Railway electrification in Iran
Encyclopedia
Railway electrification in Iran describes the past and present electrification systems
used to supply traction current to rail transport in Iran with a chronological record of development, a list of lines using each system, and a history and a technical description of each system.
The project is sometimes abbreviated to RAIELEC, in which RAI
is the abbreviation of Islamic Republic of Iran Railways
(Persian: برقی کردن راه آهن در ایران, abbr: بكرا).
to electrify the Tabriz
to Jolfa
route in East Azarbaijan Province
near the border with the former Soviet Union
. The work would include a Bogie exchange
facility.
The Tabriz-Jolfa line was originally established in 1916 (before the main network in 1938) with the wide gauge 1524 mm and was changed to standard gauge after connection of Tabriz to the national network. Tabriz-Jolfa is a single line rail track 146 km long with nine stations in between. The maximum grade is 2.8% and the minimum curve radius is 400m.
and the Marand substation has four transformers.
electric line to Azarshahr
to the south, and continuing to Bonab
and Maragheh
and possibly to Urmia
through the Shahid Kalantary bridge. That has the rail track inside, like Oresund Bridge
. The existing electric line is going to be connected to Oroumieh and Maragheh and also Shabestar
and Salmas
, relying on existing facilities and locomotives. On the northern route it is planned to connect Soofian to Shabestar
and Salmas
.
-Mashhad
double track
line, would supply 70 electric locomotives with cab signaling that will increase the speed to 200 km/h for passenger car trains and 250 km/h for tilting train
s. Electric Multiple Train (EMU) will reduce the existing journey time from 12 hours down to 6 hours.
The line is equipped with Optical fiber
communication and CTC center for railway signal
. This project as well as electrification and locomotives, also includes SCADA
, 5 years maintenance, and back up power generation. The contract includes dual mode
vehicles for maintenance.
of stations in Iran such as Tehran and Mashhad train station
s will be affected by electrification. The railway platform
in other stations could be longer in the future.
) continuous tractive effort
is more than 240 kn and for freight (Co-Co) is more than 480 kn and the all weather adhesion is at least 33%.
The passenger locomotives are equipped with head end power
(HEP).
The desired locomotives prototype
would be available 6 months sooner than end date of inauguration to pass the Homologation
phase. The mockup
and pilot experiment for EMU could be used to expedite the accepting process.
http://www.aar.com/ and like SNCF Class BB 75000
.
.
After convincing the top managers and management and planning organization (MPO), it was approved by the government to make a feasibility study
for electrification and this was accepted by the parliament in 2007.
The study was carried out by a joint of Metra
and Italferr
according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO) and FIDIC
recommendations and Tehran—Mashhad was assigned as the first priority for being electrified.
After this phase the tendering pre-qualification
was prepared by a new joint venture
of Metra and Systra
and the request for proposal
(RFP) was released with conceptual design
and by result obligations.
EMU or such trains like Railjet
) that is part of Silk Road
and the transit route from Almaty
to Istanbul
and islamabad
to Istanbul as one of main task and objectives of ECO Economic Cooperation Organization
and one of the emphasized routes of ESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
.
The first phase of this project will be from Tehran to Zanjan (city)
to make it more economic and also to prepare the new under construction short cut from Tabriz to Mianeh that will decrease the distance from Tehran to Tabriz about 100 km and for this stepwise plan the dual mode or Electro-diesel locomotive
could help justifying the project.
for electrification development in RAI.
high speed trains in 1974. He asked the Japanese to prepare a proposal for construction of a new and dedicated HSR from Tehran to Mashhad. Subsequently, a delegation was sent from JARTS to do this and finally they proposed three options in 1976 as follows:
HSR gradually perhaps from Garmsar
to Semnan, and the final goal is to have less than 3 hours for wide body high speed trains in a dedicated high speed line with road rail parallel layout.
There are two high-speed rail
line projects in Iran, between Tehran
and Isfahan
, as well as Tehran
to Mashhad
.
