Kazakhstan Temir Zholy RSE opens traffic of high-speed trains between Astana and Almaty

/IRBIS, Dec 14, 01/ - The press-service Kazakhstan Temir Zholy RSE (Astana) bonds of which are traded today at Kazakhstan stock exchange under highest category of listing distributed today a report that on December 14,2001 there will be demonstrative route of high-speed train "Astana-Express". The train will depart from Almaty at 9:00PM and will arrive to Astana on December 15 at 12:00AM. Time of train journey from Almaty to Astana will reduce from 21 hours to 14 hours. Average speed of traffic will account for about 100 km per hour. At that the speed will reach more than 140 km per hour at some sections. Train consists of six carriages made by Patentes Talgo S.A company (Spain): two of them are technical, in which life support systems are installed, the rest four are passenger with capacity 88 people and locomotive TEP 70. From locomotives available in Kazakhstan Temir Zholy RSE depot only TEP 70 can develop a speed up to 160 km per hour. Two of four passenger carriages have 25 seats. Other two carriages have 38 berths. For food passenger train is equipped with lunch-boxes (board food). Kazakhstan Temir Zholy RSE informs that at the section Almaty-Astana there is a difficult profile of road having a lot of curves of different radiuses. However, construction of hanger-bracket of carriages of Spanish company during train traffic at such sections lets passengers to feel more comfortable than in carriages, which are used today in enterprise's depot. In the first quarter of 2002 new train will make demonstrative journeys at the route Almaty-Shymkent and Almaty-Astana. From Aprilof 2002 the train will travel back and forth at permanent route Almaty-Astana numbering 6 passenger carriages Talgoand from June - already consisting 13 carriages. Regular daily plying of train "Astana-Express" (two trains numbering 22 passenger sleeping cars each) in accordance with the agreement signed with Spanish side will start in the end of next year. Along with this Kazakhstan Temir Zholy RSE will be renewed with three high-speed electric locomotives of fourth generation similar to those, which are used in western European countries. They will serve trains "Astana-Express". According to the data of IRBIS agency, a project of acquisition of two railroad passenger trains of company Patentes Talgo S.A. has been adopted by the government of Kazakhstan as a priory investment project which is financed due to external non-state borrowing attracted under the state guarantee. In accordance with resolution of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan from December 29,2000 #1935 the Ministry of finance gave the creditor Kazakhstan Temir Zholy RSE a state guarantee for the amount of USD27,400.0 th.