High-speed train plan

[Alfie]

Alfie, I think what you are seeing at Kaeng Khoi is the meter gauge double tracking coming up from the port area around Map Ta Phut as it crosses highway 2.

The railway line doesn't cross Highway 2, KC, not until it gets to Korat. It runs to the north of Highway 2 all the way from Saraburi to Korat. From Map Ta Phut it goes to Bangkok then runs west of Highway 1 until it gets to Saraburi city then runs north of highway2.
The photo was taken at the western end of the town of Keang Khoi (Google street map view) and the new sandy part seems to run from there all the way to the railway station in the town. 

The high speed is coming from Ayutthaya through Kaeng Khoi. I think they are connecting the stations where a branch line of the meter gauge diverges of to other communities, that's my take on the grand scheme of it as one would want to connect as many people as possible.

Thanks. Below is a sign from Kaeng Khoi station showing the junction connections. One of the lines on the left will probably go to Ayutaya.

[Hector]

I dunno - I've been right the way through this thread from the start and I am possibly the only one who is confused - but I doubt it!  I am confused about the route/s of the dual track railway line, the high speed railway line and the new road if there is one.  Some of you guys are clearly well in the know on these projects and you'd be doing me - and probably others - a great service if someone could set out exactly what they are and where they are going/supposed to go in what might be termed "Janet & John" terms!  Thanks!

[KiwiCanadian]

Alfie,

Your “NEW” sandy road bed you are seeing on google maps is the reconstruction of the old line from Chanchengsao Jnt in the south to Kaeng Khoi Jnt, Green line in the map below.
If you follow the “Sandy road bed” further south in Google maps you will see it change to the old single track, if you go to street view on a couple of the cross roads below Kaeng Khoi Jn you can see the old rail and new access road being formed.
I don’t know why the SRT have to completely remove the existing track to add double track?? In the west, the existing track is used to bring in all the materials to build the second track, TIT.
Another way to show this is in google earth, go to layers and uncheck everything, then click and expand on transportation, then click on Rail and you can see all the existing rail.

[KiwiCanadian]

Hector,
I found this map that I think explains 90% of what you might be looking for as an explanation, I hope this can give you a clearer "Picture" (pun is intended) of what is happening in Thailand. But one never knows which way the wind blows here, LOL

KC
Ps I am doing this from my home in eastern Ontario Canada and freezing my a*s off, its -15c at the moment it was -28c yesterday brrrrrrrr.

[Alfie]

Alfie,

Your “NEW” sandy road bed you are seeing on google maps

'Actually, I didn't see (or look) for sandy beds on google maps at all until a few minutes ago. The picture I posted was a photograph I took myself last week at the location of the google map street view that I posted in reply 101.

To show the difference between what you are talking about and what I was talking about, I've just taken a google map screen shot and marked in blue where the (my ) new sandy section is. I took my photo at the left of that blue line, at the place I have marked with a blue circle.
(FYI: Kaeng Khoi station is a few hundred metres further to the right/east of that blue line. It's marked with a light blue square.)

And I've marked in red on that map the bed of the disused track (your sandy bed ) that originally came up from Chacherngsao, although it should be noted that the old railway line crosses over (above) Mitraparp Road, as can been seen here

is the reconstruction of the old line from Chanchengsao Jnt in the south to Kaeng Khoi Jnt, Green line in the map below.
If you follow the “Sandy road bed” further south in Google maps you will see it change to the old single track, if you go to street view on a couple of the cross roads below Kaeng Khoi Jn you can see the old rail and new access road being formed.

I can see the old railway line. It's interesting that it is still in place through Chacherngsao and Nakon Nayok but comes to a halt at the southern end of Kaeng Khoi disctrict.

[Alfie]

Now in the last 15 minutes I have seen those four stations on the map.



Map-kabao is in Tambon Tap Kwang of Keang Khoi district, to the east of Kaeng Khoi town, heading towards Korat.
Ban Chong Tai, is to the north of Kaeng Khoi town and the line heads towards Lopburi province.

