Future of Laotian Railways

[bumper]

Thanks for someone investing in SCP, who make the cement piling that the tracks set on. That is why I asked about the dual railway to Udon With the current out look where do you think they would link up with Thailand, or for that matter will they?

[Lao-miner]

I thought the original plan was to link vientiane with Kunming . vientiane /nongkhai and on to bangkok and beyond , but that all seems to have been put on hold , Looks like savan /Lao Bao , if they get there A into G, things happen pretty slow here though , im not going to hold my breath

[bumper]

Thanks I know the dual rail, system has been approved to Udon ( Nong Khai ) bot funded yet.

I just don't see a lot purpose for it unless it eventually leads to China.

Here something new post it please.

[Lao-miner]

Sure, will try to post up some info as I hear it

[FrazeeDK]

Australian mining firms did all the assay work on the bauxite in the Boloven Plateau back 2004-2006. The assay predicted reserves in excess of Australia's which at the time were 15% of the world's known reserves. The Company was ready to work when suddenly the Lao Government declared a moratorium on mining down there.. Frankly, I think The Chinese are putting backdoor claims on "resources" throughout the area although I haven't any proof.. The bauxite reserves in the Bolovens also extend east into Vietnam where they are being mined now.

As for the dual-tracking all the way up to Nong Khai it would benefit the rail system by allowing two way traffic rather than the switched single rail traffic they have today.. The overnight "sleeper" train from BKK now can take up to 15 hours to get to Udon due to passenger trains being the lowest priority.. The distance is about 660 kilometers so figure the average speed is around 45-50km per hour which is atrocious.. Two way traffic could increase traffic flow as well as allow increased speeds of perhaps up to 120km per hour or more.. Linking to the proposed as yet unstarted Kunming to Vientiane route would be problematic as the Thai one meter gauge rails would not match the broad gauge Chinese rails. This would mean either rolling stock would have to change bogies (this is done in some countries already) or freight would have to be transferred from one train to another.

For the Savan-Lao Bao rail link to be profitable I would think a guaranteed link to Danang as well as west into Thailand is needed. The current Savannakhet Mukdahan bridge is not engineered to carry rail traffic and the Thai government has made no noises about extending their nearest railhead in Ubon up that way.

[bumper]

Thanks Good Information

[bumper]

The difference in size of the tracks seems like a real problem, unless of course you have an sufficient off lading and reloading cargo. Maybe the second track will be wide gauge, if so then they either have to lease or buy new rolling stock.

All narrow gauge really needs replacement, just not to stable.

[FrazeeDK]

Well, if indeed the SRT wanted to go to a larger gauge railway there is a precedent.. Post Civil War in the United States the government mandated a move to "Standard Gauge" throughout the country and particularly in the Southern States. Long term planning allowed the conversion to take place over two days during the spring of 1886, the gauges were changed, converting the south's 5-foot gauge into the now-standard 4’8½” gauge on more than 11,000 miles of track to match the northern standard. Here with far less than 11,000 miles of track it could probably be done in conjunction with shipping in all new rolling stock and engines...http://www.railroad.net/articles/column ... ry/gauges/

[bumper]

That really would be the best thing to do. Especially with Asean coming into play.The bottom line is if Thailand wants to be the hub as they state they need to get to China.