Afghanistan opening first major train service

AP via Boston.com ^ | December 21, 2011 | Kay Johnson and Rahim Faiez

[Pan_Yan]

KABUL, Afghanistan—Operators ran the first train down Afghanistan's first major railroad Wednesday, clearing the way for a long-awaited service from the northern border that should speed up the U.S. military's crucial supply flow and become a hub for future trade.

A cargoless train chugged into a newly built station in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Wednesday after a 47-mile (75-kilometer) trial run from the border with Uzbekistan, said Deputy Public Works Minister Noor Gul Mangal, who was on hand for the arrival.

The new rail line is the first stage of an ambitious plan to link landlocked Afghanistan to its neighbors' extensive railways for the first time, eventually opening up new trade routes for goods traveling between Europe and Asia.

Afghanistan has never had a functional rail network, though many projects have been begun and later abandoned, victims of maneuvers of the 19th century Great Game rivalry between Russia and Britain, and then political bickering in the early 20th century. Soviet occupiers abandoned a few rail projects in the 1980s, and later years of bitter civil war made such construction impossible.

[Pan_Yan]

The last time Afghanistan had a working railroad was 1929 and it went four miles. Until this line came into service Afghanistan was the only country in the world with no working railroad.

This railroad is significant because most of our troops' non weapon supplies come from the North, some making a ten day train ride from ports in Latvia through Russia and Uzbekistan to Afghainstan (Russia won't allow weapons through their territory). With Pakistan cutting off deliveries the northern routes become all the more important.

[Sarajevo]

When did the Uzbeks permit the resumption of the transshipment of supplies through their country?

[GeronL]

The Willie Green Line?

I am sure there have to be other countries with no trains... Tuvalu for instance...

[fortheDeclaration]

How long before the Taliban destroys it?

[NonValueAdded]

Hope they have air bags

[denydenydeny]

Come ride the IED local.

[Pan_Yan]

Didn’t know the Uzbeks had stopped shipments through their country. I’ll have to look that up.

[Pan_Yan]

I am sure there have to be other countries with no trains... Tuvalu for instance...

I'll have to go back and find the quote. Maybe it was "countries that are more than just the answer to a trivia question."

[Tallguy]

Better watch out for those notorious outlaws... Butch & the Achmed Kid.

[bgill]

A moving target.

[Dedbone]

Better send them Lawrence of Arabia

[GeronL]

lol.

The Vatican has less than half a mile of track... I doubt they have their own train service. Monaco has 2 km I hear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_rail_transport_network_size

Doesn’t list countries with 0 though

[GeronL]

That wiki page says:

No railways currentlyCountries listed in this section either once had railways and/or are planning for future railways.

Andorra - planned 2009
Bahrain - planned 2008
Belize - planned 2007
Bhutan - rail link is expected to come up under Nehru Golden Jubilee project
Burundi - planned 2008
Cape Verde - once had salt-carrying railway to pier at Santa Maria
Central African Republic - proposed from Bangui to Cameroon
Chad - possible connection to Libya
Cyprus - Cyprus Government Railway 1905 to 1974
Gibraltar - There are no railways currently in Gibraltar
The Gambia - Proposals [17]
Guinea-Bissau - planned 1998 to Guinea
Iceland - see Rail transport in Iceland for former and proposed future railways
Kuwait - planned 2008
Libya - 1912 to 1965; (network under construction, see Libyan Railways)
Macau - A light rail network should be operational by 2015. There is also a short cable car on Monte da Guia
Malta - operated 1883 to 1931
Mauritius - 1860s to 1960s
Niger - see Rail transport in Niger for proposals
Oman - planned 2008
Papua New Guinea - planned 2007
Rwanda - planned - 2008
Qatar - planned 2008
San Marino - an electric railway linked Rimini (Italy) and San Marino City until 1944
Somalia - Mogadishu-Villabruzzi Railway existed from 1914 to 1941
Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad Government Railway from 1876 until 1968; Trinidad Rapid Railway now planned
Tuvalu
Vanuatu - formerly on Efate
Yemen - planned 2008

[elpadre]

betcha the Taliban and AQ are licking their chops - drawings of bridges and tunnels on the table - lining up how to kill and ruin the most.

[Pan_Yan]

betcha the Taliban and AQ are licking their chops

If they're smart they'll be thinking about how much easier it'll be to ship drugs to Europe after the Americans leave.

[Karliner]

Chitty Chitty Boom Boom.