MRTA testing subway
rolling stock and finding no problems - translated
and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi Dailynews, November 26,
2003
Dr. Ockert Van Zyl (the CEO of Siemens Thailand Co.Ltd.) said Siemens
has produced and supplied 84% of the electronic instruments for
the subway rolling stock and 91% of electric instruments for the
stations. So far, Siemens (Thailand) has delivered 59% of the electronic
instruments to MRTA for testing subway cars.
Dr. Ockert said after testing the first delivery of subway rolling
stock at the maximum speed (80 km/hr), the company found no problems
at all. The next four sets will reach Laem Chabang in this December
and all 19 sets will reach MRTA depot by March 2004.
On December 5, 2003, Minister Suriya and his subordinates from MOTC
are going to visit MRTA depot to see a test run. Test runs will
be held until Songkran Day of 2004 - the day for partial opening
of the subway.
Photos
of the Hualampong subway station
- November 20, 2003
Pascal reports: Please go to my website and there you’ll
find a link to
Bangkok Subway (station photos)... which I took yesterday.
Right: The names are to pay respect to the people
who have contributed to the planning, construction and finalization
of the first subway line. Hualamphong Subway Station also features
a small museum about Thai train history. The museum is near
the place where I took the photo of the names. |
(Photo: www.pasci.org) |
How the subway cars
were transported - November 15, 2003
Patrick Dick of The Freight
Co, Ltd. has provided an explanation of all planning that went
in to transporting the Bangkok subway cars by air to Thailand. (Various
photos of the subway cars being delivered are here.)
1. What are the critical points for transportation
Transporting trains (rolling stock) requires a very
specialized know-how that. Subways and Mass Rapid trains are big
in size but not extremely heavy. On average, a single subway wagon
(coach) is just more than 20 meters long, slightly over 3 meters
wide and almost 4 meters high. The weight is only roughly between
34 to 40 tons depending whether it is the front or end of a subway,
which contains the driver's cabin and an engine. The wagons or coaches
between the front and end wagons are without engine and therefore
are not as heavy as the ones with engine. Real train (diesel) locomotive
in comparison weight easily around 100 tons. Depending on how the
trains are built it can happen that it will not be allowed to lift
them by cranes. Because they are so big, they are generally transported
and shipped unpacked and special care is needed to protect them
from scratches, dents, bruises, etc. which may occur especially
during handling at the port, airport or upon loading in the factory
or unloading at final destination.
When shipping subway wagons or similar rolling stock by sea the
first idea is normally to ship them on break bulk vessels. This
has the disadvantage that the handling as not always the best and
safest and that ship owners are tempted to load the trains on deck
and not under deck (again mostly because of the big size). However,
they can also be shipped on container vessels but the expert needs
to know how and with which ship type, etc.
In the case of sending such a rolling stock by air
there are not so many choices. The primary aircraft type to use
for such a cargo is the Antonov AN124. Another aircraft would be
the AN124's bigger brother the AN225 but there is worldwide only
one such aircraft in operation.
The AN124 is an ingenious and self-sustainable aircraft.
It can uplift up to 150 tons and the volume of the cargo hold is
approx. 1,000 cubic meters or close to the equivalent of 30x20'
containers. The airplane has a front and an aft cargo door. Both
boast a ramp for easy loading (roll on/roll off) of heavy cargo.
The airplane has also onboard loading cranes with max. lifting capacity
of 40 tons.
In the case of loading a rolling stock into the AN124
the choice is using the front nose door and front door ramp for
loading and unloading. Here start the first difficulties that need
to be taken into consideration and into the planning. The AN124's
overall length is 70 meters. The ramp system is can quickly add
another 10-15 meters depending on the ramp design and the angle
at which the ramp is laid out. When loading/unloading such a rolling
stock obviously a special trailer is needed as well. In our case
the trailer inclusive of prime mover and draw bar had a combined
overall length of 31.5 meters. Finally when operating this trailer
for loading or unloading we have to include also operating space
of at least 10-15 meters. Thus altogether we have to calculate a
total operating space needed of 120-140 meters. Not many airports
and cargo terminals are happy to free this kind of space because
it is the equivalent of about 4 parked airplanes.
