International Railway Journal - October 2008 - (Page 18) Middle East Gulf rail resurgence gath Across the Arabian Peninsula, governments are formulating ambitious plans for new railways. Keith Barrow looks at recent developments in this region, which is rapidly becoming a focal point for the rail industry. I N less than a year’s time, the opening of the first line of the Dubai metro will usher in the start of a new era for railways on the Arabian peninsula. The initial phase of Dubai’s ambitious 318km automatic metro will be followed by metro projects in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, while heavy rail networks are planned in Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman. Saudi Arabia is embarking on a massive expansion of its network with new high-speed, heavy-haul and mixed traffic railways at an advanced stage of planning. Phase One of Dubai metro is being built at a cost of Dirhams 15 billion ($US 4 billion), and consists of two lines which together form one of the world’s largest infrastructure projects. The 52.1km Red Line from Jebel Ali Free Zone to Rashidiya will have 29 stations and runs on viaduct for most of its length, with a 4.7km underground section between Port Saeed and Jujurman. When it opens in September 2009, the Red Line will have capacity for more than 11,000 passengers per hour per direction, with trains operating at 225-second headways, although the line is designed to carry up to 21,800 passengers per hour with trains running at 90-second intervals. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) says that around 77% of the construction of the Red Line had been completed by mid-September. “Building the metro through the busy city has been a challenge, because of the need to minimise disruption to road traffic,” says Mr Adnan Al Hammadi, RTA director of construction, rail projects. “The top-down construction of underground station boxes, TBM launching, and construction of pre-cast concrete pier heads on the elevated sections have been other challenges. Nonetheless, tunnelling and viaduct construction on the Red Line, testing and commissioning of power supplies, and the delivery of the first trains have been achieved way ahead of schedule.” The 23km Green Line from Health Care City to Al Nahda Street will open in March 2010. This line has 18 stations, six of them underground, and will serve the business districts along Dubai Creek. Around 51% of construction had been completed by mid-September. A fleet of 61 driverless trains is currently being delivered by Kinki Sharyo, Japan, 44 for the Red Line and the remaining 17 for the Green Line. By September, 16 trains had already been 18 IRJ October 2008
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