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North–South line (Saudi Arabia)

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SAR North–South Railway line
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerSaudi Railway Company (SAR)
Termini
Stations16
Websitehttp://www.sar.com.sa/
Service
TypeFreight
ServicesSAR Riyadh–Qurayyat line
Operator(s)Saudi Railway Company (SAR)
Rolling stock25 EMD SD70ACS Locomotives [1]
Technical
Line length2,750 kilometres (1,708.8 mi)
Track length2,750 kilometres (1,708.8 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map

The SAR North–South Railway line is a 2,750 km (1,709 mi) network of railway lines in central and eastern Saudi Arabia, built and operated by the Saudi Railway Company. The primary line of the network connects the capital of the kingdom, Riyadh, to the border with Jordan at Al Hadithah.

The line starts from Al-Jalamid mine which is located in the northeast in the Northern Territory, through Al-Jawf and Hail until arriving at the "AlBaithah railway junction" in the Qassim region. It then heads towards the southeast for processing and export facilities at Ras Al-Khair in the Eastern Province near Jubail. The line shares infrastructure with the SAR Riyadh-Qurayyat Line between Buraidah and Al Nafud. The line is a dedicated freight corridor, however, the SAR Riyadh-Qurayyat Line operates only passenger services.[2]

Current rail service

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The primary line shares infrastructure with the SAR Riyadh–Qurayyat line, and connects Riyadh to the border with Jordan at Al Haditha. Branch lines connect this main line to Ra's al-Khair (via Bauxite Junction), Hazm al-Jalamid (via Phosphate Junction), and Al Baseeta (via Al Baseeta Junction).

Stations

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Province Distance from Riyadh City Station Additional connections
Northern Borders Al Haditha  Jordan
Qurayyat
Al Jawf Al Baseetah Junction Al Baseetah
Phosphate Junction Hazm al-Jalamid via Sakakah
Ha'il Ha'il
Al Zabirah Junction Ra's al-Khair and Al Zabirah via Bauxite Junction
Qassim Buraidah
Riyadh Riyadh King Khalid Int'l Airport
0.0 km Riyadh Riyadh Dammam–Riyadh lines

Planned: Saudi Landbridge

The operation on the 1,392 kilometres (865 mi) long freight part of the project connecting Al-Haditha and Jalamid with the new port city Ras Al-Khair was started in Jan 2015.[3]

An 85 km link is planned which would connect the North–South railway with the port at Jubail.[4]

Infrastructure

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The first six of 25 EMD SD70ACS freight locomotives ordered in April 2009 were handed over to SAR at Port Dammam on 22 August 2010.[5]

Passenger diesel push–pull trains made by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles arrived in April 2015, and are designed to run at 200 km/h (125 mph) up to 55 degrees C.[6] Each of the SAR trains includes a restaurant car, family zone and a prayer compartment, as well as both seating and sleeping cars. They are expected to run in formations of nine and 13 cars.[6]

The north–south line uses the European ERTMS Level 2 signalling system; the largest use of the system in the world.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. is Awarded New Locomotive Contract for 25 SD70ACS Locomotives from Saudi Railway Company (SAR)".
  2. ^ "Saudi Railway Company seeks operating concessionaire". Railway Gazette International.
  3. ^ "Saudi Arabian Railways to transport phosphate to EP". 20 January 2014.
  4. ^ "World rail infrastructure market September 2012 - Railway Gazette". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Desert locomotives delivered to Saudi Arabia". Railway Gazette International.
  6. ^ a b "SAR's first passenger train arrives".
  7. ^ Trains of the Desert in "The Railway Magazine" (UK), April 2023, No 1,465, Volume 169; pages 32-35
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