The planned Tehran-Isfahan HSR speed has been increased to 350 km/h and the section between Tehran and Qom
is going to have a new dedicated alignment for 350 km/h (or even more up to 380 according to Chinese exprince with Bombardier China Railways CRH1
); connecting Tehran to Imam Khomeini International Airport
, possibly connected by monorail
, and to a new multi-mode terminal in Qom with a road rail parallel layout with freeway connecting to Isfahan HSR.
, Yazd
, Ahwaz, Shiraz
, and Kerman
and in the northwest corridor to Tabriz, and Ardabil.
Hence, the CTSI project is planned for achieving an optimum transportation system based on betterment of current situation and presenting investment priorities of transportation infrastructures in a twenty-year outlook in order to provide means for economical and secure movement of Goods and passengers with a constant view to economic, social and cultural development plan policies of country.http://www.ctsi.ir/MainE.asp
The main factors that are different in above options could be referred to as the equipment for track and electrification that will be increased by speed and also the rolling stock that for higher speed will have a slightly higher price (about 10%) but the productivity that increases considerably because of lower time of trip that enables more density of seats with seat pitch about 50%.
is planned as a Build-Operate-Transfer
project with future continuation to Tehran and Intermodal freight transport
at both ends plus the Classification yard
.
Bandarabbas is close to Gheshm Island that has 100 km length and could be connected by bridge
.. This line might also transport oil.
Iron ore is one of the main commodities on this line, especially from Golgohar mine near Sirjan
, Choghart and Chadormaloo near Bafgh to Isfahan for two steel plants and steel mill
s named Zobahan (Esfahan Steel Company) and Mobarakeh
.
As the rail connection with Zahedan will be inaugurated in near future, it will make it possible to have a direct transit line from Central Asia
to Pakistan
and India
possibly with variable gauge bogie
s and could be completed with a link to Chabahar
port in the south east of the country.
The business plan
to justify the electrification and supplying locomotives is going to be prepared.
Transport demand is increased more than GDP in freight and less than it in passenger sector, and it is essential to provide appropriate means for transport by investing in infrastructures. Multiple structures have been considered, including BOT
http://www.uneca.org/atpc/Work%20in%20progress/66.pdf similar to Taiwan High Speed Rail
as a Public-private partnership
(PPP) type investment.
This is specially due to railway safety relative to Road traffic safety, considering the Value of life
. Also energy from well to wheel, and the necessity to reduce pollutions and greenhouse gas in earth according to the Kyoto Protocol
.
The new approach to manage the CO2 is carbon credit
.
Iranian railway industry
are either belonging to IDRO or private sector and the electrification industries among them are like: Tam (irankhodro), Sanam, Irantransfo,...
. In 1984 the world bank's Railways and Energy report provided estimates of typical costs.
According to the book of Prices and Costs in the railway sector by Professor Baumgartner from Switzerland the rough estimation of traction substation cost is 0.2 million euro per megavolt amper and 0.2 million euro per km of line with 300 km/h and 0.15 for 100 km/h.
of electrification equipment in Iran is 5% for locomotive and machineries.
PDF free download possible: http://sites.google.com/site/ghorbanalibeik/book
also in raielec group in yahoo:http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/raielec/files/books/
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
used to supply traction current to rail transport in Iran with a chronological record of development, a list of lines using each system, and a history and a technical description of each system.
The project is sometimes abbreviated to RAIELEC, in which RAI
Islamic Republic of Iran Railways
The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways is the national state-owned railway system of Iran. is an associate of the IR and manages its passenger trains including international trains between Tehran and Istanbul and Tehran and Damascus...
is the abbreviation of Islamic Republic of Iran Railways
Islamic Republic of Iran Railways
The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways is the national state-owned railway system of Iran. is an associate of the IR and manages its passenger trains including international trains between Tehran and Istanbul and Tehran and Damascus...
(Persian: برقی کردن راه آهن در ایران, abbr: بكرا).
