Mashhad Light Rail

The Mashhad Light Rail system is an urban rail network in Mashhad, second rapid transit system in Iran.^[1] The project has been known by a number of terms, including "light rail", "urban rail", and "metro".^{[2] [3]}

Construction began in 1999^[4], test train action started on January 4, 2011 ^[5], introducing passenger presentation took place on February 21, 2011 ^[6], limited eventual trial operations began on March 12,2011, usual service operates since April 24, 2011 (but temporarily by 3 trains with 35 min headways).^[3]

Network

Initially, an 19 km route of Line 1 had built with 22 stations. Line 1, runs between Nakhrisi in the east and Vakilabad in the southwest with journey time of 30 min. Approximately half the route are in tunnels and underground stations, other part is on ground.

A further Line 2 will be a conventional heavy metro, running north-south for 14 km between Koohsangi and Tabarsi with 12 stations and is currently under construction by two tunnel boring machines

One more line is in planning.^[4][7]

Rolling stock

A fleet of 70 low-floor LRVs was ordered from Chinese Changchun Railway Vehicles.^[8] These mark the first time that light rail vehicles have been exported to a customer outside China.^[9]

References

1. ^ "Toos Gostar". Imam Reza (A.S.) Network. http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=1205. Retrieved 2010-11-28. "Rail" 
2. ^ "IRAN: MASHHAD METRO PROJECT MOVES AHEAD.". Goliath Business News. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-1756942/IRAN-MASHHAD-METRO-PROJECT-MOVES.html. Retrieved 2010-11-28. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Mashhad metro starts running". Railway Gazette. http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/mashhad-metro-starts-running.html. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "UrbanRail.Net > Asia > Iran > Mashhad Metro". 2010-11-04. http://www.urbanrail.net/as/mash/mashhad.htm. Retrieved 2010-11-28. 
5. ^ Photos of test train action
6. ^ Photos of introducing passenger presentation
7. ^ "Mashad Light Rail". http://www.subways.net/iran/mashad.htm. Retrieved 2010-11-28. 
8. ^ "Railway Gazette: First LRVs shipped to Mashhad". http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/first-lrvs-shipped-to-mashhad.html. Retrieved 2010-11-28. 
9. ^ "China's first official shipment export light rail vehicles". China daily. http://www.china-daily.org/Economic-News/China-s-first-official-shipment-export-light-rail-vehicles/. Retrieved 2010-11-28. 

External Links

• Mashad Urban Railway Corp