OMAN RAILWAY PROJECT

Muscat, September 15, 2013

Index

Technical Brief
Project Critical Issues
Signaling Systems
Opportunities for Plants and Equipment

Technical Brief
Total Length of 2244 km, divided into 9
Segments linking Omani borders with UAE
to Muscat, as part of GCC Railway
Network, and to the southern parts of the
country at Port of Ad Duqm, Port of
Salalah and to Yemen border;
Double Track non-electrified railway line
with Continuous Welded Rail (CWR);
Mixed Freight and Passenger traffic;
Maximum speed of 120 km/h for freight
trains and 220 km/h for passenger trains
(corridor design up to 350 km/h);
Maximum permissible axle load: 32,4 tons;
Design Standards: Arema/International
Std;
Signaling System based on ETCS Level 2;
Telecommunication System based on
GSM-R based.
3

Segments Definition
Oman Rail Project is divided
into 9 Segments for a total length of 2244 km
Segment

Sector

Sector Description

Approx. Length Km

Sohar to UAE Border at Sunaynah / Al Ain

136

b
c

Al Buraymi Spur
Spur to Sohar Railway Yard

27
8

2
3

UAE Border at Al Ain - Sinaw

330

Sinaw - Ad Duqm

340

a
b

Ad Duqm - Thumrayt
Thumrayt - Salalah Port

554
142

Sohar Port - Muscat (Al Misfah)

242

Link for Muscat Central Station

20

6
7
8

Al Misfah - Sinaw

146

Sinaw - Ibra

84

Thumrayt - Mazyounah

157

Sohar Port to UAE Border at Khatmat Milahah

58

Total Km

2244

4
5

Segments Routes
North

Segments and facilities placement

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 1 sector c
Spur to Sohar railway Yard

SEGMENT 1 sector b
Al Buraymi Spur

SEGMENT 1 sector a
Sohar to UAE border at Sunaynah/Al Ain

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 2
Sunaynah to Sinaw

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 3
Sinaw to Ad Duqm

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 4 sector a
Ad Duqm to Thumrayt

SEGMENT 4 sector b
Thumrayt to Salalah

10

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 5 sector a
Sohar Port to Muscat
(Al Misfah)

SEGMENT 5 sector b
Link for Muscat
Central Station
11

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 6
Al Misfah to Sinaw

12

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 7
Sinaw to Ibra

13

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 8
Thumrayt to Al Mazyounah

14

Segments and facilities placement

SEGMENT 9
Sohar Port to UAE border
at Khatmat Milahah

15

Project Critical Issues

Geology
Oman Mountains, located on south
eastern corner of the Arabian
Peninsula, form an arcuate chain,
approximately 700 km long and up to
120 km wide, stretching from the
Arabian Gulf and Straits of Hormuz in
the northwest to the Arabian Sea in
the southeast.

16

Project Critical Issues

A special attention will be given to locations of difficult soils and rocks
formations:

sabkha soil,
weathered rock
drifting sand
in order to establish a detailed stratigraphy reconstruction and therefore to
allow the most suitable mitigation measures to be designed.

17

Tunnelling
The Project envisages the necessity of tunneling to overcome the
orographic situation of the territory.
The alignment study and Concept Design aim at reducing to a minimum
the construction of tunnels.

The PDC will determine the type, location, length and cross sections of
such structures, taking account of the relevant geological and hydrological
conditions.
18

Tunnelling
Tunnel cross-section will depend on:
1. Aerodynamic effects related to the
design speed on the line;
2. Rolling stock gauges;

3. Safe clearances for pedestrian

emergency evacuation;
4. Gauges and clearances for
miscellaneous equipment
associated with railway operation
and safety.

19

Sand Mitigation Study

Blown sand represents a critical issue in

Middle East countries such as Oman, Saudi
Arabia, UAE, etc., as it affects severely
roads and railway infrastructures.
Scope of Sand Mitigation Study
Design of the most suitable Sand mitigation
measures, taking also in account the
Maintenance Regime to be applied during the
Operation.

