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State Railway improving Sriracha-Sattahip tracks for faster, heavier trains
Workers install new concrete
railroad ties near the Pattaya train station.
Urasin Khantaraphan
Thailand’s state railway is spending nearly 1 billion baht to repair and
upgrade tracks between Sriracha and Sattahip.
Thaipicon Co. is directing the 923.8 million baht project to replace
railroad ties on 60 kilometers of track crossing Sriracha, Pattaya, Khao
Cheechan, Plutaluang and Sattahip.
Work began February 2014 and is scheduled to last two years.
Somjit Khokram, head of the railroad sleeper alteration operation from
Thaipicon Co., Ltd., said Thaipicon has organized workers into teams of
15-17 people.
Each tie, or sleeper, weighs 36kg. They are spaced 60cm from each other.
Each worker earns about 80 baht per tie. In a day, one family can install as
many as 40 ties, he said.
The concrete ties will enable the State Railway of Thailand to use faster
trains, with locomotive speeds increasing from 90 kilometers per hour to 120
kph. They also can prevent derailments and carry heavier trains stacked with
more cargo.
The State Railroad has proceeded with improving the railroad system by
changing rails to a bigger size and using concrete ties to be able to
accommodate the amount of trains, axle load and increase train speed.
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