Spezand–Zaheden Line

The Spezand–Zaheden Railway Line (also referred to as Main Line 4 or ML-4) is one of four main railway lines in Pakistan, operated and maintained by Pakistan Railways. Inward from Pakistan's most western edge, it begins at Spezand Junction and has services that continue beyond Koh-e-Taftan station in high mountains, west. Its length is 632 kilometers (393 mi) to the Iranian border, a few kilometers further west of that station. It has ten active stations, of which seven are in Pakistan and three are in Iran. Many or all primary services since 1940 (and 1922 to 1931) terminate on the natural continuation in eastern Iran at the high city of Zahedan, which sees a change of gauge (of track and rolling stock) for accessing the Trans-Iranian Railway. This section is difficult to maintain due to Nushki Desert and Mountain Ranges.

Spezand–Zaheden Railway Line
Overview
Other name(s)	Main Line 4 ML-4 Trans–Baluchistan Railway
Status	operational
Owner	Pakistan Railways
Termini	Spezand Junction Zaheden
Stations	10
Service
Operator(s)	Pakistan Railways
History
Opened	15 November 1905 (1905-11-15)
Technical
Line length	632 km (393 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	20 km/h (12 mph) (Current)
Route map km 0 Spezand Jn. 23 Wali Khan 35 Kanak 47 Sheikh Wasil 71 Kirdgap 97 Galangur 122 Kishingi 133 Nushki 154 Ahmedwal 195 Pain Mall 238 Padag Road 277 Nok Chah 318 Dalbandin 376 Yakmach 446 Azad 488 Nok Kundi 513 Alam Reg 534 Tozghi 612 Koh-e-Taftan Pakistan Iran Border 638 Mirjaveh Khan Muhammad Chah 732 Zahedan

West of the Quetta Express Line (also called the Rohri–Chaman Railway) is the partly overlapping named Quetta-Taftan Line, the final northern Quetta section is the dual-named section

The line climbs through a thin section of the high (red-orange) belt of mountains, coming at closest 62 kilometres northeast of the thermally active volcano, pinpointed, Taftan as to its station at the trunk road town also called Taftan.

History

Originally known as the "Trans–Baluchistan Railway", the line was built as part of a strategic military route between British India (specifically the part now Pakistan) and Persia (now Iran). The Quetta to Nushki branch was approved by Lord George Hamilton, Secretary of State for India, in August 1902, and it was opened on 15 November 1905. The part west of Nushki towards Iran was named the Nushki Extension Railway. Work started on it in September 1916 under the charge of P.C. Young as Engineer-in-Chie,f and it reached the Iranian town of Duzdap (now Zahedan, a small city) on 1 October 1922. By the time the railway reached Duzdap, the British had already demobilized their forces in East Persia in March 1921, which took away the importance of the newly built part. So much so that in 1931, the 221–kilometer section between Nok Kundi and Duzdap (Zahedan) was closed, and the track was removed for use elsewhere. World War II, however, renewed interest in the Quetta-Zahedan link. British forces wanted to aid the Soviet forces by supplying material through Persia. Aid through Persia proved unnecessary (due to successful Arctic convoys of World War II and similar supplies,) but the Quetta-Zahedan link was reopened on 20 April 1940 in Zahedan.

Stations

The stations are:

• Spezand Junction
• Mastung Road (Abandoned)
• Wali Khan (Abandoned)
• Kanak (Abandoned)
• Sheikh Wasil (Abandoned)
• Kirdgap (Abandoned)
• Galangur
• Kishingi
• Ablak (Abandoned)
• Nushki
• Bilao (Abandoned)
• Ahmedwal
• Pain Mall (Abandoned)
• Padag Road (Abandoned)
• Yadgar (Abandoned)
• Nok Chah (Abandoned)
• Pishok (Abandoned)
• Dalbandin
• Yakmach (Abandoned)
• Gat (Abandoned)
• Azad (Abandoned)
• Isa Tahir (Abandoned)
• Nok Kundi (Abandoned)
• Alam Reg (Abandoned)
• Tozghi (Abandoned)
• Ware Chah (Abandoned)
• Koh-e-Taftan

Iran

• Mirjaveh
• Khan Muhammad Chah
• Zahedan

See also

• Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line
• Rohri-Chaman railway line
• Railway lines in Pakistan

External links

• The Trans-Baluchistan Railway All Things Pakistan 13 July 2007, now an archived website
• Pilgrimage to Dalbandin by Salman Rashid posted January 2013. The author's father was an Assistant Engineer with North Western Railway at Dalbandin from April 1943 to December 1944