Romanian collaborations for the
building of a line of european embankment
between Iasi and Chisinau

 

In order to tighten up the relations between Romania and Moldavia Republic - countries between which are developed special diplomatic links, due to the conditions imposed by the course of history - have been established, on mutual agreement, by the governments of the two countries, a series of collaborations in various plans: cultural, educational, medical, work protection, juridical, infrastructure and so on, stipulated in the document named Projects proposed for the financing within the Fund available for the Romanian Govern having as purpose the relationships with Moldavia Republic. Thus, regarding the transports, in the infrastructure field, this year have been allocated funds in order to achieve the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies in order to build a railway track of an European embankment between Iasi and Chisinau.

This project has been initiated by the Romanian party since 1999, the achievement of the railway link being discussed on the occasion of the various meetings that took place between the representatives of Romania and Moldavia Republic. At the elaboration of the studies for the construction of this line had been taken into consideration the fact that Ungheni- Chisinau sector (108 km) is part of the pan-European Corridor IX and it is linked to AGC, AGTC and to TER Project. There have been proposed two versions of the route, among which the first one includes a new simple electrified line, adjacent to the existing one, with the possibility to double in the future the normal line, on the current platform of that with large embankment. The second version consists on the building of new complex line on the shortest route between Chisinau and Iasi.

During the current year the discussions have been resumed, the representatives of the ministries in charge with this field from the two countries have met several times. Additionally, on the occasion of the visit made by the Romanian prime-minister, Mr. Adrian Nastase, during the discussions held, the two heads of the governments have established to urgently pass to the achievement of the feasibility study for Chisinau - Iasi section. Thus, within the working group on sectors in the field of transports during the Romanian - Moldavian inter-ministerial committees reunions on July 12, 2001 has been established the mutual sustainability, within the Stability Pact for Souh-East Europe, of the financing project for the achievement of the railway line with European gauge Chisinau -Iasi. In order to evaluate the costs of the works and the elaboration of the project the delegations on behalf of the Institute of Research and Design for Railway SA Bucharest (ISPCF) and the State Railway Company of Moldavia Republic (IS CFM) have met. The financing of the studies will be performed from the Fund disposed by the Romanian Government for the relationships with Moldavia Republic for year 2001, through the Romanian Government Office for the Administration of Relationships with Moldavia Republic. On the same occasion, there has been also discussed the electrification project of the railway sector between Ungheni - Chisinau - Novosavitcaia, for which there is already executed a feasibility study by the German firm Dorsh Consult.

Later on, between 3 - 6 September, there took place a new reunion, where a common delegation from ISPCF and CFR- SA met with the Moldavian railway specialists and they studied there the large railway line between Ungheni and Chisinau, also including the works of art and the afferent exploitation buildings. The analysis established technical data of the infrastructure and superstructure that will have to be made available for ISPCF by IS CMF in order to elaborate the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, as well as the modality used to draw up topographic and geo-technical studies on the existing line. It was also agreed upon the exploitation parameters and the features of the line designed for multi-modal traffic (passengers and freight), according to the requirements of the European normative documents. The large existing line (1,520 mm gauge) is characterized by the following parameters, communicated by the Moldavian specialists:

the year when it was put in operation: 1873-1875
the years of service of CED equipment: 30 years
normal speed designed for the line 110 km/h
maximal tonnage of the freight train on Chisinau - Ungheni section: 3,200 tones, and on Ungheni - Chisinau section: 2,200 tones
maximal slope: 23 mm/m
maximal axle load: 23.5 tones
hauling type: Diesel, with 3,000 HP locomotives
operational length of the tracks in the stations: 4.80 m
the distance from the margin of the platform to the tracks axle: 1.95 m
platforms height against NSS: between 50 mm and 200 mm.

ISPCF will elaborate, based on the data provided by IS CFM, the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for the work named The Railway with European gauge (1,435 mm) Iasi- Ungheni - Chisinau and for multi-modal traffic (passengers and freight) for the circulation of passengers trains with a maximal speed up to 160 km/h, component of the pan-European Corridor IX, that will be transmitted by IS CFM for analysis and notification. At the end of the meeting, on September 6, a protocol has been concluded in Chisinau including the discussions held between CFR -SA/ISPCF delegation and the representatives of IS CFM, as well as the future stages that are going to be performed. There have been established, on this occasion, two working versions: either the achievement of a suspended railway line, or the building of a new line with large gauge next to the existing one. On demand of the Romanian party it was decided that the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies to be drawn up in both versions, justifying and substantiating from the technical and financial point of view the necessity to execute one of the two versions of railway.

On September 14 was given an official form of this project by signing, at the headquarter of the Ministry of Transports and Communication (MTC) in Chisinau, a Protocol between the management of this ministry and the representative of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Housing (MLPTL) in Romania. The parties agreed - on Romanian delegation demand - that MTC will support data provision (plans, geo-technical studies, etc.) necessary to draw up the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies by ISPCF. Signing parties of the Protocol were assigned Mr. Victor Topa, the minister of Transports and Communication from Moldavia Republic, and Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc, the general director of CNCF "CFR"- SA.

On September 19, Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc had the amiability to grant Railway Journal a short interview with respect to the role of this new investment in the development process of the Romanian railway system.

R.J.: Sir, would you tell us, in a few lines, how important is for the two countries the new line with a large gauge that is going to be built on Iasi - Ungheni - Chisinau section?

M.N.: For the Romanian Railway, as well as for the Moldavian Railway the extension of the line with European gauge Iasi - Chisinau is important because it offers more mobility for freight and passengers transport, as well as the possibility to get closer, through the railway, between the two countries. It is also benefic for the bilateral trade. We found in Moldavia Republic a team interested in this project, and in the few hours spent in Chisinau we have established a working system that is going to be the basis of the activity of CFR-SA and ISPCF teams.

R.J.: Were there discussed other projects on this occasion?

M.N.: Besides this project, we did not approached any others, but we have established to meet again; the possibilities to collaborate exist and I am glad that we succeeded, finally, to make this first step, because now it is a different approach for us, as well as for them. From now on we will have mutual points, that we are going to analyze and we will solve them together.

R.J.: The building of Iasi - Chisinau section has a lot of other valences than the technical ones, for the development of the infrastructure...?

M.N.: The two countries speak the same language, have the same flag, have the same will...I think that through the building of this line we build a bridge; Romanian state made the first step, it's up to the other party to agree it.
We had opened discussions approaching all the problems, one of them being that related to the version that will be chosen, I explained them the fact that the building of a new line next to the existing one would cost four times more than if we adopted the version of the suspended line and, additionally, would last more. All technical problems occurred have been analyzed and solutions were found. This approach must be made for a long time and I am glad that, if it was not possible to achieve that through the borders, it is made through the railway, which, I have to tell you, in Europe it is more united than the states are.

 

Material drawn up by Silvia Mirea
in collaboration with the International Affairs Department of CFR –SA