Albania railways
 

 

Содержание

1Ministry of industry, Trade & Transport 1.1Political background 1.2Organisation 1.3New lines 1.4Improvements to existing lines 1.5Traction and rolling stock 1.6Signalling and telecommunications 1.7Track

Ministry of industry, Trade & Transport

Rruge Myslym Shyri 42, Tirana
Key personnel
Minister: Ingrid Shuli
Albanian Railways (HSH)
Hekurudhat Shqiptare
Drejitoria e Pergjithshle e Hekurudhave Shqiptare, Rue Skenderbeg, Durres
Tel: (+355 52) 223 11 Fax: (+355 52) 220 37
Key personnel
Director General: Leonard Burnaci
Assistant Director General: Petraq Pano
Directors
Finance: Petrit Tafili
Rolling Stock: Nderim Kasa Commercial: Dhimiter Karanxha Infrastructure: Cesk Radovani Passenger: Fadil Kaja
Planning, Personnel: Shkelzen Xava International Relations: Miranda Jani
Gauge: 1,435 mm
Route length: 447 km

[топ]Political background

Following deposition of the hardline Communist government, consideration was given in the early 1990s to abandonment of the badly rundown state railway system. However, after a study on the future of the railway by CIE Consult of Ireland under World Bank auspices, it was decided that efforts would be made to revitalise HSH. Since then, funding for improvements has been provided the World Bank, the European Union and the governments of the United States and Italy. In spite of this, political instability has continued to hamper revitalisation of the system, while the conflict in Kosovo in 1999 placed new demands on HSH.
In mid-1998 a co-operation agreement between the governments of Albania and Austria provided for the supply to HSH of second-hand passenger coaches, communications equipment and track materials, as well as technical assistance and training in connection with the rehabilitation of principal routes.

[топ]Organisation

Following the CIE Consult report, HSH was restructured into two business units (passenger and freight) and two service units (infrastructure and rolling stock).
Passenger operations
Passenger services are operated on the Tirana-Durres, Tirana-Vlore, Tirana- Pogradec, Tirana-Shkoder and Fier-Ballsh routes. Only one class of accommodation is provided. A regular interval between Durres and Tirana is proposed. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1996 from the Milot-Rreshen line, which was closed in early 1998.
Freight operations
In 1998 HSH carried 305,000 tonnes of freight, an increase of 10 per cent on the 1997 figure. Principal commodities handled were petroleum products, construction materials, coal and chrome.

[топ]New lines

A link from the northern Albanian railhead at Shkoder into Montenegro was finished in 1986. This was Albania’s first rail connection with a foreign railway, but it fell foul of the United Nations 1991 embargo on trade with Yugoslavia. Although subsequently reinstated, the line was not available for traffic during 1997 due to track damage. Restoration of services looked likely to follow a decision in early 1998 by the South Balkan Development initiative to provide US$10 million to modernise the corridor.
An agreement is in place to extend the line from Pogradec via Korce to Florina in Greece; design work was completed in 1995, but no physical construction has taken place. A further international link is planned from Qane-e-Thanes to Struga in Macedonia, which would form part of a future rail route from the Adriatic to. the Black Sea. Also projected is a freight line from Lezhe to the port of Shengjin.
The Milot-Rreshen line has been closed and plans to extend it to Klos have been suspended. Rails from the closed line were to be used to restore track between ЗЬкоЬёг and Hani i Hotit.

[топ]Improvements to existing lines

Italy has financed upgrading of the 40 km route from the capital, Tirana, to the port at Durres, with a Lit6 billion credit supplementing a government contribution of US$2 million. The work, undertaken by Italian contractor Fersalente, involves upgrading the line and improving signalling and telecommunications systems. Renewal of the 28.2 km from Durres to Kasharto 70 km/h standards was completed in early 1997, and work on the Kashar-Tirana section was scheduled for completion in January 1998 with the help of World Bank funding.
Reconstruction of the Shkozet-Rrogozhine section was due to start in 1998 for completion by 2000.

[топ]Traction and rolling stock

The only serviceable locomotives are 29 Czech-built 1,007 kW (1,350 hp) T669 Co- Co diesels, operational survivors of 61 delivered by CKD Praha between 1968 and 1990.
During 1998 talks were reported to have taken place between Albanian government ministers and General Motors regarding the supply of locomotives, some of which would be funded by Japanese government loans.
In 1998 HSH’s serviceable passenger coach fleet totalled 50 vehicles, mostly of Chinese, Italian or Polish origin. The co-operation agreement signed by the Albanian and Austrian governments in mid-1998 (see ‘Political background’) included the supply to HSH of 80 second-hand passenger coaches and other vehicles, although in early 1999 there were no reports of these having arrived.
Total freight vehicle stock is around 2,100, but only about 400 wagons are serviceable.

[топ]Signalling and telecommunications

Colourlight signalling is in place between Durres and Tirana, Durres and Elbasan, and Durres and Lag. As there is a problem with theft of exposed cables, all stations are equipped with radios and are in contact with the control office in Durres. Train order tickets are given to drivers. An underground cable is planned for the main line between Tirana and Durres.

[топ]Track

Rail: 38, 43, 48, 49 kg/m in 12 to 24 m lengths
Sleepers: Wood, duo-bloc concrete
Min curve radius: 300 m
Max axleload: 21-24 tonnes
Max speed: 60 km/h

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