HaRakevet ISSN 0964-8763 Series 28 Issue No.107/4 December 2014 ,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] A steam railtour in Tur- key in 2014. The former Kriegslok hauls two TCDD coaches which had been restored and repainted single-handedly by Ali Aksin. (Photo Ali Aksin). Yes, it does rain in Israel, sometimes with a vengeance! Left - Jerusalem, right Ayalon High- way Tel Aviv 107:0 concluded Tuesday morning with the ar- rests of over 5 managers and supervi- sors. According to police, the investiga- EDITORIAL tion – conducted with the full cooperation A bizarre change of emphasis in this issue. After moaning recently about the of Israel Railways CEO, Boaz Zafrir – de- lack of any positive news from most countries in the Middle East, the Editor found lots termined that the sanitation employees of information at Innotrans in Berlin and yet more in relation to proposed conferences colluded for months to commit bribery, (to which he could NOT go) in Dubai and Riyadh, discussing all sorts of fancy, expen- money laundering, fraud, and tax offenses sive and hi-tech projects throughout the region! Of course there is a major disconnect totaling “tens of millions” of shekels. between what one reads in the newspapers and what one sees as a serious discussion In a statement, police said the investi- about building tramways in Kurdistan. So a lot of this is presented here, in this issue, at gation was launched after suspicions were the expense of several historical items which have had to be held over to the next edi- raised that a number of sanitary inspectors tion. This leads to some imbalance. for the railway falsified inspection reports Unfortunately and sadly the tram in Jerusalem has been in the headlines for all and vastly overcharged or bribed third- the wrong reasons and we report quite extensively on this - with some repetition as dif- party contractors hired by the railway. ferent reports gave different versions and because sometimes the same attacks were Additionally, a number of the sus- repeated..... And an Israeli soldier was murdered on a station in Tel Aviv.... and the whole pects arrested are accused of “creating a region remains a powder-keg of irrationality and hysteria. On 7.11.14 it was reported systematic mechanism for inflated invoic- that Israeli secret services had broken up a terrorist cell which was planning attacks on ing,” involving fictitious companies that the new Stadium in Jerusalem and also on the Light Rail.... allegedly provided cleaning services and Normally I end each editorial with a comment to the reader to Enjoy! This time things manpower that was funnelled into a fake seem a bit too grave for that. But read with interest – despite the bad news, there ARE account. good things happening. “This morning over 5 employees were The Editor. questioned and arrested following dozens of raids into their homes and offices,” a police spokesman said, adding that all the 107:03. Alstom freight loco 709 + veteran GM-EMD G12 No 124 loco heading a works train at Lod, with the new IR Training Centre under construction in the background. (Photo: Aharon Gazit.) 107:04. suspects were arraigned at Rishon Lezion NEWS FROM THE LINE. Magistrate’s Court later that afternoon. (a). CORRUPTION ARRESTS. In response to the arrests, an Israel Rail- On 0.09.1014 – JUST after Harakevet 106 went to press – this appeared in the Jeru- ways spokesman stressed Tuesday that salem post, by Sharon Udasin and Daniel K. Eisenbud. the investigation was actually initiated by ‘’Over 5 Israel railway employees arrested on corruption charges. Zafrir, who ordered an internal audit and ‘’Police: Undercover investigation concludes members of railway’s Sanitation Division examination of relationships with railway stole ‘tens of millions’ of shekels through bribery, money laundering, false billing and contractors at the beginning of 013. tax evasion. “Israel Railways is making every ef- A large-scale undercover corruption investigation into Israel Railways Sanitation fort to maintain integrity and good gov- Division by police, in coordination with the Israel Tax Authority’s Economic Crimes Unit, ernance, and denounces all conduct that ,cfrv Page is not within the framework of the law,” a German workers and the breakthrough ate as on regular Thursday. statement from the company said. Israel can be found under: https://www.youtube. On Wednesday 4.09.014 – the eve of Railways, which is state-owned and based com/watch?v=KK9heEe_34Y . It is worth the new year – trains will operate as on in Tel Aviv, is responsible for all commuter, noting that links on the sidebar will also regular Friday. inter-city and freight rail transport and in- lead you to several other promotional and On Thursday 5.09.014 and on Friday, spections to and from the country.’’ other video films on the Eilat line, the Tel 6.09.014 the two holy days of the New (It seems ironic that it was those Aviv – Jerusalem line and others. Year, as well as on Saturday 7.09.014, concerned with cleaning who then laun- there will be no services. dered money.... ) (h). WINTER TIMETABLE. Services will resume on Saturday night, The following changes on the timetable 7.09.014. (b). SMART CARDS. on Fridays started on 19.09.014: Yom Kippur – the Jewish holiest day: On 05.09.014 the railways announced Southbound: On Friday 03.10.014, the eve of Yom Kip- that as from 01.1.014, only those pas- The following trains are not operated on pur and Saturday, trains will operate as sengers using the Multi-Liner Smart Card Fridays: on a regular Friday until 1:00; between will enjoy fare reductions of 30% on the The 14:31 from Nahariya to Beer-Sheva 1:00 and 14:00 some trains will not oper- average, and will also be given two digital Central, the 14:53 from Acre to Haifa-Hof- ate, while other trains will operate on only books for their smart phones; this bonus Ha-Carmel, the 14:57 from Nahariya to parts of the lines; traffic will stop at 14:00. is valid until 30.09.014 only. Modi’in Central, the 15:14 from Tel-Aviv On Saturday night 04.10.014, only the Savidor Central to Jerusalem Malkha, the train at 3:13 between Modi’in Central, (c). STRIKE! 15:0 from Nahariya to Haifa-Hof-Ha-Car- Ben-Gurion airport, will be operated; full On 11.09.14 it was reported: The loco mel, the 15:9 from Nahariya to Modi’in traffic will resume at 00:01. drivers of freight trains started recently Central, the 15:44 from Tel-Aviv Savidor The Sukkot holidays – between 07.10.014 a strike without any explanation; the As- Central to Beer-Sheva Central, the 16.07 and 14.10.014: sociation of Industrialists appealed to the from Binyamina to Ashkelon, the 16:0 On Tuesday 07.10.014, trains will operate Labour Tribunal claiming that they would from Tel-Aviv Savidor Central to Rishon as on a regular Thursday. suffer damages of millions of Dollars as a Le-Zion Harishonim, the 16:37 from Bin- On Wednesday 08.10.014 (the eve of result; the government was considering yamina to Tel-Aviv Hahagana, the 16:53 Sukkot) trains will operate as on a regular hiring lorries and firing the loco drivers. from Hod-Ha-Sharon Sokolov to Rishon- Friday. Le-Zion Moshe Dayan, the 16:58 from Tel- On Thursday 09.10.014, trains will oper- (d). VALLEY LINE PROGRESS. Aviv Savidor Central to Rishon-Le-Zion ate as on a regular Saturday night. In early September Sybil went to Beit Moshe Dayan. On Friday 10.10.014, trains will operate Shean and reported: ‘’I’ve been to see how The following trains will provide shorter as on a regular Friday. the work is progressing there. The old services: On Saturday night 11.10.014, trains will station buildings are being preserved and The 14:53 from Hod-Ha-Sharon Soko- operate as on a regular Saturday night. the new station is coming along nicely! I lov will terminate at Ashkelon instead of On Sunday 1.10.014, trains will operate could walk around freely – I had visions Shderot. as on a regular Sunday. of having to go down on my knees and The 15:37 from Binyamina will terminate On Monday 13.10.014, trains will operate wave my press card, but nobody cared at Tel-Aviv Hahagana instead of Rehovot. as on a regular Monday. that I was walking around. There were a The 15:53 from Hod-Ha-Sharon Sokolov On Tuesday 14.10.014, trains will operate few workmen there and they must have will terminate at Rishon-Le-Zion Moshe as on a regular Thursday. thought I was barmy, but they just waved Dayan instead of Ashkelon. and said ‘Hello’. The station has two side Northbound: Between Sunday, 1.10.014 and Tues- platforms, and the end of the platform The following trains are not operated on day, 14.10.014 there will be additional ramp is about 350 metres from the water Fridays: trains as follows: tower.’’ The 14:10 from Modi’in Central to Naha- Between Herzliya, Tel-Aviv, and Jerusa- riya, the 15:01 from Beer-Sheva Central lem, the trains departing from Herzliya at (e). HAIFA NEW STADIUM OPENING. to Haifa Lev-Hamifratz, the 15:10 from 09:9, 11:9 and 13:9 will terminate at On 15.09.014 the railways played a vi- Modi’in Central to Kiryat-Motzkin, the Jerusalem Malkha (instead of at Beit-Sh- tal role in the opening of one of the world’s 15:8 from Beer-Sheva Central to Tel-Aviv emesh) at 11:10, 13:10 and 15:09 respec- most modern stadiums for an audience Savidor Central, the 15:9 from Rehovot tively.