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| Afghanistan Railways revisited https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2570 |
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| Author: | James D. Hefner [ Tue Jan 22, 2002 11:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Afghanistan Railways revisited |
You may recall that near the beginning of the war, Iron Dave asked about the prospects of helping with rebuilding the railways in Afghanistan. Some of us blew him off, remarking that there were no railways in Afganistan and never would be. Turns out Dave was quite right. See the link below from CNN's website. The most interesting part of the article to me was the mention of three surviving Henschel steam locomotives in the museum in Kabul. Another country for "Surviving World Steam Locomotives"! :) Everyone got your checkbooks ready? -James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a Afghan rail plan among proposals for donors james1@pernet.net |
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| Author: | Chris Lanier [ Tue Jan 22, 2002 5:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Afghanistan Railways revisited |
I was told by a military friend of my Dad that at the begining of the bombing there was/were up to three narrow gauge industrial steam era locomotives at the one and only hydro electric dam in Afganistam. Were used in the construction and service of the dam. Wonder if that is true or what. At the time of the bombing we figured they would get blown up as targets. Anyone have any other information?? Or is this just smoke? Chris > You may recall that near the beginning of > the war, Iron Dave asked about the prospects > of helping with rebuilding the railways in > Afghanistan. Some of us blew him off, > remarking that there were no railways in > Afganistan and never would be. > Turns out Dave was quite right. See the link > below from CNN's website. The most > interesting part of the article to me was > the mention of three surviving Henschel > steam locomotives in the museum in Kabul. > Another country for "Surviving World > Steam Locomotives"! :) > Everyone got your checkbooks ready? > -James Hefner > Hebrews 10:20a chlanier@hotmail.com |
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| Author: | John Craft [ Tue Jan 22, 2002 5:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Afghanistan Railways revisited |
> I was told by a military friend of my Dad > that at the begining of the bombing there > was/were up to three narrow gauge industrial > steam era locomotives at the one and only > hydro electric dam in Afganistam. . . Anyone have any other information?? Or is this just smoke? There are a lot more than a single electric dam in Afghanistan - according to the CIA, 65% of the country's power generation was hydro. Sounds like someone's confused the engines referenced by James with something else. JAC CIA factbook on Afghanistan |
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| Author: | Dan [ Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Afghanistan Railways revisited |
Actually there is or was an industrial railroad at the dam that ran on steam during the dams construction. There is only one of any significance hydro electrical dam. Was built under an international grant. It was heavily bombed on its support infrastructure and during the bombing the Afghans told the US that any further strikes would collapse it and take out the down stream villages. The US stopped bombing it so as to take it intact. The other two railroads mentioned in this "fact sheet" are border crossing railroads. To cross the border legally people go through customs, get on the train and then get off. 15 km is not much of a rail line. These are still "intact". These were not destroyed by Bush as they are targeted to be used to/for support in construction of a trans Afghan oil pipeline. The project belongs to UNOCAL and the Taliban stopped the US Company from building it. A new railroad is needed to carry the very heavy support tools and equipment for the development of oil fields in the north border of Afghanistan, down across the tip of Pakistan to the sea port, but security from attack on the rails is near impossible. This "fact sheet" is very inaccurate and self serving. Opium production in Afghanistan was near zero under the Taliban but planting during the bombing and now under US security is calculated this month to give the first crop of 1,500 metric tons of "field paste". How do I know? I am a geologist, have been there and have done my stint with the DIA. The locos in the museum are in quite good shape due to the dry climate. I was never permitted to take any photographs when there. They are/were very strange people. Dan McNames > There are a lot more than a single electric > dam in Afghanistan - according to the CIA, > 65% of the country's power generation was > hydro. Sounds like someone's confused the > engines referenced by James with something > else. > JAC zobexusa@yahoo.com |
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| Author: | James D. Hefner [ Wed Jan 23, 2002 9:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Afghanistan Railways Update |
I recieved the following list of railways in Afghanisan from another list. The steam locomotives in the museum came from the "Kings" railway; I am not sure which of the hydro projects mentioned used steam: Railways: total: 24.6 km broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya Additionally, several narrow gauge railways existed (information given by Eljas Pölhö): > 3 Henschel diesel-hydraulics of 600mm gauge were delivered in 1951 to > Saabrie/Saarbic (depending source) power plant construction. But at > that > time there were not too many possible locations. The nearest spelling I > can > locate from that period is Sarobi on Kabul River, east of Kabul (city). > Another is Pul-i-Khumri on Surkhab river (north of Kabul). > > Other locations are Kandahar and Jabal us-Siraj. Kajakai dam on Helmand > River (NW of Kandahar), Mahipue (E of Kabul), Nangarhar, Naghlu (E of > Kabul), Mahipar (operative from 1967) are newer from 1960s. > > In 1979 Bedia Maschinenfabrik (of Bonn) supplied 5 diesel-hydraulics of > 600mm gauge, model D35/6, to unspecified customer in Afghanistan. > > During the regime og King Amanullah (1919Â1929), a steam tramway was > built > from Kabul to Darulaman. It operated with two Henschel steam > locomotives. > The line closed when the King was sent to exile, but the locos survived > at > Darulaman in 1974 (indoors) and were seen later still outdoors. Below is a link to a brief mention of the locomotives in the middle of the hostilites. Kabul Museum Update james1@pernet.net |
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| Author: | zobexusa@yahoo.com [ Wed Jan 23, 2002 5:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Afghanistan Railways Update |
I really wish someone there would be allowed to inventory the existing rail equipment. The past three months anything that could be blown up was, no matter what it was. The US was running out of things to throw bombs at. Just flying in circles burning up fuel. I have seen what some of the proximity explosives will do. Shrap went clear through the wall of a tank turret. They looked like burnt potato chips. What I saw at the dam looked like post war British 30", I only had a moment to look. The only good part is air strikes are now stopped, but the SCRAPPING and clean up will start. If anyone has handy any old topo sheets or maps and equipment roster, please post here. Thanks Dan > I recieved the following list of railways in > Afghanisan from another list. The steam > locomotives in the museum came from the > "Kings" railway; I am not sure > which of the hydro projects mentioned used > steam: > Railways: > total: 24.6 km > broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from > Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to > Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz > (Uzbekistan) to > Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank > of Amu Darya > Additionally, several narrow gauge railways > existed (information given by > Eljas Pölhö): > Below is a link to a brief mention of the > locomotives in the middle of the hostilites. |
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