At the beginning of 2012 the in turmoil - One hears in the media only of an undefined ‚Arab Spring‘, of massacres and new lines will be opened further on, to revolutions, of sabre-rattling and international threats, of military tensions and political Yavne West. The new line will provide an intrigue and fundamentalists - at least here we can present a slightly different view of the 18-minute journey time between Rishon- Near East. le-Zion West and Tel-Aviv HaHaganah and Yet another Series comes to an end - whereas the world has not (yet) - so it 20 minutes in the opposite direction (due is time to consider subscription renewals, whether for our hard copy or our electronic to the steep adverse grades departing from versions. We hope you will stay with us, and support and enjoy what we do. HaHaganah! - this was due to the designer Shalom, of the Ayalon Highway ‚forgetting the The Editor. railway line‘ due to a ‚passion of creativity‘ - the result being that a very expensive re- design was subsequently required.) Times will be reduced following electrification. 95:04: All trains will terminate at Hod-HaSharon and call at intermediate stations. In peak NEWS FROM THE LINE: periods there will be three trains per hour in each direction, but following completion (a). OPENING OF NEW RISHON-LE-ZION WEST LINE. of upgrading and signalling and the arrival The new line between Tel-Aviv HaHaganah and Rishon-Le-Zion West was to of further new trains this will rise to four be opened on Saturday night 24.09.2011 - assuming the rail staff did not execute their trains per hour per direction. The traffic threat to start a strike as a step against the planned privatisation of maintenance of the forecast is for 3.5M annually. new rolling stock due to arrive, to be carried out by the manufacturer. (ee item above.) Due to the opening of this line, The first service trains were to leave Rishon-Le-Zion West the following day at trains from HaRishonim station (Rishon- 08:29 and call at Bat-Yam Komemiut, Bat-Yam Yoseftal, Holon Wolfson, Holon Gate, all Le-Zion East) will now terminate at Tel-Aviv Tel-Aviv stations, B‘nei-Berak, Petakh-Tikva stations, Rosh-Ha-Ayin North, and Kfar-Sava- HaHaganah, and passengers will need to change here to continue northbound. ,cfrv Page Although I knew that most of the line is between high walls which hide the scenery, I wanted at least to take photos of stations but on the upper deck the windows were so dirty, I didn‘t see much chance, so I went to the lower deck where they were a bit cleaner. Most of the stations and a good part of their platforms are under bridges, and I was horrified to see how dark and dingy these sections were. The walls are unrelieved concrete or grey blocks and the lighting is very poor. When you compare these with stations in other parts of the world, whose walls are often covered with bright, colourful tiles and even in tunnels, the lighting makes it almost daylight, someone has slipped up. Only the sections of platform outside the covered areas are decently sunlit. One station, Holon Junction, is above ground level and its platforms are out in the open. The entrance hall of the Moshe Dayan station is impressive, roomy and well lit and the platforms there are not too bad as enough light comes from outside. The train back from Tel Aviv Hashalom was surprisingly hauled by a G26 Co-Co, normally used for freight. Perhaps it is not so surprising, as more than 70 trains a day have been added to the timetable with the opening of the new line and there must be difficulty finding enough rolling stock. There is a parking lot close to the Moshe Dayan station although access to it 95:03: “Now who’s got a spare straight bit?” Double-tracking is only from the east, which makes it difficult for people like me, coming from the south, works on the Acre-Nahariya line at km 25.6. November 2011 to reach easily. [Ed.adds: of course the line - traffic resumed two days earlier than planned! (Source: IR.) will soon be extended further south.] This is the first wholly new The new line will shorten the distance some inconsistency in the names on the passenger line to be built in Israel since the from Rishon-le-Zion HaRishonim via Lod IR website: Rishon Lezion West (Moshe line from Beer Sheba to Dimona. Other (24km.) to only 10km and journey times Dayan)/ Rishon LeZion Moshe Dayan. The lines have been resuscitated, based more will be reduced from 24 to 18 mins. names are given in English on the website or less on existing tracks, like Kfar-Saba Meanwhile, according to some as Holon Junction; Holon - Wolfson; Bat or Ashkelon but this is completely new. papers, fares will be as twice as higher than Yam - Yoseftal; Bat Yam - Komemiyyut; Actually, the highway was envisaged when by bus; will update when available. Rishon LeTziyyon - Moshe Dayan.“ [Ed. Holon and Bat Yam were planned, but adds: It is clear that there going to be many the centre strip was occupied by a high- Sybil Ehrlich wrote: „The new orthographic variations in the coming voltage electric line. A novel solution was line from Tel Aviv to Rishon LeZion opened years.] found to make room for the railway - the today, Sunday September 25 (unusually not pylons in the centre were replaced by two on a Saturday evening). There was a grand Jeremy Topaz wrote: „On pylons, one on either side of the strip, each opening ceremony at Rishon Lezion West Tuesday 27th. Sept. I travelled to Tel Aviv carrying one of the two 3-phase lines.“ (Moshe Dayan) station, with crazy dancers in and back on the new line. I had intended the station forecourt (saw them on TV!) and to go on the previous Sunday on the Sybil Ehrlich later wrote:- the transport minister. He wasn‘t dancing... inaugural train, but that was cancelled due On Tuesday [ 10.2011] I went The only thing missing was the train. to sanctions by the railwaymen‘s union. to investigate the five new stations: Holon Israel Railways employees were However, the line is now running with a Junction, Holon Wolfson, Bat Yam Yoseftal, in the middle of a labour dispute and normal schedule. Bat Yam Komemiut and Rishon Lezion ignored the court order to return to work, The train from Rishon Moshe West - Moshe Dayan. but according to the TV news the service Dayan station was a double-deck consist, Holon Junction is not to be started in the afternoon. Exact time not hauled as usual by an Alstom Bo-Bo. It left confused with Clapham Junction! Despite stated. precisely on time at 15.09; the trains leave the fact that it‘s the first time since the The new stations are Tzomet every 20 minutes during much of the day, First World War that we have a „junction“ Holon (Holon Junction); Holon-Wolfson; which is simpler to remember than the station, the junction doesn‘t refer to a Bat Yam Yoseftal; Bat Yam Komemiut; irregular intervals in the Rehovot - Tel Aviv railway junction but to the major road Rishon Lezion Moshe Dayan. There is timetable, for instance. intersection of that name. I took the 11:19 departure from
,cfrv Page Tel Aviv Hashalom. All trains to Rishon (b). FURTHER TRACK WORKS. negotiations concerning the future West leave from platform 3 at this station. maintenance of rolling stock due to arrive. There are no signs to that effect, and I Due to work on double-tracking The Union members had made clear that had to ask a station employee. It was the the line and works on communications and if disagreements with the IR management day of Gilad Schalit‘s release, and station signalling, the lines Tel Aviv - Jerusalem and and the Finance Minitsry (which is even announcements were on the lines of „The Tel Aviv - Beer-Sheva were to be closed to more active in pushing maintenance train to Ashkelon will depart from platform traffic in both directions from Friday night privatisation than the Tranmsport & 2; Israel Railways greets Gilad Schalit and 02.09.2011- Saturday night 03.09. That Roads Safety Ministry) were not resolved his family on his release.“ between Beer-Sheva and Dimona already by Wednesday 21.09 they would start I took the train straight to Rishon from 01.09. The Transport & Road Safety sanctions, a work-to-rule or even full strike, West, with the intention of making a few Ministry had instructed bus operators to which would then delay the opening of the return journeys to get decent photos of all provide alternative bus shuttle services new line to Rishon-Le-Zion West planned the stations. All the trains I saw on this line until Sunday 04.09 when normal traffic for Saturday night 24.09.2011 and the were double-deckers. At Bat Yam Yoseftal was to resume. introduction of the new timetable. there was a northbound train, no. 636 - On 21.09.2011 the negotiations from Rishon West at 11:19, with - to my Between Sunday 04.09 at 13.00 did indeed break down and in consequence amazement - a Spanish (yellow, blue and and Wednesday 07.09.2011 inclusive the workers started imposing sanctions and maroon) loco, the first time I‘ve seen a the line between Tel Aviv Universita and a ‚Go Slow‘, which caused severe traffic passenger train hauled by one of these. Kfar Sava - Hod-HaSharon Nordau and disruption and a punctuality rate of only I got decent photos of Rishon Sokolov was to be closed for traffic, and 20%! Transport & Road Safety Minister Katz West, and then spent several hours on again alternative bus shuttles were to be immediately instructed the bus companies foot and by bus trying to get photos of the provided until Thursday 08.09. to strengthen their services and a further other stations. Holon Junction was most 170 buses were added to inter-city routes. frustrating. The security guard outside the Between Sunday 11.09 at 23.00 He called on the workers to return to station was walking up and down talking and Monday 12.09 at 04.00 the line between negotiation immediately in order to avoid on his cellphone, and I was walking up Akko and Nahariyya was to be closed to disruption to passengers, adding „It is and down trying not to get noticed. (IR traffic, then again from Wednesday 14.09 unacceptable that the workers should use employees don‘t care in the least about to Friday 23.09. Bus shuttles would be the passengers as their hostages in order photography; it‘s the overzealous security provided untl normal services resume on to force the management not to carry guards who make trouble.) Added to which Saturday night 24.09.2011. out the new rolling stock maintenance there was a dustcart parked right in front programme, which is vital for an improved of the station, so what with one thing and (c). GIVAT ADA BUS LINK. service.“ another I‘m extremely unsatisfied with that - On 25.09 the conflict between photo. Of course I‘ll go back there to take In collaboration with the local the Railways’ Union and the Managament better photos. You‘ll note that there are municipalities of Binyamina and Givat and the Government quickly spiralled into no pictures of Bat Yam Komemiut. It was Ada (a nearby village) on 01.09.2011 a crisis and while the Labour Tribunal logistically difficult to get there in one day a shuttle service of buses and minibus ordered an immediate return to work by bus and on foot, and I wanted to be was commenced between Givat Ada and to continue with negotiations, many home early to watch Schalit‘s homecoming and Binyamina station. These are free of workers did not respect this ruling and on TV.“ charge only for passengers who can show although train services did keep running Chen Melling noted: „Actually, their railway tickets. The service operates - with some disruptions - the new line Lydda station appears in some PR Sundays to Thursdays 06.30 - 09.00 and to Rishon LeZion West did not open as timetables as „Lydda Junction“, and 15.00 - 20.00, co-ordinated with the rail planned, as the unions prevented an Kilo 4.5 was previously known as Acre timetable. As yet there are no services on opening train from reaching the station. Junction, until the junction (and the name) Fridays and eves of holidays. Journey time This was an embarrassing moment for moved to Shell Bridge. There were also a is about 10 minutes. Transport & Roads Minister Mr. Yisrael Katz few other junction points named as such, who arrived there on the morning of the though probably not as public stations, e.g. (d). MORE LABOUR RELATIONS 25th. with the Railways’ General Manager Na‘amin Junction (near Acre) and Srafand PROBLEMS . Mr. Boaz Zafrir and found only an empty Junction. station with neither a train nor passengers! All the locomotives used on the An illegal strike was avoided at Katz announced that he does not intend to line (as well as with all push-pull passenger the last minute on 01.09.2011 thanks to surrender to those who are punishing the trains on IR today) are Spanish, not only an appeal by the IR management to the public in order to push their own interests. the Red-Yellow-Blue ones you saw, which Labour Tribunal, which instructed the Meanwhile passengers began are the Co‘Co‘ freight version (the regular workers to return immediately to work; preparing claims to the Supreme Court passenger machines are Bo‘Bo‘). The use this was opposed to the Union decision concerning the brutality of the railway of these freight locos on passenger trains, not to work with sub-contractors and not workers on the previous Thursday, when from series 702-709, is due to diminish as participate in development works. Had the they forced passengers to disembark from the new Euro4000 locos arrive, starting strike gone ahead signalling works at Acre, trains outside stations. next week. This is not the first time the Beer-Sheva and Na’an would have been It was later announced that Spanish Co‘Co‘s have been used on halted, paralysing traffic on these lines; Mr. Zafrir had asserted his leadership by passenger trains due to lack of dedicated other failures could also occur in signalling instructing a complete halt to all services passenger power, and I even pictures of and communication systems leading to due to the contempt of the law shown by them with old slam-door stock some years further delays and a decline in safety level. the Union’s Chairman Mrs. Edrei. Only back.“ - But on 18.09 an IR press release after she confirmed her commitment to reported that the Labour Tribunal had obey the law did traffic return to regular instructed both the IR management and schedules - including on the new line to the workers‘ union to commence intensive Rishon LeZion West. The behaviour of Mrs.
