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Iraqi Republic Railways

(Redirected from Mesopotamian Railways)

Iraqi Republic Railways Company (IRR; Arabic: الشركة العامة لسكك الحديد العراقية) is the national railway operator in Iraq.

Iraqi Republic Railways
Native name
الشركة العامة لسكك الحديد العراقية
Company typeGovernment-owned corporation
IndustryRail transport
Founded1905
HeadquartersBaghdad, Iraq
ProductsPassenger Rail Transport
Websitewww.scr.gov.iq
Iraqi Republic Railways
Operation
National railwayIraqi Republic Railways Company
Major operatorsIraqi Ministry of Transport
Statistics
Passenger km99.98 Million (2010)[1]
System length
Total2,272 kilometres (1,412 mi)
Track gauge
Main4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Features
No. tunnels1 (Mosul Railway Tunnel)
Tunnel length912 metres (2,992 ft)
Longest bridgeHindiya Railway Bridge(1,250 metres (4,100 ft))
No. stations107

Network

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IRR comprises 2,272 kilometres (1,412 mi) of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge. IRR has one international interchange, with Chemins de Fer Syriens (CFS) at Rabiya. The system runs from Rabiya southward through Mosul, Baiji, and Baghdad to Basra, with a branch line from Shouaiba Junction (near Basra) to the ports of Khor Az Zubair and Umm Qasr, westward from Baghdad through Ramadi and Haqlaniya to Al Qaim and Husayba, with a branch line from Al Qaim to Akashat, and east–west from Haqlaniya through Bayji to Kirkuk.

History

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Advert from the 1930s
 
Germans, Norwegians, French-Syrian colonial officials and others at the train station in Tell Kotchek, 1940.

The first section of railway in what was then the Ottoman Empire province of Mesopotamia was a 123 kilometres (76 mi) length of the Baghdad Railway between that city & Samarra opened in 1914. Work had started northwards from Baghdad with the aim of meeting the section being constructed across Turkey and Syria to Tel Kotchek and an extension northwards from Samarra to Baiji was opened in December 1918.[2]

From 1916 onwards an invading British Military force brought narrow gauge equipment, firstly 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge and later 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge gauge from India to Southern Mesopotamia to construct various sections of line to support its offensive against the Turks. Britain defeated the Ottomans and Mesopotamia became a League of Nations mandate under British administration. In April 1920 the British military authorities transferred all railways to a British civilian administration, Mesopotamian Railways.[3]

The metre gauge line from Basra to Nasiriyah was the most important section constructed during the war in terms of its significance as part of later efforts to construct a national railway network. Soon after the end of World War I this was extended northwards from Ur Junction outside Nasiriyah up the Euphrates valley with the complete Basra to Baghdad route being opened on 16 January 1920.[4]

The other section of metre gauge line built during World War I that had ongoing significance was that from Baghdad East north eastwards to the Persian border. After the war the eastern end of this line was diverted to Khanaqin and the wartime built line north west from Jalula Junction was extended from Kingerban to Kirkuk in 1925.[4]

In 1932 Iraq became independent from the UK. In March 1936 the UK sold Mesopotamian Railways to Iraq, which renamed the company Iraqi State Railways.[3] Work resumed on the extension of the Baghdad Railway between Tel Kotchek on the Syrian frontier and Baiji. The through route was opened and completed on 15 July 1940.[3] In 1941 the Iraqi State Railways PC class 4-6-2 steam locomotives were introduced to haul the Baghdad–Istanbul Taurus Express on the Baghdad Railway between Baghdad and Tel Kotchek.[5] From 1941 onwards the UK War Department supplemented ISR's locomotive fleets: the metre gauge with HG class 4-6-0s requisitioned from India[6] and new USATC S118 Class 2-8-2s from the US,[7] and the standard gauge with new LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0s[8] and USATC S100 Class 0-6-0Ts.[9]

 
Principal railway routes in Iraq

In 1947 the Iraq Petroleum Company opened a branch at Kirkuk, which it operated with its own Hudswell Clarke 2-8-4Ts from 1951.[10][11] ISR opened a new metre gauge line from Kirkuk to Arbil in 1949. A joint road and rail bridge was opened across the River Tigris in Baghdad in 1950, finally connecting the east and west bank metre gauge systems.[3] ISR added new steam locomotives in the 1950s: 20[12] metre gauge 2-8-2s from Ferrostaal of Essen and 10[13] from Vulcan Foundry[14] in 1953 and 20 more[15] from Maschinenfabrik Esslingen[16] in 1955-56 and 2-8-0s from Krupp, plus standard gauge 2-8-0s also from Krupp.[17][18]

