IRAQ | High Speed Rail

Simfan34 · June 24th, 2011, 07:35 PM

Your eyes are not deceiving you...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC

Iraq: France's Alstom signs high-speed rail line deal

An Alstom spokesman confirmed to the BBC it had signed a "memorandum of understanding" with Iraqi officials as a first step in the project.

The line would also connect with the cities of Karbala and Najaf.

The company will hold exclusive talks with Iraqi officials for 12 months to try to strike a final agreement.

Basra is approximately 450km (280 miles) south-east of Baghdad and the proposed line would involve a 650km network, Alstom says. The line would handle speeds of up to 250km/h (155 mph).

French junior transport minister Thierry Mariani, who announced the move at the Paris International Airshow on Friday, said he would travel to Iraq in September or October to discuss the possible deal.

No financial details for the proposed project are being made available, the Alstom spokesman said.

Alstom recently signed another preliminary deal to build an elevated rail line in Baghdad.

Faster than Acela...

Geography · June 27th, 2011, 07:02 AM

Wow! Incredible. Iraq at least has the money, I have read the government is sitting on a huge pile of cash but political problems prevent its being spent. If they could connect some sites along the Shiite pilgrim routes, maybe even with Iran (hey, I for one hope for reconciliation between Iraq and Iran), it could be a big success. The terrain is also flat, another advantage of rail.

***Svartmetall*** · June 27th, 2011, 01:49 PM

Thank you for the thread. I shall add it to the thread finder. Please post new threads there in future to make my indexing easier.

Palatinus · June 27th, 2011, 06:00 PM

They don't have money, they have OIL.

hmmwv · June 27th, 2011, 08:57 PM

It'll be pretty ironic if they can get it done faster than here in the US of A.

Simfan34 · June 28th, 2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

Thank you for the thread. I shall add it to the thread finder. Please post new threads there in future to make my indexing easier.

Sorry about that.

SydneyCity · July 1st, 2011, 05:43 AM

Iraq?!?!?

Wow, Australia is behind Iraq...

èđđeůx · July 3rd, 2011, 06:07 AM

you're not alone bud.

Jay · July 4th, 2011, 05:24 PM

you've gotta be kidding...

sekelsenmat · July 4th, 2011, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palatinus

They don't have money, they have OIL.

Luckly for them there are lots of people willing to exchange oil for money at high prices.

khoojyh · July 5th, 2011, 08:57 PM

think a way to solve security issue first before get it build...

Simon91 · July 6th, 2011, 10:12 AM

This can't be fucking happening. Not yet. This railway will be a major target right from the groundbreaking to operations. I wish Iraq all the best but I doubt it will actually work out so soon..

AlexNL · July 8th, 2011, 05:19 AM

High speed rail in Iraq, built by Alstom. Formidable!

However, I don't think the situation in Iraq is stable enough just yet... and I fear that the high speed line will become a major target for terrorists. It's impossible to constantly secure 450 km of railway track, after all.

K_ · July 8th, 2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexNL

High speed rail in Iraq, built by Alstom. Formidable!

However, I don't think the situation in Iraq is stable enough just yet... and I fear that the high speed line will become a major target for terrorists. It's impossible to constantly secure 450 km of railway track, after all.

A high speed railway is not an attractive target for terrorists. It's actually not that easy to cause the kind of death and mayhem terrorists aim for targetting a TGV. the kind of bomb that causes massive casualties when exploded on a busy market will only scatch the paint on a TGV...

SamuraiBlue · July 8th, 2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_

A high speed railway is not an attractive target for terrorists. It's actually not that easy to cause the kind of death and mayhem terrorists aim for targetting a TGV. the kind of bomb that causes massive casualties when exploded on a busy market will only scatch the paint on a TGV...

Well if they are smart enough to develop a shaped charge to damage the boogies at high curves then it might be able to derail the train but it probably be more easier to target the rails then the train itself.

Simon91 · July 8th, 2011, 06:18 PM

And don't forget the far higher than elsewhere risk of them planting a bomb aboard..

Herbicide · July 22nd, 2011, 07:26 PM

All they need for that is airport style security at the train station. Remember there are many flights a day to Baghdad and they are rarely targeted anymore.

rheintram · July 23rd, 2011, 12:41 PM

Let's think about names... Maybe BombBeltExpress could work.

