worgeordie Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 The State Railways report the opening of the Chiang Mai- Bangkok line will be delayed until 1st December 2013. It is reported this is due to shortage of manpower and rain. This seems to be one of the problems in Thailand,with so many things wait till its broken then fix it,skimp on maintenance to save money in the short term,which creates long term problems. regards Worgeordie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 (edited) Took this photo earler in the week. New sleepers laid Saraphi. The old wooden sleepers were really rotted. They're still piled up by Saraphi station. The photo also shows that stone foundation has been laid for a possible second line. Don't know how far this extends, but a second line would certainly decrease travel time, cutting delays waiting for train coming the opposite way to clear the section. Edited October 26, 2013 by MESmith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante99 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 "would certainly increase the travel time"?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 "would certainly increase the travel time"?? Oops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Side bet. It will be at January 1 before it reopens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Wouldn't April-1 be more-appropriate ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Wouldn't April-1 be more-appropriate ? Even at that will it be safe. Have they replaced the road bed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Just yesterday booked a ticket for December 21st, when I asked whether the track would be ready got looked at like I was an idiot and told it will be ready next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anto Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 They need a partnership with a European CO.to build a new railway .Thats how they built the sky train . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. They've built in some jumps at a few bridges! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. Roller coaster rail line,a world first, will be a surge in ticket sales if word gets out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Genericnic Posted October 26, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2013 So, if it doesn't reopen until December 1, I guess we have to wait until December 2 for the first derailment. David 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. That's not how it works you put in a road bed that will not bed down differently. If one section goe's down the whole line goes down. As I said I wonder if they did any thing about a proper road bed apparently not. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. That's not how it works you put in a road bed that will not bed down differently. If one section goe's down the whole line goes down. As I said I wonder if they did any thing about a proper road bed apparently not. Road bed whats that? Any side bets for the first derailment.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. That's not how it works you put in a road bed that will not bed down differently. If one section goe's down the whole line goes down. As I said I wonder if they did any thing about a proper road bed apparently not. I think he was joking! The bed has been/is being built, for some reason they have attached the new sleepers to the tracks before laying them, but I'm no railway engineer, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 (edited) My photo doesn't show it, but if you look at the relaid track from the side, it looks like a roller coaster. I hope the weight of the trains will bed it down flatter. That's not how it works you put in a road bed that will not bed down differently. If one section goe's down the whole line goes down. As I said I wonder if they did any thing about a proper road bed apparently not. I think he was joking! The bed has been/is being built, for some reason they have attached the new sleepers to the tracks before laying them, but I'm no railway engineer, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Whilst "rollercoaster" is an exaggeration, the bed doesn't look as if it's been compacted. I'm no railway engineer either, but it just doesn't look right. You can see the undulations along the track. I'll have another look on Monday & take some pics. Edited October 26, 2013 by MESmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 MCOT Photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 MCOT Photo In that photo looks like track is sloping left, hope its just a camera angle, They should get the Japanese in to build it, they are experienced at building railways in Thailand under difficult conditions !! regards Worgeordie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 MCOT Photo In that photo looks like track is sloping left, hope its just a camera angle, They should get the Japanese in to build it, they are experienced at building railways in Thailand under difficult conditions !! regards Worgeordie Sorry to disappoint you but they had the Koreans do it for them. But they are probably the best bet for the price and doing it right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 (edited) MCOT Photo In that photo looks like track is sloping left, hope its just a camera angle, They should get the Japanese in to build it, they are experienced at building railways in Thailand under difficult conditions !! regards Worgeordie Sorry to disappoint you but they had the Koreans do it for them. But they are probably the best bet for the price and doing it right. Think back I thought it was the Brits,Aussies, Kiwis, Thais, etc regards Worgeordie Edited October 26, 2013 by worgeordie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 MCOT Photo In that photo looks like track is sloping left, hope its just a camera angle, They should get the Japanese in to build it, they are experienced at building railways in Thailand under difficult conditions !! regards Worgeordie Sorry to disappoint you but