Thai Transport Ministry puts dual-track rail on the table

[webfact]

Ministry of Transport puts dual-track rail on the table

source: Internet

BANGKOK,27 August 2014 (NNT)- The Ministry of Transportation is putting the development of a dual train track on the table to allow a compatible system for a high speed train project in the future.

Two 1.435 meter wide or standard gauge high-speed dual track railway lines will be built. One is from Nong Khai to Mab Ta Phut on the Eastern Seaboard, and the other from Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai to Ban Phachi railway junction in Lopburi.

The two standard-gauge routes are intended to replace the former planned high-speed train projects.

The Transport Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Chanchai Suwisuttagul said that the two new routes might be served by a high speed train in the future.

A high-speed train running on the 1.435 meter wide dual track system would be capped at about 160 kilometers per hour, unlike the earlier high-speed train project which was intended to operate at 200 kilometers per hour.

The track on the Nong Khai-Mab Ta Phut route will be 737 kilometers in length, while the Chiang Khong-Ban Phachi route will be 655 kilometres long

The standard gauge dual train track would be maintained even though the maximum speed of the trains would have to be lowered from 200 kilometers in the former government's plan to 160 kilometers.

A core group from the National Budget Bureau and the Transport Ministry will work out a budgetary plan and framework for the projects later on.


-- NNT 2014-08-27

[seajae]

showing some good sense at last, about time they started to do this dual track

[ratcatcher]

What they are really trying to say is, Thailand isn't quite ready for 'bullet trains' Japan, or TGV as in France. However, perhaps with the 160 kph speed limit they can be the equal of what they have had in the UK for many years. Electrified overhead cables (catenary/pantograph)

Perhaps they can also run faster freight trains.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Is this financed by the Chinese? Nong Khai and Chiang Khong (close to China) Why no track from Chiang Mai and why no from Bangkok to the south and to the Malay border?

[tartempion]

Time for Thailand to move from 19th century train systems to 20th century system.

Will they ever catch up???

[Cuchulainn]

How can a train run on a table?

[edwardandtubs]

Have they got nothing better to do than play around with toy high speed trains 'on the table'? It's the only place you'll ever find a high speed train in Thailand.

[Ricardo]

"the other from Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai to Ban Phachi railway junction in Lopburi."

Yet another report, two weeks ago, said that the second line would run all-the-way to Laem Chabang, which makes much more sense ?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/751454-rail-network-key-for-urban-planning-thai-experts-push-for-dual-track-system/

Hope someone can get it right, before construction starts !

[chainarong]

Well the train is sort of moving, I wouldn't have done that route, but it's something, 160 kph is fast enough, goods 110 kph.

[billd766]

Is this financed by the Chinese? Nong Khai and Chiang Khong (close to China) Why no track from Chiang Mai and why no from Bangkok to the south and to the Malay border?

Perhaps they are trying to stay within a budget and not to borrow or repay more than they can afford.

[Chang_paarp]

Is this financed by the Chinese? Nong Khai and Chiang Khong (close to China) Why no track from Chiang Mai and why no from Bangkok to the south and to the Malay border?

Perhaps they are trying to stay within a budget and not to borrow or repay more than they can afford.

God, that is the funniest thing I have read for days.

[ratcatcher]

Well the train is sort of moving, I wouldn't have done that route, but it's something, 160 kph is fast enough, goods 110 kph.

They first have to buy the locomotives and rolling stock. What you see on SRT in the way of freight cars is what you would have seen in the 1950s in the UK. Same goes for the average 2nd and 3rd class passenger cars.

For the Thais to buy a big new train set is going to cost a big bundle and then they gotta build it.

What freight will they carry? Containers, Cement, Oil?

[ginjag]

What they are really trying to say is, Thailand isn't quite ready for 'bullet trains' Japan, or TGV as in France. However, perhaps with the 160 kph speed limit they can be the equal of what they have had in the UK for many years. Electrified overhead cables (catenary/pantograph)

Perhaps they can also run faster freight trains.

brtr.jpg

I have advocated this al along, N.Khai-E.Seaboard. 1.4 dual track quick public rail-quick freight. as in the UK. Now I know they read my posts.