In 1958 when Iraq's Hashemite monarchy was overthrown and a republic declared, ISR was renamed Iraqi Republic Railways.[3] In 1961 IRR began to replace its standard gauge steam locomotive fleet with diesels from ČKD[19][20][21] and Alco.[22][23] In 1972 several classes of steam locomotive were still in service on the standard gauge system,[24][25] but these were replaced by further classes of diesel from Alstom, Montreal Locomotive Works and MACOSA.[23] IRR did not begin to replace its metre gauge steam locomotives until after 1983.[3][26]

In 1964 IRR extended its standard gauge network with a line from Baghdad to Basrah which opened for freight in 1964 and for passengers in 1968. It has since been extended from Shouaiba Junction to the port of Umm Qasr.[3]

From 1980 until 2003 IRR suffered approximately one billion United States dollars' worth of war and looting damage.[27]

Routes

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IRR Southern Line

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Main article: IRR Southern Line

The IRR Southern Line, also known as the Baghdad–Basra Railway Line, is the currently only rail route in Iraq that is fully operational. The line stretches 550 kilometres to Basra Al Maqal railway station with a branch line to Karbala and another one from Shoeyba Junction to Um Qasr.

IRR Northern Line

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Main article: Berlin-Baghdad Railway

The IRR Northern Line connects the capital of Baghdad with the northern city of Mosul and then to the international interchange at Rabiyaa. The line is currently in reconstruction. The Section from Baghdad and Taji, a northern suburb of Baghdad, is the only section currently in sporadic use.

IRR Western Line

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The Line connects Baghdad to the phosphate mining village of Akashat. The only section currently in use in the form of a commuter rail line is the 65-kilometre-long section from Baghdad to Falluja.

IRR Transversal Line

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Main article: IRR Transversal Line

This rail line connects Haditha, where it intersects with the IRR Western, over Baiji, where it connects to the IRR Northern, to Kirkuk in the north-east of Iraq. It is the only major route to not run to Baghdad. The line is fully out of operation.

Passenger services

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In around October 2008, a commuter service resumed between Baghdad Central and the southern suburb of Doura.[28] There is a nightly service between Baghdad and Basra and a Friday-only pilgrims service to Samarra. In March 2009, a weekly service started between Baghdad and Fallujah. The Baghdad–Mosul line is almost ready for passenger services to resume.[when?] Transport Minister Abdul Jabbar Ismail said that he hoped to extend the existing network of 1,243 miles (2,000 km) to between 2,485 miles (3,999 km) and 3,107 miles (5,000 km) but that there were obstacles such as budget restraints and contract approvals.[29]

CSR Sifang Co Ltd. supplied 10 new 99 miles per hour (159 km/h) trains in 2014.[30] The Southern Line between Baghdad and Basra was designed for high speed, but in reality is run on very moderate speeds.

In 2018, the western line was reopened.[31]

Rolling stock

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In 1936, the Iraqi State Railways owned 114 locomotives, 8 railcars, 320 coaches and 3,485 goods wagons.[32]

Current (information partly from 2004)

