Mecca Metro

Not to be confused with Haramain High Speed Rail Project.

Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro
The Mecca Metro will follow the route of Hajj pilgrims
Overview
Type	Elevated rail
Status	Phase I open[1]
Locale	Mecca
Termini	Resaifah Arafat
Stations	15
Services	5
Operation
Opened	13 November 2010[1]
Rolling stock	Changchun Railway Vehicles
Technical
Line length	18.1 kilometres (11.2 mi)
No. of tracks	4
Track gauge	1435 mm
Operating speed	100 km/h (62 mph)

The Mecca Metro, officially the Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro, is an 18.1 kilometres (11.2 mi) long elevated metro in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia,^[2] which opened in November 2010.^[1]

Dear CCRC/MUMRA/MINISTRY OF LABOUR, We are staff of ASFAR and we really care about the Metro and we want to perform good reputation during Hajj and we want this project to be a success because this is the best way to transport the Hajjis according to the Hajj Movement. As you know this is the first metro in our country and we feel that we are responsible of it’s success but we faced many problems from ASFAR. The problems are listed below; • The food is always late and sometime they bring it during the time when we are leaving. And we are sometimes working 16 hours with empty stomach; this will lead to lose of concentration at work. • ASFAR took Hajjis food which is free and give it to us like biscuits and juices, this kind of foods are not giving us enough energy to perform well in our duty. • The transportation is not available all the times, we have to walk long way to reach the station or by using public transportation which is costly and we reach work late. • We have 16-hours shift without our agreement but we were forced to do it. According to the rules of our country the maximum working hours is 12 including overtime. • ASFAR promised to give us proper place to sleep during the season but the place is not suitable for living and it is very crowded. Three (3) companies are living in one small place. • There are three companies working on the station including the 3rd parties, which makes the coordination between them very hard. • We suggest that all stations have the same employees CRCC, SCRCO, ASFAR, MAJAL including 3rd parties. • On one shift every day, this step will make a strong team and good relationships. • The roving agents and PSP operator get 21-days training and few more days practical. • And when we asked more money, ASFAR staff said SR. 4,500.00 is enough for you. In fact, we start working almost 2-weeks before the season and when we asked about the over-time CRCC says we will get according to the daily payment in the contract which is more than SR. 500.00 per day. But ASFAR says we will get only SR. 250.00 and we doubt if we can get this too. According to the rules of this country, the over-time is double. • Roving station agent and PSD Operators are more trained than any agent working in ASFAR and still they are not getting the salary according to our training and work. They are just like others. Even the Lift Agent has the same problem. As a staff of stations and the future of metro we wish these problems will be solved by your kind actions because we are committed to our job and we are one of the reasons of success and we know you really care about us and our health because you are our good sponsor.

Route

The initial line may be extended later to Al Haram and will be the first of a proposed five-line network which would connect the area to Jeddah airport and the future Haramain High Speed Rail Project high speed rail network.^[2]

1. Phase 1, The Pink Line, is a loop of four parallel lines between Mena, Muzdalifa and Arafat with three pick-up/drop-off stations at each place. The four-line loop splits into single tracks covering all the encampment zones in Mina. Mina will be the last station for the metro line and will be located towards the west of the Jamarat Bridge. The Pink Line will be linked to all four floors of the bridge by elevators. The four parallel lines move south towards Arafat before reaching a main station next to the Arafat Mosque and splitting again into single lines to carry pilgrims into Arafat. The lines come together again and move towards Muzdelefa where pilgrims will spend ceremonial time before returning to Mina. The line will run on a viaduct with the depot at the end of the trail behind the first station in Arafat. A turnaround loop is planned between the last station and the depot. Passengers can transfer to the Red Line or the Blue line at Mena station. This line opened in November 2010.^[3]
2. Phase 2, the Red Line, is a straight link between Mena and Mecca.
3. Phase 3 and 3A , the Orange Line, will connect Mecca to large multilevel parking facilities at Resaifah to the west and other parking facilities to the south.
4. Phase 4, the Blue Line, will connect Mena to the west side of Mecca through a big loop to the north. Phase 4A is a straight extension south off the Blue Line loop.
5. Phase 5, the Yellow Line, circles Mecca with a straight extension to the north. It connects to the Red Line, the Blue Line and the Orange Line, thus facilitating continuous metro service between the parking areas and Arafat.^[4]