Edited August 27, 2014 by ginjag

[ginjag]

Well the train is sort of moving, I wouldn't have done that route, but it's something, 160 kph is fast enough, goods 110 kph.

They first have to buy the locomotives and rolling stock. What you see on SRT in the way of freight cars is what you would have seen in the 1950s in the UK. Same goes for the average 2nd and 3rd class passenger cars.

For the Thais to buy a big new train set is going to cost a big bundle and then they gotta build it.

What freight will they carry? Containers, Cement, Oil?

Will have the capacity for this. In the 50s we had separate compartments, with our own door out to the platform, all the seating was cloth and heavy upholstery. mirrors, wall lights pictures. lovely. and a corridor to take a walk when needed. 3rd class.

These carriages are better than 1st class here now.. and we are talking 60 years ago....................but I have an idea we took more care, and the people didn't abuse the seats--kids sat down--food was not thrown around the carriage. those were the days.

[wilcopops]

Map ta phut - one of the most polluted places in Thailand. Hope they clean it up before it gets this boost.

I imagine that it will get a massive port built there which in turn will piss off Laem Chabang.

If this a political move???

[kkup]

Anything that mentions "high speed" and "Thailand" in the one sentence should be avoided.

[Estrada]

The Northern line, Bangkok to Changmai, was built in 1891/2 in standard guage. In 1919 politicians interfered and it was decided that all future tracks would only be 1 metre guage. Meanwhile in the UK in 1938, the Mallard 4468 Steam Engine broke the World Speed record at 201.6km/h on standard guage tracks. UK trains have largely been operating safely at that maximum speed ever since. In Thailand they refer to 200km/h as high speed, however the definition of high speed trains are trains operating in excess of 250km/h. Now the politicians want to interfere again and reduce the train speeds from 200km/h to only 160km/h when they should be operating at 250km/h. The only reason I see for this, is the competition between high speed trains and domestic air travel. They do not want trains that can travel from Bangkok to Changmai in 2 1/2hrs when the total time it takes by air, including check-in, is much the same. By capping the train speed to 160km/h max, the train will take 4hrs to Changmai.

Similarly the politicians propose the bullet train from China via Nongkai to bypass Bangkok and go directly to Laemchabang and beyond. Again this will protect airlines flying from Bangkok to the North East.

[Suradit69]

What they are really trying to say is, Thailand isn't quite ready for 'bullet trains' Japan, or TGV as in France. However, perhaps with the 160 kph speed limit they can be the equal of what they have had in the UK for many years. Electrified overhead cables (catenary/pantograph)

Perhaps they can also run faster freight trains.

brtr.jpg

I have advocated this al along, N.Khai-E.Seaboard. 1.4 dual track quick public rail-quick freight. as in the UK. Now I know they read my posts.

"...as in the UK"

Well maybe not exactly as in the UK.

[Ricardo]

The Northern line, Bangkok to Changmai, was built in 1891/2 in standard guage. In 1919 politicians interfered and it was decided that all future tracks would only be 1 metre guage. Meanwhile in the UK in 1938, the Mallard 4468 Steam Engine broke the World Speed record at 201.6km/h on standard guage tracks. UK trains have largely been operating safely at that maximum speed ever since. In Thailand they refer to 200km/h as high speed, however the definition of high speed trains are trains operating in excess of 250km/h. Now the politicians want to interfere again and reduce the train speeds from 200km/h to only 160km/h when they should be operating at 250km/h. The only reason I see for this, is the competition between high speed trains and domestic air travel. They do not want trains that can travel from Bangkok to Changmai in 2 1/2hrs when the total time it takes by air, including check-in, is much the same. By capping the train speed to 160km/h max, the train will take 4hrs to Changmai.

Similarly the politicians propose the bullet train from China via Nongkai to bypass Bangkok and go directly to Laemchabang and beyond. Again this will protect airlines flying from Bangkok to the North East.

The northern-line wasn't actually completed as far as Chiang Mai until 1921, by the way.