Nong Bua is in Saraburi, to the west of Kaeng Khoi. It looks like it's in Muang Saraburi and on the line that goes to Ayutaya.
Bu Yai is to the south of Kaeng Khoi, on the disused rail line coming from Chacherngsao.

[KiwiCanadian]

Hi Alfie,
In your post 101 I only see the google street view photo, which seem to be quite outdated now, but I can see why they would wait to re-photograph all of Thailand after all of this infrastructure is completed.
Have a look at your sandy strip in the screen shot of the map (its turned 90 degrees, north to the right), I copied your blue circle on road 3188, what this looks like to me is the addition of a branch connector to the line from Chanchengsao. One can seen the preliminary work on the base of the line curving towards the highway. I would presume another Railroad bridge across the highway to connect up to the south bound line from Chanchengsao.

As I said earlier they like to make things difficult from my point of view by completely removing the existing tracks to lay the double track, but they must have good reason to do this.

[KiwiCanadian]

Opps just saw your photo in post 97 Alfie, makes sense now as you where looking north east towards Kaeng Khoi. and the turn-out to cross the highway.

[Roger]

Auctions in April 2018 for contracts for an HST project, Don Mueang - Phaya Thai - Suvarnabhumi - Chachoengsao - Chon Buri, Si Racha, Pattaya and U-Tapao line, 191 km in all.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1419503/auction-for-train-contracts-in-april?utm_source=enewsletter_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_term=news

[Ratsima]

In July the Bangkok Post reported that bidding for the 11K section would take place in August based on slight revisions to a construction plan already submitted by the Chinese. One wonders why a hearing is necessary when the construction plan is already set. But, this is Thailand. https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1510642/high-speed-rail-bidding-plans-on-track

[Ratsima]

The photo shows construction of a tunnel for the dual carriageway project near the Pha Sadet station.

[Alfie]

Thailand greenlights $400m spending hike for high-speed rail project

Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday authorized a 12 billion baht-budget increase (nearly U.S. $400 million) for a high-speed railway being built by Chinese state firms between northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province and the capital Bangkok, a government spokeswoman said.

The additional money was needed for technical changes to accommodate a faster model of train on the 253 km- (157.2 mile-) long line, she said. The $5.8 billion project, originally slated for completion in 2023, is now expected to be ready in a little more than five years, she added.

“The cabinet agreed to adjust up the funds and change the contract to construct tracks, electrical and mechanical systems, acquire electric trains, and train personnel, under Contract 2.3 of the cooperation project of the governments of Thailand and China, in the amount of 12,075 million baht,” spokeswoman Trisulee Traisoranakul told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Thailand has agreed to purchase a more advanced Fuxing Hao series bullet train instead of the Hexie Hao series model it originally planned to buy, and this would require different track specifications, she said.

Last week, Thai highway department chief Apirat Chaiwongnoi announced that earth work and a rail base for the first 3.5-kilometer (2.2-mile) segment of the railroad had been completed. This section will now be handed over to the State Railway of Thailand, which will work with Chinese partners to begin laying railway track, Apirat said.

On Aug. 29, 2017, the Thai government signed an agreement with China’s National Development and Reform Commission to build the 253 km-long railroad.

According to the agreement, China Railway International Co. Ltd. and China Railway Design Corporation will design and construct the track and electrical and mechanical systems, and undertake to train Thai workers on the project.

Thailand’s highway department and other local companies have been involved in civil engineering work on the project.

In 2017, then-Transportation Minister Akom Tempitayapaisit said his ministry expected to run six trains and transport 5,300 commuters a day upon completion of the high-speed line.


More here:
https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/thai/th-china-train-09292020174223.html

[Roger]

Thanks Alfie. Though I've been on the TGV Paris-Lyon many years ago, (it was fantastic), I don't fancy this, even if I'm around when it's completed. Will you be travelling on it ?

[Alfie]

Thanks Alfie. Though I've been on the TGV Paris-Lyon many years ago, (it was fantastic), I don't fancy this, even if I'm around when it's completed. Will you be travelling on it ?

I don't know. Maybe, if it's convenient for me at the time. I'll probably choose the train rather than a bus, but it will depend on other factors. Price might come into I suppose, and number and times of service.