Pakistan- Turkey rail trial starts

[dabong1]

Link to Turkey.

In 1977, the Iranian railways linked to the western railway system at the Turkish border.

The route to the west into Turkey terminates at Van with a 90 km (56 mi) train ferry for both freight wagons and international passenger traffic (baggage car only) across Lake Van, which is at an altitude of 1,650 m (5,413 ft), to Tatvan. The standard gauge route continues via Ankara to Istanbul via another train ferry between the Haydarpaşa terminus on the eastern side of the Bosphorus and the Sirkeci terminus on the European shore. This crossing will be bypassed by the Marmaray Crossing, a dual track rail tunnel, due to open in 2012.

The construction of Bam to Zahedan was completed in early 2009 connecting Tehran to Pakistan border with an opening ceremony on July 19, 2009. However international container traffic will commence operations on August 14, 2009 with transshipment (or transloading) between 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide and 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge wagons in the new Zahedan Exchange Yard on the bypass line.

A recent update of Google Earth shows the complete route through difficult gorges south west of Zahedan that required 11 bridges, of which the largest bridge was 400 metres (1,312 ft) long, and 20 tunnels totalling 5,320 metres (17,454 ft). With the completion of this route, the Asian sub-continent and European railways are connected for the first time, using train ferries across the Bosphorus (soon to be replaced by the Marmaray Tunnel) and the Lake Van train ferry (in 2007 Turkish Railways started planning a rail route around the lake, avoiding the need for a train ferry). The Bam-Zahedan route reaches a summit of 1,800 m (5,906 ft) some 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Zahedan.

Iranian Railways have been trying to persuade Pakistan Railways to convert its route to Quetta to standard gauge, in order to facilitate the flow of international traffic to Europe. Pakistan responded in 2006 with a statement that it is to convert its network to standard gauge, and would plan a link with the standard gauge system of China. Alternately, three-rail dual gauge track is quite feasible between the gauges used by Iran and Pakistan. Bogie exchange and/or variable gauge axles might be interim solutions. There is a transhipment yard at Zahedan.

A through passenger service is being considered to supplement the occasional Quetta-Zahedan service, itself a poor shadow of the former Pakistan-Iran 'Taftan Express'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Railways


According to Press TV, Fars News Agency reported Sunday that Pakistani Minister of Railways Haji Gholam Ahmed Billour announced that the tri-nation cargo railway will inaugurate August 1, 2010, when Turkey is to launch the first cargo train in Istanbul destined for Islamabad.

Billour added that following the initial trip, regular transport of cargo trains will continue to operate between the three countries.

The remarks by the Pakistani official came in an address to the country's parliament, according to the report.

Billour also emphasized Pakistan's interest in expanding his country's rail communications with Iran and Turkey.
http://english.irib.ir/news/economy/item/61832-iran-turkey-pakistan-railway-to-begin

 

[TOPGUN]

Awsome news for both brotherly nations GOD bless

 

[Omar1984]

ECO urges development of cargo transportation infrastructure


KARACHI: The Transportation Committee Meeting of ECO Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ECO CCI) hosted by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has urged the development and upgrading of physical infrastructure for transportation of cargo and communication among ECO members states.

ECO CCI, headquartered in Iran, held its 16th Executive Committee, other Specialized Committee meetings, attended by its Presidents, office bearers from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan & Afghanistan.

Secretary General ECO CCI, Dr. Muhammad Reza Karbasi spoke of future plans for promotion of trade and investment among ECO member countries aimed at economic uplift and development of ECO region.

Efficiency, growth, output of regional economic agreements come after creating infrastructures and increase in trade facilities in the region on a gradual basis.

In pursuance of agreement between Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, track for ECO Container Train was determined and tentatively inaugurated in 2009.

International consultants were hired who accompanied the ECO Train through path linking Islamabad, Zahedan, Tehran and Istanbul to check for flaws in the route.

Karbasi said this train made great achievements in curtailing transit route of goods. Initially it took 15 days to reach Istanbul from Islamabad. Later, it was cut to less than twelve days to cover a distance of 6,500 kilometers.

He said the train would be able to transport one million passengers and 8 million tons of cargo annually.

He felt there should be multiple visas for cargo carrier drivers and unified customs systems at borders of all member countries.

He said the main bridges - Chahju in Iran and Sarus in Turkmenistan need to be reconstructed or at least repaired to ensure smooth movement of cargo and people in ECO region.


ECO urges development of cargo transportation infrastructure

 

[Omar1984]

Ankara-Islamabad train to be fast-tracked



Istanbul—The proposed Gul Train project took a step forward on Tuesday when the Presidents of Pakistan and Turkey agreed to further upgrade it so as to cover the distance between Ankara and Islamabad in just 11 days instead of 16 days.

The project idea was first floated by President Zardari last year to enter into a joint venture for locomotive manufacture in Pakistan for the special cargo train service.

Spokesperson to President Farhatulalh Babar said that the decision was taken during a special briefing on the proposed train project held soon after the delegation level talks between the two Presidents in Istanbul on the sidelines of the trilateral summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey.

It was also decided that after the successful upgradation of the existing track and whetting the appetite of private entrepreneurs, the second phase of the project be also launched.

The second phase would include laying of a entirely new railway track in Pakistan specially for super fast goods train running at over 150 kilometers per hour speed, he said.

The briefing was informed that a special logistics management company called TOBB had already been formed and experts from the two countries will meet next month in Pakistan to take the project further forward.

The two test runs of the train carried out during the last two months had shown that the trains covered the distance in 16 days and the project was very feasible. The test runs and the studies carried out thus far had also shown that the initial project feasibility was better than expected, the meeting was informed.

The meeting was informed that the project had been endorsed by the ECO High Level Expert Group meeting in Ankara last month and an informal working group had already been formed in Ankara for the purpose.

Farhatullah Babar said that it was also decided to convene an international conference in January 2012 on connectivity in Pakistan to raise awareness of the international private sector in the viability of the project and to attract entrepreneurs.

In an intervention the Turkish President Abdullah Gul proposed that the 11 day Ankara-Islamabad train proposal be finalized within six months. President Gul further said that he would be ready to give some more time for finalizing the 11-day proposal if the travel time could be further reduced to less than ten days between Ankara and Islamabad, Farhatullah Babar said.

President Zardari remarked that he envisaged the Gul Train opening up new vistas of communication, opening up hitherto inaccessible markets and boosting trade of the three countries of Pakistan, Iran and Turkey within the region and beyond.—APP



Ankara-Islamabad train to be fast-tracked

 

[mjnaushad]

Track tu bana do gey..... Engine kahan sey aaye ga



Just kidding


Lets hope this thing dont hit any more delays.... We should enhance our trade with turkey and should also enhance our relation in fields of education and technology...