Thailand's northern trains to resume full operation Dec 1

[webfact]

Northern trains to resume full operation Dec 1
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 21 - Thailand's northern trains are to resume service December 1 after a more than two month closure for rail maintenance, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) head said today.

SRT Governor Prapas Chongsa-nguan confirmed the reopening of northbound train services after the SRT temporarily closed a significant stretch of the popular rail route between Sila At in Uttaradit to the railhead in Chiang Mai since September 16 for maintenance following a number of derailments.

The SRT governor said the maintenance work is 90 per cent completed. Most important, he said, is the installation of barricades in four tunnels to prevent the fall of a train if it derails, as well as installing ventilation to allow passengers to walk through the tunnels to the exit if an accident occurs.

Most rail maintenance has also been done. All work will be complete by the end of this month and the northern train service will resume operation December 1.

Mr Prapas said defective rails have been removed in the maintenance. However he noted that SRT's locomotives are quite old and some spare parts are no longer produced.

The SRT is seeking to buy new locomotives, with new engines to be used for the northern trains, he said, emphasing that there will not be frequent accidents as in the past. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-11-21

[moe666]

Good news for those who would ruin a nice vacation with a rail trip.

[NeverSure]

Why is there no crushed and compacted rock under those sleepers? Is there drainage?

Who was the contractor?

What is the psi test on the concrete sleepers? Do they have the proper rebar, and were they properly compressed in a proper mold?

Who was the contractor?

Do I see the excavator operator drinking tea while the guy across the tracks takes a leak?

Who was the contractor?

Parts? Who needs parts for a locomotive anyway?

[deecee10]

"the installation of barricades in four tunnels to prevent the fall of a train if it derails"

Not much of a trainspotter myself, but is this practice a common one ie. barricades in tunnels in case of derailment?

Doesn't fill me with a great deal of confidence.

[JoeThePoster]

They should fit roll bars on the locos.

[Neilly]

emphasing that there will not be frequent accidents as in the past.

....pull the other one

[lomatopo]

Most important, ...as well as installing ventilation to allow passengers to walk through the tunnels to the exit if an accident occurs.

If, or when?

They've been a bit lucky re: no fatalities, especially on the tunnel derailment.

[awayego]

Oh jolly good!

Now I can once again consider a fourteen hour, uncomfortable and unsafe train journey from Chiang Mai!

Duly considered - never again!

[Lysdexic]

emphasing that there will not be frequent accidents as in the past.

Define 'frequent'. Is that an engineering or physics term I am unfamiliar with?

[a99az]

After you.

[a99az]

They should fit roll bars on the locos.[/quote

No way, far to fast.

[zyphodb]

We could have a sweepstake on the first derailment on the route, I'll go for 20 days....

[Bagwan]

British Rail carried out an advertising campaign and the slogan was 'It's the Age of the Train.' Some wit in touch with reality scrawled on a poster "Ours was 70 years old'.

[Ulic]

The proof of the pudding is in the tasting. No derailments, great. job well done,....... derailments. same, same???

We will know in a few months if it was all window dressing or a job well done to address a serious problem.

[billd766]

Just in time for the King's birthday on December 5th.

[shunima]

Having crossed the line several times at the Lamphun - Pa Sang highway junction I am certain they missed a spot in need of urgent repair ( if not complete re-construction)

Edited November 23, 2013 by shunima

[ratcatcher]

Mr Prapas said defective rails have been removed in the maintenance. However he noted that SRT's locomotives are quite old and some spare parts are no longer produced.

Some railways in North America are running locomotives from the 1950s. The reason they still run is maintenance, something it seems the Thais have some difficulty with. The oldest locos on SRT are from the 1960s.

[Bagwan]

Mr Prapas said defective rails have been removed in the maintenance. However he noted that SRT's locomotives are quite old and some spare parts are no longer produced.

Some railways in North America are running locomotives from the 1950s. The reason they still run is maintenance, something it seems the Thais have some difficulty with. The oldest locos on SRT are from the 1960s.

Mr Prapas should research the railway preservation societies in the UK. Some are running steam locomotives built in the 19th century. The likelihood of obtaining replacement parts is non existent so they manufacture what they need as the occasion arises. Maybe Thai engineers were too busy fighting and killing each other to find the time to khow to follow suit?

[Thai at Heart]

Where is a bookkeeper offering odds on an accident by Xmas.