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Post by humbleman on Nov 20, 2007 14:22:01 GMT -5
Well this is fairly good news for Turkey and Turkish economy, and it is good to see another country going away from the self-absorbed temptation of building more roads for cars, and treading the righteous path leading the way to an enlightened state of being, where one lives within one's means that is known as railway expansion (and high speed railway). Even though this is primarily concerns Turkey, it is good news for everybody around, as now international train travel will get sexier. I promise that I will try to get Romania to build a viable and extensive rail network, and Bulgaria cannot do anything but follow suit. But unfortunately I am just a humble man of limited means and limited lobbying powers towards the Romanian government, and at the moment I cannot do anything but work hard and strengthen my position. But I believe we will live that dream gentlemen where getting on a high speed train to Istanbul from Bucharest will be just as easy and convenient as just seeing a friend the other side of town.  I am very very excited about this, and that is the beauty of railways: it brings people together and makes the world a much better place. By the way is anyone involved in working with these projects? Maybe you benneton? In the next few posts I shall present all the key projects, but in the meantime: www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/index.htm |
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Post by humbleman on Nov 20, 2007 14:28:25 GMT -5
CURRENT SITUATION OF HIGH SPEED TRAIN PROJECT BETWEEN ANKARA AND ISTANBUL With Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project, which is amongst the biggest projects implemented by the Ministry of Transportation, it is aimed to decrease the travel time between Ankara and Istanbul as the biggest cities of our country, to create a fast, secure, and comfortable transportation means, and to increase the share of railways in transportation. The project will be implemented in two stages.
The 1 st Stage of the project is the section of 206 km between Esenkent and Eskisehir . The substructure works of between Esenkent and Eskisehir , which covers the 1 st Stage of Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project, has been initiated on December 5 th , 2003 and it continues at a quick pace.
98% of excavation and 90% of backfill have been completed as earthworks. As for engineering works, 87% of the entire culverts, 82% of irrigating pipe crossings, 29% of underpasses, 69% of river bridges (pile + foundation), and 21% of tunnel constructions have been completed. The substructure construction tender between Sincan and Esenkent will be held on 19.12.2005 and the substructure construction tender between Eskisehir and Inönü will be held on 20.12.2005.
The contract price of the 1 st Stage, the construction works of which have been performed by a consortium established by Spanish OHL Company and ALSIM-ALARKO leaded by the latter, is 459 million Euros, inclusive of insurance premium. However, the approximate cost has been calculated as 628 million Euros together with the estimation increases by reason of maintaining the existing line and increasing the speed from 200 km/h up to 250 km/h . The 1 st Stage of the Project is aimed to be completed in 2006.
The 2 nd Stage of the Project will be implemented in two segments as Köseköy-Vezirhan and Vezirhan-Inönü. The bids were received on August 8 th , 2005 and the contract was awarded to CRCC-CMC-CENGIZ INS.-IC IÇTAS INS. Consortium. The contract will be concluded by the end of the objection period.
Besides, the project works of a segment of 56 km between Köseköy and Gebze, as the continuance of the 2 nd Stage, are about to be finalized.  When Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project is completed, a double-line, electrified, and signaled railroad appropriate for 250 km/h speed between two major cities will be constructed. The travel time between Ankara and Istanbul , which is currently 6 hours and 30 minutes, will be 2 hours and 30 minutes between Ankara and Gebze and 3 hours between Ankara and Istanbul .
On the other hand, development between Ankara and Eskisehir will decrease the travel time between Ankara and Izmir, which is the second railroad passenger transport artery of our country, approximately 1.5 hours.
Moreover, 10 units of high speed train sets will be procured concurrently with the Project and the train sets in question, which can reach 250 km/h speed, are equipped with air-conditioning, pressure balancing, paging, music, visual broadcasting, and passenger information systems.
This way, we are aiming to increase the railways share in passenger transportation between Ankara and Istanbul from 10% to 78%.
As is known, the railway line between Ankara and Istanbul is 562 km , 198 km of which is double-line and 364 km of which is single-line. This line is completely signaled and electrified. Travel time is 6 hours and 30 minutes with Baskent Express, 7 - 7.5 hours with other trains, 5 hours and 30 minutes by road, and approximately 3 hours by air with 50 minutes of flight. More info: www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/ankist_ing.htm
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Post by humbleman on Nov 20, 2007 14:31:28 GMT -5
CURRENT SITUATION OF HIGH SPEED TRAIN PROJECT BETWEEN ANKARA AND KONYAThe other important Project for our country is Ankara-Konya High Speed Train Project after Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project and Marmaray Project in connection with the goal of high speed train initiation of the Ministry of Transportation in our country.
