Etihad Rail completes Phase 1 trial period :Etihad Rail has completed the construction and trial period of Phase I of its national rail programme, daily al Bayan reported.
Stretching over 264km, the Phase I line linksShah and Habshan sulphur production fields to the Rouwass port in the southern province.
Etihad Rail said the line was completed on schedule, paving the way for the $10.8bn (AED40bn) 1200km project to push ahead in the UAE.
Earlier in April, Etihad Rail announced that it had transported more than 5.24million tonnes of sulphur grains within an 18 month period – during which the line was being tested.
Sulphur transport is taking place twice daily with two trains each carrying 11,000 tonnes of sulphur grains and travelling at speeds reaching 80km/hr, with maximum velocities able to reach 120km/hr.
Phase II plans are still underway, which include tendering for the design and construction of portions of the tracks and trains, in addition to contracts related to unifying the rail networks and the pertinent regulations throughout the federation.
Phase II will see the UAE rail network link up with the larger GCC rail grids through Saudi Arabia and Oman.
UAE has completed nearly half of GCC Rail :Contractors were asked to resubmit their bids for Stage Two, which covers the link from Saudi Arabia to the existing line between Ruwais and Tarif, before moving through Abu Dhabi to Jafza in Dubai. According to The National, "contractors initially submitted bids to build Stage Two in December 2012", but the tender was cancelled by Etihad
Source - RAILWAY NEWS
