JR East to build train system in Bangkok

[cteno4]

from christopher hood on jtrains

 

http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/jr-east-to-build-train-system-in-bangkok

 

jeff

[Mudkip Orange]

Nice.

[Guest keio6000]

nice on all three new systems mentioned in the article.

 

- Bangkok urban rail

- Singapore to KL upgrade

- Hanoi new system

 

that said, of the three, the latter two make me a little sad.  

 

i dont know the details of the bangkok plan, but one would hope it includes making better use of the existing thai rail rights of way.  the overall system is too old for a relatively small contract such as this to fix everything that is wrong with it, but at least around bangkok modern intelligent systems could be used to intermingle new commuter trains and the long-distance trains on the same tracks to get a new commuting capacity.  alternatively quad-tracking some of the double track sections should be possible.    i remember the last time i took the train out of bangkok in the area past the (old) don muang airport i remember seeing some new pillars being built - i wonder if this is related.

 

singapore to kl - i have great memories of taking this very slow train in the past (10-20 years ago) complete with an even then anachronistic feeling of antagonism between singapore and malaysia, making the stations and whole experience seem strange.  i assume it has already been modernized since the last time i took it, but even so, further modernization just takes that much interest away from the world.

 

hanoi: i like hanoi.  it's a great city with a ton of character.  as opposed to saigon, which i also love, but has become a modern corporate nowheresville.  unfortunately, modernity will soon too deeply erode hanoi's character, and this train can't help.   if you can, before it changes completely, i strongly suggest a ride on the overnght train from hanoi to lao cai (sapa)--more or less a sovietesque experience, even if full of western backpack tourists.  amazingly, while i can't get a consistent 3g signal when travelling on a bus around london, i had essentially consistent 3g all the way from hanoi to lao cai (sapa)!

 

that all said, i still contend that vietnam is one of the more obvious candidates for an actual shinkansen.  major cities aligned in a straight line a reasonable distance apart, existing right of way, old infrastructure, money increasingly available.

 

also, on the topic of southeast asian rail transport: in my travels throughout the world i have seen many wonderful and pathetic things.  but few things i have ever seen in travels to over 70 countries have been more pathetic than the sight of all the well dressed lonely 30-ish asian businessmen sitting alone in windows of the eastern orient express, expensive scotch in hand, trying to look sophisticated, but doubtlessly wondering where their life went wrong that they were paying $1000/night or whatever for that train and not having anywhere near the fun as those of us with our wives and girlfriends on the platform at surat thani who paid maybe $25 for our first-class tickets.

 

here is a map from seat61 that makes me want to go out and travel, even if i just got back from travels 2 days ago and even though I've traveled around half of the rails here already:

 

[JR 500系]

Hi Keio 6000:

 

Nice map! Clearly indicates the strength of rail, be it fast or slow... 

 

I can share some insights on the Bangkok and Singapore->KL rails as discussed by Keio6000:

 

Bangkok: The pillars are now being demolished by one of our assosiate company.. It seems the alignment was wrong the the track were going the wrong way!?!?! Now the pillars are being cut down slowly... There are about 500 over pillars to cut, so it might take a while... With that, it might take even longer to build up a new one... I'm guessing the new rail system should be an underground one? But then again $405 million for 23 kilometer probably cannot justify underground construction so... 

 

Singapore-> KL: The tracks are demolished, that is in Singapore. I'm not sure about the Malaysia side, but i do know the amount of tracks demolished in Singapore has opened up large land spaces for more developments to the government's pocket. In exchange, 3 plots of land located in Singapore were traded with Malaysia, all of which are prime areas. Two have them already have plans for development into a mixed development project: integrated shopping, entertainment hub, offices and residential for the rich. Kinda hard to say the third will be a rail station... But i sure is excited if JR East wins the contract for the high speed rail from Singapore to KL so i might expect to see some older shinkansens like the 100 or 200 running here? Haha ~ Wishful thinking on my part only...

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

I have a little knowledge about the roads and railways of Thailand.

 

I believe that the columns being demolished are actually quite old.  They were constructed prior to the S E Asian recession in the mid-1990's and possibly date to the late 1980's.  They were built for motorways, not rail.  They were half finished when I first went to Thailand in 1995, and looked the same when I was there in March.

 

There are many high rise buildings that have remained unfinished for a similar period of time.  Some have been demolished and the sites remain vacant.

 

There are more than 10 expansion projects planned for MRT.  Only two have underground component.  The Purple Line extension from Klong Bang Phai to Tao Pun is 23km long and has 16 stations.  It is the only extension that matches the reference in the article posted by Mr Jeff.  However, it is already under construction and due to open next year.  So, it cannot be the project that Japan Today is referring to.  You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRT_Purple_Line

 

However, the Purple Line South Extension project has not yet started.  It also has 16 stations.  But it is 20km long.  Perhaps this is the project that Japan Today was referring to.  This project will be elevated for the section through the old part of Bangkok and underground for the portion between San Sen Road and Thewet Market.  Beyond Thewet it will be elevated again.