Early electrification: Tabriz-Jolfa
After initial negotiations in 1969, railway electrification in Iran started in 1975, with a contract with RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to electrify the Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
to Jolfa
Jolfa
Jolfa is a city in and capital of Jolfa County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 4,983, in 1,365 families....
route in East Azarbaijan Province
East Azarbaijan Province
East Azerbaijan Province or East Azarbaijan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the northwest of the country, bordering Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the provinces of Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, and Zanjan...
near the border with the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The work would include a Bogie exchange
Bogie exchange
Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the track gauge. To perform a bogie exchange, a car is converted from one gauge to another by removing the chassis containing the wheels and axles of the car, and installing a new chassis with...
facility.
The Tabriz-Jolfa line was originally established in 1916 (before the main network in 1938) with the wide gauge 1524 mm and was changed to standard gauge after connection of Tabriz to the national network. Tabriz-Jolfa is a single line rail track 146 km long with nine stations in between. The maximum grade is 2.8% and the minimum curve radius is 400m.
Electrification specification
The electric line voltage is 25 kV, 50 Hz, ( 25 kV AC railway electrification) with substations in Tabriz, Marand and Jolfa fed by 132 kV from the national grid. The end substations have three 15MW transformerTransformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
and the Marand substation has four transformers.
| Rank | Year | Orig. | Dest. | Dis. | Voltage, KV | power, MW | SS Dis., Km | mast D., m | stagger len., m | pant. w., m | mast C., m | Height., m | Block l., m | Wire mm^2 | Tens., Kn | Reg. brk. | Speed., Km/h | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Iran |
1976 | kampsax | standard | 25 | 10-15 | 70 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 5-6 | 1500 | 107 | 10-12 | 160 | |||
| 1 | Iran |
1985 | Tabriz | Jolfa | 146 | 25 | 15 | 70 | 50 | 3 | 5.2 | 1200 | 100 | 1500 | 0 | 100 | ||
| 2 | Iran |
1997 | Tehran | Karaj | 35 | 2^25 | 63 | 60 | 55 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 1200 | 120 | 1500 | 1 | 140 | ||
| 3 | Iran |
2010 | Tabriz | Azarshahr | 46 | 25 | 15 | 55 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 1200 | 100 | 1500 | 140 | ||||
| 4 | Iran |
2012 | Tehran | Mashhad | 926 | 2^25 | 50 | 90 | 68 | 3.5 | 6.2 | 1300 | 120 | 2000 | 1 | 250 | ||
Track specification
Track specifications in current and planned electrified lines in Iran are as follows:| Rank | Year | Orig. | Dest. | Dis. | Tunnel | Stations | D.T.% | T.C. Dis. | clear. Height | clear. Width | Train Length | Train Load | Axle load | Leaner Load | rail weight | Con. Weld | Min. Curve | Max. Grade | Max. Speed | Station Speed | Train control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1891 | tabriz | jolfa | 146 | 0.1 | 7 | 0 | 4.7 | 3 | 400 | 2000 | 20 | 6 | 46-60 | 400 | 28 | 100 | 60 | |||
| 2 | 1956 | Tehran | mashhad | 926 | 0 | 49 | 100 | 4.75 | 5.7 | 3.5 | 750 | 3500 | 22.5 | 7 | 60 | 95% | 700 | 15 | 250 | 80 | ETCS 2 |
| 3 | 1928 | Ahvaz | Tehran | 62 | 816 | 45 | 20 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 420 | 2000 | 20 | 6.5 | 46-60 | 30 | 250 | 15 | 160 | 60 | |
Operational information
| country | Year | Orig. | Dest. | Dis. | D.Track % | train cap. | Train Length | Train weight | passenger | freight | Pass. A.S. | frt. A.S. | T.P. demand | T.F. demand | Max. Speed | max P.C. | Max F.C. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | 1957 | Tehran | Mashhad | 926 | 100 | 60^2 | 750 | 3500 | 13 | 2 | 80 | 30 | 50 | 10 | 160 | 50 | 10 |
| Iran | 1993 | Bafgh | Bandarabbas | 630 | 75 | 30^2 | 1500 | 7000 | 2 | 10 | 90 | 35 | 4 | 60 | 160 | 5 | 100 |
Pilot projects
Recently another contract was signed with the Russian railway RZD in February 2009 to connect the TabrizTabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
electric line to Azarshahr
Azarshahr
Azarshahr and Dekhvareqan , also Romanized as Dehkhvāreqān) is a city in and the capital of Azarshahr County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran...
