Vietnam Prepares To Cut Rail Journey Times - Brief Article

International Railway Journal, May, 2000

Vietnam Railways (DSVN) is preparing a study for a dramatic increase in train speeds and the possible introduction of electrification and tilting trains.

TRAINS operating on the 2600km mainly metre-gauge Vietnamese railway network consist of ageing, low-availability locomotives and coaches, and currently travel at a maximum speed of 90km/h. Plans outlined by Dr Nguyen Huu Bang, a deputy general director of DSVN, in March, call for upgrading infrastructure for 120km/h operation by 2010 and 150km/h by 2020 on double-track lines (140km/h on single-track lines).

DSVN has taken Queensland, Australia, as a model because of similar geography and track characteristics, and has selected three sections of the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City trunk line as trial project areas. They are: Hanoi-Haiphong (100km), Hanoi-Vinh (300km), and Ho Chi Minh City-Nhatrang (400km). The line from Hanoi to the port of Haiphong is scheduled to be doubled and electrified.

The large number of old bridges on the network has an aggregate length of 45km and forms one of the main constraints on improving infrastructure. Dr Bang told the Asia Pacific Rail 2000 conference in Hong Kong that new bridges would be built for 140km/h operation, though the maximum for rehabilitated bridges would be only 100km/h. The condition of old bridges also dictated a maximum axleload of 12 to 14 tonnes. Basic track parameters include continuous welded UIC R50 rail fastened on monobloc or bi-bloc concrete sleepers with Pandrol or Nabla type fastenings.

Locomotive purchases will be restricted to diesel units up to 2010 with a mix of diesels and electrics up to 2020. Power requirements are 5 to 7kW/train seat for speeds up to 120km/h and 7 to 9kW/train seat for speeds up to 140km/h. Tilting trains will be studied and tested with a target of increasing the speed through curves by 25 to 30%. New 140km/h stainless steel passenger coaches will have both air and electric brakes.

In order to achieve its objectives, DSVN needs to persuade the government to promote rail more positively and to create a regulatory environment that will enable the railway to operate as a true market-led enterprise.

On the critical subject of finance, Dr Bang told the conference that DSVN needed adequate and increasing budgets for infrastructure maintenance and upgrading in conjunction with a special policy to give the railway access to sources of favourable finance to enable it to renew its assets, equipment, locomotives, and rolling stock.