Makkasan/Phayathai/Yommarat

[von Hirschhorn]

Dear Nils,

The two narrow gauge (600 mm) coaches you spotted in front of the makkasan workshop are not renovated but brand new build.
Togetter with a refurbished steam locomotive (nr. 7) and proberly a second one (nr.31 - formely on a plinth in front of the Chiang Mai station) the whole was mentioned for a sort of garden round railway in a (the) queens project (near Ayutthaya if I am right)
and should have been in full order by now. But as many things
in Thailand, the project seems to be delayed or even abandonend or who knows what else.
So what you have seen is a modern relict of the youngest history.
Take a seat on the wooden bench and immagine your self riding along one of the 600 mm lines Thailand ever had.
It's a pitty that the coaches are on a plinth and not in that garden where they should have been.

[ncr]

Thanks!

You are right, if I think about it again, they don't really look like renovated historical coaches.

Somehow I didn't notice that they are 600mm and not meter gauge......

How did you learn about this project? When approximately was it planned? Where (which line) were the mentioned 600mm gauge steam locomotives from?

[von Hirschhorn]

Khun NCR,

I cannot bring the exact details about the mentioned project in mind although we talked it over several times. *
As soon as Reiner Zimmermann is back in Bangkok I'll ask him.
Together we took a seat on the benches and dreamed of how it could have been when the 600 mm lines were stiil in service.
Steam engine nr.7 comes from the Hua Wai line and nr.31
from the line near Sung Noen. (long plinthed at Chiang Mai station)
Both are in my list of obscure and defunct railway lines, a list
ready for an update. Soon I'll sent a replacement for posting.

* while busy with my latest slides (put in archive) I found the two coaches and also the place of the project: Ban Sai

[ncr]

Anyone has heard anything as to where SRT will relocate their workshop when the Airport Express Terminal will become a reality?

[von Hirschhorn]

The coaches and steam engine nr:7, have nothing to do with the Paknam Railway. This is 600 mm, Paknam was gauged with 1000 mm. The stock is / was meant for the Queens project I wrote before under the thread: The two coaches at Makkasan

[ncr]

I also noticed that......

[Wisarut]

You should NEVER forget that SRT worker know very well how to refit the original Japnese bogie of 3 Feet 6 inch gauge of (JR West Kiha Railcars) to be used in meter gauge of Thai railway networks as aircon 3rd class bogie.

Same can be said to the original Paknam railway - the gauge has been chaged from meter gauge into narrow gauge bogie

[Wisarut]

The reason why the section from Makkasan to Hua Makr is STILL Single track are:

1) Those Slum dwellers have FOUGHT against the doubkle tracking since it REQUIRED to REMOVE those sluim dwellers to livke outside BKK.

2) The HOPELESS Structure ...

[jpatokal]

Here's a double surprise: the Bangkok Post reports shady dealings, and 2Bangkok does not pick it up:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Feb2005_news17.php

Not much in the way of news though, except the government's budget allocation.

[ncr]

Nice find, jpatokal!

We haven't heard much about the proposed Makkasan Development, indeed.

[Pas]

Khun Wisarut I look forward to see those renderings from the Annual report esp the Makkasan complex.. Are there any details of these megaprojects in the report?

[Wisarut]

Yes, Lots of the details ... but I need Thai railway workers to get a copy of that BE 2543 SRT Annual report first so as to use sacanner in my home to capture the renderign images .... :D

[Wisarut]

If Khun Pas, is inBKK, you better goto Pridi Banomyong central library at Thammasart U. (tahPhrachan) and copy the plan to read.

[Yappofloyd]

If Khun Pas, is inBKK, you better goto Pridi Banomyong central library at Thammasart U. (tahPhrachan) and copy the plan to read.
Khun wisarut, so no opportunity to see the Makkasan TC project outlines in the SRT annual report?

[Yappofloyd]

Some info on the secretive US$3 Billion Makkasan redevelopment project is finally coming out... Perhaps we will see some plans soon?

A summary of two articles, posted by Wisarut on a skyscraper thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=4616674#post4616674), is below.

SRT Asking for 120 Billion Baht Private Investment
Pushign up Makkasan Complex Development on 300-Rai of Makkasan Depot.
Thaipost - Juen 29, 2005
POST TODAY : June 29, 2005

SRT is pushing Makkasan Land Development Forward with Business & Entertainment Center with private joint venture of 120 billion Baht forward while working on the joint venture with PTT PCL on Energy Complex with 4 billion Baht annual revenue -
18 billion Baht in 30 years.

SRT Governor (or SRT General manager if you want to call) is tellign the press that SRTis working on 120 billion Baht joint-venure project on 342-Rai Makkasan Depot/Maintianance Center to support Suvannabhum Airport Link ...

So far, SRT is allocating the space for land development on Makksan without
the intrerruption on the regular maintainance. Now, SRT is seekign the private sector to handle the development such as

1) 2 Makkasan Railway Hotel of 5-star type,
2) Shopping center,
3) Apartments
4) 4 condomenium,
5) Export mart & Export center
6) Office buildings,
7) Highlighted Twin Towers with convention center
8) the new Park and Ride for 5000 cars.