,cfrv Page Edrei has caused some anger amongst rail (e). NEW STATION AT NETIVOT. (j). INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS: workers, who consider that it will affect them more than others. From a press release of From a Press Release of 24.10.211 On the 26.09 Minister Katz 30.08.2011 by Transport & Road Safety by Isra-Rail Co. “During November 2011 instructed that nine members of the Ministry:- “Good news for the population various infrastructure works are to be union should be suspended and may of southern Israel; IR have just published carried out, and the following changes lose their jobs. On 27.09 some drivers the tender for building the railway station to passenger traffic will consequently be - and later some inspectors too - then at the town of Netivot on the 60km. necessary:- began instead to report being ill - initially Ashkelon - Beer-Sheva line currently under no traffic disruptions were noticeable but construction at a cost of $595M and due (i). NAHARIYYA LINE this changed. The move was to protest to be completed in 2015. The station at against the suspension of union members Sderot is currently under construction at a As part of double-tracking the and to call the management to return to cost of around $13M, and the tender for the Kiryat Motzkin - Nahariyya line the Acre - negotiations. The matter was referred station at Ofakim (nearer to Beer-Sheva) Nahariyya section will be closed for traffic to the Labour Tribunal again; they asked is to be published soon. The Ministry has between 00.01 at 01.11.2011 and Friday the IR management for a response, which instructed the railways to operate services 18.11.2011 - including the afternoon. was „We are ready to negotiate, but the even over only part of the line once the Traffic will therefore resume on the suspensions remain in force.“ Finally the stations are completed and before the Saturday night. The railways will provide Labour Tribunal decided to ‚suspend the entire line is completed.” bus shuttle services beween the stations suspensions‘, provided that both sides in both directions. Works between Kiryat would have kept to negotiations and a (f). OLD JERUSALEM STATION PARK. Motzkin and Acre will be completed during settlement is reached by 24.10.2011. 2012; works between Acre and Nahariyya The new line to Rishon LeZion From a press release of will be completed in 2013. West was then finally opened formally by 04.09.2011 by Jerusalem Municipality: On Friday 04.11.2011 only the Minister Katz and Mr. Zafrir by riding on a “Today the Mayor of Jerusalem cut the section between Haifa Hof-HaCarmel and train to Tel Aviv at 09.30. ribbon to open the urban recreation activity Nahariyya will be closed and all trains will linear park running on what used to be the start or terminate at Hof HaCarmel. At a special meeting of the alignment of the historical railway line to Knesset‘s Economic Affairs Committee on Jerusalem, between the historic station (ii). LEVEL CROSSING AT 02.02.2011 there were clashes between the and the new Malkha station.” Currently TZORA: worker‘s union chairman Mrs. Gila Edrei and only 2km. of the eventual planned 7km. representatives of the Transport & Roads‘ have been opened. This is however a sad Due to upgrading a level crossing Safety and Finance Ministries. While Mrs. end for such an historic and important over a road near the Tzora settlement Edrei claimed that the railways‘ workers section of railway. on the Jerusalem line just west of Beit can perform the maintenance of the new Shemesh station, there will be no services Bombardier double-deck trains about to (g). EXHIBITION SYNERGY. between Tel Aviv and Jerualem on Friday arrive 30% cheaper than the manufacturer 01411.2011. The works include road and described them as „the world‘s most From 21-22.09.2011 the widening paving the sidewalks, paving the efficient“; she also blamed Bombardier Energitech Exhibition on Renewable road shoulders, building a traffic island, for supplying defective parts which caused Energy and increased energy efficiency installing flashing lights for warning traffic, severe accidents. The committee‘s was held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition centre improving and upgrading lighting, and members were not impressed and claimed near the Universita station; those showing upgrading the drainage. that the staff is unable to maintain the rail tickets got free entry. new rolling stock properly and are not yet (iii). LOD STATION working per ISO which is not tolerable! (h). STAFF REINSTATEMENT. EXPANSION In the meantime, no existing employees would suffer and more will be From ‘de Pers’ (Dutch) 11.09.2011. Due to works building a third recruited. A brief note states that IR has platform at Lod station, the additional Whether the workers are indeed been compelled to reinstate 45 Arab rush-hours only rail shuttle service between so efficient is a separate matter; however, workers who had been dismissed because HaRishonim (Rishon leTzion East) and Lod, during the past three days (2-4. Oct.) there they had never done military service. considing of seven to eight trains daily, will were several cases of trains being stuck on not be operated between 00.01 on Monday the Yavne East - Rehovot section (still single (i). HIGH HOLY DAYS TIMETABLE. 07.11.2011 and Tuesday 20.12.2011 track), Lod - Qiryat Gat and Modi‘in - Tel- inclusive. The railways will provide free Aviv, causing severe delays and hundreds Wednesday 28.09.2011 was the bus shuttle services between HaRishonim of angry passengers who complained evening of the Jewish New Year (Rosh and Moshe Dayan (Rishon leTzion West) especially about lack of communication Hashanah) - trains operated as on a normal stations. The regular trains between Tel from the staff. Some intend to apply to summer Friday. On 29.09, 30.09 and Aviv-Hahaganah and HaRishonim stations court for compensation and suspect that 01.10.11 which are holidays and Shabbat will operate as usual. these events are a part of the struggle no trains would run. On Saturday night beween the workers, the management and 01.10.11 trains would commence in the (iv). BEER-SHEVA LINE. the ministries. evening as on a regular summer Saturday From a public announcement of Minister Katz called for an urgent timetable. On this night Israel converts at 25.11.2011 on the railways‘ website: meeting at his office on 6.10 to discuss the midnight to Winter Time! „Due to intensive infrastructure crisis and seek possible solutions. On Yom Kippur, Friday and works to be carried out in order to promote And see below! Saturday, trains would run till 11.00 as on the „Beer-Sheva in 50 minutes“ project, regular Friday winter timetables, then traffic the lines between Lod, Beer-Sheva, would gradually wind down and cease. Dimona, and Jerusalem will be closed between Friday, 02.12.2011 and Friday, ,cfrv Page 16.12.2012; traffic will resume on Saturday regional authorities at the greater areas a Siemens rake got stuck due to some night, 17.12.2011. Consequently, there will of Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa; Minister technical fault in Lev Hamifratz station. be no trains to/from the following stations: Katz supported the idea, but was ready to Passengers were transferred to another Kiryat-Gat, Lehavim/Rahat, Beer-Sheva implement it only after the reform in public train and had already left when an assisting North/University, Beer-Sheva Central, transport will be completed as well as the loco was called from nearby Haifa Depot. Dimona, Beit-Shemesh, Jerusalem-the full operation of the Jerusalem LRV. The Driver of the assisting loco ignored Biblical Zoo, and Jerusalem-Malkha. several regulations and smashed into the The trains which are regularly (l). EVEN RABBIS ARE NOT IMMUNE. standing rake, wrecking beyond repair operating between Nahariya/Haifa and driving trailer 807 and also putting the Beer-Sheva will start/terminate at Tel-Aviv On 08.10.2011 a person was engine (JT42BW bo. 772) out of use. The Hahagana station, except the following killed by a train at the station of Hadera Driver and another man in the cab were northbound trains starting at Lod station: West. The person, a well known Rabbi in slightly injured. On Sundays at 06:33 (train No. Hadera, was returning from bathing in the Some pictures can be found 100); at 08:33. (train No. 102); at 11:33. nearby Mediterranean Sea; the reason for here: http://hnn.co.il/gallery15980.html (train No. 104); on Mondays to Thursdays his behaviour is still being investigated. The damage is however even greater than at 06:33 (train No. 100). it seems here in these pictures. The trains operated on Sundays (m). SALARIES. only (marked on the timetable with a 11.10.2011: According to the person in (p). PROGRESS ON THE A1 TUNNELS. yellow background) to/from Beer-Sheva charge in the Finance Ministry regarding are cancelled, and instead, trains from wages in the public sector, those of the 44 On Tuesday 01.11.2011 a party Hahagana station northwards, will be senior railway managers went up last year including Transport & Roads Safety Minister operated to/from Modi‘in. by 22% while the other 2,030 workers did Yisrael Katz, the IR General Manager Boaz The Sunday Only train which not enjoy anything. He also added that Zafrir and other senior staff and journalists leaves Modi‘in Central at 07:57 is cancelled all the steps made by the union against (including our reporter Aharon Gazit) and instead there will be a train departing at the management and the Transport & visited the various construction sites on the 08:03 and terminating at Kiryat-Motzkin. Roads‘ Safety Ministry has caused all the A1 fast link to Jerusalem. It was particularly The Sunday Only train regularly agreements already signed to be put on interesting to see the first 1.25km. twin leaving Kiryat-Motzkin to Beer-Sheva at hold. bored tunnel already completed between 07:50 is cancelled, and instead, the train Sha‘ar HaGai and Yitla Creek. The two will leave the same station at the same (n). NEW MANAGEMENT STYLE: THE German TBM recently arrived, their time, and terminating at Modi‘in Central. GLOVES ARE OFF! assembly will commence soon, and within The train regularly leaving Modi‘in two months they will start boring the Central at 06:57 between Sundays and The IR new General Manager, longest twin bored tunnel - 11.6km. long - Thursdays, is cancelled and temporarily Mr. Boaz Zafrir has commenced to ‘show on this line. The third TBM will arrive later. replaced by the train leaving Modi‘in Central his muscles’. He informed four senior Additional work already at 07:03 terminating at Haifa Central-The staff - the Deputy General Managers of completed is the excavation of the vertical 8. Passenger Services, Rolling Stock, Safety shaft up to a depth of 80 metres under According to the instructions of and Operations - that their services are no street level at the future Jerusalem Binyanei the Transport & Roads‘ Safety Ministry, bus longer required. All four of these persons HaUma station. shuttle services will be provided between were members of the Workers Union, Minister Katz announced that Lehavim/Rahat and Tel-Aviv Savidor Central were not very skilled in their tasks and had train services will start at the beginning of stations between Sunday, 04.12.11 and often caused disruption to the daily work 2017 with a forecast of 4M journeys already Thursday, 08.12.11 and between 11.12.11 The new situation has been described as in the first year of operation. [We hope and 15.12.11 accordingly, at 06:00, 07:00, the ‘end of the clan regime’ and as the ‚Harakevet‘ will continue to be published and 08:00, and at 16:30, 17:30, and 18:30 beginning of ‘a sort of Arab Spring on the long enough to see if this becomes true! from Tel-Aviv Savidor Central to Lehavim/ Railways’. Ed.] Rahat stations.“ But the power games continue. On 18.10.2011 a locomotive travelling (q). ACCIDENT AT HADERA. (k). RESIGNATION OF MINISTRY at 55km/h hit a five-car Siemens push/ GENERAL MANAGER HAREL. pull formation in the Haifa area, causing Sybil wrote: „On 7.11.2011 an all- some €5M of damage, of which the loco is terrain vehicle (ATV - Hebrew ‚Tractoron‘) From a press release of 09.10.2011 by the defined as a total loss while the coaches - if crossed the main line near Hadera in Transport & Roads‘ Safety Ministry: repairable - will have to be sent to Germany a place where it shouldn‘t have, and „The present Ministry‘s General for this. The driver has been suspended overturned on the track. A train (formed Manager (General in Reserves) Mr. Dan but the Union has taken the strange step of an IC3 unit) smashed into it, killing two Harel has announced that he wil be ending of instructing him not to cooperate with ATV riders. The line was closed for several his job at the end of this month after being the investigation. The Union is also worried hours. My translation of report on Ynet: „A there no more than a year; Minister Katz about the reorganization programme train hit two members of one family, a man has thanked him for the excellent service he on which development activity will be aged 58 and his son-in-law aged 28, when gave to the state, particularly on improving separated from current activity - there they tried to release an all-terrain vehicle railway safety; also the railway workers would be three subsidiaries, for cargo, that was stuck on the railway line between agreed at last to fulfill all the paragraphs business development and electrification. Hadera and Emek Hefer. The 10-year-old in the safety requirement; the name of his The Union is concerned that this would be daugher of one of the men witnessed the successor will be announced soon. the first step towards towards privatisation, accident. A Magen David Adom team called Unofficially, the reason for Mr. which it would of course oppose. to the site of the accident confirmed they Harel‘s resignation were the disagreements had been killed. Following the accident, with Mr. Katz regarding his offer for the (o). ACCIDENT - A ROUGH KISS. train service between Haifa and Tel Aviv immediate creation of an upper authority was suspended. for public transport, as well as such Re. the above:- On 18th Oct. ,cfrv Page A Hadera police spokesman said and electrical sockets for each seat. that two ATVs with four riders including a The delivery of the new rolling (u). CHINESE INVOLVEMENT IN EILAT father and his daughter, crossed the line stock will enable the railways to operate LINE PROGRESS?? from west to east. The driver of one of the more trains with more flexibility, increased ATVs got stuck between the two tracks, and speed, and additional 11,000 new seats. On Y-Net on 06.11.2011 was a his father came to help him. Apparently the By 2014 all double-tracking works report that China will be involved in the two didn‘t notice a train approaching from will be completed and train frequency will construction of the 180km. long railway the south, that hit them and threw them increase.“ line from Nahal Tzin on the Dead Sea and a considerable distance into the air. Train through the Negev to Eilat on the Red service was seriously disrupted...“ etc. (t): CHINESE TO BUILD TUNNELS TO Sea. Transport Minister Katz met with his etc. CARMIEL: Chinese counterpart in Peking in order to Here is Ynet‘s own English version discuss this, amongst other infrastructure of the story: On 08.09.2011 a press release: - „Israeli- projects worth a total of 20 Billion Euros. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/ Chinese Parnership wins tender bid to 0,7340,L-4145195,00.html“ construct railway tunnels to Carmiel (v). FIRE DETECTION. The Israel National Roads (r). STRIKE. Company notified Danya Cebus and its In the past eight years several partner, the giant Chinese company CCECC, fires have occurred on trains - particularly On 07.11.2011 there was a that they have won the bid to bore the on Bombardier IC3 Flexi-liner dmus, and general strike on all public services for Gilon tunnels for the Acre-Carmiel railway more specifically in 2010. The railways 4 hours between 06:00 and 10:00. As lin. Five groups and partnerships of Israeli have now ordered from a well known Israeli far as the railways were concerned, the and foreign companies participated in the company called Lehavot (flames) fire first train left Acre station at 10:14. and tender published by the Israel National detection systems. The big question being arrived at Modi‘in Central at 12:29. The Roads Company for boring the tunnels, asked is why it has taken so long to do this, absence of train (as well as bus) services with a total length of 10 kilometres. since during this period drivers, inspectors caused disruptions and bottle necks, but The bid by the Israeli- and other employees have warned of such generally the public behaved in a restrained Chinese partners Danya-Cebus and a need. Even more ridiculous is the fact manner. the quarryingcompany China Civil that a special committee appointed by The strike was originally Engineering Construction Corporation Minister Katz, and headed by Prof. Heckart planned to last at least one day as part (CCECC) prevailed over the four other from the Technion (Israeli High Technical of identification with the sub-contractors‘ groups participating in the tender: Hofrei Institute at Haifa), has not yet – after 18 workers who do not enjoy any social Hasharon and German Max Boegl, Minrav months – come to any conclusion, though rights, but the Labor Tribunal instructed and Russian MOS Metrostroy, Eyal they mentioned that the maintenance level the General Labour Union to shorten the Sela and Rolzur Tunneling and Shafir of the rolling stock is very poor. strike. Engineering and Italian Impresa Pizzarotti. In the past, CCECC executed the excavation (w). NO ALTERNATIVE TO THE (s). NEW LOCOMOTIVES AND STOCK work for the Carmel tunnels in Haifa. ALTERNATIVE! ARRIVALS: The tender for constructing the Gilon tunnels, through which the Acre- Sunday 04.12.2011 was a problematic day From an IR press release of Carmiel railway will pass, was published for transportation in Israel: a bus providing 07.11.2011: „On Wednesday, 02.11.2011, using the Design-Build method, namely: the service between Beit-Shemesh and two of the first new Vossloh Spain- the tender winner is required to complete Jerusalem, started suddenly to burn, and built EMD Euro4000 diesel-electric design and construction of the tunnels while nobody was hurt, people spent for locomotives and five Siemens-built within three years. The pair of tunnels will more than 2 hours waiting for the road single-deck push/pull carriages were be constructed in the Galilee, at the bottom to be cleared, and ironically the old line unloaded at the port of Haifa; Five new of the 380 meters high mount Gilon. to Jerusalem, which could have been Bombardier-built double-deck carriages The Acre-Carmiel railway project an alternative to the road, was closed joined them on 07.11.2011.The new includes a 23 km double-track line, to run – as was the line to Beer-Sheva - due to locos, worth EUR 60 Million, will keep parallel to road 85, as well as construction infrastructure works! The line closures arriving during the following weeks. They of two railway stations at Achihud and caused severe congestion at Beer-Sheva are the most powerful locomotives (more Carmiel. The cost of the entire project is and Tel-Aviv bus stations, proving again than 4000 HP output) on IR and conform estimated at about $773 million; the total the importance of the railways! to emission standards Stage IIIA and Tier cost of tunnel boring is estimated at $276 3. million. This project is relatively complex (x). JOURNEY TIMES REDUCED. Once the delivery of these from the engineering aspect, due to the fact locomotives is completed, the railways that in addition to the two main tunnels, an Upon completion of works, not will start receiving 15 additional passenger additional 18 connecting tunnels, located only the services to/from Beer-Sheva will EMD Euro3200 dedicated purpose-built 250 meters apart, will be bored to provide be much improved; the journey to/from locos manufactured according to the easy access for emergency evacuation. Jerusalem on the old line will also be cut railways‘ requirements, capable for 160 km/ The Acre-Carmiel railway line by no less than 20 minutes - this being h including with double-deck trains; they was transferred for execution by the Israel achieved mainly to the improvements on are equipped with AC traction motors. National Roads Company as part of the the Lod - Na‘an Junction section which Regarding the double-deck cars, Netivei Israel plan, designed to create a both lines share; the service to Jerusalem - their delivery – a total of 150 carriages network of roads and railway lines that will and particularly to Beit-Shemesh – could be including power cars/driving trailers - will bring the periphery closer to the centre. further improved, should the government be completed during 2012. They are of For additional information, please decide to double-track the Na‘an Junction an upgraded type, equipped with the contact: Yevgeny Artsev at yevgenya@ - Beit-Shemesh section. most advanced fire protection standards, iroads.co.il
(xviii). Tender No. MS/TC/07/11: (iii). An Israeli local computer services company named Dorcom Ltd., has been awarded Providing Consultancy and Schedule Tender No. MH/RS/02/11 worth $0.193 million annually for supplying work stations (PCs Control services for the Railways‘ and screens). development programmes. The contract (iv). The Israeli Magen David Adom (equivalent of the Red Cross) Organization, has been is for 36 months with optional extensions awarded Tender No. LO/RC/06/11 worth $69000.00 for the supply and maintaining First of up to additional 24 months. Latest date Aid kits during the coming two years. for submission of proposals: 29.11.2011. (v). An Israeli local construction company named Gili & Yoel Azariya Ltd. has been (xix). Tender No. TK/KB/02/11: awarded Tender No. HN/KB/05/11 worth $43.6M for building Structure No. 100, intended Communication works on the Lod - as a depot for maintaining double-deck trains at Beer-Sheva North/University station. Na‘an - Kiryat-Gat - Beer-Sheva line. Works include: infrastructure works and (vi). The Israeli local construction company Ashtrom has been awarded Tender No. laying cables, earthworks, excavation, HN/KB/01/2011, worth $85.2M, for design and carrying-out of earthworks, bridges, filling, drainage, roadbed and ballast, infrastructures and landscaping on the Netivot - Goral Junction section of the Beer Sheva delivery, distribution and tamping of line. (Tender No. 8) ballast in varying thickness, removal of (vi). The local company RAZ Agriculture, Maintenance, and Development Ltd. has been construction disposal material and débris, awarded the contract of tender No. TM/KB/01/11 for maintenance works around railway etc. Concrete & reinforced concrete tracks in the north of Israel. works, treating existing systems, providing main contractor safety services for other (vii). The local company Orgad-H.S.N. has been awarded the contract of tender No. contractors to be employed simultaneously MS/RC/2011/14 worth $86,000 for operating a fast-food store at Tel-Aviv Savidor Central on the same alignment. station. Work will be devided between 2 (viii). The local company Sea-mall taxis, has been awarded the contract of tender No. areas: the Northern area from Lod station MS/RC/2011/13 worth $17,000 for operating taxi services to/from Ashdod-Ad-Halom (inclusive) up to Kiryat-Gat (inclusive); the railway station. Southern area from Kiryat-Gat station (exclusive) and up to Beer-Sheva North/ (ix). The local company Café Café Israel, has been awarded the contracts of tenders University station (inclusive). Nos. MS/RC/2011/10 & MS/RC/2011/8 worth $650 each for every 10,000 passengers The intention is to select a (boarding and un-boarding) for providing coffee and bakery products at Rishon-Le- separate winning bidder for each area. The Zion-West, Yavne West (to be opened on February 2012), and Holon Gate stations. contract is for 12 months with optional (x). The local company Sheniav has been awarded the contract of tender No. MS/ extensions for up to additional 24 months. RC/2011/9 worth $650 each for every 10,000 passengers (boarding and un-boarding) Latest date for submission of proposals: for providing coffee and bakery products at Bat-Yam Yoseftal and Komemiut stations. 12.12.2011. (xi). The local company Kadima taxis, has been awarded the contract for tender No. (xx). International tender No. HN/ MS/RC/2011/6 worth $23,000 for providing taxi services to/from Beit-Yehoshua station. RC/07/11: For Manufacture and Supply of Trailers for IR - two trailers with three 95:06. side-tipping platforms, and two trailers for conveying vehicles and equipment. LIGHT RAIL. Submissions by 06.02.2012. [NB: This probably means Permanent-Way Trolleys, A. JERUSALEM. not Trailers. Ed.] (i). By courtesy of ‚FROM JERUSALEM‘, a Newsletter witten and published by (xxi). Tender No. MS/RC/16/11: A 23000 Walter Zanger in Jerusalem, Volume 14/No. 7, Sepember 2011: sq.m. real estate site for rental adjacent „CLANG CLANG CLANG WENT THE TROLLEY to the Ramla - Na‘an junction section That was an adventurous day indeed! It was August 19th., the first day the Light Rail actually went into service. After seven years of building (the Chinese would have built alignment. The contract refers to the it in two!) and no end of cock-ups — some still unresolved — it was working and we rode mentioned area known as „Ta‘avura Site“, on it. used to belong to the sole distributers of The group was on the Mount of Olives, enjoying the lookouts and sort-of listening DAF trucks and buses; this moved to the to me go on about hills and valleys and boundaries and walls, and all that stuff. Then Ami, other side of the nearby Road No. 44. The our driver, took us north past Mt. Scopus and let us off down at the bottom, right at the contract is for 24 months. Latest date for station of Ammunition Hill. Then the train came and we actually got on. That was exciting— submission of proposals: 26.12.2012. we were part of history!—and I was excited. The train was clean, quiet, and peaceful. That ride was also useful, because Friday the 19th was the 3rd Friday of Ramadan ,cfrv Page and the Old City was jammed full of Arabs Industry & Commerce, at a cost of around roughly 40 percent of the bus lines in the coming to pray. The Police, therefore, had $420M; it is expected that the total number city. Agripas Street, near the Mahaneh closed off every possible way to get to of such ‚returnees‘ will reach 200, which is Yehuda market, which has long suffered Jaffa Gate, which is where we had to go to considered a good sign for the LRV and the from a gridlock of buses, will decrease continue our tour. There was no way Ami renaissance of the city centre. [Ed. adds: from 16 bus lines to 8 bus lines. The was going to get our bus anywhere near it, It is not quite clear what this means. Was shorter bus routes mean travellers may but the light rail let us off at City Hall, which an additional sum of money necessary have to take a bus, the light rail, and is up at the NW corner of the Old City. A bit to persuade shopkeepers to reopen their another bus to arrive at their destination. farther into the city than it should be, but shops? Or is this compensation for lost Transportation officials claim that, all-in-all an easy walk to the Gate. So the business? From whose budget does this despite the multiple switches, the complete train saved our day! sum come?] overhaul of the public transportation system I have ridden it twice since. Once will actually make it quicker and more when I was on a time limit, but that was a (iii). U.I.T.P. VISITS. efficient for people to move about the city. mistake. Because one major problem yet From a press release of Shorter, locally-concentrated routes mean unsolved is the computer program that 22.09.2011 by Jerusalem Municipality: buses can reach previously under-served automatically gives the train right-of way at “The U.I.T.P. (International areas such as local commercial centers or intersections. That’s not happening yet, so Associatioon for Public Transport) is today community centers, said Dror Ganon, the the train kept stopping at red lights, and the holding for the first time its professional deputy director-general for public transport actual ride was slow. conference on Light Rail Vehicles. About at the Transportation Ministry. The third time was for fun, and forty specialists from around the world have Long-needed technological that was interesting too. Because it was arrived for the two-day event. during which upgrades are a major part of the still August. Schools were still on vacation. thy will visit the project along its whole “transportation revolution,” as officials And the ride was (still is) free of charge. The alignment as well as the depot. The visitors have termed it, in an attempt to capitalize machines to charge and accept your card have already appreciated the determination on the summer social protests. Starting aren’t up and running yet. So a ride on the of Government and Municpality to construct Thursday, travellers will be able to plan their train was a perfect, and free!, excursion for the LRV including additional lines, which trips via a website, www.jet.org.il, complete parents and little children. Most of whom, it they perceive as essential for the city in with maps, which reflects the most recent turned out, were from the haredi community. order to create an efficient transport sytsm. bus changes along with bus schedules and We got a ton of women pushing strollers, The UITP Chairman for LRV’s. Mr. Joao walking routes. The service will eventually be a lot of pregnant women, a lot of women Manuel Relvas Pena Rebelo of Portugal, translated into English, Arabic, and Russian, holding little babies, (some of who needed - said that the recently-opened Jerusalem as well as created into downloadable very badly - a change of diapers!) and many system is the youngest in the world and applications for smart phones. Initially it who were all of the above. The train was joins 1,000km of other LRV lines already will only be available in Hebrew. More than noisy, crowded, smelly, and uncomfortable. working successfully world-wide, with 30 ‚smart stops‘, which announce when And still slow. Passage was difficult for the another fifty lines currently in various stages the next bus will arrive, have already been security guys walking on and off through of promotion or construction. installed, and there will eventually be 250 the cars. Both the Transport & Road Safety smart stops, including the light rail, over the Paula was on it yesterday, in the Ministry’s Deputy General Manager Mr. Alex next 18 months. first week of September. Things have got a Langer and the Jerusalem Transportation “We take full responsibility lot better now. The kids are back in school Plan General Manager Mr. Nadav Meroz that public transportation will be a (Praise the Lord!), the ride is still slower said that in addition to the satisfaction at better alternative than private cars,” said than it needs to be because of the traffic the conference the assistance from the Zohar Zoller, the advisor to the mayor lights, but it is much more pleasant. And participants was substantial; they advise the for transportation issues. “The roads can’t we have been into the new parking garage project to learn from the performance of the physically be enlarged, therefore the only they installed under the Calder sculpture at Tenerife LRV running on a 9% gradient as a option is to improve public transportation. Mt Herzl. Very smart, indeed; clean and new. model for the planned extension of the Red This is simple mathematics,” he said.“ An elevator at the 3 underground levels goes Line from Mt. Herzl to Hadassah Ein Karem up right onto the train station. Excellent. Hospital.” And: From a joint press release All in all, very promising. It’s true of 04.10.2011 by the Transport & Roads‘ that they still haven’t learned how to spell (iv). BUS ROUTE CHANGES Safety Ministry, Jerusalem Transportation Herzl (there’s no E in it, dummy!) and AND COORDINATION. Master-Plan team, and the Municipality: don’t know that “Denia Square” should be From ‚Jerusalem Post‘, by Melanie These three bodies have “Denmark Square.” The crawl inside each Lidman. 05.10.2011. completed their preparations for operating car that tells you the next stop is vaguely off „Jerusalem’s bus system will the „South-West Pulse“- a combined sync, so you don’t know if the stop displayed undergo major changes in two months network of the LRV and 22 feeder bus lines is the next one or the one you just left. But as the light rail reaches full operation, in all the neighborhoods between Kiryat- these are small things, I guess. We will wait transportation officials announced Menakhem and Kiryat-Moshe. until these small things get fixed, which they Wednesday. The heart of the changes is The „pulse“ is to take place within possibly will, and the big things too, which a switch from long bus routes that wind eight weeks and the Transport & Roads‘ definitely will (sez who?). Until they get the through multiple neighborhoods as they Safety Ministry‘s precondition for this is that traffic lights computer fixed up, the money cross the city, to shorter bus routes that CityPass will indeed succeed in improving machines working, and the busses off the bring residents from each neighborhood the service level and the LRV frequency to streets. And hope the Messiah doesn’t to the major transportation arteries of 10 minute intervals. come before that to bring an end to history the light rail or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) According to the planning, just when we have finally got the damn lanes. The light rail and the BRT lanes will CityPass will continue its efforts to overcome thing working, and the Palestinians don’t make an X through the city, dividing the the technical problems, complete the screw up our country any more. Then life in city into four quadrants. The changes will installation of additional smart traffic Jerusalem will be truly grand.“ first be rolled out in 17 neighbourhoods lights for LRV priority at junctions, and will in the southwest part of the city, including improve service frequency; This will take (ii). BUSINESSES RESUMING. Rehavia, Kiryat Yovel, Beit Hakerem, and time, but the combined lines will enable According to an announcement by Ein Kerem. It could take up to a year for the better deployment of services all over the the Jerusalem Municipality of 18.09.2011, full changes to come into effect across the system. 