to the south, and continuing to Bonab
Bonab
Bonab is a city in and the capital of Bonab County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is located west of Maragheh on the outwash plain above Lake Urmia. The people speak Azerbaijani...
and Maragheh
Maragheh
Maragheh also Romanized as Marāgheh and Marāghen) is a city in and the capital of Maragheh County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 146,405, in 38,891 families....
and possibly to Urmia
Urmia
- Demographics :According to official census of 2006, the population of Urmia is about 871,204.- Language :The population of Urmia is mainly Azerbaijani people, with Kurdish, Assyrian Christian, and Armenian minorities...
through the Shahid Kalantary bridge. That has the rail track inside, like Oresund Bridge
Oresund Bridge
The Øresund or Öresund Bridge is a combined twin-track railway and dual carriageway bridge-tunnel across the Øresund strait.The bridge connects Sweden and Denmark, and it is the longest road and rail bridge in Europe. The Øresund Bridge also connects two major Metropolitan Areas: those of the...
. The existing electric line is going to be connected to Oroumieh and Maragheh and also Shabestar
Shabestar
Shabestar is a city in and the capital of Shabestar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 13,857, in 3,989 families....
and Salmas
Salmas
Salmas is a city in and the capital of Salmas County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 79,560, in 19,806 families....
, relying on existing facilities and locomotives. On the northern route it is planned to connect Soofian to Shabestar
Shabestar
Shabestar is a city in and the capital of Shabestar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 13,857, in 3,989 families....
and Salmas
Salmas
Salmas is a city in and the capital of Salmas County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 79,560, in 19,806 families....
.
Main project
A tender http://ihale.tobb.org.tr/dosya/252_Tehran.pdf for electrification of the TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
-Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
line, would supply 70 electric locomotives with cab signaling that will increase the speed to 200 km/h for passenger car trains and 250 km/h for tilting train
Tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
s. Electric Multiple Train (EMU) will reduce the existing journey time from 12 hours down to 6 hours.
The line is equipped with Optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
communication and CTC center for railway signal
Railway signal
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
. This project as well as electrification and locomotives, also includes SCADA
SCADA
SCADA generally refers to industrial control systems : computer systems that monitor and control industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes, as described below:...
, 5 years maintenance, and back up power generation. The contract includes dual mode
Road-rail vehicle
A road–rail vehicle is a self-propelled vehicle that can be legally used on both roads and rails. Combining the words "highway" and "rail", one is often referred to as a hi-rail truck or just hi-rail, sometimes spelled high-rail, HiRail or Hy-rail. They are normally converted rubber-tired road...
vehicles for maintenance.
Effects on stations
The layoutRailway station layout
A railway station is a place where trains make scheduled stops. Stations usually have one or more platforms constructed alongside a line of railway. However, railway stations come in many different configurations - influenced by such factors as the geographical nature of the site, or the need to...
of stations in Iran such as Tehran and Mashhad train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
s will be affected by electrification. The railway platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
in other stations could be longer in the future.
New locomotive specification
The passenger locomotives (with (Bo-Bo) according to UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangementsUIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements
The UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements describes the wheel arrangement of locomotives, multiple units and trams. It is set out in the International Union of Railways "Leaflet 650 - Standard designation of axle arrangement on locomotives and multiple-unit sets". It is used in much...
) continuous tractive effort
Tractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
is more than 240 kn and for freight (Co-Co) is more than 480 kn and the all weather adhesion is at least 33%.