As one of the major cities of Turkey in terms of population, agriculture, and industry, Konya will approach Ankara and Istanbul with this Project.
The existing railroad between Ankara and Konya is 987 km through Ankara-Eskisehir-Afyon corridor and the highway between Ankara and Konya is 258 km .
Since the railway passenger and freight transport between Ankara and Konya takes too long time, land transportation is preferred.
For this reason, it has been planned to construct Ankara - Konya railroad for the purpose connecting Konya with three big cities ( Istanbul , Ankara , Izmir ) of Turkey via high speed railroad that will ensure a faster transportation.
After completing Ankara-Konya and Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project, the travel time between Ankara and Konya , which is currently 10 hours and 30 minutes, will decrease to 1 hour and 15 minutes and the travel time between Istanbul and Konya , which is currently 12 hours and 25 minutes, will decrease to 3 hours and 30 minutes.
The project and engineering tender of Ankara-Konya new railroad connection was held on 20.12.2004, the contract was concluded with the contracting company on 12.01.2005 and the works were commenced on 27.01.2005. Application projects were completed as of September 30 th , 2005.
Supreme Planning Council decision dated 26.08.2005 and numbered 2005/46 and Cabinet decision dated 31.08.2005 and numbered 2005/9357 were taken for the implementation of "Ankara-Konya New Railroad Surveying Project" and for including Ankara-Konya High Speed Train Project in the investment program under the new project number 2005E010150.
The preparations for calling for a substructure tender in two separate segments. The bids will be received on December 14 th -15 th , 2005.
Substructure construction is planned to take 10 months as of site delivery.
Superstructure tender will be held 3 months later the commencement of construction.
Studies are continuing to determine the method of superstructure tender. More info: www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/ankkonya_ing.htm
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Post by humbleman on Nov 20, 2007 15:26:24 GMT -5
PROJECT OF THE CENTURY: MARMARAYIstanbul . The biggest and the most populated city of our country. The center of industry, commerce, culture, and education. One-fifth of economic production of our country, one-fourth of motor vehicles, and 30% of automobiles are in this city. And everyday 12 million people travel in the city. But, above all these, Istanbul is our history treasure, our world city.
Marmaray Project, one of the biggest projects of the Ministry of Transportation, is a milestone mot only for Istanbul , but also for our country and railways.
Marmaray Project, which is implemented by the Ministry of Transportation, Directorate-General for the Construction of Railways, Seaports and Airports, is a project that is suitable for the history, environment, and cultural heritage of Istanbul . Marmaray Project, as the project of the century and the construction of which still continues at a quick pace, will not harm our Istanbul and will not disfigure it while connecting Asia and Europe with iron networks.
Within the framework of this project, which aims to find a radical solution for the local transportation problem of Istanbul with a mass transportation formula, an uninterrupted aboveground metro line of 76.3 km will be constructed from Halkali in European side to Gebze in Anatolia side that will be modern, high capacity, fast, environment friendly, not harming the historical structure, and integrated with the other transportation systems.
However, Marmaray is of vital importance not only for radically solving the local transportation problem of Istanbul as a world city, but also for protecting the historical and scenic beauties of Istanbul, for developing the railroad transport system, and for the strategic position of our country. Marmaray, which is an important taken for harmonizing with the high speed train lines of European Uninon, will provide an uninterrupted, fast, and economical railroad connection from Europe to Asia, from west to east together with the implementation of the projects like Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train and Kars-Tbilisi Projects.  Marmaray Project will ensure the efficient use of country resources in terms of energy in addition to providing a modern transportation means in mass transportation. When we consider the fact that 80% of the imported petroleum products are used for land transportation, the integration of efficient and high capacity railroad transportation using electric power that is not dependent on foreign resources with local transportation will bring about the rational utilization our own resources. It will prevent the destruction of at least a part of scenic beauties of the city that have been destructed and polluted with highways, decrease the pollution of automobile traffic and dependence of highways and individual transportation, and create a contemporary transportation system that forms the basis of a modern civic life.
Marmaray Project consists of four different contracts. Engineering and Consultancy Services, Railways Underwater Tunnel Construction, Improvement of Gebze- Haydarpasa and Sirkeci-Halkali suburban lines-Civil Works, Electrical and Mechanical Systems, and Procurement of Suburban Lines Rolling Stock.