115 merchants whose businesses had been city. The improvements to 22 seriously affected by the LRV works would Twenty-two bus lines will be neighbourhood buses will include conversion soon return thanks to a project implemented affected in the first stage ofchanges, to feeding services to enable the public to by both the Municipality and the Ministry for reach the LRV easily; some of the lines will ,cfrv Page 10 become shorter with increased frequency, Ministry hasn’t yet figured out how to do B. TEL AVIV. while also offering more focussed services the ticketing!! Unbelievable but true. A few (i). WORKS TO START. within the neighbourhoods such as clinics, months ago I put on my hat as a reporter In a press release on 20.09.2011 schools, shopping centers, etc. for ‘In Jerusalem’ (the ‘Jerusalem Post’ local Minister Yisrael Katz announced that he had Transport & Roads‘ Safety Minister supplement) and e-mailed my questions on instructed NTA to tell its sub-contractors Mr. Yisrael Katz has decided on introducing the topic to the ministry spokesman. to commence excavation of shafts a single subsidized fare of about $1.70 How will cards be activated for the immediately. all over the Great Jerusalem Area and 90 light rail? if you have a monthly unlimited minutes time to change lines between the for the buses, will it include the light rail or (ii). NTA Tender 043/2011: buses and between them and the LRV, will you need to pay extra? (In Haifa there Providing Consultancy and Inspection by using the multi-line card already used are two types of ‘Hofshi Hodshi’, for buses services for Traffic Safety. Latest date for by 400,000 people. Two months after only or including the Carmelit funicular, submission of proposals: 24.10.2011. introducing the „Pulse“, the whole new which costs extra, so will it be the same in transportation network will start operation Jerusalem?) When you board a bus you (iii). TUNNEL BORING STARTS. including: full operation of the LRV at 6 can’t avoid seeing the driver and having to Froma press release of 20.09.2011 by ILAV- minute intervals, 6 BRT lines, reorganizing put your card on the reader. But Light Rail Public Relations Consultants of the NTA:- of all other lines, and full ticketing as well as trains have 12 doors on each side, and you „The first stage of boring the tunnel electronic real time information boards at get on at any door. Inside each door is a for the Red Line will start tomorrow. The all 1,600 LRV and bus stations. card reader, but how will the driver know if three shafts for the TBM will be excavated you get on at the far end? at three points along the alignment; the (v). TICKETING ISSUES. The Transport Ministry first shaft to be excavated will be carried out Sybil Ehrlich has sent a report acknowledged my e-mail and said they by the Abraham-Yitzhak Co. at the corner which is worth citing in full, if only to show would let me know the answers. I’m still of Yehudah Halevi and Herzl Streets (in the future generations how Planners Plan. waiting. Meanwhile, rides are free! old Tel Aviv area) to a depth of 23m below Not all the trains are operational street level. From here the two TBM‘s will “First, to explain what is meant yet, and there is a problem with the traffic start working eastwards. by the ‘ticket’ in ‘Harakevet’ 94:06 (vi). It lights, meaning that trams don‘t yet have The second shaft will be excavated is a ‘smart card’ called Rav-Kav - loosely right of way, making journeys somewhat near Galei-Gil parking area in Tel Aviv, and translated as ‘Multi-Line’, which is being slow. But good value considering, ahem, this will be carried out by the Zalman Barashi introduced throughout the country as a the price of the ticket! Company. means of paying for public transport. We’ve I am truly staggered that so far The third shaft will be excavated had them in Beit Shemesh for almost (tfu tfu tfu) nobody has been run over by a at Petah-Tikva; also for operating two TBM, three years, since Superbus took over the light rail train.” this will be carried out by the Dania Sibus buses in this area. The same card is valid Co. everywhere, provided it’s been ‘loaded’ [Ed. adds: For non-Hebrew All tunnels will be built in the cut- with the appropriate ‘plan’. It has a photo speakers: ‘Hofesh’ means ‘free, unrestricted’ and-cover system. According to forecasts, of the owner and his/her name, and can be - used also to mean free time, a break; between 100M and 120M passengers will used only by that person. (There are also ‘Hodesh’ is Month, ‘Yom’ is Day - so these use the Red Line by 2020. ‘anonymous’ Rav-Kav cards that can be are various adjectival forms. Until now the NTA has spent used by anyone, but they don’t offer any Of course, once upon a time one several years and $350M moving various discounts.) purchased a token or a piece of paper or existing infrastructures. Chairman of NTA Mr. Since January 2009 I have had card which could be stamped, shown and Michael Razon said: „Since the government on my Rav-Kav a ‘Hofshi Hodshi’ monthly sometimes collected in again. But now we decision to build the Red Line with its own unlimited-ride ticket from Beit Shemesh to live in a time when people have smartcards budget, numerous tenders have been Jerusalem, which comes with a free (paper) and tickets downloaded onto mobile published in order to start the works at last. monthly unlimited ticket for Egged buses phones - which works wonderfully until the The works which are now commencing are within Jerusalem. I give the bus driver the battery runs low or the phone is stolen... an answer to all the cynics who doubted the cost of the monthly ticket, he puts the ticket The problem is that there are too many ability of a governmental company to carry on the computerised machine in the bus, smart people out there working in IT who out such a complex project while keeping to and it’s ‘loaded’ as a ‘Hofshi Hodshi’ for that have never actually lived a normal life and a strict schedule.“ route and that time period. There are other learned how a coin or a banknote is also a options: a 10-local ride ticket, or whatever. form of payment, that a credit-card doesn’t (iv). NTA Tel-Aviv Tender No. (There is no option to put on a sum of always help you to buy something at the 035/2011: Providing characterisation, money and use it as you like till the money market or a newspaper - or a bus ticket... assimilation and consultation services for runs out, as with an Oyster card in London). These are the same people who assume ERP PRIORITY system from Ashbel House Each time you get on a bus, you put your that Everyone has access to the Internet, (an Israeli software company.) The contract card on the reader, and it sees that you have Everywhere, and therefore stop producing validity is to be determined by both sides at a monthly unlimited, or whatever. printed timetables - not thinking that many the time of signing the contract. Latest date Using the same card I got a of those using public transport are the for submissions: 17.11.2011. ‘Hofshi Yomi’ Daily Unlimited ticket for Tel elderly, the poor or even those with eyesight Aviv, for the day I wanted to ride around on too weak to drive.... Grrrrr.] (v). Tender No. 051/2011. TA buses. The reader thingy on the Tel Aviv Providing Production, Installation and buses acknowledged the ‘Hofshi Yomi’ for However: From a press release Maintenance services for labels on fences. that day, and couldn’t read - or didn’t care of 07.11.2011 by the Transport & Roads‘ The contract is for three years, bids by - that simultaneously on the same card I Safety Ministry: „Starting from 01.12.2011, 10.11.2011. had a ‘Hofshi Hodshi’ for Beit Shemesh to the concessionaire CityPass will start to Jerusalem. A few weeks ago I saw people charge money for the LRV services which (vi). Tender No. 049/2011: using Rav-Kav cards on Jerusalem city have been free of charge for 3 months of Providing design, consulting, and planning buses, so out of curiosity I tried putting running; this is also the date of introducing control services regarding landscape my Rav-Kav card on the reader. It flashed the multi-mode smart card enabling travel architecture. Latest date for submission of ‘not valid’, because I had not activated it for 90 minutes both on LRV and buses proposals: 04.12.2011. specifically for Jerusalem city buses. No at about $2.00. The fare of the unified problem, I showed the paper ticket to the monthly multi-mode free ticket for the (vii). Tender No. 037/2011: driver. All fine and dandy. Greater Jerusalem Area has been reduced Providing consulting, design, and control Now what about the light rail? from $79.35 to $61.84.“ over design works regarding air condition Rides are still free because the Transport and ventilation. Latest date for submission of proposals: 30.11.2011. ,cfrv Page 11 95: 07 Israel’s “Sandwich” Stations
The reference is not to the food served in the station buffets but to the station locations: many of Israel’s newer stations are sandwiched between the “Up” and “Down” lanes (to use railway terminology) of major divided highways. The first such station was Tel Aviv Central, which was moved from its original location to sit in between the lanes of the Ayalon Freeway (Route 20) running through Tel Aviv, so that it could be linked along the Ayalon valley to the lines going south to Jerusalem, Beer Sheba and Ashkelon. This was the only free strip of land cutting through the city available for both the rail lines and the highway. All the other stations on this route (University, Hashalom, Hahagana) were built in the middle of the freeway. Since then, many of the newer stations in other places are in similar sites. The reason for this is connected to the difference between old established countries and ours. In most of the former (Europe, America etc.) train networks were laid down in the 19th century with stations mainly in the centre of cities and towns, being the principal form of transport at the time. In Israel, the lines laid down in Turkish times, and to some extent during the British mandate, brought some stations to population centres, like Haifa, Jaffa, Binyamina, although others were somewhat outside the centres like Hadera East and Rehovot, due to the constraints on the alignment of routes. The development of major roads meant that the right-of-way for a rail line often came together with the road planning, and putting the line in the middle was the best compromise for access, bridges, etc. Since the major highways are usually express routes, traffic on those roads cannot stop at the station entrance. Access to the station must be independent of those adjacent roads, by streets which cross the highway. This means they must be one of two types: those in which the street which accesses the station crosses above the highway, and those where the highway is above the street. In the latter case, parts of the station platforms are under the bridge carrying the street. In the case of the new line to Rishon LeZion West, all but one of the stations are so located. There are a number of problems resulting from this type of location. In Hashalom station, in the Ayalon valley, the intense highway traffic noise confined by the bridge makes waiting for a train most unpleasant. Some newer stations have better acoustic protection. Another problem is parking space. Usually this has to be on the other side of the main road, and often there is not much space available. At Rishonim station outside Rishon Letzion, lots of land was provided for free parking just outside the station. Other places were not so fortunate.
Jeremy Topaz
Photo 2 - Wolfson
Photo 1 - Wolfson
Photo 4 View from Kommenyut
Photo 3 - Yoseftal
,cfrv Page 12 Photo 5 Yoseftal Station
Photos from Jeremy Topaz & Sybil Ehrlich
Photo 6 Yoseftal Platform
A map of the Railway Lines in the Tel-Aviv Area
List of Stations in the Tel Aviv area No. Name Type In middle of: Parking nearby Two of the sandwich stations were designed 1 Herzliya regular Yes so that the line could be continued, to join 2 Tel Aviv - University sandwich Route 20 Yes up with other routes. These are Rishonim and sandwich 3 Tel Aviv - Central (Savidor) Route 20 Yes Kfar Saba stations. In the case of Rishonim, sandwich 4 Tel Aviv - Hashalom Route 20 In adjacent mall there was a plan to extend the line to join up sandwich with the new West Rishon Letzion line. Israel 5 Tel Aviv - HaHagana Route 20 Far away sandwich Railways decided to cancel this project, for 6 Holon Junction Route 20 Yes what reasons is not clear. This is a pity, because sandwich 7 Holon - Wolfson Route 20 None Rishon Lezion is spread over a very long site, sandwich 8 Bat Yam - Josephtal Route 20 None from the sea to about 10km inland. This branch sandwich would have helped facilitate communication 9 Bat Yam - Kommemyut Route 20 Only for bikes sandwich between different parts of the city. 10 Rishon Letzion – Moshe Dayan Route 20 Yes The extension from Kfar Saba to join to the main sandwich 11 Rishon Letzion - Rishonim Route 431 Yes Haifa line north of Herzliya is still on the cards. sandwich 12 Hod Hasharon - Sokolov Route 531 Yes It is shown on the IR map of future lines with sandwich 13 Kfar Saba –Nordau Route 531 Yes two stations in Ra’anana. From the photo of regular Kfar Saba station, it is apparent that the tracks 14 Rosh Ha-Ayin - North Yes will go over the station entrance, a transport regular 15 Petah Tikva – Segula Yes improvement but an aesthetic �����������impairment. regular 16 Petah Tikva – Kiryat Arye ? The extension of the line from Rishon – Moshe regular Dayan to Yavne West is due to open next year. 17 Bnei Brak Yes The line runs east of Highway 4, not in the regular 18 Kfar Habad None middle, and the station at Yavne West is not a regular 19 Ben Gurion Airport Yes sandwich. The continuation to Ashdod is quite regular 20 Lod – Gannei Aviv Yes some time away. regular 21 Lod None regular 22 Ramla Yes regular 23 Be’er Ya’akov Yes regular 24 Rehovot Yes ,cfrv Page 13 95:08 tan - Entlang der türkisch-syrischen Gren- ze im Zug 62951’ - an account of a jour- OTHER MIDDLE EAST RAILWAYS. ney through Turkey and along the border area with Syria, by Hermann Neidhart. A. TURKEY. (i). CRASH. „On 6.9.2011 there was a head-on crash in Cankurtaran station, “The old Bagdadbahn, the Istanbul. A stationary EMU was run into by electric locomotive E43 008 hauling a freight construction of which began in Constan- train. 10 people were injured, but not seriously. The locomotive appears to have suffered tinople over a hundred years ago, has a light damage, but the EMU cab was entirely crushed.“ (From Jeff Hawken of ‚Turkrail‘). legendary reputation to defend - which continues despite many wars and con- (ii). HIGH SPEED SERVICES. flicts. But one cannot traverse this historic On 17.12.2010 TCDD opened its second high speed line; around 300km. line fully even in Turkey any more. Along long, it links Ankara with Konya in the south-west part of central Turkey. As with the first the 350km. section from Nusaybin to high-speed line, which opened in March 2009 between Ankara and Eskisehir, trains will Gaziantep - which mainly runs along the be able to run at a top speed of 250km/h. TCDD has only ten of the HT65000-series Turkish-Syrian border - it proved possible electric trains built by CAF of Spain. There are plans to order a further 48 of the six-car to arrange a trip in November 2010. [N.B. train sets. The third high-speed line, Eskisehir - Istanbul is now about half completed. One should not omit to mention that in The long-term aim is to expand the current railway network of around 11,000km to October 2011 Kurdish forces attacked 14,500km. by 2023, with another 2,500km. by 2035. Of this, some 12.000km should several Turkish police stations and bases be suitable for speeds of 250km/h or higher. causing many fatalities, and the Turkish Hyundai-Rotem is delivering eighty 5000kW electric locomotives to TCDD. forces then pursued them into northern This is the first-ever export order for electric locomotives for the South Koreans. The first Iraq.... Ed.] eight will be built by Hyundai-Rotem, the rest in Turkey in co-operation with Tülomsas. Hyundai-Rotem is hoping for further orders from Turkey, including for high-speed train First a quick view back - in the sets. time when the Taurus Express, the most famous train on the Bagdadbahn line cov- (iii). NEW LINES. ered the route from Istanbul-Haydarpasa From ‚Fahrplancenter News‘ No. 47 p.19: „The current political system in Tur- to Aleppo at least once a week in around key continues to reveal itself as friendly towards Railways. After the first section of the 35 hours, train travel through Turkey was high speed line Ankara - Istanbul had been opened to Eskisehir, on 17.12.2010 con- still a fine affair. Even the connection from struction of the 306km. new line Polati - Konya was completed. Test workings began München to the Bosphorus at Istanbul- on 1st. June 2011 and ran at up to 250km/h. Since this line runs due south from the Sirkeci worked relatively uncomplicated in Ankara region, the Konya area will henceforth be only ca. 90 minutes away from the around 40 hours. In less than four days capital; until now a journey from Ankara to Konya with the ca. 700km. detour via Afyon of actual travel time one could travel from required around 13 hours. On 24.08.2011 scheduled traffic over the line began with Bavaria through the Balkans and through four train pairs, departing both Ankara and Konya at 07.00, 11.30, 15.30 and 18.30. Turkey to Northern Syria and in the pro- Earthworks for the high-speed line Eskisehir - Istanbul and also works on the cess cover some 3,500 km. of railway line. tunnel under the Bosphorus are well advanced. The next destinations for high-speed This was, for example, still possible during lines will be Sivas, Adana, Malatya and Bursa. a journey in Spring 2005 with the ‘Toros Detailed planning for the new rail line from Kars to Georgia has been com- Ekspresi’ - with connection to Damas- pleted and finance is now secured for the Turkish section of the route. The interchange cus. But nowadays this historic train that station from the 1435mm gauge Turkish railways to the Georgian gauge of 1520mm will once traversed the Anatolian plateau and be built on Georgian territory near the town of Akhalkalaki. through the Taurus mountains to the Ori- On the southern and northern banks of Lake Van geological explorations are ent no longer exists. But now, in the Au- taking place, with the aim of finding the ideal place for railway construction. Iran is tumn of last year, access to the Near East committing to a little more than 50% of the costs of 2.6M. Euros. This will be the last is mainly via sea or road. Only the sections remaining section of the through rail link from Europe to India. The Lake Van region is München - Venezia, Corinth - Athens and an ancient area of settlement, but it is also geologically unstable and suffers frequently Tarsus - Adana can be traversed by rail. from earthquakes. In addition an alignment must be found that will not be overwhelmed But ferries are also pleasant means of with large snow masses in winter. transport - from Venice via Corfu to Patras, In the European section of Turkey the Istanbul - Edirne line was totally rebuilt in from Piraeus to Rhodos and from there to the early part of 2011 and on its reopening on 1st. March 2011 the new 20km. section Marmara (not forgetting the quick detour Muratli - Tekirdag also opened. This serves mainly as access to the Asyaport, the new- from Tasucu to Girne in Northern Cyprus). est harbour in the European part of the country. There are six daily train pairs between As is well known, no rail line runs along Muratli and Tekirdag.