UAE completes rail network
UAE has inaugurated the last stretch of its main rail network, one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects. The line connects Ghuweifat on the border of Saudi Arabia to Fujairah at the Gulf of Oman, linking four major ports and seven logistical areas.
The first freight trains are already running along the 900 km long new stretch. The fleet includes 38 locomotives and more than 1,000 multi-purpose vehicles. The freight trains have a maximum speed of 120 km/h and will transport 60 million t of goods annually,
The standard width of the track is 1,435 m, and the line operates under the European ETCS level 2 signalling system. All seven emirates are now linked with the UAE’s main railway network which is operated by Ethihad Railways. (ben)