The passenger locomotives are equipped with head end power
Head end power
Head end power or electric train supply is a rail transport term for the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive at the front or “head” of a train or a generator car, generates all the electricity used for lighting, electrical and other...
(HEP).
The desired locomotives prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
would be available 6 months sooner than end date of inauguration to pass the Homologation
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
phase. The mockup
Mockup
In manufacturing and design, a mockup, or mock-up, is a scale or full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion, and other purposes...
and pilot experiment for EMU could be used to expedite the accepting process.
locomotive approval test
The locomotive test and approval, homologation would be done according to RAI, UIC, AAR, TTCI Transportation Technology CenterTransportation Technology Center
The Transportation Technology Center, or TTC, is a railroad testing and training facility located northeast of Pueblo, Colorado. It originated as the Department of Transportation's High Speed Ground Test Center as a site to test several hovertrain concepts...
http://www.aar.com/ and like SNCF Class BB 75000
SNCF Class BB 75000
The SNCF BB 75000 are 4 axle diesel electric locomotives ordered in 2000 by SNCF for freight operations to renew its aging fleet.The locomotives are also classified as Prima DE30BAC...
.
Tendering process
The initial study was done by RAI vice president for planning and international affairs in 2003 specially by calculating the benefit of electrification in locomotive saving in long passenger trains that was argued by the railway research center MATRAIMatrai
MATRAI is the sum of abbreviations of RAI and MAT and means Iran Railway Research Centerprofile:The Railway Research Center is research department of Iranian Railways....
.
After convincing the top managers and management and planning organization (MPO), it was approved by the government to make a feasibility study
Feasibility study
Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest...
for electrification and this was accepted by the parliament in 2007.
The study was carried out by a joint of Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
and Italferr
Italferr
Italferr is the consulting company belonging to FS , the Italian railway.-External links:*...
according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
(UNIDO) and FIDIC
FIDIC
The acronym FIDIC stands for Fédération Internationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils, French for the International Federation of Consulting Engineers. The fact that the organisation has a French title bears testimony to its foundation in 1913 by three countries each wholly or partly francophone...
recommendations and Tehran—Mashhad was assigned as the first priority for being electrified.
After this phase the tendering pre-qualification
Pre-qualification
Pre-qualification is a term of art in retail finance, and means that a loan officer has taken some information from the borrower, and made a tentative ....
was prepared by a new joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
of Metra and Systra
Systra
SYSTRA is an international engineering and consulting group specializing in rail and public transport. SYSTRA is known worldwide for its work in transport modes that offer a sustainable alternative to cars and trucks...
and the request for proposal
Request for Proposal
A request for proposal is issued at an early stage in a procurement process, where an invitation is presented for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service. The RFP process brings structure to the procurement decision and is meant to...
(RFP) was released with conceptual design
Conceptual design
Conceptual design is a type of art which gives precedence to hypothetical function, it is the creation and exploration of new ideas. It is distinguished from conceptual art by closely relating to function; it is distinguished from design in general by not necessarily being actually functional but...
and by result obligations.
Planned projects
It is planned to expand electrification to the northwest up to Tabriz (with 200 km/h speed for passenger trains and 250 for tiltingTilting
Tilting may refer to:* Tilt , a cinematographic technique* Tilting train, a train with a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular railroad tracks* Tilting, Newfoundland and Labrador, a town on Fogo Island* Tilting, a type of jousting...
EMU or such trains like Railjet
Railjet
The Railjet is a high speed train of the Austrian Federal Railways , which was introduced with the timetable change of 2008–2009 and operates at speeds of up to , with a planned increase to by 2013...
) that is part of Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
and the transit route from Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
to Istanbul as one of main task and objectives of ECO Economic Cooperation Organization
Economic Cooperation Organization
The Economic Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental organization involving seven Asian and three Eurasian nations, part of the South-central Asian Union. It provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade, and investment opportunities. The ECO is an ad hoc...
and one of the emphasized routes of ESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific , located in Bangkok, Thailand, is the regional arm of the United Nations Secretariat for the Asian and Pacific region. It was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states...