Construction

China Railway Construction Corp was responsible for infrastructure construction and systems integration under the 6.7 billion riyal phase I contract which was awarded by the Saudi Arabian government in February 2009 following a visit by President Hu Jintao of China.^[5]

CRCC carried out construction of the project infrastructure and integrated and subcontracted various systems.^[6]

Several subcontracts were awarded. Brecknell Willis provided lightweight aluminium conductor rails with stainless steel contact surfaces. These supply 1500 V DC and a current draw of 3000 A.^[6] Westinghouse Platform Screen Doors supplied the platform screen doors,^[7][8] Siemens power supplies, and WS Atkins is responsible for electrical and mechanical systems and project management.^[2] Thales supplied Seltrac Communications-Based Train Control, an operations control centre, CCTV, SCADA and passenger information systems.^[2] Systra supervised the civil work, and Lloyds Register has been appointed as safety assessor.^[2] Serco provides operations and maintenance consultancy. TUV Rheinland provided consultancy and support for the developement of HSQE Manaagement Systems, production of the System-Wide and O&M Safety Cases and achieved acceptance by the Saudi Railway Commission (SRC) for the issue of the Operating License and Safety Certificate for Phase 2 Hajj Operations in 2011 (Hajj 1432).

Rolling stock

On 4 April 2009 Changchun Railway Vehicles was awarded a contract to supply 17 Type A 12-car metro trainsets.^[2] Each set will have eight motor and four trailer cars, all with aluminium bodies. A Type A car is 22.3 metres long and 3 metres wide.^[9] Knorr-Bremse will supply the braking systems^[8] with modifications to suit sandy conditions.^[7]

The first trainset was shipped from China in May 2010 and the last was due to arrive by the end of 2010.^[7]

See also

• Haramain High Speed Rail Project
• North South Railway (Saudi Arabia)
• Saudi Railways Organization
• Transport in Saudi Arabia
• Arab Mashreq International Railway

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Hajj pilgrims take the metro to Makkah". Railway Gazette International. 15 November 2010. http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/hajj-pilgrims-take-the-metro-to-makkah.html. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Makkah metro contracts signed". Railway Gazette International. 2009-06-24. http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//makkah-metro-contracts-signed.html. Retrieved 26 February 2010. 
3. ^ "Railway Gazette: Hajj pilgrims take the metro to Makkah". http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/hajj-pilgrims-take-the-metro-to-makkah.html. Retrieved 2010-11-17. 
4. ^ "Makkah Metro Map". Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Project, Saudi Arabia. railway-technology.com. 2010. http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/al-mashaaer-al-mugad/al-mashaaer-al-mugad3.html. Retrieved 28 February 2010. 
5. ^ "World rail market March 2009". Railway Gazette International. 2009-03-08. http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//world-rail-market-march-2009.html. Retrieved 3 March 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Project, Saudi Arabia". Industry Projects. RailwayTechnology.com. 2010. http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/al-mashaaer-al-mugad/. Retrieved 27 February 2010. 
7. ^ ^{a b c} "Hajj trains shipped to Makkah". Railway Gazette International. 2010-05-18. http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/hajj-trains-shipped-to-makkah.html. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "Knorr-Bremse in Mecca". Railways Africa. 2009-07-03. http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2009/07/knorr-bremse-in-mecca/. Retrieved 27 February 2010. 
9. ^ Sharon Lee (2009-05-11). "CSR Zhuzhou: A Contract of 150 Metro Vehicles Valued RMB 1.1 Billion". Rednet.cn. http://english.rednet.cn/c/2009/05/11/1758916.htm. Retrieved 27 February 2010.