QuoteRailroad Sations 70% Completed
Baghdad, Iraq â€" Deputy Minister for Railroads, Atta Nabeil, recently presented a plaque to railway program manager Martin Sanders and a representative from Al-Najran, a local construction company, to commemorate the completion of northern railway stations. Out of the 97 railway stations being renovated by the Facilities & Transportation (F&T) Sector of the Project & Contracting Office (PCO), only 28 remain to be finished, remarkable progress since the $42 million PCO railroad program first ramped up in October 2004.
SOURCE: http://www.aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49208&page=2
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Rebuilding Iraq's ravaged railways
By: David White, USAID-Bechtel Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction Programme 01 March 2004
Bechtel is co-ordinating reconstruction on Iraqi Republic Railways, which conflict and lack of maintenance have left in a poor condition. Following a rapid assessment of the infrastructure, work has begun on a major upgrade of the route from Um Qasr to Shouaiba Junction
THREE WARS, deferred maintenance, limited renewals, non-existent signalling and run-down rolling stock have left Iraqi Republic Railways hard-pressed to operate a viable and safe service.
In April 2003 the US Agency for International Development awarded Bechtel a reconstruction contract encompassing eight infrastructure sectors, now valued at a total of $1·03bn. To be completed in December, the programme covers railways, ports, airports, water & sewerage, power, bridges, buildings and telecommunications.
In the rail sector Bechtel is working jointly with IRR to construct a new line in the southern governorate of Basra. We are building the line to European standards, and when it is completed this summer it will aid the movement of freight inland from Um Qasr, Iraq's only deepwater port.
USAID is funding Bechtel's work, while IRR's share is paid for through the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation. The United Nations Oil for Food Program had provided funding before the recent war for some of the permanent way materials and construction equipment being delivered.
SOURCE: http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/rebuilding-iraqs-ravaged-railways.html
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On Track For Baghdad
Deutsche Bahn to Rebuild Iraqi Rail Network
Germany's rail operator Deutsche Bahn wants to help rebuild Iraq's rail network. CEO Rüdiger Grube aims to draw up an initial agreement with the Iraqi Transport Minister later this week.
Iraqi train passengers leave a station in Baghdad.
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AP
Iraqi train passengers leave a station in Baghdad.
Deutsche Bahn, which runs Germany's railway network, has set its sights on rebuilding the Iraqi railways. Deutsche Bahn's Chief Executive Rüdiger Grube is meeting with Iraqi Transport Minister Amir Abdul-Jabar later this week to seal an initial agreement. The company is particulary interested in working to rebuild the country's freight train network and is hoping to operate it later with Iraqi partners.
There are still no details of the value of the investment planned nor the scale of the project.
SOURCE: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,631748,00.html