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Class Image Axle formula Number Year in service Power
[hp] 		Constructor Notes
DHS 101–103BB Bo-Bo 3 1986 600 Nippon Sharyo Not in service anymore[33]
DHS 111–113BB Bo-Bo 3 1973 600 Nippon Sharyo Not in service anymore[33]
DHS 121–127BB Bo-Bo 7 1982 600 Nippon Sharyo Not in service anymore[33]
DHS 131–144 Bo-Bo 14 2002–2003 1,000 Tülomsas 8 in service in 2004[33]
DHS 151–162   Bo-Bo 12 2004–2005 1,200 Tülomsas
DEM 2001–2010 Co-Co 10 1963 1,650 ČKD 5657–5766. Not in service anymore[33]
DEM 2011–2020 Co-Co 10 1964 1,650 ČKD 5802–5811. Not in service anymore[33]
DEM 2101–2105 Co-Co 5 1965 2,000 Alco 3416.01–3416.05. Not in service anymore[33]
DEM 2201–2220 Co-Co 20 1971 2,000 Alstom Not in service anymore[33]
DEM 2301–2330 Co-Co 30 1975 2,000 Montreal Locomotive Works 6083.01–6083.30. Not in service anymore[33]
DEM 2331–2361 Co-Co 30 1976 2,000 Montreal Locomotive Works 6093.01–6093.31. Not in service anymore[33]
DEM 2401–2455   Co-Co 55 1980 2,000 Macosa 1631–1685. Some possibly still in service[33]
DEM 2501–2582 Co-Co 82 1983 2,250 Henschel & Son 32711–32720, 32639–32710. Seen in service in 2007. 2559–2561 were formerly dedicated to Saddam Hussein's private passenger train.[33]
DEM 2701–2750   Bo-Bo 50 2001 2,000 Dalian In service[33]
DEM 2801–2830   Co-Co 30 2004 2,630 Lugansk (LuganskTeplovoz) Some possibly still in service[33]
DES 3001–3036 Bo-Bo 36 1962–1973 650 ČKD [33]
DES 3101–3200   Co-Co 100 1979–1981 1,100 ČKD 11301–11303, 12204–12211, 12272–12360[33]
DES 3301–3306 Bo-Bo 6 2004 1,200 Bryansk [33]
DEM 4001-11 Co-Co 11 1980 3,600 Francorail [33]
DEM 4101-61 Co-Co 6 1980–1982 3,600 Francorail [33]
  DMU 10 2014 3,600 CSR 160 km/h. 10-car long-distance train has two power cars and accommodates up to 343 passengers intended for Baghdad–Basra on the Bagdad–Basra train.
* DHS = Diesel-hydraulic, DEM = Diesel-electric

Retired

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Class Image Axle Formula Number Year in Service Constructor Notes
HJ Class 4-6-0 203 1902 Originally built for Bengal and North Western Railway. Exported to Iraq in Second World War.[34]
HG Class 4-6-0 1907 Robert Stephenson & Company One seen as 132 in 1967. Originally built for Burma Railways. Exported to Iraq later.[34]
HG Class 4-6-0 1920 Nasmyth Wilson One seen as 179 in 1967. Originally built for South Indian Railway Company. Exported to Iraq later.[34]
HG Class 4-6-0 192 North British One seen as 193 in 1967. Originally built for South Indian Railway Company. Exported to Iraq later.[34]
HGS Class 4-6-0 1921 Vulcan Foundry One seen as 149 in 1967. Exported to Iraq later.[34]
NA Class 4-8-0 226 1920 North British Originally built for Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway. Exported to Iraq in Second World War.[34]
?   0-6-0 ? 1912 Borsig One photographed in 1967 on display at Baghdad West Railway station.[34]
? 0-4-0VBT ? 1928 Sentinel Two photographed in 1967 as RM2/RM3.[34]
PC class   4-6-2 4 1941 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Nos. 501-504. Built in 1940. 504 lost during transport to Iraq. Out of service in 1967.
TD Class   2-8-0 12 1942 North British 143 Sent to Iran after 1941 Anglo-Soviet invasion. Ten were purchased by I.R.R. in 1947, two in 1948. Operated until the seventies. 1 Currently possible disused - abandoned in field near IRR 33°20′43.20″N 44°21′13.90″E / 33.3453333°N 44.3538611°E / 33.3453333; 44.3538611. Series around 1400. War Department 70746> 1402
SA Class   0-6-0 5 1942-'44 Davenport Nos. 1211–1215. In 1967 at least two active. According to some they were used by Palestine Military Railway first. P.M.R. 106 > 423, 165 > 425, 404 > 429, 406 > 430, 434 > 431, 437 > 432, 512 > 438.[35]
V Class 0-4-0T 1910 Borsig One seen as 208 in 1967 on display in Shalchiyah.
W Class 2-8-2 1943 Alco One seen as 63 in 1967.
2-8-4T 3 1951 Hudswell Clarke Nos. 1–3.
Y Class 2-8-2 10 1953 Vulcan Foundry One seen as 80 in 1967
Z Class 2-8-2 1956 Esslingen One seen as 96.

Developments

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Syrian Railways had been extending a rail route from Deir ez-Zor Junction towards the modern Husaibah branch terminus on the Iraqi side of the border, which was built as a through station. The route follows the Euphrates river valley and Google Earth shows the route complete to the border, including a new customs exchange yard, but requiring 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) of formation on the Iraqi side. The civil war in Syria and insurgency in Iraq have prevented further progress in the last decade. This route would be more direct than the existing one via the border station at Tall Kushik.

