Nakhon Ratchasima – Ubon Ratchathani railway line

Nakhon Ratchasima – Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani Railway Station
Route length:	312 km
Gauge :	1000 mm ( meter gauge )
Legend Nordostbahn from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong 263.65 Nakhon Ratchasima 266.28 Thanon Chira Junction Nakhon Ratchasima – Nong Khai railway line 271.59 Ban Phalai 276.35 Ban Phanao 280.10 Ban Phra Phut 284.10 Mae Nam Mun (150 m) 285.40 Tha Chang 293.26 Nong Manorom 300.15 Chakkarat 309.75 Ban Hin Khon 316.90 Hin Dat 325.65 Huai Thalaeng 337.50 Nong Kathing 345.70 Lamplai Mat 354.85 Thamen Chai 363.30 Ban Salaeng Phan 366.50 Ban Nong Tat 376.02 Buriram 380.35 Ban Tako 385.51 Huai Council 398.65 Krasang 405.50 Nong Teng 412.00 Lam Chi 419.75 Surin 428.60 Bu Ruesi 437.16 Mueang Thi 445.60 Kradon Kho 452.39 Sikhoraphum 460.25 Ban Kalan 471.00 Samrong Thap 479.74 Mae Nam Huai Thap Than (100 m) 481.50 Huai Thap Than 489.04 Nong Khaen (since 1954) 494.45 Uthumphon Phisai 489.27 Ban Tae 504.00 Ban Niam since 1954 514.12 Mae Nam Huai Samran (130 m) 515.09 Si Sa Ket 527.19 Nong Waeng 534.20 Ban Khlo (since 1954) 542.18 Kanthararom 546.86 Ban Non Phueng (since 1954) 553.99 Huai Khayung 557.70 Ban Thon 566.20 Bung Wai 573.00 Ban Pho Mun 575.10 Ubon Ratchathani ( Warin Chamrap )

The Nakhon Ratchasima – Ubon Ratchathani railway was the first extension of the Thai Northeast Railway . Your mileage counts from Bangkok Hua Lamphong .

history

prehistory

Nakhon Ratchasima Railway Station

Buri Ram Railway Station

Surin Railway Station

Thailand had to cede territories to French Indochina (today: northern Cambodia ) in 1904 and 1907 . With that the eastern border was fixed and a railway construction in this direction could no longer be interpreted as a Thai expansion policy against France. In addition, in the 1910s, the two railway projects, the north runway and the south runway, were completed, so that appropriate resources were now available for further railroad projects. Here the extension of the north-east railway was an obvious choice, not least to prevent further expansion of Indochina to the west.

construction

In 1919 the decision was made to standardize the two gauges of the Thai State Railways on meter gauge in order to ensure the unproblematic transition from railway vehicles to the tracks of the neighboring territories, all of which were operated in this gauge. That is why the Nakhon Ratchasima – Ubon Ratchathani railway line - in contrast to the northeast railway, which it was a continuation - was built in meter gauge. Construction began in 1920. From 1922 the line was opened in sections, reaching Ubon Ratchathani in 1930 .

particularities

The terminus of the line is called "Ubon Ratchathani", but is in Warin Chamrap , on the south bank of the Mun , while the opposite city of Ubon Ratchathani is on the north bank. In addition, there are large, flat flood plains between the river and Warin Chamrap , so that ferries cannot dock in Warin Chamrap . A bridge over the Mun was still too expensive when the line was being built. In order to be able to transport goods by ship to Ubon Ratchathani without reloading again , the Ban Pho Mun freight station was built a few kilometers upstream , to which a branch line led. There were no flood plains here, so a port could be built in which cargo ships to and from Ubon Ratchathani could dock. It was only when a road bridge was built over the Mun between Ubon Ratchathan and Warin Chamrap in the 1950s that the Ban Pho Mun freight yard was abandoned and goods for the railroad between Ubon Ratchathan and Warin Chamrap were transported by road. The access route to the former freight yard was closed after 1985 and then dismantled.

Planning

Ubon Ratchathani reception building

In World War II, Thailand was with Japan alliance. The Japanese military was looking for a way to connect the Thai and Vietnamese rail networks. For this purpose, a continuation of the route across Laotian territory with the destination Hanoi was measured in 1943 . There was no further start of construction. The Thai government was rather skeptical about the plans and had no ambitions to connect its rail network to the railroad in Indochina.

There has been a proposal for a long time to extend the route by 70 km to Chong Mek or from there to Pakse in Laos. This never resulted in concrete planning.

Bangkok – Ubon Ratchathani traffic

Six pairs of trains run daily between Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani over the entire route of the Northeast Railway and the Nakhon Ratchasima – Ubon Ratchathani railway . In Bangkok they use the Hua Lamphong train station . One of them is a DRC express train .

literature

• BR Whyte: The Railway Atlas of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia . White Lotus Co Ltd, Bangkok 2010, ISBN 978-974-480-157-9

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Information from Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 59f, map 6.
2. ^ ^{A b} Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 57.
3. ^ ^{A b} Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 58.
4. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 60.
5. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 61.
6. ↑ Information from: The Man in Seat 61: Train Travel in Thailand .