they had the Koreans do it for them. But they are probably the best bet for the price and doing it right. Think back I thought it was the Brits,Aussies, Kiwis, Thais, etc regards Worgeordie You are rite it was them who built it. How ever it was Koreans running the show. One of the cemeteries has a plaque that says after they completed the rail road the Koreans turned it over to the Japanese and their living conditions got better. Don't know if you have been there but it is a trip well worth taking in my opinion. The Australian Government has built and maintained a system of very well built stairs and ramps down to Hells Fire Pass. Also three cemeteries that are kept up very well when we were in one of them there was a team of 4 or 5 Thais polishing and putting some sort of sealer on every one of the Plaques they all had the name and who they had served with as well as being laid out in straight rows. I still think the Japanese would be the best bet to do proper maintenance on the rail roads in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puukao Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 From what I remember reading (only as good as the source), there were 45,000 Korean slaves killed when the US dropped the bomb on Japan. That is a huge number. ah, horrible history. anyhow, I took the train once and liked it. I also was dragging a bike box weighing over 20kg...plus 2 other bags. I wonder how hard it would have been to drag them around after a derailment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Two images showing the roller coaster effect MESmith was talking about. Now, south north of Pa Sao station, there are three vehicles who seem to be laying the track properly. Pa Sao to Lamphun the track is complete bar a few things that need tidying up at crossings and the stations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Two images showing the roller coaster effect MESmith was talking about. Now, south north of Pa Sao station, there are three vehicles who seem to be laying the track properly. Pa Sao to Lamphun the track is complete bar a few things that need tidying up at crossings and the stations. Great shots. I am not an authority on the subject but it dosen't look good to me. I am sure that there are many more sections of the rail line in the same condition. It indicates to me that not a great deal of care was taken in the base preperation. I don't doubt that there is a certain amount of lee way but I don't know what it is. Maybe some one with real knowledge of rail road engineering will know. but it dosen't look good to me when you can get that much roller coaster affect in that short of a distance. In road building we called it false grading as the land was to flat for the water to run off so they would build it up and down like that then put in catch basins in the low points. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Two images showing the roller coaster effect MESmith was talking about. Now, south north of Pa Sao station, there are three vehicles who seem to be laying the track properly. Pa Sao to Lamphun the track is complete bar a few things that need tidying up at crossings and the stations. Are you saying that the "three vehicles" are correcting this roller coaster effect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Two images showing the roller coaster effect MESmith was talking about. Now, south north of Pa Sao station, there are three vehicles who seem to be laying the track properly. Pa Sao to Lamphun the track is complete bar a few things that need tidying up at crossings and the stations. Great shots. I am not an authority on the subject but it dosen't look good to me. I am sure that there are many more sections of the rail line in the same condition. It indicates to me that not a great deal of care was taken in the base preperation. I don't doubt that there is a certain amount of lee way but I don't know what it is. Maybe some one with real knowledge of rail road engineering will know. but it dosen't look good to me when you can get that much roller coaster affect in that short of a distance. In road building we called it false grading as the land was to flat for the water to run off so they would build it up and down like that then put in catch basins in the low points. Dolly, I do like it it when you post on matters you know about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JepSoDii Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I've got family coming to visit me in Chiang Mai in early Feb and despite the Dec 1 claim, I doubt it will be ready by Feb 1. While I am (almost) sure the train will be safe from derailments (I'd ride it), I just told them to fly. I really wouldn't bet on it being repaired by then. Who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I would expect the line to be open in December. The work close to Chiang Mai has only begun in the last couple of weeks & is nearly finished. I would imagine they started work at the southern end when they closed the line & are finishing at the Chiang Mai end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Two images showing the roller coaster effect MESmith was talking about. Now, south north of Pa Sao station, there are three vehicles who seem to be laying the track properly. Pa Sao to Lamphun the track is complete bar a few things that need tidying up at crossings and the stations. Are you saying that the "three vehicles" are correcting this roller coaster effect? One is moving up and down the rollercoaster bit carrying stuff, one is moving along very slowly pushing the sleepers flat and the third pushing rocks into the gaps after the second has sorted the sleepers. They are just south of Saraphi station heading north, the finished product looks good. The flattened pathway to the east of the tracks is either for road vehicle access during the repairs or for a second track. Twin tracks to Lamphun and an hourly commuter train would be possible! No chance though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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