“ the Turkish Riviera, but instead a large number of bus lines and the frequent in- (iv). ANTALYA TRAM: dividual and group taxis. Along such ways ‘Old news’ from ‘Op de Rails’ 9-2009 p. 436: On 15th. June a new 11-kilome- one can pass several weeks until reach- tre high speed tramline came into use at Antalya on the southern coast of Turkey. There ing the Turkish - Kurdistan border, for the are 16 stops, two of which are underground. CAF has delivered 4 low-floor trams of the Eastern Mediterranean has many sights to type that is also used in Vitoria in Spain. Whether the trams would continue working see at any time of year, even if the days are after the special opening was unknown soon after the ceremony, for the line had been already rather short by late Autumn. built in only 18 months and according to media reports there were still many outstand- ing jobs to be completed, including some which are relevant to operational safety.” It is a good feeling to be in Ad- ana again in 2010 - it lies east of Mersin (v). ALONG THE SYRIAN BORDER IN 2010. on the historic Bagdadbahn line. At the In ‘Lok Report’ 11/11 pp. 50- 53 is a report on ‘Die Bagdadbahn durch Kurdis- station of Tarsus one is greeted by a me- ,cfrv Page 14 morial steam locomotive which cannot be is a dreadful, impossible chaos. The ap- About an hour before departure time a missed - excursionists let themselves be parent inactivity of the officials drives the half-dozen soldiers arrive to form the train photographed in front of it and kids clam- Kurdish taxi taxi drivers into helpless rage guard unit - equipped with guns and other ber over it. [This is 2-8-0 45 004 and a which is often expressed in actions. The items. They have a relatively approachable Brake/3rd. coach]. At the ticket counter Turkish passport-stamping formalities and leader, who also understands some Eng- however there is disappointment - the baggage checks last for ever, whilst on the lish. official can sell a ticket to Adana but not Iraqi side everything is unproblematical. In the meantime the roughly to Gaziantep. Is this section still or once (One had actually expected the opposite.) thirty wagons (only three of them passen- again out of service? One travels with a cross-country ger coaches) have been shunted back and In Adana confirmation comes: taxi via Zakho and Dohuk to Erbil. At a forth along the tracks, and the Diesel lo- One can only continue to Gaziantep by military checkpoint shortly before the city comotive now sets itself at the front. Many Dolmus or bus. Only from there onwards traffic stands for an hour, whilst the other of those present now want to be photo- should there be rail services further to- Army or Police checkpoints were passed graphed around it, especially the engine wards the East - Inshallah! When the Bag- quite quickly. In the suburb of Ainkawa a driver. It is good that the results can be dadbahn was built Adana was an impor- former Bundeswehr soldier and Afghani- displayed digitally immediately. Finally tant junction, for from here one could go stan veteran now runs a German Res- Train No. 62951 is ready for departure not only to Aleppo in Syria and to Isken- taurant (with pork schnitzel, Bockwurst, soon after 14.00. One of the accompany- derun on the Mediterranean, but also to potato salad and beer from Thüringen on ing officials gives me some words of warn- Mersin and of course then further through the menu!) The Citadel with the Old City ing - Beware of stonethrowers! Don’t get the Taurus mountains in the direction of and and Bazar are however pure Orient too close to the window! Best to say sitting Konya and Istanbul. again. The return journey, running partially on the seats in the compartment! Don’t In the apparently empty station close to the Iranian border, is also unspec- take photographs! (Oy vey!) A large hole building of Gaziantep - known by the lo- tacular, despite around two dozen security in one of the carriage windows indicates a cals just as Antep - the only office that checks. direct hit on an earlier trip. is manned is that of the Chef, and this is Half of the soldiers have taken only accessible from the rear. The ques- There is plenty of room in the up station in the next compartment - a tion as to when the next train to Nusaybin spacious station area of Nusaybin for many rifle leans against the sliding door. The runs is answered (in writing, even!) with train movements, but nothing is happen- question is: Is one here being protected ‘Friday, 10.00’. This does not match the ing. Only one obsessively officious railway or observed? It seems advisable to take information in the Timetable, which re- official tries to prohibit photography. His great caution when photographing (and fers to Thursday, 07.00, but comes from colleague even tries to convince us that it would be better to use a second cam- the horse’s mouth. A day later however it no passenger trains go to Gaziantep. era that one can if necessary afford to transpires that a train does indeed depart This is now a matter for the Station Mas- lose.) But although there does not appear at this time - but not to Nusaybin! This is ter! He speaks English and gives friendly to be much happening between the few annoying, for only three days later does (and accurate!) information. On Mondays, settlements, the line itself is very interest- anything move in that direction. Wednesday and Fridays at 14.15 passen- ing. For the tracks run directly along the For better or worse there is now gers as well as freight are conveyed to An- Turkish-Syrian border, for several hundred no option but a joint taxi or bus in the di- tep. kilometres! The line runs between two rection of Nusaybin, in the hope at least This is very satisfactory informa- barbed-wire fences; behind one lies Syria, to be able to travel by train in the return tion, for it implies that soon a regular train behind the other lies Turkey. On the Turk- direction to Antep. .... will traverse the famous Bagdadbahn line ish side there is also a military road, and westwards! With the Chief’s permission I then another fence. Behind this one can At the end of 2010 the political may photograph extensively, and we ex- see the State Road 400 to Gaziantep. On climate is relatively good and even the change postcards, badges and other rail- the non-asphalted road Jeeps, military lor- possibility of a journey further into North- way souvenirs. Next door, in the office of ries and also a Red-Crescent ambulance ern Iraq seems feasible. It is a only a good the Freight Supervisor there is the obliga- can be seen. At roughly each kilometre 200km from the border to Erbil, the capital tory tea with sugar. The chief even ar- there stands a watchtower - an attractive if of the autonomous province of Kurdistan. ranges for food to be brought - pita bread, threatening subject for a photograph, and But no train goes there. In earlier times onions, peppers and lentil sup - very tasty. reminiscent of the DDR times. However, it the Bagdadbahn did have regular passen- On the return trip into the city seems that only about every tenth tower is ger services from Nusaybin to the Syrian centre the joint taxi drives close to the bor- manned with a soldier. border town of Qamishli and further on to der crossing to Qamishli, the station on By the time we reach the sta- Mosul, but that has not been possible for the Syrian side of the Bagdadbahn. There tion of Senyurt around 16.00 the light is a long while. is however no passenger traffic any more already fading, the conditions for pho- Silopi in Turkish-Kurdistan would over there, only occasional freight move- tography are getting worse - now, when be an isolated, sleepy dump if it had not ments. The barbed wire complex and the the soldiers seem at last to have become known how to benefit from its strategic watchtowers in the border area let the accustomed to the regular shooting of position on the transit route to Iraq im- question arise as to whether Turkey and pictures (or at least have not made any mediately after the Gulf War. There are a Syria are in a pre- or post-war relationship. moves to forbid it!) At the following station few simple hotels on the main road, which The Kurdish driver expresses himself rath- the six watchmen get out and walk away; are quite acceptable for one night. There er dismissively over the Arab neighbours. the same number then board as their re- are proportionally many taxis in this small There is plenty of time before the placements. The new men check the few place, and their drivers are always eager mixed train departs Nusaybin station to compartments and write the details of the to drive their customers over the nearby chat with the station personnel - many of passengers, taking the information from border - for a good fare. them already off-duty by early afternoon. their identity papers. There is however not Without the help of local taxi One of the staff even speaks German, he a lot to check. As far as one can tell, there drivers the border crossing would hardly had lived in Germany for ten years and are less than ten fare-paying passengers be possible. For on the Turkish side there arranges for colleagues to bring us tea. travelling. The rest are railwaymen or mili- ,cfrv Page 15 tary. For each civilian passenger there are A Gabriel has announced that new 1,350km line through south-east and therefore two train or guard personnel. in late September 2011 together with Di- eastern Iran. The new line begins at the The income for the Turkish State Railways etmar Kramer he took video on the line harbour of Chabhar in the Province Sis- TCDD will therefore be very modest. 10 Alasehir - Usak - Kütahya - Tavsali with 56 tan-Baluchistan, west of the border with Lira per person (around 5 Euros) - a total 548 - former DR Kriegslok 52 . It may be Pakistan. The line then runs from the of about 50 Euros. Why do so few passen- seen at:- http://youtu.be/VMuY5QtDR1c coast northwards via the cities of Iranshahr gers travel, when it is so cheap? Perhaps and Khash towards Zahedan. In a second because of the late arrival time at the des- stage a further new line will be built from tination, in the middle of the night? B. DUBAI. Zahedan to Mashhad, which will run more- On walking through the pas- METRO REPORTS:- or-less parallel to the border with Afghani- senger coaches it becomes clear that ‘(i). De Pers’ (a free Dutch stan. The new line will fulfil several func- one is empty and unlit, and very few pas- newspaper - translation by The Editor): tions: Strategic, since it will traverse the sengers occupy the other two. However 11.09.2009: “Today the first Metro in the whole eastern side of Iran from north to the six-seater compartments on this this Middle East commences operation, in the South and will run only a few hundred kilo- train, that ‘rumbles through the wilds of wealthy desert state of Dubai. A journey metres from the Pakistan and Afghanistan Kudistan’ or is ‘on the way from Bagdad of 52km. with this underground will cost borders; also Economic, for it will open to Stamboul’ (to paraphrase Karl May) are around €1. This can provide a good alter- up enormous but underdeveloped areas clean and comfortable. In Ceylanpinar, native to the slower buses for the many of Iran; In addition it will provide in con- where the journey continues into the night Asiatic guest workers, though it is less junction with the existing lines and those at 17.30, several people with cases and likely that the residents, used to their cars, under construction lines via Turkmenistan cartons climb on. In Akcakale we wait for will transfer, since petrol prices in Dubai to Kazachstan and Russian Central Asia a half an hour for a goods train in the other are so low.” (Thanks to Marc Stegeman direct link to the Indian Ocean. direction. for this and other Dutch items.) It is now time for supper, that the (ii). In ‘Op de Rails’ 9-2009 (iii). MASSIVE EXPANSION hotel keeper at Nusaybin has put together p. 436 is a different report: “On 9th. Sept. PLANS: in a plastc bag: chicken pieces, rice, pita, 2009 the first Metro line in Dubai in the Also from ‚Fahrplancenter salad - and even a fork, serviette and hy- United Arab Emirates opened; it is a fully- News‘:- giene wipes and toothpick. This, together automatic metro, and the Japanese build- In December 2010 the Iranian with lunch there and a drink, had cost to- er Kinki Sharyo has delivered 87 five-car Government admitted to having deposited gether less than €10. To balance this out train sets. The line currently opened the large amounts of national assets in „secure the taxi driver had tried to charge an ex- Red Line, will be around 52km. long, of countries and in banks which are friendly orbitant price for the few kilometres from which 4.7km. is underground. A second to Iran“ and - although Interest is, strictly the hotel to the station (which he did not line, the Green Line, of 22.5km. is under speaking, forbidden in Islam, in the mean- wholly succeed in getting.) construction. There will be 47 stations, time „several hundred Billion Rials“ have The train should reach Gaziantep some of which will have parking for 3,000 accumulated. This amounts to more that soon after midnight, but at 00.30 it is still cars. Dubai has some 850,000 inhabitants 30 Billion US Dollars. In addition there is a at Karkemis on the Euphrates, from where is growing and it is planned to have 3M in- loan of over $US 12.5 Billion. With these it heads north-west away from the Syrian habitants by around 2020. There will then funds the entire infrastructure of the coun- border. Here the guard soldiers also end be a further two Metro lines and plans are try is to be massively expanded. Railways their duty and leave their compartment. being worked on for a tramline, for which will benefit especially from this. In addition No-one else gets in. After a further three Alstom will deliver the stock.” to the new Chabahar - Zahedan - Mash- hours the outer areas of the destination (iii). A photo in ‘Metro’, a had line mentioned above in 2011 and come into view - here and there lit houses free Dutch newspaper, of 30.08.2011, 2012 the following lines are to be com- and street lamps. shows Abdul-Majid Al-Khaja, CEO of the menced:- The night porter at the hotel in railway company, Mattar Al-Tayer, Direc- Sari - Rasht. Gaziantep is aware of the late arrival of tor of the Transport Authority and Abdul Tehran - Hamedan - Sanandaj. the train. He had requested a call so as to Mohsin Younes of the railway company Doroud - Boroujerd; Miyaneh - be able to send a taxi to the station. And at a press conference at which it was an- Bostanabad - Tabriz. indeed, this is standing there, ready for nounced that another 3 Billion Dollars Tehran - Miyaneh, second line. me, at 03.20 - a real good service for the were required to finish off the Red and Miyaneh - Ardebil, ca. 130 km. middle of the night! Amd this trip costs, Green Metro lines, and the project will cost Qazvin - Rasht - Anzali (already including tip, less than that the day before a total of 7.6 Billion Euros. The costs for partially under construction; ca. 200km.) to Nusaybin station.After around 13 hours the Purple Line are not included in this fig- Shiraz - Bushehr - Assaluyeh. of night-time train travel through south. ure. Qazvin - Qom. eastern Turkey it is quite pleasant the next Maragheh - Oroumiyeh, ca. day to take a road trip the next day - over C. IRAN. 110km. the border by Kilis - to Aleppo (since no (i). TEHERAN METRO. Yazd - Shiraz, ca. 1,100 km. train is due here either.) From Aleppo to From Light Rail Review. Sept. Golgohar - Shiraz. Damascus there are apparently several 2011. p. 404. The extension of Line 1 of Gorgan - Bojnurd - Mashhad, ca. train services each day - hopefully a useful the Tehran Metro from Haram-e-Motahar 300 km. one will be found on arrival. But first it is to Kahrizak was opened on 21.07.2011. necessary to overnight in the ‘Hotel Bar- Not included in this list are those on’ in Halab, where the authoress Agatha (ii). NEW LINE IN THE EAST. lines which were already under construc- Christie stayed in 1928 and several times From ‚Fahrplancenter News‘ No. tion before December 2010 and which are subsequently, before she took the train 47 (Dec. 2010.Nov. 2011) p. 13: financed from other sources. further to Mosul or Istanbul and Europe.” On 6th. Dec. 2010 State Presi- (vi). VIDEO OF STEAM dent Ahmadinejad attended the com- (iv). ROLLING STOCK EXPORTS: FREIGHT TRAIN IN TURKEY. mencement of construction work on the In ‚Fahrplancenter News‘ No. 47 ,cfrv Page 16 p. 6 is an article on revival plans for the rail- rolling stock.“ ter to the Czech Republic. However, due to ways in Cuba. This includes a note: „The the low water level in the Elbe this proved rolling stock situation has been eased by Then:- In the ‘International Her- impossible and the vehicles had to be un- the delivery of 130 diesel locos from China ald Tribune’27.10.2011 p.20: loaded at the harbour at Magdeburg. [Ed. and numerous goods wagons of Iranian “The Saudi Railways Organiza- adds: A fair selection of preserved ancient provenance. Initially many items required tion has awarded a €6.74 Billion contract German stock normally stands here too.] some improvements, but in the meantime for the second phase of its high-speed Since the vehicles are extremely wide in the Cuban railway personnel have become Haramain project to the Saudi-Spanish terms of the loading gauge and the power used to the new stock.