.
The first phase of this project will be from Tehran to Zanjan (city)
Zanjan (city)
Zanjan is the capital of Zanjan Province in northwestern Iran. It is an Azeri inhabited city. It lies 298 km north-west of Tehran on the main highway to Tabriz and Turkey and approximately 125 km from the Caspian Sea...
to make it more economic and also to prepare the new under construction short cut from Tabriz to Mianeh that will decrease the distance from Tehran to Tabriz about 100 km and for this stepwise plan the dual mode or Electro-diesel locomotive
Electro-diesel locomotive
An Electro-diesel locomotive is powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine...
could help justifying the project.
Electrification projects
A brief study was done to prepare a Comprehensive planningComprehensive planning
Comprehensive planning is a term used in the United States by land use planners to describe a process that determines community goals and aspirations in terms of community development. The outcome of comprehensive planning is the Comprehensive Plan which dictates public policy in terms of...
for electrification development in RAI.
| Route | Length | traffic 2011 | fuel saving | Date | Max. speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| origin-destination | km | million | million liter | year | km/h |
| Tehran-Mashhad | 926 | 20 pass. +5 frt. | 250 | 2012 | 250 |
| Tehran-bandarabbas | 1350 | 10 pass. + 60 frt. | 4000 | 2014 | 160 |
| Tehran-Tabriz | 600 | 20 pass. + 5 frt. | 100 | 2014 | 250 |
| Chadormaloo-Ardakan | 220 | 1pass. + 10frt. | 100 | 2011 | 120 |
High speed history in Iran
High speed rail projects in Iran began with the road and transportation minister investigating Japan's shinkansenShinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
high speed trains in 1974. He asked the Japanese to prepare a proposal for construction of a new and dedicated HSR from Tehran to Mashhad. Subsequently, a delegation was sent from JARTS to do this and finally they proposed three options in 1976 as follows:
- 1: Double tracking and electrification of existing line to 160 km/h (estimated cost to upgrade: about $1 billion).
- 2: Dedicated high speed line at 210 km/h (estimated cost to upgrade: about $4 billion).
- 3: Dedicated high speed line at 260 km/h. Estimated to take about 10 years. (Estimated cost to upgrade: about $7 billion).
Electrification step to high speed
This project will enable the economically introduction of High-speed railHigh-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
HSR gradually perhaps from Garmsar
Garmsar
Garmsar is a city in and the capital of Garmsar County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 38,891, in 10,951 families....
to Semnan, and the final goal is to have less than 3 hours for wide body high speed trains in a dedicated high speed line with road rail parallel layout.
There are two high-speed rail
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
line projects in Iran, between Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and Isfahan
Isfahan (city)
Isfahan , historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 km south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,583,609, Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad...
, as well as Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
to Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
.
The planned Tehran-Isfahan HSR speed has been increased to 350 km/h and the section between Tehran and Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
is going to have a new dedicated alignment for 350 km/h (or even more up to 380 according to Chinese exprince with Bombardier China Railways CRH1
China Railways CRH1
The CRH1 EMU is a Chinese high-speed train based on Bombardier technology and built by a Chinese-Canadian joint venture between Bombardier and Sifang at Bombardier Sifang Power Transportation factory in Qingdao, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China...
); connecting Tehran to Imam Khomeini International Airport
Imam Khomeini International Airport
Imam Khomeini International Airport is located in Ahmadabad, Iran. The airport is located about southwest of the city near the localities of Robat-Karim and Eslamshahr. It was designed to replace Mehrabad International Airport, which is in the west of the city, now inside the city boundaries...
, possibly connected by monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
, and to a new multi-mode terminal in Qom with a road rail parallel layout with freeway connecting to Isfahan HSR.
Existing network connection
By electrification it would be possible to connect more cities to high-speed network, like ArakArak, Iran
-Industries:thumb|right|250px|wagon parsArak is one of the main industrial cities of Iran, possessing many plants for heavy industries especially for the metal and machinery industries, including:...
