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Iraqi Republic Railways Company (IRR) (Arabic,?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????????) is the national railway operator in Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.

History
The first section of railway in what was then the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
 province of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is the area of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern Iraq, as well as some parts of northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khuzestan Province of southwestern Iran....
 was a length of the Baghdad Railway
Baghdad Railway

The Baghdad Railway , built from 1903 to 1940, was planned to connect the Ottoman Empire cities of Konya and Bagdad with a new line through modern-day Turkey, Syria and Iraq....
 between that city & Samarra
Samarra

Samarra is a city in Iraq.It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah al-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
 opened in 1914.






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Encyclopedia


Iraqi Republic Railways Company (IRR) (Arabic,?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????????) is the national railway operator in Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.

Network


IRR comprises of standard gauge
Standard gauge

The standard gauge is a widely-used rail gauge. Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge . The distance between the inside edges of the rails of standard gauge track is ....
. IRR has one international interchange, with Chemins de fer Syriens (CFS) at Rabiya. The system runs from Rabiya southward through Mosul
Mosul

Mosul is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial areas on both banks, with five bridges linkin...
, Bayji, and Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
 to Basra
Basra

Al-Ba?rah is the capital of Basra Province, and had an estimated population of 1,052,200 as of 2003. Basra is also Iraq's main port. The city is the historic location of Sumer, the home of Sinbad the Sailor, and a proposed location of the Garden of Eden....
, with a branchline from Shouaiba Junction (near Basra) to the ports of Khor Az Zubair and Umm Qasr
Umm Qasr

Umm Qasr , is a port city in southern Iraq. It stands on the canalised Khawr az-Zubayr, part of the Khawr Abd Allah estuary which leads to the Persian Gulf....
, westward from Baghdad through Ramadi
Ramadi

Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar province....
 and Haqlaniya to Al Qaim and Husayba, with a branchline from Al Qaim to Akashat, and east-west from Haqlaniya through Bayji to Kirkuk
Kirkuk

Kirkuk , Kurdish language:????????, , , , is a city in Iraq and capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located at 35.47?N, 44.41?E, in the Iraqi Governorates of Iraq of Kirkuk Governorate, 250 kilometres north of the capital, Baghdad....
.

History


The first section of railway in what was then the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
 province of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is the area of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern Iraq, as well as some parts of northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khuzestan Province of southwestern Iran....
 was a length of the Baghdad Railway
Baghdad Railway

The Baghdad Railway , built from 1903 to 1940, was planned to connect the Ottoman Empire cities of Konya and Bagdad with a new line through modern-day Turkey, Syria and Iraq....
 between that city & Samarra
Samarra

Samarra is a city in Iraq.It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah al-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
 opened in 1914. Work had started northwards from Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
 with the aim of meeting the section being constructed across Turkey
Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
 & Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
 to Tel Kotchek and an extension northwards from Samarra to Baiji was opened in December 1918.

From 1916 onwards an invading British Military force brought narrow gauge equipment, firstly 2’ 6” (762mm) gauge and later metre (3' 3 3/8") gauge from India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
 to Southern Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is the area of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern Iraq, as well as some parts of northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khuzestan Province of southwestern Iran....
 to construct various sections of line to support its offensive against the Turks. Britain defeated Turkey and Mesopotamia became a League of Nations
League of Nations

The League of Nations was an inter-governmental organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919?1920. At its greatest extent from 28 September 1934 to 23 February 1935, it had 58 members....
 mandate under British administration. In April 1920 the British military authorities transferred all railways to a British civilian administration, Mesopotamian Railways.

The metre gauge line from Basra
Basra

Al-Ba?rah is the capital of Basra Province, and had an estimated population of 1,052,200 as of 2003. Basra is also Iraq's main port. The city is the historic location of Sumer, the home of Sinbad the Sailor, and a proposed location of the Garden of Eden....
 to Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah

Nasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates River about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar....
 was the most important section constructed during the war in terms of its significance as part of later efforts to construct a national railway network. Soon after the end of World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 this was extended northwards from Ur Junction outside Nasiriyah up the Euphrates
Euphrates

The Euphrates is the western of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia which flows from Anatolia....
 valley with the complete Basra to Baghdad route being opened on 16 January 1920.

The other section of metre gauge line built during World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 that had ongoing significance was that from Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
 East north eastwards to the Persian border. After the war the eastern end of this line was diverted to Khanaqin and the wartime built line north west from Jalula Junction was extended from Kingerban to Kirkuk
Kirkuk

Kirkuk , Kurdish language:????????, , , , is a city in Iraq and capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located at 35.47?N, 44.41?E, in the Iraqi Governorates of Iraq of Kirkuk Governorate, 250 kilometres north of the capital, Baghdad....
 in 1925.