“ consortium Al Shoula. car weighs 95 tons, several weeks were The high-speed Haramain rail- then occupied with clarifying with various (v). ARMENIA PLANS DIRECT LINK road will link Mecca and Medina to the authorities and infrastructure operators WITH IRAN. Red Sea coastal city of Jidda, a main entry how to get the train set moved further. Armenia‘s ambassador to Lran, point for millions of pilgrims, and to King Amongst other measures, additional stiff- Mr Grigor Arakelyan, says that the two Abdullah Economic City, currently under eners had to be fitted to reduce the lateral countries have signed an agreement to construction. The high-speed link is worth swing. link their respective railway networks. At $9.3 Billion. The Saudi Railways Organisation present trains between the two countries ‘This phase of the contract in- has ordered twelve such trains from CAF, have to pass through western Azerbaijan. A cludes the construction of railway tracks, and each comprises a power car, four cen- memorandum of understanding is expect- installation of signalling and telecommu- tre cars and a driving trailer with luggage ed to be signed in the next three months nication systems, electrification, opera- compartment. Two additional power cars to construct a new 60km line from Jolfa in tional control center, the procurement of are being built as reserves. The vehicles Iran to the Armenian border, with Armenia 35 trains, and the operation and mainte- are 26.8m long, 3.05m. wide and 4.57m set to build a 400km line from there north nance for a period of 12 years’, Saudi Rail- high. Apart from in the driving trailer the to link with the existing rail network. ways said on Wednesday (i.e. 26.10) The entrance doors are in the centre of each The project is expected to cost 450 kilometres, or 280 miles, of new high- side. There are 94 First Class places (set $US 1.2-1.8Bn and will take around five speed track will be able to carry more than at 2+1) and 192 Second Class (set also at years to complete. Reports suggest Russia 160,000 passengers a day, said the Span- 2+1), plus two places for wheelchair users will contribute $US l00M to the scheme. ish Ministry of Public Works. (Reuters.)” and a Bar. There is also a Prayer Room, (From I.R.J. July 2011 p.9.) in which an arrow on a screen constantly And:- In ‘The Times’ 7-11-2011 points towards Mecca. D. SAUDI ARABIA. p.33 appeared an advertisement showing In the power car is an MTU Die- (i). MEKKA. a beak-shaped Spanish high-speed train sel engine which produces 3.6 MW. The (From Light Rail Review. Sept. and proudly announcing:- “Spain to build trains are designed for a top speed of 2011. p.405). “Expressions of Interests and operate Saudi Arabia High-Speed rail 180km/h; the air conditioning, designed are invited for the construction of four line. A Saudi Spanish consortium has been to cope with external temperatures of up more metro lines in 2013-2017. The chosen by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to 55°, also demands a lot of energy.” city’s Metro Line A (18km. or 11.2 miles) to construct, maintain and operate during opened in Nov, 2010. Ernst & Young and twelve years one of the key railway links in (iv). SAUDI GULF COAST LINK AP- Parsons Brinckerhoff have been appointed the Middle East countries. The Haramain PROVED. “The Saudi Government has to advise on the procurement process for High Speed Railway between Mecca and approved the construction of a link be- what are expected to be PPP contracts.” Medina. Along its 450km. route, trains will tween the North-South line at Ras Az [Ed. adds: Presumably only Moslems need reach speeds of over 300km/h and will Zawr and Dammam on the Saudi Railway apply...] provide services to more than 160,000 Organisation network. The Saudi Railway passengers per day. This important recog- Company (SAR) has aready invited bidders (ii). SAUDI AWARD CONTRACT TO nition confirms Spain as a world reference to prequalify for civil works and tracklaying BUILD SECOND STAGE OF HIGH in High Speed Railway.” on the 210km. line, which will run along SPEED RAIL LINK: [Ed. adds: This advert is probably the coast of the Persian Gulf through First:- From ‘I.R.J.’ 2011.07, due to current tedious debates in Britain Jubail. In addition to connecting the two pp.7 and 8: about the need for a High-Speed line link- existing Saudi networks, the line will even- SAUDI HARAMAIN AWARD DELAYED. ing London with Birmingham, Lancashire tually form part of the Gulf States Railway, “The contract award for the Haramain and Yorkshire. Clearly Talgo wants to get with extensions plamnned to Kuwait and high-speed railway that will link Mecca and its beak in the door.] Al Jahra in the north and Duwayhin and Medina with the Red Sea port of Jeddah the UAE border in the south.” has been delayed due to the complexity of (iii). NEW CAF DIESEL UNITS. the bids. Mr. Ali Al Karni, vice-president for In ‘Eisenbahn Revue’ Oct. 2011 (v). RIYADH METRO - some technical technical affairs at the Saudi Railway Or- p. 487 are two photos of the new CAF details. Thanks to Marc Stegeman: From ganisation (SRO) says that rival bids from diesel multiple units for Saudi Arabia be- a brochure by ‘SMA’ of 2010-11. the French-backed consortium, Al Rajhi ing hauled by SBB/Railadventure Bo-Bo “With 4.6M inhabitants and the Group, which comprises Alstom, French Re 421.383 to the Velim test circuit in main King’s palace of the al-Saud dynasty, National Railways (SNCF) and Saudi con- the Czech Republic and on site. The ac- Riyadh is the economic, cultural and ad- struction firm Al Rajhi, and the Al Shoula companying text notes that Railadventure, ministrative centre of Saudi Arabia. At the Group, which includes Talgo, Spain, are based in München, had hired this loco northern edge of the desert nation’s capi- still to be evaluated. ‘It’s a huge project, from SBB to transport the unit from Mag- tal city, a small, independent city is coing financially complex with complex bids’, Al deburg to the German/Czech border at into being with the Princess Noura Bint Karni says. ‘It’s not as simple as saying one Bad Schandau on 10/11th. August. Abdulrahman University. On the university bid is lower than the other. The decision is The train had been loaded onto a campus, there are rooms for the individual still not finalised.’ The contract involves ship and should in theory have been trans- departments and numerous laboratories. tracklaying, electrification and supplying ported the whole way from Bilbao by wa- Everything that the students need for their ,cfrv Page 17 daily lives can be found on the campus. and also its maintenance will be reduced one year for testing and commissioning According to university president Princess to the absolute minimum from 2018. ahead of starting commercial operation Al-Jowhara bint Fahd, the largest univer- These measures are part of the agreement before the Fifa World Cup 2022,“ says sity for women in the Arab world is being reached between many Arab lands to re- Mr Ghanim Hussein Ali al-Ibrahim, group constructed there. After its completion at duce oil consumption from 2025 onwards director, projects and technical. Qatar‘s the beginning of 2012, up to 26,000 stu- and from then on not to export oil further, total budget for railway development is dents will be able to study in 13 depart- in order to maintain remaining reserves estimated at Riyals 130Bn ($US 35.7Bn) ments such subjects as medicine, infor- for domestic use for several decades lon- with undertakings split into two phases. mation technology and languages. ger. (Up to 80% less consumption is men- Phase One focuses on what is required to The ground, covering eight tioned.) provide metro links to the nine stadia that square kilometres does not just need to Under construction or in plan- will be used during the World Cup, while be connected to Riyadh’s existing transit ning are:- Phase 2 calls for completion of the entire system - the campus also has its own train - An Underground Railway net- network by 2026. The government will stops. The turnkey subway system will be work in the capital Doha of some 300km. entirely finance the projects, although Qa- delivered by the Italian train manufacturer length with 98 stations; one of the lines tar Railways Company deputy chairman, AnsaldoBreda. The total of 22 two-section will also serve the airport. The first phase Sheikh Saoud bin Nasser, indicated that vehicles is indeed no conventional metro. is a 22km,. line with 15 stations. it could be open to other options. „If we They are fully automatic and transport the - A High-Speed line for 350km have a chance to get financing through a passengers without a driver. Of particular from the centre of Doha via the University PPP we will look into it, and if the decision importance to hot Saudi Arabia are the air of Qatar and Doha Airport for 180km. into makers agree, we will go ahead with it if it conditioners, which will be constructed by the neighbouring Bahrein. This line is for is viable and we can finish the project on Webasto. The required converter technol- passenger traffic only. time.“ (I.R.J. 7.2011 p.5.) ogy is provided by SMA. The total of 44 - A 100km. long passenger rail- systems belongs to the SMA product fam- way laid out for 200km/h to link the Emir- F. IRAQ. ily SMARTcooler and is based on the time- ate with the neighbouring Saudi Arabia (i). THROUGH TRAIN TO tested DRN35 three-phase inverter mod- and which will link with the existing line BAGHDAD? ule. The devices comprise a three-phase in Saudi Arabia and the network currently In ‘Eisenbahn Magazin’ for July inverter with 30kVA and a single-phase under construction. Both high-speed lines 1978, p8f is a brief article on a planned battery inverter with 230V/2 KVA, which in will be electrified at 25kV AC. luxury rail excursion, esssentially along the event of operating voltage failure en- To complement these long-dis- the entire route of the Bagdadbahn. The sures ventilation of the interior. The oper- tance line there will be 325km. of more Editor would welcome more information ating voltage of the vehicles in 750V DC. normal railway line, which will serve both as to whether this actually ever occurred. The weather conditions in Riyadh pose passenger and freight traffic and will ini- (Though at this period there was still a a particular challenge to the technology: tially not be electrified. The top speed for weekly Istanbul - Tehran train service.) Temperatures of up to 50deg. C. are not these lines will be 160km/h for passenger “Organised by the Zürich travel unusual, and the desert city is subkject to and 120km/h for freight trains. agency ‘Intraflug’, this will be a Luxury Ex- heavy sandstorms several times a year. For the entirely new city of Lu- press from Europe to Asia without chang- The first vehicle will be given a sail which is under construction, 15km. ing. For 4,900 SFr. railway enthusiasts test run in the fall of 2010. The following north of Doha, contracts were exchanged who have the time, money and interest year, 22 vehicles are to be shipped - at that on 5th. Sept. 2011 for the 28.8km long can travel from Zürich to Baghdad ‘in one time, the university will already be in op- ‚Stadtbahn‘ LRV project, in the form of a train’. Whoever wishes to return as well the eration.” modern tramway - 7.6km. will be zunder- same way wll have to pay 9,400 Francs, or ground and eight of the thirty-two stations otherwise reckon on the costs for a return E. QATAR. will be on the underground section. This flight. Nevertheless the ‘Nostalgie Orient (i). LRT CONTRACT. (From LRV line has been in planning since 2007. Express 1978’ from Zürich to Bagdad will Light Rail Review. Sept. 2011.) “Qatari The consortium of Qatar Diar and Vinci be one of the greatest events of the year Diar, the investment arm of the Qatari Construction is responsible for the con- for friends of classic luxury travel. Emirate, and the French company Vinci struction of the tunnel section, the cross- The Express should depart Zürich have been awarded a €374M contract for ing of a motorway and the central depot Hauptbahnhof on 18th. October at 15.00; civil engineering work on the Lusail LRT - these total €374M. The railway in Lusail it will pause in Stuttgart from 19.00 to project. The work should take 38 months, should open in 2016. 20.00, and the next morning from 06.00 with opening scheduled for 2016. Expres- to 12.00 in Vienna (with a city tour). At sions of Interest have been invited for the (iii). QATAR TO TENDER 19 17.00 it will reach Budapest (city tour with design and construction of the 22km. PROJECTS BY THE END OF 2012. an ‘Hungarian Evening’), departs again at (13.7 mile) Metro.” (See below.) Qatar Railways Company (QRC) 21.30 and on the third day at 11.30 will has announced that 19 construction proj- reach Bucharest. Following a city tour and (ii). CONSTRUCTION BOOM. ects worth $US 1Bn. each will be award- lunch in a typical Romanian restaurant the From ‚Fahrplancenter news‘ No. ed up to the end of next year for the first journey continues at 18.00 for Istanbul, 47 p. 13:- „In 2016/2017 the inhabitants phases of the Doha metro and the Qatari arriving on the fourth day (22nd. October) of Qatar will be able to test rail public section of the Gulf Cooperation Council at 16.30. Travellers will stay here for two transport for the first time. Qatar Railways (GCC) rail network. nights in the Hilton Hotel are offered the Company will be a large State Corporation The tender for the first package usual city tour and ‘folklore’ and then - the for every sort of rail traffic. The Emirate of will be issued within the next two months coaches will in the meantime have been Qatar is, in partnership with the Deutsche with the successful bidder expected to be ferried across the Bosphorus - steam on- Bahn AG, constructing the following, all of announced by the end of the year. „The wards at 09.00 on the sixth day in the di- standard gauge: Total investment in rail final package has to be awarded by the rection of Baghdad. The train will pause at traffic will be US$36.6 Billion; the existing end of 2012 as we need to give eight years Ankara that evening from 20.30 till 23.59, road network will not be extended further for design and construction and then with another city tour, then on the next day ,cfrv Page 18 the city of Gaziantep will be visited, on the H. LIBYA. ing shelled in 1976 and has been left un- day following Mosul is in the timetable, the CONTRUCTION HALTED. touched ever since. I enjoyed an all too train pausing here from 03.00 to 12.00. From ‚Fahrplancenter News‘ No. 47 p. 24: brief visit in 2007 and would highly rec- On the evening of 26th. October it will „With the outbreak of the revolutionary war ommend it to anyone with a taste for the reach its destination of Baghdad. against Gaddhafi both China and Russia bizarre in the field of railway relics. Maybe Following a stay of three days in pulled their technicians out at the begin- the Lebanese writer of the report could be the Orient the return flight is planned to ning of March 2011, and the building work persuaded to host a foreigners‘ visit to fos- leave on 29th. October; the train will de- came to a halt. It is unclear to what extent ter broader support.“ part Baghdad at 08.00 on the 28th. and the completed sections Benghazi - Tobruk will arrive at Zürich again at 21.30 on 4th. and Ras Ejdir - Tripolis - Misratah - Surt J. JORDAN / MALI. November.” and the locomotives already delivered In ‘Fahrplancenter News’ No. 47 have been damaged At the beginning of p.2 is a remarkable item which is indirectly (ii). IRAQ PLANS BAGHDAD - 2011 Gaddhafi received a luxurious Presi- relevant to this magazine. On 27.08.2011 BASRA HIGH SPEED RAILWAY. dential Train from Berlusconi. Has this ve- the Transport Minister of Mali announced „The Iraqi Minister of Transport hicle survived? It could certainly not have the construction of a new tramway network has signed a memorandum of under- served for his flight.“ of two lines forming a ‘T’ for the capital standing with Alstom for a Turnkey project For the record - Gaddhafi was city of Bamako. A French and Jordanian to build a 250km/h line linking the capital reported dead on 20.10.2011. The new consortium is to build the system and op- Baghdad with the southern city of Basra provisional government is finding its feet erate it for thirty years, following which it and Um Qasr on the Kurwait border. The and we will have to wait and see. will be handed over to the State and the 650km line would serve the intermediate city of Bamako. The Al-Taher group from cities of Mussayeb, Karbala, Najaf, Sama- I. LEBANON. Jordan will arrange the finance and pro- wa and Nasiriyah. Only Mussayeb and Sa- Technically there are no working vide the infrastructure and Lohr of France mawa are on the existing Baghdad - Basra railways in Lebanon, nor are there any ac- will deliver the trains and be responsible main line, which was heavily damaged in tive plans.- But under http://thereforde- for the power supply. The whole scheme the Iraq war.“ (I.R.J. July 2011 p.5.) sign.org/rayakrailway/files/downloads/ will cost 100M Euros and yet apparently Rayak_Railway_Booklet_AUG09.pdf one cost the State of Mali nothing at all. What G. AFGHANISTAN. can find a 30-page brochure discussing makes the project interesting is that the Al- „WHO IS BUILDING QUICK- ideas for turning the old railway statioon at Taher Group claims to have gained much ER?“ From ‚Fahrplancenter News‘ No. 47 Rayak into a Railway Museum! experience operating the tramway network p. 17: Nich Lera comments to this: in Amman - but in fact there is no tramway Whilst the first long railway line „One suspects that the nitty gritty of this in Amman yet! in Afghanistan from Hairaton to Masar-e- project is the bit in Arabic. Certainly some The announcement of the new Sharif is being prepared for operation by of the most interesting photos only have tramway network did not meet wth univer- the Uzbekistan Railways OTY, and is cur- Arabic captions. sal public approval, for nobody truly be- rently being extended, and the Iranians I am intrigued by the total ab- lieves in a ‘free’ tramway and the current are buiilding the line from Herat in West- sence of the railway company name as situation is that 60% of the children in Mali ern Afghanistan and pushing on at a great quoted in all previously seen sources, in- cannot attend school, 70% of the popula- pace, Pakistan, China, India and Russia cluding French, plus Baedecker‘s guide, tion has no access to medical treatment and the USA are still discussing which has as the SOCF Damas, Hama et Prolonge- and about 20% of the population suffers the better plans for an Afghanistan rail- ments, or DHP for short. I think the writ- from malnutrition. Even though transport way network and who could build it the er has seen the Compagnie Ottomane des in the capital is indeed in need of much faster. The discussion is already bogged Chemins de Fer (SOCF) prefix followed by improvement, the priorities appear to be a down with details such as the gauge and the names of the places served and mis- little strange. locomotive types. In other areas, however, taken the latter for part of the title. negotiations are taking place. In a State Despite the persistent reference K. EGYPT. Treaty which was quickly put together be- to Rayak Works as a ‚usine‘ or factory, no (i). In ‘Fern Express’ 3/2011 pp. tween Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, the locos were built there, though as in any 41-44 is an article by Günther Holle ‘Mit Turkmenistan Railways received the com- works replacements parts would have Dem Zug zum Pharao’ : ‚By Train to the mission to extend the line which currently been cast and modifications made. The Pharaoh.