, Yazd
Yazd
Yazd is the capital of Yazd Province in Iran, and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families....
, Ahwaz, Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
, and Kerman
Kerman
- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
and in the northwest corridor to Tabriz, and Ardabil.
Comprehensive Transport Study of Iran
Parallel to the dynamic and flexible policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding socio-economic development plan, Comprehensive Transportation Studies of Iran Comprehensive Transportation Studies of Iran,CTSI has been implemented to design an optimum and multilateral transportation system best in order to satisfy economical and secure movement of goods and passengers. The overall target of this plan is to prepare a program including reports and studies that comprises the main strategies for leading the Islamic Republic of Iran’s transportation system as well as determining the priorities of allocating resources by considering the existing policies, criteria, necessities and priorities.Hence, the CTSI project is planned for achieving an optimum transportation system based on betterment of current situation and presenting investment priorities of transportation infrastructures in a twenty-year outlook in order to provide means for economical and secure movement of Goods and passengers with a constant view to economic, social and cultural development plan policies of country.http://www.ctsi.ir/MainE.asp
High speed projects
| Route | Length | traffic forecast | Date | Max. speed | fuel saving | life saving | time saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| origin-destination | km | million | year | km/h | million liter | person | million hours |
| Tehran-Qom-Esfehan | 413 | 50 pass | 2012 | 350 | 600 | 1500 | 200 |
Speed options for 1000 km and 20 million passengers
prices in million Euro| speed km/h | trip time | civil works | equipment | stations | land+study | rolling stock | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 5 | 1000 | 1600 | 1000 | 300 | 2000 | 5900 |
| 300 | 4 | 1000 | 1600 | 1000 | 300 | 1600 | |
| 350 | 3.5 | 1000 | 1700 | 1000 | 300 | 1500 | |
| 400 | 3 | 1000 | 1800 | 1000 | 300 | 1700 | |
The main factors that are different in above options could be referred to as the equipment for track and electrification that will be increased by speed and also the rolling stock that for higher speed will have a slightly higher price (about 10%) but the productivity that increases considerably because of lower time of trip that enables more density of seats with seat pitch about 50%.
Freight projects
On freight corridor, the electrification of Bafgh—Bandarabbas in Persian GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
is planned as a Build-Operate-Transfer
Build-Operate-Transfer
Build-own-operate-transfer or build-operate-transfer is a form of project financing, wherein a private entity receives a concession from the private or public sector to finance, design, construct, and operate a facility stated in the concession contract...
project with future continuation to Tehran and Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
at both ends plus the Classification yard
Classification yard
A classification yard or marshalling yard is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. First the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill...
.
Bandarabbas is close to Gheshm Island that has 100 km length and could be connected by bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
.. This line might also transport oil.
Iron ore is one of the main commodities on this line, especially from Golgohar mine near Sirjan
Sirjan
Sirjan is a city in and the capital of Sirjan County, Kerman Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 167,014, in 40,605 families....
, Choghart and Chadormaloo near Bafgh to Isfahan for two steel plants and steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
s named Zobahan (Esfahan Steel Company) and Mobarakeh
Mobarakeh
Mobarakeh is a city in and the capital of Mobarakeh County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 62,454, in 16,583 families....
.
As the rail connection with Zahedan will be inaugurated in near future, it will make it possible to have a direct transit line from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
possibly with variable gauge bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s and could be completed with a link to Chabahar
Chabahar
Chah Bahar is a city in and capital of Chah Bahar County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Chah Bahar is a free port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. At the 2006 census, its population was 71,070, in 13,837 families...
port in the south east of the country.
The business plan
Business plan
A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals....
to justify the electrification and supplying locomotives is going to be prepared.