The two new 'high'-speed lines (perhaps we should start calling them medium-speed on ThaiVisa ?) are intended only for freight, not passenger-trains, and won't run to Chiang Mai anyway. Although we may eventually benefit from the delayed long-term metre-gauge track-dualling project, which is planned to continue.

Yingluck/PTP's idea of a high-speed passenger-only network was always crazed, and talked-up as being more than it was planned to deliver, IMO. But with nice lunch-boxes !

Edited August 28, 2014 by Ricardo

[ginjag]

What they are really trying to say is, Thailand isn't quite ready for 'bullet trains' Japan, or TGV as in France. However, perhaps with the 160 kph speed limit they can be the equal of what they have had in the UK for many years. Electrified overhead cables (catenary/pantograph)

Perhaps they can also run faster freight trains.

brtr.jpg

I have advocated this al along, N.Khai-E.Seaboard. 1.4 dual track quick public rail-quick freight. as in the UK. Now I know they read my posts.

"...as in the UK"

Well maybe not exactly as in the UK.

These 125s have to sleep sometimes

[canarysun]

Well i personally won't be interested in a " high speed train " i travel everywhere in Thailand by train ( i just hate the roads! ) and i will continue to enjoy travelling in " a nice slow 3rd Class train with the window down and feeling the wind in my hair "

Don't you just love the " wind in your hair " Viewers...?

Farang Jaidee

[sprq]

I await a full report on this from a journalist who understands the issues and knows how to explain the whole thing in the broader context of the Thai railway system. This report is seriously inadequate.

[Morakot]

will work out a budgetary plan and framework for the projects later on.

[Sena Dave]

makes sense ,upgrading form standard gauge say 160kph to high speed is still quite a big , expensive ,step though

[VINCENT2012]

i dont think thailand need to spend billions in a speed train....but they defenitlyt need new trains because there are very obsolete for not saying really s.h.i.t.

[VINCENT2012]

The Northern line, Bangkok to Changmai, was built in 1891/2 in standard guage. In 1919 politicians interfered and it was decided that all future tracks would only be 1 metre guage. Meanwhile in the UK in 1938, the Mallard 4468 Steam Engine broke the World Speed record at 201.6km/h on standard guage tracks. UK trains have largely been operating safely at that maximum speed ever since. In Thailand they refer to 200km/h as high speed, however the definition of high speed trains are trains operating in excess of 250km/h. Now the politicians want to interfere again and reduce the train speeds from 200km/h to only 160km/h when they should be operating at 250km/h. The only reason I see for this, is the competition between high speed trains and domestic air travel. They do not want trains that can travel from Bangkok to Changmai in 2 1/2hrs when the total time it takes by air, including check-in, is much the same. By capping the train speed to 160km/h max, the train will take 4hrs to Changmai.

Similarly the politicians propose the bullet train from China via Nongkai to bypass Bangkok and go directly to Laemchabang and beyond. Again this will protect airlines flying from Bangkok to the North East.

your answerd looks like the picture of your logo ...a bit Kafkaesque

[Tchooptip]

Time for Thailand to move from 19th century train systems to 20th century system.

Will they ever catch up???

In case you have not realized we are in the 21th century for 14 years now...but will you ever catch up????

[mrblue]

Time for Thailand to move from 19th century train systems to 20th century system.

Will they ever catch up???

In case you have not realized we are in the 21th century for 14 years now...but will you ever catch up????

I guess you didn't realize that jumping from 19th to 21st century would be far too much for thailand

[MediaWatcher]

Higher speed means bigger accident, until Thailand can have one month accident free, I will not rush for a train, far too many derailments, thankfully at low speed.

[Tchooptip]

Time for Thailand to move from 19th century train systems to 20th century system.

Will they ever catch up???

In case you have not realized we are in the 21th century for 14 years now...but will you ever catch up????

I guess you didn't realize that jumping from 19th to 21st century would be far too much for thailand

You talking to me? Oh sorry I forgot, Thai bashers flock together

Edited August 28, 2014 by Tchooptip