‘ It describes experiences at the ends at Towraghondi, an Afghan town French should be ‚les ateliers‘ which would end of a four-week rail journey from Ger- on the border to Turkmenistan, towards then translate as workshops. many through nine countries to Egypt, in Herat. Although Turkmenistan and Uz- Then there‘s the dreadful lay- November 2010. bekistan are not at all friendly with each man‘s inability to distinguish between ‚train‘ other, both countries have agreed - with and ‚locomotive‘. “After we had reached the Syrian capital the knowledge of the Afghan Government These lapses tend to make the of Damascus by rail from Frankfurt/Main, - to construct the entire main line Masar- specialist sceptical, but one has to be it was only in Suez that we found rails with e-Sharif - Kabul - Kandahar - Herat, which objective and take comfort from the fact passenger services again. Here we made means that the Afghan network will initially that moves are afoot, however tenta- contact with the Egyptian rail network, have a gauge of 1524mm. In Herat there tive, to preserve this fascinating relic of that reaches southwards along the Nile will therefore need to be a transfer station the one-time key interchange between the Valley as far as Aswan - around 1,000km. to the Iranian standard-gauge (1435mm) southernmost point of Asia Minor‘s stan- After a tiring four-hour bus jour- line. The only problem: The financing is dard gauge railways and the Ottoman ney from the famous St. Catherine’s Mon- only partially secured and only in terms Empire‘s 1050cm lines south to the astery in the rocky desert of the Sinai we of international reconstruction work in Af- Hedjaz. Its closure in 1976 severed the found ourselves at the main station of the ghanistan, which only covers 50% of costs only rail link to Damascus until the new sg city of Suez - with its 600,000 inhabitants for new infrastructure. line to the E opened in the late 1980s. - and found it slumped in midday almost Rayak was evacuated after be- lifeless lethargy. Yawning emptiness filled ,cfrv Page 19 the large main and booking hall, only away. In the 9 o’clock train we land at first habitants, Alexandria is a really interesting, a couple of railway employees stood in the fully-occupied 2nd. or 3rd. Class, cosmopolitan city, similar to Genoa, Mar- around bored and chatted idly with each battle our way then through the carriages seilles or Barcelona. In 2002 the famous other. From here there are trains to Cairo to the solitary air-conditioned coach, where ‘Alexandria Library’ was opened and is (127km) and to Port Said at the mouth of we are made very welcome as guests from already one of the world cultural heritage the Nile into the Mediterranean (243km.). the geatly-respected Germany and are al- sites. For some reason Alexandria is not We immediately organised for located free seats. Immediately some in- frequently visited by the typical travellers ourselves tickets for our onward journey conspicuously-elegant gentlemen come to Egypt, perhaps because of ignorance. to Ismailia. An ancient AEC ticket printer and join us - undoubtedly members of In any case we have sensibly planned a spat out two small Edmonson card tick- the secret police, very friendly and foward. wonderful weekend here with three nights ets, each costing around 20 Euro Cents They allow photos of themselves to be tak- in a hotel with a wide view over the bay (!) - for 89km. One can hardly believe it. en - but not of the Suez Canal, alongside and the Corniche. Tramway fans will also This is for us the equivalent of travelling which the line runs. The journey lasts one enjoy time here, for there is a widespread for free. and a half hours. network with old trams and even double- The next train would only depart Port Said is a harbour city well deck cars. in three hours. It was no problem to leave worth seeing - it has some 600,000 inhab- From Alexandria a lonely line of our luggage with the ticket clerk and wan- itants. Unfortunately we only have two and rails extends 560 km westwards parallel der around the station area, and soon we a half hours available, and then we return to the Mediterranean coast via El Alamein came in contact with the friendly chaps on by the same way (and with the same secu- and Mersa Matruh to El Salloum on the the station. With a small photo collection rity agents) back to Ismailia. border to Libya. Of course we want to ex- from earlier railway trips around the world Our next destination is the an- perience this remote branch also. There we quickly aroused the curiosity of some, cient harbour city of Alexandria, the sec- are two train pairs per day on the line - including the station master, who was im- ond largest city after Cairo and the largest albeit only as far as Mersa Matruh. The mediately recognisable by his better cloth- Egyptian harbour on the Mediterranean. remaining 250km. of line to the Libyan ing and better knowledge of English. We Five hours for 256 kilometres right through border are currently closed. soon had him ‘on our side’ and he gave us the Nile Delta for all of €1.70 in the 2nd. We take the early train from Al- verbal permission to take photographs - Class! The First Class is sold out, or so we exandria. The fare for the 311km. in the something which is normally difficult here are told. standard class is 1 Euro! The timetable - when not wholly forbidden - in the secu- At 08.45 our through Express indicates a travelling time of five and a half rity zone around the Suez Canal. from Port Said comes and takes us with hours. At 06.40, punctually together with Punctually at 14.00 our first it. Rather cheekily we push our way into an the sunrise, the decrepit ‘Desert Express’ Egyptian train set bouncily off - it was AC coach (Air-Conditioned) and - well, we - which nevertheless comprises seven car- truly no Pharaonic Express but a train of find places, once more with the assistance riages - jerks into movement. The condi- the lowest category. The suspension was and the accompaniment of a security tions are the ones we have now become worn out and the carriage body bounced agent. They keep an eye on Western tour- used to: windows that are opaque, broken up and down on the bogies. One sits as ists, of whom we are most certainly the or totally removed. A ‘Honky-Tonk Express’ though on a wildly prancing donkey or a only examples in the whole long Express. with a rather morbid charm, a bit like the nervous camel. The filthy and scratched window panes al- ‘Tren de la Muerte’ in Mexico, in which a The windows of the open saloon low only a 50% view. Our tickets are not few years ago I found myself an unwilling carriage are mostly either blinded opaque valid here but the controller is friendly and witness to and almost myself a victim of a and broken, or are totally missing, which for new First-Class tickets each of us pays fatal shooting...... at least makes photography much easier. around €3.50 (25 Egyptian Pounds) - and After about 80 km., from the sta- The external doors stay constantly open. that is for 250 kilometres! tion of El Hamam, the single-track line These are standards which I had only ex- Hundreds of passsengers wait at takes on a desert character. The finest perienced before in India thirty years ago. the intermediate stations for our already ochre-yellow sand is blown up by the wind So we ‘ride’ on our wild creature through packed train. Once more there are Indian as we travel, pushes its way through the this ancient land along the Nile. At first our conditions. Here in the fertile Nile Delta open window holes and fills the interior, train is almost empty and we have an en- the population density is particularly high. slowly turning the air into fog and filling tire carriage for ourselves alone, but this At 10 we halt in El Zagazig. Due to the the air for breathing and covering every- situation changes as the journey contin- crush and also the dulled windows there thing with an ever-thickening layer of dust ues. Travelling dealers come through an is no chance of even thinking of taking a - floor, seats, luggage, clothing, hair and loudly shout out their wares - both food photo - this ride through the table-top flat skin. There really is a lot offered for the and non-food. Street lads run through the green Nile Delta is merely a form of mass fare of 1 Euro! carriages and stare at us strangers - but transport. Another halt in the large city of Around 09.15 a halt in El Ala- not in a threatening way. It must be es- Tanta and then, in the early afternoon, our mein - the God-forsaken dump in which pecially seldom that foreigners find them- destination for the day is reached. Alex- around 70 years ago the ‘Desert Fox’ Er- selves in such a honky-tonk train. andria: the Express comes to a standstill win Rommel and his English opponents The towns we pass through are in the hall of the great terminus, by the played out their major confrontation with filled with indescribably filth. Rubbish re- English-built hydraulic buffers. On the their troops, and the Germans as is well fuse, once even the corpses of two sheep neighbouring tracks Diesel locos rumble known drew the short straw. A half-hour decorate the line to right and left. Utterly to themselves after their labours. They are later at the station of Sidi Abdel Rahman indescribable conditions. Dreadful living mostly of Canadian (EMD) and German (km. 154) we cross the train from Mersa standards. From time to time an abso- (Henschel) origin. We have come come Matruh. There are still two good hours to lutely appalling stink. six and a half thousand kilometres by land go before we get there. It is a real devil’s Ismailia, a city with 300,000 in- since departing from Frankfurt/Man. All journey of the hardest type, a genuine des- habitants, is worth a two-night stay. From went well so far. Allah and God have been ert ride with ear-splitting noise that never here we make a day excursion to the har- kind to us. wants to end. One should not even think bour city of Port Saud (Bur Said) 154km. With four and a half million in- of mentioning the sanitary conditions.... ,cfrv Page 20 But at last even this bone-shak- (iii). CAIRO METRO. a previous issue, but a decade later things ing reaches an end, and indeed quite The Metro station for the Ram- haven’t apparently changed much, so punctually too. At around 12.00 - High ses main-line station has been renamed. here is a report (from a Mike Jackson) pu- Noon - we enter the termimal station of It was formerly called Mubarak, but Metro blished in ‘Industrial Railway Society Over- Mersa Matruh. Exhausted, dishevelled and users voted, from a short list, to rename it seas News’ Bulletin No. 874, September filthy we disembark from the train and Al Shohadaa (‘The Martyrs’). A third Metro 2010, p. 874/25. seek a nice hotel on the beach in order to line is under construction, running rough- EGYPTIAN MEDIA PRODUCTION CITY, recover. One thing is certain - the return ly east-west through the city centre. Alt- 6th. OCTOBER CITY. trip to Alexandria will be by bus - despite hough shown on maps, it was some way On 16.12.2010 a visit was made our love for the railways! from being ready to open. to these former film studios in order to see Our very last railway stage began a former Cairo tram which is is used when then after two wonderful days at the sea in (iv). EGYPTAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS. filming street scenes. However, the studio Alexandria and brought us to the final des- Ramses Station in Cairo is being also has short section of standard gauge tination of Cairo. This line, 208km long is extensively refurbished, the museum is railway - about 200m long - complete with the main artery of Egypt and also the old- currently closed and the relics are stored level crossing, rural station and semapho- est railway in all of Africa, having opened in off-site but 0-6-0 968 (Robert Stephenson re signalling. The ‘star’ here is 1160, an 1856. The traffic is accordingly heavy. Ac- of 1866) has been repainted and received ex-USATC 0-6-0T. The locomotive ap- cording to Cook’s Timetable the trains be- some cosmetic repairs and is plinthed on pears to be intact, although it has suffered tween the two cities run in almost quarte- the new concourse. A date for reopening from a grotesque chimney extension. It is hourly intervals. For our unrepeatable last of the museum could not be ascertained. propelled, when required by 4339, an ex- ‘Train to the Pharaoh’ we want something Traffic on the main line appeared to be Egyptian State Railways 0-6-0 Diesel. special - one of the sleek French-built heavy despite a massive downturn in tou- Discussion has led to the tentati- Turbotrains. But the intended 14.00 train rism. The latter has led to the reduction ve identification of the locomotive as VIW turns out to be a quite normal one, albeit of sleeper trains between Cairo and Luxor/ (Vulcan Iron Works) 4467/1943, original- a much better InterCity with 1st. Class. Aswan to one or two per night, all leaving ly USATC 1994, later WD 311 ‘Sapper’, We never saw any of the Turbotrains, and from Giza station, though this may change disposed of at Suez in June 1952, and of we could not even find out whether or not when Ramses station is completed. Some which nothing more has been recorded. they are still in service. No problem, or, in commercially available maps show a net- The metre-gauge 4-wheeled Egyptian, “mish mushkella!” work of lines in the Kharga area, radiating tram, built by La Brugeoise for the Cairo The last 208 kilometres fly by as from a line that runs south from Asyut on system, runs in a different film set, ar- we traverse the flat, green, expremely fertile the Nile Valley main line. All the lines seen ranged to look like a street in Alexandria. Nile Delta. The countdown begins - Cairo, in the Kharga - Barqas area were out of It was run for the visiting party, but failed we are coming! A late lunch is served at use, but the physical equipment was in after only 10 minutes. The site is about 20 our places in the saloon coach - from the place and in generally good condition. miles southwest of Cairo. WL, i.e. the Wagon-Lits Company. We A locomotive and several coaches were pass through all intermediate towns and seen in a compound just south of Khar- (viii). TEMPLE OF KARNAK. cities, including Tanta, non-stop. Another ga. Further north, the line from Iron Mine From the same ‘IRS Bulletin’ half hour! Then endless suburbs of the City via 6th. October City to Cairo was in 874: “Inside the temple’s Visitor Centre Megalopolis, our Express races through operation, with two trains of tank cars and is preserved a 600mm gauge 0-4-0DM, the vast Nile metropolis with its horn blar- a long string of ore cars seen during the allegedly built by Buda-Lanova in 1934, ing constantly and at high speed. At last it four-hour drive on the parallel highway. together with a carriage. The locomotive slows down and bores itself into the heart was supplied new to he temple site, which of the of the largest and most monstrous (v). HELIOPOLIS TRAMWAY. was then under excavation. The railway cities of the world. 15, 18 or 20 Million in- This metre-gauge line runs from was used to carry away the excavated silt habitats? Who knows? Ramses station to the north-eastern sub- and sand. When this work was completed, At exactly 16.30 Ex. 916 pulls urbs. Time only permitted a brief glimp- the locomotive was kept and is now preser- into the main Cairo Ramses Station. For se, but it has an air of faded decrepitude ved. the last time we climb out, as though this which contrasts strongly with the parallel (Buda was a petrol and diesel en- is nothing special. But we are doing this Metro line. Both are packed to capacity. gine manufacturer; Lanova was a design after almost exactly 7.300 kilometres by feature introduced by Buda in 1933 - hence rail and road since we left Germany. We (vi). ALEXANDRIA TRAMWAYS. its prominence on the engne casting. The have reached our destination.” Egypt’s second city has a net- locomotive frame carries the name of The work of trams running partly on reserved Ruth Co. and it is probable that the builder (ii). In ‘Continental Railway right of way and partly in the street. Even was, in fact, the Ruth Mine Co., a known Journal’No. 167 (Autumn 2011) p. 394 on the reserved track sections progress is supplier of narrow gauge mining and con- are some reports based on a visit in May slow, as no priority is gven at intersections. tractors’ railway equipment.)” 2011, after the change of government: An interesting variety of stock is in use in- “SECURITY: There appeared to be no cluding PCC cars second-hand from Nor- L. ETHOPIA. security concerns throughout the county. th America. Some lines use pantograph In ‘C.R.J.’ 167 p. 395. “India has There were numerous police check points current collection and others trolley pole; pledged 180 Million Pounds towards the on all major roads as normal, but accord- all are standard gauge. Some of the trams construction of a national rail network. The ing to our reporter’s guide baksheesh run with double-deck driving trailer cars, goal is 2395km. of railway routes, the total is no longer being demanded to pass making this one of the few systems in the cost of which has been estimated at GBP through them. Armoured personnel carri- world still using double-deck tramcars.” 3.5 Billion. Meanwhile China will fund 85% ers were seen on the streets of Cairo, but of the cost of the light rail network in Addis a request to take photos was met with a (vii). FILM SET. Ababa.” friendly wave. This has already been mention in