The next thing that needs to be considered is that
when the subway will be rolled into the AN124 the road trailer should
be fitted on the trailer bed also with rails and should be able
to connect to the aircraft's ramp system. Special sliding devices
must be built for the purpose of loading and unloading. Detailed
planning is needed for the loading place and the unloading place
as the road trailer is most likely not the same at the loading place
and the unloading place. Special lashing and securing has to be
prepared by the engineers. Engineers need to calculate shock impacts
and their calculations will be considered when preparing special
lashing and securing systems.
2. Precedents
The Freight CO Ltd previously handled the very first
mass rapid transit system that was imported to Thailand. This system,
an elevated mass rapid transit system known as the "Skytrain"
was also supplied by Siemens of Germany. The cargo originated from
all over the world. Trains were supplied from Siemens' factory in
Austria (same as for the subway project). Rails came from Germany.
Ticketing machines from the U.S.A., fully assembled escalators from
Germany and China, etc. The total volume of this project was approx.
60,000 frt. The Freight CO LTD was responsible together with Fracht
AG of Germany for the total freight and logistics concept of this
project. In Thailand we also provided the warehouse space and our
warehouse management software for the stock control of this project.
We delivered just in time to the jobsite. Jobsite was obviously
all over the city of Bangkok, a city of approx. 10 million people.
We had to deliver / lift most of the cargo more then 10 meters high
onto the various stations. Due to traffic restrictions we were only
allowed to deliver at nighttime, mostly after midnight. The Freight
CO LTD also took care of traffic management and police escort for
special cargo such as the trains, the long rails, escalators, etc.
Besides transporting the sensitive trains we had to take special
care while handling the unpacked, fully assembled escalators fitted
with glass panels on both sides. Since starting with the Skytrain
project, The Freight CO LTD has transported and lifted more then
100 escalators for the Skytrain Project, commercial high-rise buildings
in Bangkok and the provincial airport in Pitsanulok.
3. Planning
The first inquiry for the subway air charter project
was received in December 2002. Thereafter, negotiations were renewed
in July 2003. Serious planning started relatively late, end of August
2003. From that point and time The Freight CO Ltd's management was
non-stop involved in planning, meetings, preparations, etc. Many
meetings had to be conducted with Thai government offices such as
the Royal Thai Airforce, Airports of Thailand (Airports Authority),
Thai Airports Ground Services, Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand,
Bangkok Metro CO LTD and our client. Special transportation equipment
was already developed by our German partner, Messrs. Fracht AG of
Nuremberg who specializes in handling rolling stock. Road surveys
and negotiations with various parties had to be conducted. Since
the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand planned to hold a VIP
reception and to invite the press (T.V. and newspapers) we on the
arrival of the last of the 3 air charters, we had to plan the entire
operation "military-style". Upon arrival and unloading
from airplane of subway coach 1 and 2, we covered the wagons immediately
with 300 square meter large covers to avoid the press of making
a press release prior to the VIP reception. During the VIP reception
The Freight CO LTD was largely requested by the client to organize
and coordinate matters in and around the airplane. We had to work
under enormous pressure because at the same time, Thailand's government
was preparing for the APEC (Asia Pacific Economy Corporation) that
was attended by all Asia Pacific countries leaders including U.S.
President George Bush. Security measurements were at its highest
level ever for Thailand and we had to comply with all requests for
security,
scheduling, etc.
The entire operation and VIP reception was a huge success.
We delivered everything on time and as planned. Upon finishing the
VIP reception on October 15th, the entire subway train (3 wagons)
was delivered to the client 's train depot during the nighttime.