In 1932 Iraq became independent from Britain. In March 1936 Britain sold Mesopotamian Railways to Iraq, which renamed the company Iraqi State Railways. Work resumed on the extension of the Baghdad Railway
Baghdad Railway

The Baghdad Railway , built from 1903 to 1940, was planned to connect the Ottoman Empire cities of Konya and Bagdad with a new line through modern-day Turkey, Syria and Iraq....
 between Tel Kotchek on the Syrian frontier and Baiji. The through route was opened and completed on 15 July 1940. In 1941 the Iraqi State Railways PC class
Iraqi State Railways PC class

The PC class was a type of standard gauge passenger steam locomotive on Iraqi Republic Railways. In 1940 the ISR completed the Baghdad Railway between Baghdad and Tel Kotchek on the border with Syria, enabling the Taurus Express to start running between Istanbul and Baghdad....
 streamlined 4-6-2
4-6-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 4-6-2 locomotive has four leading wheels , six coupled driving wheels and two trailing wheels ....
 steam locomotive
Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a locomotive powered by steam. The term usually refers to its use on railways, but can also refer to a "road locomotive" such as a traction engine or steamroller....
s were introduced to haul the Baghdad — Istanbul
Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, List of metropolitan areas in Europe by population, and List of cities proper by population in the world with a population of 12.6 million....
 Taurus Express on the Baghdad Railway between Baghdad and Tel Kotchek.

After World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 the Iraq Petroleum Company
Iraq Petroleum Company

The Iraq Petroleum Company , until 1929 called Turkish Petroleum Company , was an petroleum jointly owned by some of the world's largest oil companies, which had virtual monopoly on all oil exploration in Iraq from 1925 to 1961....
 opened its branch at Kirkuk in January 1947 and the metre gauge line was extended northwards from here to Arbil
Arbil

Arbil is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and is the third-largest city in Iraq after Baghdad and Mosul....
, opening in June 1949. A joint road & rail bridge
List of road-rail bridges

Road-rail bridges are bridges shared by road and rail lines.Road and rail may be segregated, so that trains may operate at the same time as cars ...
 was opened across the River Tigris
Tigris

The Tigris is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq....
 in Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
 in October 1950 so finally connecting the east and west bank metre gauge systems.

In 1958 when Iraq's Hashemite monarchy was overthrown and a republic declared, ISR was renamed Iraqi Republic Railways.

From 1980 until 2003 IRR suffered approximately one billion United States dollar
United States dollar

The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States and was defined by the Coinage Act of 1792 to be between 371 and 416 grains of silver ....
s' worth of war and looting damage.

Couplings

IRR uses Soviet-style SA3 automatic
SA3 coupler

The SA3 coupler is a type of Coupling used mainly in Russia. The Russian railways used European buffers and couplings from their inception, albeit with the buffers at a slightly wider spacing due to the slightly wider gauge....
 coupler
Coupling (railway)

File:Railroad coupler.agr2.jpgFile:Tow hitch 5.jpgA coupling is a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train. The design of the coupler is standard, and is almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if all rolling stock can be coupled together....
s. In order to allow interchange with CFS and Turkish State Railways
Turkish State Railways

State Railways of the Republic of Turkey is the state corporation that operates the public railway system in Turkey. The organization was founded in 1927 to take over the operation of railways that were left within the borders of the Republic of Turkey after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, whose railway network had been run and financ...
 which both use screw couplers
Coupling (railway)

File:Railroad coupler.agr2.jpgFile:Tow hitch 5.jpgA coupling is a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train. The design of the coupler is standard, and is almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if all rolling stock can be coupled together....
, IRR locomotives and most wagons are equipped with screw couplings and buffers. In Iraqi service the buffers do not make contact and the screw couplings hang down unattached. The railways in adjoining Saudi Arabia
Transport in Saudi Arabia

This page lists various methods of transportation in Saudi Arabia....
 use American type Janney automatic couplers
Coupling (railway)

File:Railroad coupler.agr2.jpgFile:Tow hitch 5.jpgA coupling is a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train. The design of the coupler is standard, and is almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if all rolling stock can be coupled together....
.

Towns served by railways


Iraq-Iran Railway Link


It was announced by director of RAI (Islamic Republic of Iran Railways
Islamic Republic of Iran Railways

The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways is the national state-owned rail transport of Iran. Raja Passenger Train Company is an associate of the IR and manages its passenger trains including international trains between Tehran and Istanbul and Tehran and Damascus....
) has that the Iranian section of the Khorramshahr
Khorramshahr

Khorramshahr is a port city in Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran. It is approximately north of Abadan, Iran. The city extends to the right bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway near its confluence with the Karun river....
-Basrah railway project, currently under construction, will be completed by the end of (20 March 2009). Though the Iranian part of the railway linking Khorramshahr to Shalamcheh (in Basrah) will be finished by then, work on the Iraqi side is proceeding more slowly.

Also under construction are the Kermanshah
Kermanshah

Kermanshah or Kermashan and the majority of the inhabitants speak Persian language as well as Kurdish language. The religion of the people is very diverse; and there are many Muslims, Assyrians, Bah?'? Faith, Jews, and Armenians living in Kermanshah but Shi'a Islam Muslims are leading in the number....
-Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
 line as a link with northern Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.

See also

  • Transport in Iraq
    Transport in Iraq

    Railways * See also Iraqi Republic Railways.total:2,032 kmstandard gauge:2,032 km 1.435-m gaugeFor more than two decades there have been plans for building a rapid transit system in Baghdad....


External links

  • -- excellent website with comprehensive roster of IRR locomotives; occasionally updated with news from Iraq.
  • Detailed map of railway routes in Iraq by the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre
    United Nations Joint Logistics Centre

    The United Nations Joint Logistics Centre was created to optimise and complement the logistics capabilities of cooperating agencies within a well-defined crisis area for the benefit of the ongoing humanitarian operation....


Sources