,cfrv Page 21 95:09 type), it is just housed on our grounds as it is wagon builders had a lot of private and foreign (a). FERROSTAAL. a convenient place close to the ‘action’ but out customers, the newcomer DWM had no such An item in the ‘Berliner Zeitung’ of of anyone’s way. I attach IR diagrams 103 and customers. DWM got its orders mainly from the 15.10.2011 notes that the Essen firm Ferrostaal 104, showing the two types of flats supplied by state-owned DB. Some other orders were also has been saved temporarily from going under DWM (Germany) in the late 1950s.” financed by the government, such as railcars by a large investment of some €130M by the Chen responded: “Thank you very and tank carrying flat wagons for the USTC Ipic Fund of Abu Dhabi. The former owner MAN, much for this leaflet of the DWM SSlm. This is and the IR flat wagons. DWM built refrigerator which still owns 30%, had been unwilling to ex- very strange, because the measurements in the cars for Greece as “NATO”-type and also open tend any further credit. text are too large, but the picture shows a wag- wagons for IR... IR flats: I have a copy of a This firm had earlier built several on exactly like the IR Tet 50 series, i.e. diagram picture of the shorter version from a DWM cata- steam locos and items of rolling stock for logue, but I couldn’t find them. Sorry... Iran etc. And the longer version of the bogie flats had the same loading length (18 m) as (b). THE TACHANAH IN JAFFA: the Standard European rail wagons.” The link http://www.youtube.com/ NOTES AND COMMENTS watch?v=aX4dqmE-liI&feature=player_ (d). ORANGE ORCHARD RAILWAYS: embedded Sybil Ehrlich sent a reference to a will lead one to a 3-minute video clip vido of a promotional flm on the history showing the restored old station in Jaffa, now 104. I believe they originally had these pressed- and promotion of the Citrus Industry in Israel - metamorphosed at a cost of some $25M into steel bogies as well. Note the correct number http://www.youcover.com.br/video/ a fashionable complex of cafés, galleries and and positions of stanchions and also the cor- U94FH2wuZss/index.html shops - and including also various older and rect type and position of other items, such as This is from the Orchard Museum in Rehovot. “I well-known brief shots of the railways in former brake handles and wheel. Also, and correct me went there a few weeks ago to do a write-up for times. Recommended. if I’m wrong, this SSlm type was not built for DB, the “Weekend” section of the Jerusalem Post. right? At the time, many manufacturers avoided The real reason I went was to see whether what’s (c). HAIFA MUSEUM NOTES. mentioning that their products were built for shown on this clip (from 07:16 to 07:51) is still Chen wrote on 04.09.2011: “Last Israel, for political reasons, and note that your there. Thursday (01.09.2011) another wagon joined leaflet also doesn’t mention who is the client.” As one can see from the attached the collection of the Israel Railway Museum at Then Paul Scheller: “Good powers photos, there are two flatbed trolleys, one of Haifa. This time it is tank wagon no. Dalet 60 of observation! You are right. The measure- them still on a length of 30 cm track! And the 021, built by Uerdingen in 1957 (i.e. part of ments belong to the flat wagons of diagram museum director, Carmit Rapoport, told me the Holocaust Reparations agreement) with a 103, but the picture shows the diagram 104 that they are having a railway built for them at 60,450 liter capacity. Most of the survivors were variant. On the solebar you find also the inscrip- Kibbutz Ein Shemer - of Ran Hedvati’s “Rake- rebuilt since the early 1990s with external insula- tion -> 10,00 m <- (distance of center pins) . vet Ha’alonim” fame of course - that they hope tion and heating systems to enable the transport Both types were developed and built especially will be ready in six months. It won’t be an exact of heavy oil (mazout) and also had their original for Israel. reconstruction of the original, no turntable for German UIC bogies replaced with French-built The DB ordered long UIC-type flat starters, and will give rides to children. So of Y25-type bogies. wagons. New tank carrying flats were ordered course I’m planning to go there again when it’s Dalet 60 021 arrived at the Museum by the allied armies in Germany itself (USTC, up and running.” (pushed by T44 no. 131) on the very day it was FFA-DTMFV (France), DML (Netherlands)), but The film lasts 12.57 mins.; There are officially deleted from stock, along with four of paid by the German government. Later also the glimpses of Decauville points at 06.35, the trol- its brethren, which were the last tank wagons German “Bundeswehr” got tank-carrying wag- leys and wagon turntable from 7.18 - 7.51 as for the carriage of fuel left with IR. A sixth, with- ons (at first ex-USTC flats): All these military flats mentioned, and most amazingly of all, at 10.30 drawn wagon of the type also survives, and the in the fifties are derived from the WWII DRB SSy a brief shot of an IR 0-6-0T shunting vans at fate of the five not at the Museum is still unclear, Köln. Haifa Port - this is apparently the ONLY known as their chassis and running gear seem to be in Yes, deliveries to Israel were “secret” colour film of Israel Railways steam at work! a good condition, but with no obvious use for and the destination was veiled. For example them. All were stored in the fuel sidings at Ash- the IR vans built by LHB were destined for “Na- (e). NARROW GAUGE IN REHOVOT. dod Miun marshalling yard (near Ashdod Port) her Osten” (= Near East). Sybil wrote on 22.10.201: “At the but will probably move now as siding capacities Do you have also the diagram of the Orchard Museum in Rehovot there are still two are currently at a premium on IR”. open wagons delivered by DWM?” flatbed trolleys one of them still on a length of [Ed. adds: The ‘60 Dalet’ designation Paul answered: “I found it! Yet it’s the 60cm. track. The Museum Director, Carmi Ra- is explained as 60 tonnes capacity and Dalet for longer version in the DWM catalogue... It looks paport, told me that they have having a railway ‘Delek’, the Hebrew word for Fuel. However, it like the IR flat and the length is correct, but it built for them at Kibbutz Ein Shemer, of Ran appears IR pulled out of fuel transport many is not totally identic. It has only eight pairs of Hedvati’s ‘Rakevet Ha’Alonim’ fame, that they years ago, even for internal departmental use stanchions (the IR diagram shows ten) and it hope will be ready in six months. It won’t be an such as provision for its own diesel loco depots, has pressed steel bogies. I assume the IR flats exact reconstruction of the original, there will be which are served by road.] have DB Minden-Dorstfeld bogies as the Tet no turntable, but it will give rides to children.” (d). WAGON SPECIALIST NOTES. 50012. The SSys 55 were USTC flats (38 built After (c) there followed some interest- by DWM). (f). BOOZING IN JERUSALEM STATION. ing correspondence (interesting for those, like On 31st. October 2011 I was sent a the Editor, who are interested in wagons!):- Greg wrote: “I notice the SSys 55 link - Brewing up a party in Jerusalem - Beer Greg Martin initially queried the ad- wagon was privately owned, presumably by Festival jacent wagon in the picture, to which Chen re- the German Army (or maybe by BAOR or US www.youtube.com sponded: Army).” “The Jerusalem Beer Festival features interna- “The flat wagon is no. Tet 50 012, Then Paul again: “DWM is a very tional and local producers, music and merri- originally a flat for concentrated loads (e.g. special enterprise. “DWM” originally means ment. army tanks, though mostly used otherwise), “Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken” (= The Old Jerusalem Train Station was the setting later used as a container flat, now converted as German weapons and munitions works). In 1929 for the seventh annual Jerusalem Beer Festival, a HazMat fighting vehicle, including a contain- taken over by the Quandt Group, it was never- featuring booths serving more than 100 interna- er with appropriate neutralizing materials and thless a partially state-owned company. After tional beers and more than 20 local producers added railings around part of it to create a safe 1945 the Berlin branch switched to the renova- from boutique breweries to tiny home opera- platform for rescue crews. This car is not part tion and building of railroad and public transport tions. Festival producer Eli Giladi stresses that of the Museum’s collection, and is not planned equipment and was renamed “Deutsche Wag- this is the only such festival not sponsored by to become one (though I am very fond of the gon- und Maschinenfabriken GmbH”, still using a beer maker. And lots of non-natives come to the original “DWM” logo! Whereas established check it out. ,cfrv Page 22 95:10 THE BEIRUT - DAMASCUS RAILWAY IN 1937. summit of the range. The first part was not so bad, but at Aley, 14 miles from Beirut and From ‘Practical Mechanics’of August 1937, an article “A Remarkable Railway” 2,460ft. above sea level, the sterner task began. by G. Long F.R.G.S. (Thanks to Chen Melling for the copy.) The actual summit is about five thousand feet; it “The building of the Lebanon railway was Cost Enormous. is approached on both sides by naked rock, for a rearkable feat of engineering, as it meant The cost of piercing hard rock the glorious cedars which once clothed these traversing two mighty ranges of mountains. It is is enormously high, even when no special mountains have long disappeared. strange that so little mention has been made in difficulties are present, such as hidden faults, or the British press of the Lebanon- or Damascus springs, within the mountain. Experience with Discomfort. Railway, for no line has ever been built through the Alpine tunnels proved that the cost per foot The construction gangs toiled bravely more romantic country, or along a more historic varied from 49 Pounds 7 shillings per foot on the but in much discomfort. During the summer the route. The track follows the course of that great Simplon Tunnel, to as much as 76 Pounds hated sirocco blew right off the burning desert, ancient highway which once linked Baghdad per foot on the Mont Cenis, which was the first and filled the men’s lungs with hot sand. In winter and Damascus with the Mediterranean Sea. great mountain boring ever made. their task was even more trying, for the whole This is probably the world’s oldest road, and it The rate per foot must have been range was covered deeply in snow, over which was certainly in use long before history began, considerably higher here owing to the cost of tore howling blizzards of piercingly cold wind, for here we are in the very cradle of mankind, transporting machinery and skilled workmen to and the course of the line was constantly swept and beside its route we can still discover the these remote heights, reached only by a narrow by great avalanches which carried everything traditional tombs of Adam’s two sons. It was and difficult road, years before the motor car before them. by this rocky, sun-baked road that the silks was invented. Further, there was no prospect of Long before the actual work began, surveyors had and jewels of Tyre travelled to the City of the sufficient traffic on this line to pay the enormous studied these bleak mountain sides throughout Caliphs, so that the glamourous beauties of the cost of a low-level tunnel. The Swiss tunnels serve the year. They had ascended in winter and early Arabian Nights could be clothes in Tyrian purple. important European main routes with a heavy spring, when the road was blocked with snow It is a road which was travelled by Naaman in traffic, but for many years after its construction and the roar of avalanches was often heard. his chariot, as by many a Hebrew patriarch, the Lebanon Railway had one through passenger and it was here that the Apostle Paul witnessed train each way per day, and although the freight Snow Tunnels. that heavenly vision which changed the whole services were better it is clear that the revenue They carefully noted which slopes course of his life and altered the history of the could never be very high. were exposed, and so in danger from the world. avalanches, and which were protected by crags. Through Difficult Country. They also found where falls of rock and stone A Formidable Task. The problem then was to build a main occurred, and made their plans accordingly. It It was in the early nineties that the line railway through difficult country, and to do was clear that the actual summit was too open for great project of the Lebanon Railway began. it cheaply. It was solved in a very daring way. a railway, and so the summit ridge was pierced The task before the engineers was indeed A narrow-gauge line was planned to follow the by a short tunnel at Ain Sofar and the dangerous formidable. The country was very difficult, two course of the road, and was fitted with rack approach slopes were protected by cuttings mighty ranges of mountains stood in the path, and pinion on tall the steep sections. The line and snow-sheds. Where the snow threatened their rocky sides were swept by blizzards for is 94 miles in length, as against a mere 70 miles most, the line was sunk in a rock cutting about half the year, and were baked by a tropical sun in by road. This is because many of the road hills 10ft. deep, and then roofed over to keep out summer. The only roads were narrow, steep and were far too steep to be safely negotiated by a the snow. The lower slopes were protected by stony, and infested by robbers, who, from time heavy train, even with the aid of rack and pinion, long snow-sheds. These were tunnels of wood immemorial, had regarded the traveller as their so wide zig-zags had to be constructed to ease or stone, in outline like an upturned U, and so lawful prey. the gradient. The line began near the harbour shaped that the snow would glide over without There can be no doubt that the at Beirut, and passing through the town and its carrying them away. simplest way to reach Damascus by rail would suburbs reached the lower slopes of the hills, have been to pierce the mountains with a long which are richly covered with glorious groves of An Important Point. tunnel. This would have greatly reduced the oranges, lemons, mulberries and tobacco. Real When the zone of snow was passed, length of and the gradients of the line, and climbing began at Baabda, 5 1/2 miles from the the line descended rapidly to the plain, and at would have made it unnecessary to lay the track harbour. Rayak the junction for Baalbeck was built. Today above the snow line, with the added perils of Here the line swung round the base it is a great air-port, and a most important point blizzards and avalanches. Careful calculation of the mountain in a wide curve, and boldly on the pilgrims’ route to Mecca. however quickly proved that the cost of a tunnel climbed in daring curves and zig-zags to the The line now traversed the Bekaa, would be economically impossible. which means ‘cleft’. It is a narrow ravine between rocky mountains, and from time immemorial has been the haunt of robbers. These gentry regarded the railway builders as their lawful “We’re originally from California,” says a representative of Isra-Ale, who intended to start a prey, and soldiers had to be placed on guard brewery the minute he immigrated to Israel. “Everybody told us we’re stupid to do such a thing, as the work proceeded. Today the bandits have because nobody drinks in Israel. They were wrong!” he concludes with a laugh. Herzl Beer was been finally routed, there are blockhouses every there offering flavors including “Cuban cigar,” accomplished with the aid of oak chips and the ten miles, and armed patrols of French troops leaves of the cigars. Pretty tasty.” keep careful watch. At Yafufeh the line passed So - as the Hebrew word for ‘Capital City’ is ‘HaBira’, and as even Herzl has not been the traditional grave of Seth, the youngest son totally forgotten in the alcoholic haze, one can at least take pleasure that the old station is full of Adam, and at Neby Habil, near the gorge of - if not with passengers. the Barada, is the tomb of Abel - according to the Koran. The pass of the Barada was a difficult (g). RESTORATION OF TZEMACH STATION: stretch, as the line had to cling to the sheer side An item in Ha’aretz on 26.10.11 reported (translated from the German): “The station of the cliff, above the rushing river. As it followed building at Tzemach south of the Sea of Genezareth is 106 years old. It was once built as an the river towards the plain, the country became important stop on the Jezreel Railway, a line that led to the famous Hedjaz Railways...... The richer and more fertile and the line passed Halt was in use until 1948 - and in the complex history of the region in the first half of the 20th. through glorious orchards and gardens as it Century it has seen Ottoman, Australian, British, French and Syrian soldiers, as well as Palmach approached the Meidan, where the terminus fighters. Following the War of Independence the station declined and was eventually used as a station was built.” stable for animals. But now it is to be transformed into a Centre for Israel Studies for the new Kinneret College - it will open its doors to students and tourists within a year.” ,cfrv Page 23 95:11 New Stamps to commemorate the “Valley Railway”
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