Simon91 · July 24th, 2011, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herbicide

All they need for that is airport style security at the train station. Remember there are many flights a day to Baghdad and they are rarely targeted anymore.

But unlike planes, it travels on the surface. Very easy to set up bombs along the tracks or even fire an automatic across the windows. Planes are only susceptible to SAMs until about 10,000 feet if I'm correct.

Perhaps my information are outdated, but Iraq is still simply to unstable to safely build and operate such a major infrastructural project. But its good they plan ahead.

Raggi01 · July 24th, 2011, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rheintram

Let's think about names... Maybe BombBeltExpress could work.

Whats with the racism? Wasn't USA the country that bombed Iraq over "WMDS"?

June 27th, 2011, 01:49 PM	#3
*Svartmetall* Ordo Ab Chao Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Past: Northampton, UK (19 years), Auckland NZ (7 years), Now: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 9,191 Likes (Received): 249	Thank you for the thread. I shall add it to the thread finder. Please post new threads there in future to make my indexing easier. __________________ "Alle Ding sind Gift, und nichts ohn Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist." Paracelsus 1493-1541

July 1st, 2011, 05:43 AM	#7
SydneyCity Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 2,193 Likes (Received): 33	Iraq?!?!? Wow, Australia is behind Iraq... __________________ Say yes to Barangaroo, the Sydney Metro and the East Coast HSR.

July 3rd, 2011, 06:07 AM	#8
èđđeůx DrEameR Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 14,859 Likes (Received): 361	you're not alone bud. __________________ Èddeůx »» * -- ☀ M I A M I: Fun in the Sun ☀ // American Cities

July 23rd, 2011, 12:41 PM	#18
rheintram yeah, whatever Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 2,441 Likes (Received): 13	Let's think about names... Maybe BombBeltExpress could work. __________________ www.rheintram.at - public transport news from western Austria and the Lake of Constance region

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June 27th, 2011, 07:02 AM	#2
Geography Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 345 Likes (Received): 16	Wow! Incredible. Iraq at least has the money, I have read the government is sitting on a huge pile of cash but political problems prevent its being spent. If they could connect some sites along the Shiite pilgrim routes, maybe even with Iran (hey, I for one hope for reconciliation between Iraq and Iran), it could be a big success. The terrain is also flat, another advantage of rail.

June 27th, 2011, 06:00 PM	#4
Palatinus Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 164 Likes (Received): 0	They don't have money, they have OIL.

June 27th, 2011, 08:57 PM	#5
hmmwv Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,851 Likes (Received): 47	It'll be pretty ironic if they can get it done faster than here in the US of A.

July 4th, 2011, 05:24 PM	#9
Jay Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Buenos Aires Posts: 2,015 Likes (Received): 28	you've gotta be kidding...

July 5th, 2011, 08:57 PM	#11
khoojyh No more world war !!! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Eastern Garden,City of Twins, Merlion City, Good Little Bay Posts: 1,612 Likes (Received): 1	think a way to solve security issue first before get it build...

July 6th, 2011, 10:12 AM	#12
Simon91 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: People's Republic of Singapore Posts: 1,416 Likes (Received): 13	This can't be fucking happening. Not yet. This railway will be a major target right from the groundbreaking to operations. I wish Iraq all the best but I doubt it will actually work out so soon..

July 8th, 2011, 05:19 AM	#13
AlexNL Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,049 Likes (Received): 32	High speed rail in Iraq, built by Alstom. Formidable! However, I don't think the situation in Iraq is stable enough just yet... and I fear that the high speed line will become a major target for terrorists. It's impossible to constantly secure 450 km of railway track, after all.

July 8th, 2011, 06:18 PM	#16
Simon91 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: People's Republic of Singapore Posts: 1,416 Likes (Received): 13	And don't forget the far higher than elsewhere risk of them planting a bomb aboard..

July 22nd, 2011, 07:26 PM	#17
Herbicide a tangy drink! Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 2,903 Likes (Received): 20	All they need for that is airport style security at the train station. Remember there are many flights a day to Baghdad and they are rarely targeted anymore.