Northern railway opening postponed to Nov 30
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 26 – Railway repairs for Thailand’s northern line, earlier scheduled to be complete late this month, will be extended 30 days until November 30, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced.

The suspended services cover a 300 km stretch between Sila-at station and Chiang Mai.

SRT Governor Prapat Chongsa-nguan said damage to sleepers and track were more serious than earlier expected and the SRT wanted to ensure complete safety to passengers.

He said heavy rains have delayed repairs and the SRT encountered a manpower shortage as many workers whose homes were flooded returned to their home towns.

A survey of the Northern line found that wooden sleepers at some spots were older than 50 years and tracks were quite worn. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-10-26

Northern rail service resumption postponed to 1 December

BANGKOK, 26 Oct 2013 (NNT) – The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has announced it is postponing the resumption of train services in the northern route to December 1.

SRT governor Praphat Chongsa-nguan said on Friday the railway authority needed another 30 days to make repairs to the northern rail track, as it had encountered many obstacles. These obstacles included inadequate number of workers and frequent raining. To ensure that trains will no longer derail at the spots currently undergoing maintenance, Mr. Praphat said he decided to extend the maintenance period from October 31.

The governor, who was inspecting the repair work on the northern track on Friday, insisted that train services would resume on December 1.

-- NNT 2013-10-26

I see they are using the new concrete sleepers, so that's good.

I am sure that although frustrating in the short term, spending the time to do the work properly and cover all the faulty areas will pay off in reduced outages and faster transit times later.

Glad to see them taking it seriously.

I bet they can't wait to get back to picking longan again.

I bet they can't wait to get back to picking longan again.

It is rather sad when you see images like this.

Maintenance of the main artery from Chiang Mai to Bangkok by the State Railway of Thailand.

Maintenance of a 6 mile long section of track on the Swanage short line railway, for tourists, in Dorset U.K. Work being performed by volunteers. This railway was originally built 130 years ago.

And High Speed Trains are just around the next bend?

A survey of the Northern line found that wooden sleepers at some spots were older than 50 years and tracks were quite worn. (MCOT online news)

Surely they cannot mean that nobody knew this?

Wow I did not think that anybody laid track by hand anymore. This reminds me of my job in 1967. does Thailand know that they have a machine that does this? Kind of like cutting grass with a weed whacker instead of a mower, I guess labor is cheap

Wow I did not think that anybody laid track by hand anymore. This reminds me of my job in 1967. does Thailand know that they have a machine that does this? Kind of like cutting grass with a weed whacker instead of a mower, I guess labor is cheap

They do have the equipment, just wasn't in that photo.

Shows how misguided I am, but as a butcher track laying is not one of my strongest points--BECAUSE I always thought you laid down foundations, then sleepers, and placed the rails on the sleepers to secure them. I learn more every day.

the next news after the railway opening is the derailment

Who need so many workers, maybe 100 year ago yes, but nowadays rail maintenance is done by machines. The group of the machines in the photo's here below do about 10 Km a day single track rails in 24 hour a day 3 shifts work force.

Who need so many workers, maybe 100 year ago yes, but nowadays rail maintenance is done by machines. The group of the machines in the photo's here below do about 10 Km a day single track rails in 24 hour a day 3 shifts work force.

Somehow I don't think those machines are in Thailand, Germany perhaps.

How many more postponements? You really believe trains are going again on 1 Dec?

Who need so many workers, maybe 100 year ago yes, but nowadays rail maintenance is done by machines. The group of the machines in the photo's here below do about 10 Km a day single track rails in 24 hour a day 3 shifts work force.

Somehow I don't think those machines are in Thailand, Germany perhaps.

Udon Thani station, in Bavaria.

How many more postponements? You really believe trains are going again on 1 Dec?

Well it is most likely to be December 5, because that is always a safe auspicious date to open anything everything that needs opening.

Did they actually say which year?

Not sure if it is reassuring the actual staff are doing their best subject to the materilas and direction to hand at the dirty sharp end.

To inform my self and not be misled by chatter ,banter and ill-informed old buffers I intend to put a few well chosen questions to the boy staionmaster at Nooga Halt at the friskiest opportunity

What's worse is that the man selling chaa yen outside the Chiang Mai train station seems to have gone elsewhere due to low customers.

Who need so many workers, maybe 100 year ago yes, but nowadays rail maintenance is done by machines. The group of the machines in the photo's here below do about 10 Km a day single track rails in 24 hour a day 3 shifts work force.

Somehow I don't think those machines are in Thailand, Germany perhaps.

Trackit.jpg

Udon Thani station, in Bavaria.

The ones in the photo I was looking in post #11 at have overhead power cables for the trains which I don't think Thailand has yet.

Edited October 28, 201312 yr by billd766

Who need so many workers, maybe 100 year ago yes, but nowadays rail maintenance is done by machines. The group of the machines in the photo's here below do about 10 Km a day single track rails in 24 hour a day 3 shifts work force.

Somehow I don't think those machines are in Thailand, Germany perhaps.

Trackit.jpg

Udon Thani station, in Bavaria.

Hope not or they will all still be drunk for the next few weeks with the remnants of Octoberfest.