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In August 2011, the Jordanian government approved the construction of the railway from Aqaba to the Iraqi border (near Trebil). The Iraqis in the meantime started the construction of the line from the border to their current railhead at Ramadi.[36]

High-speed Baghdad–Basra line

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Main article: Baghdad–Basra high-speed rail line

In 2011, a 650 km (400 mi) 250 km/h (155 mph) line between Baghdad and Basra was planned, with the Iraqi Railways and Alstom designing the route.[37]

It started operations since 2014, and at that time not classified as a true high-speed rail. New trainsets for use on the Baghdad-Basra route were unveiled in China in February 2014 before being shipped to Iraq.[38]

Iraq–Iran Basra–Shalamcheh line

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In December 2021, Iran and Iraq agreed today to build a railway connecting both countries. The project would connect Basra in southern Iraq to Shalamcheh in western Iran. There are only around 30 kilometers (18 miles) between the two areas. The railway would be strategically important for Iran, linking the country to the Mediterranean Sea via Iraq and Syria's railways.[39][40]

Couplings

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IRR uses Soviet-style SA3 couplers. In order to allow interchange with CFS and Turkish State Railways which both use screw couplers, IRR locomotives and most wagons are equipped with screw couplers and buffers. In Iraqi service the buffers do not make contact and the screw couplings hang down unattached.

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Iraq - Railways, passengers carried (Million passenger-km)".
  2. ^ Hughes (1981) p. 87
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Hughes (1981) p. 90
  4. ^ a b Hughes (1981) p. 89
  5. ^ Hughes (1981) p. 98
  6. ^ "Iraq Narrow Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "Iraq Narrow Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ "The Restoration & Archiving Trust: Image no. br670616".[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ^ "Iraq Narrow Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ "The Restoration & Archiving Trust, Image no. br670534".[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ "Steam locomotives in Iraq - Railways of Iraq". www.andrewgrantham.co.uk. 11 October 2012.
  13. ^ http://www.enuii.org/vulcan_foundry/photographs/locomotives/Publicity/Iraqi%20State%20Railways.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  14. ^ "Iraq Narrow Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ^ "Iraq Railways - Iraqi State Railways 2-8-2 Class Z steam locomotive Nr. 91 (MF Esslingen, 1955/6)". 10 March 2016.
  16. ^ "Iraq Narrow Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  21. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. ^ "Iraq Standard Gauge Railways photo gallery". 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. ^ a b Hughes (1981) p. 97
  24. ^ "World Railways Photograph Catalogue - Restoration & Archiving Trust". gwrarchive.org.
  25. ^ "Taurus Express 1972". Flickr. January 1972.
  26. ^ "World Railways Photograph Catalogue - Restoration & Archiving Trust". www.gwrarchive.org.
  27. ^ David White (1 March 2004). "Rebuilding Iraq's ravaged railways". Railway Gazette International. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2007.
  28. ^ "All Aboard the Baghdad Metro", Los Angeles Times, 18 November 2008
  29. ^ "Iraq's Struggle to get railway back on track after neglect and war"[dead link‍], The Times, 14 April 2009
  30. ^ "Iraqi inter-city train rolled out". Railway Gazette International. 25 February 2014. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  31. ^ "Iraq gets on board with new rail service to Fallujah through former ISIS territory".
  32. ^ World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 227.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (March 2005), I.R.R. Diesel loco stocklist. Series 18 issue 68
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h "World Railways Photograph Catalogue - Restoration & Archiving Trust". gwrarchive.org.
  35. ^ HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (September 1989), Palestine Military Railways Ex-LSWR 0-6-0's Series 2 issue 5
  36. ^ Construction begins on 500km Jordan-Iraq railway, Construction Week, 24 August 2011
  37. ^ "Alstom in deal to build high-speed rail in Iraq". The Daily Telegraph. 26 June 2011.
  38. ^ "New Iraqi inter-city train rolled out". Railway Gazette International. 25 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  39. ^ "Iran and Iraq again agree to connect their railway networks". Al-Monitor. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  40. ^ "Iran, Iraq sign Basra-Shalamcheh railway contract". IRNA English. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  41. ^ "Irna". Archived from the original on 26 April 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2009.

Sources

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  • Hughes, Hugh (1981). Middle East Railways. Continental Railway Circle. pp. 87–99. ISBN 0-9503469-7-7.
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