20

Design approach for Sand Mitigation

Data collection:
Geomorphologic study of the sites (soil composition, morphology of the area,
geometry of the roughness of the ground);
Meteorological analysis: data from the literature or provided by the authorities /
government agencies on the statistical study of weather and in particular wind
(quantitative definition of wind fields in the areas of construction of the railway and
for different return periods in terms of direction, intensity, wind speed and peak,
etc.);
Analysis and characterization of sand potentially transported (grain size curve,
specific weight, etc.).

2D fluid dynamic simulations:

Analysis of sections without any mitigation interventions, to assess the
effectiveness of the mitigation proposed;
Analysis of sections mitigated with dunes in different geometric configurations (1
dune, more dunes, embankments or trenches);
Analysis of sections mitigated with barriers in different geometric configurations
(different height barriers, embankments or trenches or suitable vegetation).

21

Design approach for Sand Mitigation

Data collection:
Geomorphologic study of the sites (soil composition, morphology of the area,
geometry of the roughness of the ground);
Meteorological analysis: data from the literature or provided by the authorities /
government agencies on the statistical study of weather and in particular wind
(quantitative definition of wind fields in the areas of construction of the railway and
for different return periods in terms of direction, intensity, wind speed and
directions, etc.);
Analysis and characterization of sand potentially transported (grain size curve,
specific weight, etc.).

Fluid dynamic simulations:

Analysis of sections without any mitigation interventions, to assess the
effectiveness of the mitigation proposed;
Analysis of sections mitigated with proper sand trapping measures in different
geometric configurations;

Signaling and Telecommunication

Critical issues
Environmental Condition
Presence of sand;
High temperature and thermal shock.

Maintenance
Distance between faulty device and maintenance sites;
Power source availability.

Approach
Right choice of wayside devices both for Signalling and TLC;
System architecture design (redundancy, more sources, etc.);
Simulations of radio coverage;
Right Placement of Facilities for maintenance (depot and workshop);
Right Sizing of devices stocks.
23

Signaling
The signaling system will be designed to meet the highest standards of
flexibility, modularity, availability and with easy integration to the existing
infrastructure.
The performance based specifications for the signaling system will include the
following requirements:

ERTMS/ETCS Level 2, with a centralized OCC and no line side signals;

GSM-R Telecommunication platform
Train Detection System used to be suitable to the desert environment;
Rolling Stock Management System integrated with OCC functions and
several check points installed by line side;
Implementation of COTO functionality (Computerized Optimization of Train
Operations);
Design developed according to European Rules (CENELEC 50126, 50128,
50129, 50159-1 50159-2).

24

Signaling
Signaling_UNISIG RULES and ERTMS L2 Data flow

25

Project Initial Data

26

Track Components
Component
Rails

Quantity
12,000 km

Sleeper

10,200,000

Fastening

40,800,000

27

Track Components
Component
Elastic pads

Quantity
20,400,000

Ballast and
subballast

23,000,000 m

Switches and
crossing

670

28

Earthworks, Embankments and Drainage

Component

Quantity

Geotextiles

60,000,000 m

Drainage (track
side pipes and
manholes)

2,250,000 meters
of pipes 13500
manholes

Earthworks

20,250,000 m

Cut and fills

Cut 648,980,500
m
associated fill
29
1060,000,000 m

Roads and Row

Component
Un Metaled Roads
one side of ROW

Quantity
3000 km

Metal Roads twin

carriage

1000 km

Security Fencing

6500km fencing
and 1200
pedestrian gates
and 300 vehicle
gates
30

Structures
Component
Tunnels

Quantity
35 km

Viaducts

45 km

Rail bridge

39 km

Wadi bridges

48 km
31

Structures
Component
Animal
crossing

Quantity
310

Pedestrian
crossing

98

RCC culverts

2,750,000 m

Flyovers/Und
erpasses

245
32

Stations, depots and maintenance yards

Component
Stations small

Quantity
30

Stations
intermediate

10

Stations large

Marshaling
yards

33

Workshops
Component
Intermodal yards

Quantity
9

Rolling Stock
Service Facilities

Heavy Duty
Maintenance
Workshops

Central Workshop
for maintenance

34

Operation control centre

Component

Quantity

Main
operational
control centre

Subsidiary
operational
control centre

35

Signalling supply
System/equipment

Signaling supplier

Local
partner

ETCS wayside equipment

ETCS on board equipment

Control Center

Electronic interlockings

Point machines

Track circuits

Hot Box Detectors

Cables (e.g. power, low voltage, fiber optics,

etc.)