Each section requires over 1 billion Baht investment, so it has to follows BE2535 Joint venture Act. The finishing date for Makkasan Center will be by December 2008

Furthermore, the 6-billion Baht Energy Complex on SRT Land currently the HQ of PTT PCL has become a Joint venture with PTTEP and PPTPCL under the company name "ENCO" with the preliminary registered capital of 800 million Baht.

SRT has invested 200 million Baht (25% of registered capital) before offering IPO in the stock market so as to receive the divident of 4.618 billion Baht in 30 years - much better deal than the current leasing with PTT of 0.626 billion Baht in 30 years. The target revenue for Energy Complex is 18 billion Baht in 30 years.

Furthermore, SRT would make a total investment on both project at 6 billion Baht


So far, SRT is working on the construction of the first 4 buildings as the compensation for 160 families of SRT workers (40 families for each building) in Bangsue Railway Yard - to be done and ready for SRT workers and families in October 2005. After that, SRT would demolish all thsoe old housing for SRT workers. (some SRT housing have been built after WWII to replacethe old housing at Saphan Nopphawongse, near SRT HQ). This energy complex
isto be done and readyto be opened in 2008.

So far, There is NO objection from SRT Trade Union for the demolishing of the old hosing since the new housing is NOT too far away from their offices.

However, all2 projects must be approved bythe cabinate

[Yappofloyd]

I just noticed on the skyscrapercity forum that Khun Chad has posted info on the Master Plan for the Makkasan Railyards. Finally, we get some info on this what has been a highly secretive process.

The plan includes two 99 storey towers and many other commerical and residential buildings thus seemingly foregoing the opportunity of creating a large open space area although there does appear to be some open green space (it is a bit hard to tell from the rendering).

Check out the thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247181&page=1&pp=20) for further info.

Does anyone, perhaps Khun Pas, have more detailed info and plans?

[Yappofloyd]

Another big ticket project which has seemingly vanished into the memory of the possible....and after all that secrecy as well!:p

Has there been any news since mid last year on this. Khun Pas, do you have any updates? What happened to those two 99 story towers....

[Wisarut]

Well, the reason for this silince is t hat SRT Board has set the condition before construction the full Makkasan center that

1) Government need to help SRT construction the new maintaince center at eitehr Ban Phachi ro kaeng Khoi

2) The new equipment for the new maintianace center is in NEED to ensure much better maintiance ... get all 6 Traction motors done in very good condition istead of 5 traction motors at best ... 3 traction motor generally ... as it is right now .... :(

[Yappofloyd]

Thanks Khun Wisarut, so basically nothing is going ahead on Makkasan until SRT gets a confirmed new maintainence centre with 6 traction motors.:confused: I of course was not a supporter of the planned project as announced, especially with all the previous secrecy, but it is amazing how many big projects get touted amid much fanfare and hype and then just whither away over time.

[Wisarut]

Now, I got the latest news from ITV (August 10, 2006) as follows:

1) SRT is going to move all the maintianace facilities from Makkasan to Chiang Rak District of Ayutthaya (probably at Chiang Rak Noy Station or Chiang Rak station)

2) The New Railway Hospital will be moved from Makkasan to Bangsue Railway Yard (or KM11)

3) Railway communities/Slum Dwellers at Makkasan will be moved from Makkasan to Bangsue Railway Yard (or KM11) near the new Railway Apartments for those who work in Bangsue Railway Yard.

However, SRT oficers have admitted that soem of those slum dwellers as well as SRT workers at Makksan REFUSE to move to the new places :eek:

Even worse, thsoe slum dwellers from Phyathai REFUSE to move out sicne they want MORE compensations ... Delayign Airport Link project by 7 months

4) SRT DISAGREES with the idea from Economic Consultant Council who suggest the new City Air Terminal at Yommaraj since SRT is now working on the construction of Makkasan City Ari Terminal

[jpatokal]

4) SRT DISAGREES with the idea from Economic Consultant Council who suggest the new City Air Terminal at Yommaraj since SRT is now working on the construction of Makkasan City Ari Terminal
What/where is "Yommaraj"? :confused:

[Wisarut]

Yommaraj Stop (km 2) is the place where Northern Railway and eastern railway start divergining to theri own destination ... It is near Yommaraj Intersection

[ncr]

What/where is "Yommaraj"? :confused:You don't know the famous Yommarat Rail Triangle (http://www.bangkokbob.net/map/bcd_678.htm) (oops... somewhat outdated map - Rama VI Expressway "under construction"...)?

[jpatokal]

You don't know the famous Yommarat Rail Triangle (http://www.bangkokbob.net/map/bcd_678.htm) (oops... somewhat outdated map - Rama VI Expressway "under construction"...)?
Enlightenment! No, I didn't know the name for it.

[GWR]

I believe the folks who live within that triangle are none too keen on the idea of living elsewhere too!