With this project, the railway lines in both sides of Istanbul will be connected to each others by means of an underwater tunnel passing through the Bosphorus. It goes underground in Yedikule, continues with Yenikapi and Sirkeci underground stations, connects to Üsküdar underground station by passing through the Bosphorus underwater tunnel and continues aboveground in Sögütlüçesme.
Under the improvement works of Gebze- Haydarpasa and Sirkeci-Halkali suburban lines that are qualified as the second stage of Marmaray Project, the suburban lines of 43.4 km in Anatolian side and of 19.6 km in European side will become aboveground metro, 63 stations will be modernized, number of lines will become 3, and our establishment will carry out freight and mainline passenger transportations on one of these lines. After the commissioning of Marmaray, trains will serve at every 2 - 10 minutes between Halkali and Gebze and 75.000 passengers will be transported per hour in both sides.
Within the framework of the project, we are planning to purchase 440 rolling stock in total, 280 in 2009, 40 in 2010, and 120 in 2011.
Marmaray Project is perceived as the backbone of Istanbul 's transportation system. Üsküdar station in Anatolian side and Yenikapi station in European side will perform the transfer function of the existing and future railway systems. It is planned to integrate Marmaray Project with the existing and future Yenikapi-Taksim- Sisli-4. Levent-Ayazaga metro and Yenikapi-Yenibosna-Atatürk Havalimani, Kadiköy- Kartal, Esenler-Mahmutbey and Üsküdar-Ümraniye-Dudullu light-railway systems.
Marmaray Project, which is constructed quakeproof, has been planned by taking the transportation needs of 2009 into account. After that year, it will be possible to integrate it to meet the increasing passenger demand.
    More info: www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/marmaray_ing.htm
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Post by humbleman on Nov 20, 2007 15:29:58 GMT -5
HIGH SPEED TRAINS ARE ON THE WAYCountdown for the delivery of 10 high speed train sets to our country for use in Ankara- Istanbul and Ankara – Konya High Speed Train Projects has started.
The high speed train sets to be supplied from CAF Company located in Spain has a speed range of 250 km per hour. A set has a 419 passenger capacity and consists of 6 cars.
The high speed train sets, which have all kinds of equipment for passenger safety and comfort, have
* a speed range of 250 km/h ;
* 6 cars with a 419 passenger capacity;
* air-conditioner;
* video;
* TV and music broadcasting system;
* Equipment for handicapped people;
* Closed circuit image recording system;
* Computer controlled diagnostic train control and monitoring system; and
* Vacuum toilet.
High speed train sets are procured with a foreign loan having a fixed-interest rate of ‰ 3 (three per thousand) and 22 years installment period with a grace period 7 years and repayment period of 15 years.
Train sets will be utilized for Ankara-Eskisehir segment, which is the 1 st Stage of Ankara – Istanbul High Speed Train Project and aimed to be completed in 2006, and the travel period in this segment will be approximately 60 minutes.
In addition, these sets will also be utilized in Ankara-Konya High Speed Train Project, tender bids of which will be received in December, 2005.  More info: www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/10sethizli_ing.htm
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Post by superman on Nov 20, 2007 16:17:08 GMT -5
and I want to see in romanian also very soon  |
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Post by depletedreasons on Nov 20, 2007 16:50:03 GMT -5
Nice and humble presentation. Good post, Humbleman. I hope you would enjoy the trips you foresee. |
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Post by Novi Pazar on Nov 20, 2007 23:59:33 GMT -5
I would like to see phases of this project because it would be a highly complex one as l imagine Turkey is geographically diverse region. The complexity of the geography, geology, hydrolics, seismic activities, climate (this may have an effect on rail lines) and other civil engineering activities like bridge engineering.
It will be a state of an art project when complete.
