Future of Laotian Railways

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rreddin
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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by rreddin » February 3, 2014, 11:30 am

FrazeeDK wrote:well Parrot, the Lao government reputedly is run by around 15 families who dominate the Politburo. Fewer folks to pay off and get agreement on projects. The word from Lao acquaintances is that these folks have been totally bought off by the Chinese to the tune of millions of dollars.. So, getting agreement from the Lao political class allowing the Chinese to move forward infrastructure projects is easy..

As for eastern expansion of the SRT, that was in the news a couple of years ago. The plan was to spur off the main Nong Khai-Khorat rail line south of Khon Khean and go northeast to Sakon Nakhon... Supposedly the project was approved and funded.. Heading dead east to Mukdahan and Savannakhet would be easy..

Anyone know if the Mukdahan-Savannakhet bridge has rails laid in the middle like the one in Nong Khai??
There is not yet a rail track over Friendship Bridge 2, because there is no railway on either side of it to connect to. The bridge is a different design to the one at Nong Khai - it has central support towers. That means a rail tracks would have to be laid in one or both of the roadways. I am not an engineer, so I do not know if the bridge is strong enough to take freight trains.



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Laan Yaa Mo
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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by Laan Yaa Mo » February 3, 2014, 8:10 pm

I did not realise that Savannakhet is the second largest city in Laos. It seems so small. Luang Prabang would have been my choice for the runner-up position.
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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by rreddin » February 3, 2014, 8:35 pm

Laan Yaa Mo wrote:I did not realise that Savannakhet is the second largest city in Laos. It seems so small. Luang Prabang would have been my choice for the runner-up position.
According to Wikipedia, the population of Savannakhet in 2012 was 120,000. I was there a few weeks ago. The population seemed like 120 and a few soi dogs.

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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by Laan Yaa Mo » February 3, 2014, 11:20 pm

Savannakhet does have some long, wide well-planned streets, courtesy of the French I suppose, but like you say there does seem to be much of a population.

It seems larger than Mahasarakham and, maybe, the size of Kalasin and Sukhothai.
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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by FrazeeDK » July 15, 2014, 2:23 pm

Just got back from a trip up to Vientiane where I met up with an old Lao friend. He's been working numerous road building projects down in the panhandle of Laos and tells me the planned and contracted Savannakhet to Danang railway is at dead stop. Evidently, the companies behind the project didn't do the appropriate planning with either the Thai or Vietnamese governments.. That said, he told me a new rail route is being surveyed to cross Salavan Province west to east and connect into Vietnam and on to Danang Port. Note that this will cross the Bolovens Plateau where Laos has huge assayed deposits of Bauxite (to make aluminum).. My friend believes the railway will support the mining of the Bauxite.
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Aardvark
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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by Aardvark » July 15, 2014, 6:01 pm

Interesting, but who is likely to Mine the Bauxite, the Chinese or the Laos Govt ??

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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by stattointhailand » July 15, 2014, 7:16 pm

Aardvark wrote:Interesting, but who is likely to Mine the Bauxite, the Chinese or the Laos Govt ??
Probably a load of Aussies in between doing some SERIOUS R & R in Udon :lol:

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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by Aardvark » July 15, 2014, 7:30 pm

stattointhailand wrote:
Aardvark wrote:Interesting, but who is likely to Mine the Bauxite, the Chinese or the Laos Govt ??
Probably a load of Aussies in between doing some SERIOUS R & R in Udon :lol:
My line of Work, so interested approaching Retirement :D

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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by bumper » July 16, 2014, 12:38 pm

I'm wondering how that will effect the dual rail system to Udon, we have Pot Ashe, that's about it.

I believe the theory was for Thailand's rail to to hook up with Lao and then on into China any thoughts?

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Post by Lao-miner » July 16, 2014, 1:28 pm

This article was from the 30th of june, suggesting the rail line is still planned from savavvakhet/seno to Lao Bao, nothing about the boleven plateau

Construction of the US$5 billion funded Savannakhet-Laobao rail project to link the central part of Laos to Vietnam is set to kick off in December
this year.
The project developer
announced that the 220km rail
project to link Savannakhet to
the Laobao border checkpoint
is expected to complete within
four years, with a two year
construction and another two
years to test
the project.
According to a press release
from the Malaysian Embassy
to Laos, President of the Giant
Rail Company Limited, the
Malaysia-based developer of
the project, Mr Mohammad
Fadzwi Bin Hamidun said the
funding for the implementation
of the was already in place

The fund is located at
a bank outside of Laos and
is currently awaiting final
approval, procedural guidelines
on foreign currency remittance
and the right of concession by
the Lao government.
Giant Rail Company
Limited and its consultants
presented all aspects of the
project to the Lao government’s
relevant ministries and
departments in a meeting in
Vientiane on Friday.
The presentation covered
track work, bridges and
structures, town planning,
architectural components
and various systems to be
employed.
The company has proposed
realignment to the railway
corridor as the proposed
railway line inevitably passes
through populous areas,
shrines, an army shooting
range and factories.
Speaking at the press
conference held shortly after
the Friday meeting, Director
General of the Investment
Promotion Department under
the Minister of Planning and
Investment Mr Achong Laomao
said the Lao government had
not yet approved the proposed alignment.


Despite The large reserves of Bauxite, i think the Lao Bao project stands a better chance of ever being built than a rail link to the boleven plateau, It would certainly open up a lot of trade between lao and vietnam , the Lao bao plan is probably cheaper to build due to that region being relatively flat ( ish ) as apposed to the massive earthworks that would be needed to reach attepea, Its not impossible though and that province also shares a close proximity to the viet border , ive driven from Vientiane to nha trang that way a couple of years ago, spectacular country but an engineers nightmare, someone would need to cough up the bucks first anyway, the Laos wont there in the habit of waiting for someone else to do that , Lots of muttering about banning Bauxite mining from the boleven in favour of just leaving the natural beauty alone and growing coffee instead, which they already do , My line of work to so im keeping a close watch on it

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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by bumper » July 16, 2014, 1:49 pm

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?
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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by Lao-miner » July 16, 2014, 3:40 pm

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

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Post by bumper » July 16, 2014, 4:34 pm

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.

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Future of Laotian Railways

Post by Lao-miner » July 16, 2014, 7:07 pm

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

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Post by FrazeeDK » July 16, 2014, 9:27 pm

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.
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Post by bumper » July 17, 2014, 8:47 am

Thanks Good Information
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Post by bumper » July 17, 2014, 10:37 am

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.
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Post by FrazeeDK » July 17, 2014, 7:50 pm

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/
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Post by bumper » July 18, 2014, 11:15 am

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.

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