[von Hirschhorn]

Sunday December 3rd

Instead of Turntable tales - see thread: Northern Miscellaneous, a special Sunday report about a 'romantic' piece of railway in Bangkok between the BTS station Phaya Thai and Makkasan station, bound to make place for the 'Airport Link'. If you want to taste it pristine, take a stroll on a half-broken footpath on the side of the track, it looks like a stretched platform, and see what railway can be others than track & train only.
'Pristine' and 'romantic' are actually wrong words for the situation and for the way the dwellers have settled themselves beside the rail. This is a small village of poverty with a train running in between. A totally chaos for the eye only. A mix of dwellings in all sorts of shape. If Thailand clamed to be a developed country, they certainly have forgotten these spots where a 'third world' feeling is omnipresent.
A junkyard full of debris and stuff hardly used but kept in anticipation though I doubt if the 'fortune seekers' of the city do this deliberately. This for sure is the other side of the coin and something certainly not mentioned in a TAT brochure. If it were, it might be a source of income for the poor, a little extra from the wealthy who are prepared to pay for the fact that they no longer linger in the same situation. No, I am not cynical, but if the so-called 'well-to-do' of this country gives a bit more attention to this instead of bribing for the benefit of them only, well... would the outcome be different? Turning a blind eye is so easy while you shout at the maid that she did not sweep the floor proper. A more social approach is to them strange; still they are the ones who can provide the bitterly needed change.
Back on the track it is by all means romantic. A signal post stands forlorn midst a halfway build 'living quarter' around it. The railway fully integrated with a domestic affaire. A separately attached cross on the signal lamp indicates 'not in use'. A real surplus given the situation, because no driver will ever wonder if he has to halt or not! The signal is a relict from greater days, when the railway here was a real railway and did not have to share any space with 'non rail matters'.
Looking in the direction of Makkasan, behind the express way viaduct, the 'link' pillars are fully erect and throw their shadow upon the dwellers. Ignorant as they are they just continue with their humble lives and knowing that they have to move doesn't seems to make them nervous at all, it's business as usual.
The poetry of live, living on the corner of existence. One should not be to much considered about it. A glimpse inside a 'dwellers hut' often reveals a fridge, color TV and other luxury. Consumerism is everywhere, even in the slums although on another scale. The railway is their unfenced garden, when a train passes by 'the flowers' are silent.

[ncr]

Good reply, Khun Wisarut, but there's one other group of reasons you forgot to mention:

6) politicking / influential persons / automobile interests lobbying / bus mafia (esp. lucrative route top Pattaya) / general bias against rail transport

And what's that story about the traffic jam at Yommarat? :confused:

[Wisarut]

The traffic Jam at Yommaraj durign Morning and Evening Rush hour have forced the train to STOP for about 60 minute before the train can go out of BKK. :eek:

Yah, The cause No. 6 is also the one I woudl telll Khun Maptaphut ...

[ncr]

The traffic Jam at Yommaraj durign Morning and Evening Rush hour have forced the train to STOP for about 60 minute before the train can go out of BKK.And what's the cause of the traffic jam?

Or do you mean the traffic jams on the road, and they block the trains because of the level crossings (and they cannot even close the gates, as the cars are jammed up over the tracks)? :eek:

[Wisarut]

Yeah, ther level crossing problem INDEED ... they're reluctant to close the gate at level crossing ... or they will case Yellings from drivers at Yommaraj intersection :eek:

[ncr]

What a damned mess! :rolleyes: :mad:

[Maptaphut]

What a damned mess! :rolleyes: :mad:
...the politic situation to invest in railtransport is not better with the new goverment? Can not believe they want to sit in the trafficjams out to the Eastern Seabord!:confused:

[GWR]

Anyone here get caught up in the resulting traffic jam?:

A train derails at a Bangkok intersection, briefly blocking traffic

A head of a cargo train that was heading out of Bangkok derailed on Saturday at an intersection on Phaya Thai road, blocking the traffic.

The accident caused traffic congestion at the already jammed traffic around the intersection.

However railway officials and police spent about 15 minutes to move the train's compartments that blocked the road.

The traffic then returned to normal.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30041837

[Wisarut]

Anyone here get caught up in the resulting traffic jam?:



http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30041837

Look at the conainer train accident at Chitladda Triangle whcih caused traffic jam from Phayathai to Yommaraj here:

http://portal.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1512

[GWR]

Train, crane collide; service halts briefly

(BangkokPost.com) – A railway accident on Sunday morning briefly halted railway services after a train travelling from Hua Lamphong station to Kabinburi district in Prachinburi province ran into a crane constructing the airport link in eastern Bangkok.

The accident occurred around the Asoke-Petchaburi intersection off Kampangpetch road. According to witnesses, the train’s windscreen was shattered from the impact while the front part of the crane was written off. Luckily no casualties were reported from the incident.

Train services were briefly suspended to clear-up the wreckage but have now resumed services.

Authorities are still determining what caused the accident.

Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122836

Well at a rough guess, the crane was too close to the tracks - rather than the train wandered too far off course!:rolleyes: :D