Taurus Express
Encyclopedia
The Taurus Express was a premier passenger train operated by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits between İstanbul
(Turkey
) and Baghdad
(Iraq
). Due to the War in Iraq, service has been temporarily suspended since 2003. After 1972, passengers could travel down to Basra
via connection to the Express 2 made at Baghdad Central Station
.
. From Kirkuk, the journey was continued on the meter-gauge railway to Bahgdad. In 1939, this service was running three times a week from Istanbul to Baghdad, with connections to Teheran and to Cairo .
With the completion of the Baghdad Railway
, the first continuous rail journey of the Taurus Express departed from Haydarpaşa Terminal
in Istanbul on July 17, 1940, and arrived at Baghdad Central Station
in Baghdad
on July 20, 1940.
The Taurus Express originally ran on tracks owned by the Turkish State Railways
, Southern Railways
, Northern Syria & Cilician Railways and the Iraqi State Railways. The Turkish State Railways acquired the Southern Railways in 1948 and the Syrian Railways acquired the Northern Syria & Cilician Railways in 1965. The train ran twice weekly but after 1972 it ran weekly.
After 1972 the diesel locomotives were the main power and the consists from 1972 to 2003 were like this:
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) and Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
(Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
). Due to the War in Iraq, service has been temporarily suspended since 2003. After 1972, passengers could travel down to Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
via connection to the Express 2 made at Baghdad Central Station
Baghdad Central Station
Baghdad Central Station is the main train station in Baghdad. It links the rail network to the south and the north of Iraq.- See also :* Iraqi Republic Railways* Railway stations in Iraq* Baghdad Metro...
.
History
The Taurus Express ran for the first time on 15 February 1930. However at that time, passengers had to transfer to a motor coach provided by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits for the stage of the journey between Nusaybin and KirkukKirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
. From Kirkuk, the journey was continued on the meter-gauge railway to Bahgdad. In 1939, this service was running three times a week from Istanbul to Baghdad, with connections to Teheran and to Cairo .
With the completion of the Baghdad Railway
Baghdad Railway
The Baghdad Railway , was built from 1903 to 1940 to connect Berlin with the Ottoman Empire city of Baghdad with a line through modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq....
, the first continuous rail journey of the Taurus Express departed from Haydarpaşa Terminal
Haydarpasa Terminal
The Haydarpaşa Terminal or Haydarpaşa Station is a major intercity rail station and transportation hub in Kadıköy, İstanbul. It is the busiest rail terminal in Turkey and the Middle East and one of the busiest in Eastern Europe. The terminal also has connections to İETT bus and ferry service. The...
in Istanbul on July 17, 1940, and arrived at Baghdad Central Station
Baghdad Central Station
Baghdad Central Station is the main train station in Baghdad. It links the rail network to the south and the north of Iraq.- See also :* Iraqi Republic Railways* Railway stations in Iraq* Baghdad Metro...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
on July 20, 1940.
The Taurus Express originally ran on tracks owned by the Turkish State Railways
Turkish State Railways
The State Railways of the Turkish Republic or TCDD is the government owned, national railway carrier in the Republic of Turkey, headquartered in Ankara...
, Southern Railways
Cenup Demiryolları
The Cenup Demiryolları was the name of the railway operating former Baghdad Railway trackage in Turkey from 1933 to 1948. Cenup is another word for south in Turkish.-History:...
, Northern Syria & Cilician Railways and the Iraqi State Railways. The Turkish State Railways acquired the Southern Railways in 1948 and the Syrian Railways acquired the Northern Syria & Cilician Railways in 1965. The train ran twice weekly but after 1972 it ran weekly.
Consist
The consist of the first Taurus Express was this:- TCDD Steam Loco 3688
- TCDD Baggage Car
- CIWL Sleeping Car
- CIWL Sleeping Car
- TCDD Coach
- TCDD Coach
- TCDD Baggage Car
After 1972 the diesel locomotives were the main power and the consists from 1972 to 2003 were like this:
- IRR DEM 2000 Locomotive (Baghdad-Karkamış)
- TCDD DE 24000 Locomotive (Karkamış-İstanbul)
- TCDD Postage Car
- TCDD Sleeping Car
- TCDD Couchette Car
- TCDD Coach
- TCDD Baggage Car