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Post by Kefalus on Nov 21, 2007 2:37:21 GMT -5
When Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project is completed, a double-line, electrified, and signaled railroad appropriate for 250 km/h speed between two major cities will be constructed. The travel time between Ankara and Istanbul , which is currently 6 hours and 30 minutes, will be 2 hours and 30 minutes between Ankara and Gebze and 3 hours between Ankara and Istanbul . This sounds very good. Bravo Turkey!  |
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Post by benettonsenetme on Nov 22, 2007 16:42:16 GMT -5
Such projects were long overdue, overdue 57 years, but great news nevertheless. If everything goes according to plans, the following cities will be connected through high-speed railway lines in about a decade or two: 1-Izmir-Ankara 2-Istanbul-Izmir via Bursa (or Eskisehir?) 3-Istanbul-Ankara via Eskisehir 4-Ankara-Kars via Sivas (this one will be the most difficult to realize owing to the length of railway line-some 1500 kms.-and the mountainous terrain) 5-Ankara-Gaziantep via Polatli, Konya and Adana 6-Denizli and Antalya with Ankara and Istanbul 7-Ankara-Kayseri via Yozgat Reforestation around the trajectory of the railway tracks should accompany the building of the tracks to make the train ride even more enjoyable. I can't wait for the projects to be completed and start enjoying travelling for a change! |
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Post by benettonsenetme on Nov 22, 2007 16:49:11 GMT -5
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Post by humbleman on Nov 22, 2007 16:57:16 GMT -5
Yeah, I know that my info is approximately 2 years old, but I still wanted to post it never the less. Why does nobody here talk about it?  At what stage is the Istanbul - Ankara line at? Are you working for the railways benneton? |
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Post by benettonsenetme on Nov 22, 2007 17:05:08 GMT -5
I didn't say anything negative about your posts or implied in any way that the information you presented is out-dated. In fact, I doubt many people, other than my humble self and some others working in the Ministry of Transportation know about the plans to construct high-speed train lines to Kars, Gaziantep and other such remote cities.
My grandpa (RIP) used to take me to a banlieu train ride from Istanbul to the nearby Kocaeli (Gebze) almost every weekend while I was 7-8 years old. That is the origin of my love and obsession with trains and railways.
And no, I don't work in the railway industry.
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Post by humbleman on Nov 22, 2007 17:20:40 GMT -5
No, no, no. I was just annoyed that no-one really wants to talk about things like this here. Instead they would rather prove that people here are better than others by events that happened 500 years ago (or more).  But this is good news and it is the way forward. I hope to build a high speed network for Romania too, and I feel that is something that I can personally do, as I work for high speed rail. But not at the moment, as I am still very young, and humble. Thanks for the interesting threads in skyscraper forum. Are you posting on that forum? That is a good forum, where real men describe trains as sexy. But what about other (non high-speed) rail constructions, as the railway network in Turkey is not very extensive? Quite substantial towns lack railway stations (most notably Antalya). But you are a mechanical engineer, right benetton? |
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Post by depletedreasons on Nov 23, 2007 3:36:54 GMT -5
OK. I also love trains. I have some fairly large N scale train set at home, and I still love changing tracks and stopping at stations. When I was a child, I used to use the suburban train line quite a lot, and I used to watch the passing by trains for fun. Trains were one of the reasons why I decided to be an engineer. I still believe that trains are very useful machines, and they are environmental friendly. I hope Turkey would build more railroads and railway systems for public transportation.  Here are the two major railway companies of Turkey: TUVASAS:Commuter train for Bursaray:  Sakarya Diesel Train:  All kinds of railway cars:  The site:www.tuvasas.com.tr/index.php?sayfa=TULOMSASToshiba licensed locomotive  A diesel locomotive by Tulomsas  The Site:www.tulomsas.com.tr/en/A comprehensive Site on Turkish Railways:www.trainsofturkey.com/index.htmMetro Train from Istanbul:  Metro train from Izmir:  A photo from 1974 (Amasya):  Another photo from 1974 (Egridir):  A 3D train illustration:  |
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Post by ahristos on Nov 23, 2007 14:17:01 GMT -5
yiavash yiavash turkey is asia not hurry
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Post by humbleman on Nov 23, 2007 15:18:41 GMT -5
I also love trains. I have some fairly large N scale train set at home, and I still love changing tracks and stopping at stations. Do you have a signal box type system? (i.e. where you link something that looks like piano keys to points and signals around the set from one single point. That's always fun. Don't tell desire this or she'll freak out. Do you work for trains now? So do I. I also hope to build more high speed lines everywhere in the Balkans and start a two-hourly Bucharest-Ankara service (via the Marmary project of course). Wish me luck, yeah? Are they train builders, or train operators? |
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Post by benettonsenetme on Nov 23, 2007 17:46:13 GMT -5
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Post by benettonsenetme on Nov 23, 2007 17:53:06 GMT -5
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Post by benettonsenetme on Nov 23, 2007 18:03:02 GMT -5
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I am very very excited about this, and that is the beauty of railways: it brings people together and makes the world a much better place.