Electrification investment
Build-Operate-Transfer
Build-own-operate-transfer or build-operate-transfer is a form of project financing, wherein a private entity receives a concession from the private or public sector to finance, design, construct, and operate a facility stated in the concession contract...
http://www.uneca.org/atpc/Work%20in%20progress/66.pdf similar to Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
as a Public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
(PPP) type investment.
External cost
The external cost of railway is lower than other modes of transport but the electrification brings down it even more, if it is sustainable.This is specially due to railway safety relative to Road traffic safety, considering the Value of life
Value of life
The potency of life is an economic value assigned to life in general, or to specific living organisms. In social and political sciences, it is the marginal cost of death prevention in a certain class of circumstances. As such, it is a statistical term, the cost of reducing the number of deaths by...
. Also energy from well to wheel, and the necessity to reduce pollutions and greenhouse gas in earth according to the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
.
The new approach to manage the CO2 is carbon credit
Carbon credit
A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or the mass of another greenhouse gas with a carbon dioxide equivalent equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide....
.
Electrification industries
IDRO Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran as a developing organization is responsible to develop the industry sector and to accelerate the industrialization process of the country. It has become one of Iran' largest holding company/conglomerate (company) in recent years.Iranian railway industry
Iranian railway industry
thumb|right|250px|[[Wagon pars]]The Iranian railway industry was formed by the inauguration of Wagon Pars in 1985. The railway is being developed with Iranian state backing and forms part of the Iranian Economic Reform Plan....
are either belonging to IDRO or private sector and the electrification industries among them are like: Tam (irankhodro), Sanam, Irantransfo,...
Electrification cost
The Electrification cost as part of railway prices and costs depends on the speed or the class of the track like Speed limits in the United States (rail)Speed limits in the United States (rail)
Rail speed limits in the United States are regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration. Railroads also implement their own limits and enforce speed limits. Speed restrictions are based on a number of factors including curvature, signaling, track condition, the physical condition of a train,...
. In 1984 the world bank's Railways and Energy report provided estimates of typical costs.
According to the book of Prices and Costs in the railway sector by Professor Baumgartner from Switzerland the rough estimation of traction substation cost is 0.2 million euro per megavolt amper and 0.2 million euro per km of line with 300 km/h and 0.15 for 100 km/h.
Import Tariff
TariffTariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
of electrification equipment in Iran is 5% for locomotive and machineries.
Electrification Right-of-way
Right-of-way in railway in Iran is 35m but with electrification needs to be increased for higher speed and safety reasons.Railway Electrification Education
For higher education, it is considered to have MS level in railway faculty in IRAN University of science and technology.http://www.iust.ac.ir/index.php?slc_lang=en&sid=18See also
- Islamic Republic of Iran RailwaysIslamic Republic of Iran RailwaysThe Islamic Republic of Iran Railways is the national state-owned railway system of Iran. is an associate of the IR and manages its passenger trains including international trains between Tehran and Istanbul and Tehran and Damascus...
- MatraiMatraiMATRAI is the sum of abbreviations of RAI and MAT and means Iran Railway Research Centerprofile:The Railway Research Center is research department of Iranian Railways....
- Trans-Iranian RailwayTrans-Iranian RailwayThe Trans-Iranian Railway was a major railway building project started in 1927 and completed in 1938, under the direction of the Persian monarch, Reza Shah, and entirely with indigenous capital. It links the capital Tehran with the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea...
- Economic Cooperation OrganizationEconomic Cooperation OrganizationThe Economic Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental organization involving seven Asian and three Eurasian nations, part of the South-central Asian Union. It provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade, and investment opportunities. The ECO is an ad hoc...
- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the PacificUnited Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the PacificThe Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific , located in Bangkok, Thailand, is the regional arm of the United Nations Secretariat for the Asian and Pacific region. It was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states...
Further reading
- Railway Electrification by A. Ghorbanalibeik, , Parak Publications, March 2007, 32 pp. ISBN 978-964-5703-96-5
PDF free download possible: http://sites.google.com/site/ghorbanalibeik/book
also in raielec group in yahoo:http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/raielec/files/books/