Signaling telecom equipment (e.g. SDH,

access equip, etc.)

36

Signalling supply
System/equipment

Signaling supplier

Power supply and distribution systems (e.g.

UPSs, batteries, etc.)

Design

Support (and training) to installation

Installation (e.g. mechanical, electrical)

Local
partner
X

Support (and training) to test &

commissioning

Test & commissioning

Training

Project Management

Maintenance
Components repair

X
X
37

Rolling stock for freight and passengers

Component

Quantity

Freight locos

40

Shunting locos

30

Recovery locos

Diesel multiple
units (DMU)
passenger

30

38

Rolling stock for freight and passengers

Component
Diesel units
(Lokos)
passenger
trains
Passenger
coaches

Quantity
15

Freight Wagons
mixed type)

500

80

39

Track components: Supply and Production

1. Rails
Quantity required: 12,000 km of rails

670,000 bars, 18 m length or

1,000,000 bars,12 m length

Rail Production plant in Oman

production

it could be profitable also in view of future maintenance of railways

Rail Supply
from foreign plants or existing plants in Middle East or bordering Countries

Quality control:
supply from a qualified international supplier;
the production process is subjected to a large number of quality control
steps.

Rail production plant

Stocking area

40

Track components: Supply and Production

2. Sleepers
Quantity required: 10,200,000 sleepers
A large number of plants required in different locations nearby the future
production
railway alignment.
Production of a medium size plant is about 300,000 sleepers per year

At least 5 production plants are required to supply sleepers

in a range period of 4-5 years

Sleepers Production plant

41

Track components: Supply and Production

3. Ballast
Quantity required: 23,000,000 cubic meters of ballast and subballast
A medium size quarry can have a production
production
of about
500/800 cubic meters per day

At least 10 quarries should be opened for stone

mining during the period of construction

Ballast quarry

Crushing and screening plant

42

Track components: Supply and Production

4. Switches and Crossing
Quantity required: 670 switches and crossing
production

For switches and crossing, supply

from qualified international suppliers is
advisable

43

Plants and facilities for civil works

1. Work site
Areas equipped with plants facilities involved in works construction;
Areas with logistic function equipped to host workmen and administrative
production
personnel during construction.

Work sites also represent authentic villages, independent and also equipped
for sanitary emergencies and leisure activities
Work sites can be located every 50-100 km alongside railway alignment

44

Plants and facilities for civil works

2. Stocking sites
Areas dedicated at stocking large quantities of construction material
production

Soil for embankments

Granular material
Ballast
Precast elements

These areas may be located alongside the railway alignment and anyway close
to the related works

45

Plants and facilities for civil works

3. Crashing plants
Crashing plants can extend over areas of about 3,000 sqm, with research and
development department, technical department, sales department, administrative
department, manufacturing unit
and spare part warehouse.
production
Production and processing of aggregates, including:

feeding and pre-screening;

crushing and screening;
washing and recovery;
transport and storage;
classification and automation for both fixed and mobile structures.

46

Plants and facilities for civil works

4. Concrete batching plants
Concrete batching plants produce various kinds of concrete including quaking concrete and hard
concrete, suitable for large or medium scale building works, road and bridge works and precast
concrete plants, etc.
production
More recently is the availability of the mobile concrete batch plant. Multiple containers separately
transport all the elements necessary for the production of concrete, or any other mixture, at the
specific job site.
Once production is started, the various components enter the mixer in the required doses and the
finished mixed product comes out continuously ready for final use. It is also suitable for the
recovery of materials destined for landfill disposal, such as cement mixtures regenerated from
masonry rubble.

47

Plants and facilities for civil works

5. Precast plants
Precast concrete parts: viaduct slabs, double walls, slabs and walls, faade elements,
noise barrier walls, prefabricated cells, concrete sleepers.
production

These plants can be located nearby major structures.

48