Airport Rail Link: planning & construction period

[Yappofloyd]

First pics of the interior of the CAT taken by Khun TONG and posted on skyscrapercity;

Makkasan Departure Hall

Behind the security check

Check in Counter

[Yappofloyd]

Rail link sparks corruption fears THE NATION Published on May 7, 2009
Concerns are growing that the company to be set up by the State Railway of Thailand to operate the Airport |Rail Link system could become a new cash cow for politicians, a Transport Ministry source said |yesterday. "The golden goose is not the rail link operation but the Makkasan main passenger terminal, as the subsidiary will have to manage the commercial space there for leasing and advertising," the source said. "It will have full authority over space management, not the SRT or Transport Ministry."

Politicians might try to find some way to appoint their men to run the SRT subsidiary, the source said. The SRT's board will appoint the subsidiary's board and the subsidiary will hire professionals outside the SRT as its chief executive officer, chief operating officer and chief financial officer. The rail link will connect Suvarnabhumi Airport with the City Air Terminal in downtown Bangkok.

The creation of the subsidiary |is part of the debt-ridden SRT's rehabilitation plan. The Finance Ministry will budget Bt500 million for the subsidiary's start-up costs. The Transport Ministry will submit the SRT rehabilitation plan for Cabinet approval at next Tuesday's meeting. Once it gets the green light, the state enterprise could immediately establish the subsidiary.

The SRT will hire German train operator Deutsche Bahn Inter-national to operate the rail link and train the SRT subsidiary staff on an outsourcing basis for Bt90 million until the subsidiary is ready to manage the system itself.

Besides running the airport rail system, the subsidiary might be allowed to take over some commercial rail routes so it can generate sufficient revenue for the SRT. The new rail link will begin trial operations on August 12, with full service scheduled by the end of this year or early next yesterday.

[ncr]

First pics of the interior of the CAT taken by Khun TONG and posted on skyscrapercity;

Nice.

While we don't see the platform area here, I just wondered about the following:
Anyone know whether the Airport Rail Link will have platform screen doors or not? (Maybe it has been mentioned somewhere before, but then I forgot about it already. )

[Yappofloyd]

Nice.

While we don't see the platform area here, I just wondered about the following:
Anyone know whether the Airport Rail Link will have platform screen doors or not? (Maybe it has been mentioned somewhere before, but then I forgot about it already. )

I don't recollect reading anything mentioning the installation of screen doors . Phaya Thai, Hua Mark & Ratchpraprop stations have not evidence of any installation from what I have personally seen. Have no idea about the CAT.

However, that does not exclude that won't be installed at the last minute!

[ncr]

Tadaaa, we have a depot name sign!

Complete with SRT logo. Lo and behold:

[Yappofloyd]

Tadaaa, we have a depot name sign!

Complete with SRT logo. Lo and behold:

Nils, I take it that the short cut is still open?

Someone forgot to design the entrances to the CAT?!? That should be easier that contracting an operator to run the thing.

Airport rail link to start services in december The Nation, May 25, 2009
The Airport Rail Link will start running commercially on December 6, charging Bt150 for the through train and Bt15-Bt45 for the stopper, according to distance. Transport Ministry deputy permanent secretary Tawalyarat Onsira, who is chairman of the State Railway of Thailand, said the elevated system would link Suvarnabhumi Airport with the City Air Terminal in Bangkok's Makkasan district. He said construction was 98 per cent complete.

The SRT board urged haste in recruiting staff to operate the system and complete installation of the security system. The SRT will submit a plan to set up a subsidiary to operate the system to the Cabinet this week.

Tawalyarat said the Cabinet had approved a budget of Bt115 million for improving road access to stations, which was expected to be done quickly except for Makkasan Station's entrances on Rama IX Road and Petchburi Road, for which a consultant would have to be hired.

[ncr]

Nils, I take it that the short cut is still open?

Seems so, but I didn't walk through there during the last 2 weeks or so.

[Wisarut]

Even though Airport Link is NOT ready for opening yet, the plan for extension to Donmuang has come out of OTP since OTP decides to use Suvannabhum Airport Link as the basic building block for High Speed Train to Khorat or Nakhon Sawan or other places in the Future.

http://www.manager.co.th/Home/ViewNe...=9520000059323
http://www.dailynews.co.th/web/html/...e=1&Template=1

[Yappofloyd]

As expected.

Airport Link further delayed By: BangkokPost.com 3/06/2009
The first trial run of the new airport rail link has been postponed another three-and-a-half months, transport deputy permanent secretary Thawalrat Ornsira told the cabinet on Wednesday. The trial was scheduled for Aug 12, which is Mother's Day.

However, the contractors had advised they would not be able to complete the work by that date. So the first run had been rescheduled for Dec 5, or Father's Day, His Majesty the King's birthday. Under the contractual agreement, building of the 28km route from downtown Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi must be completed by November.

It was now expected that the Airport link, which connects Phaya Thai and Makkasan areas to the international airport, would enter service in March next year, Mr Thawalrat said. The State Railway of Thailand has said the fare will be 150 baht for passengers taking non-stop trains, and between 15 and 45 baht for trains that stop at every station.

[Wisarut]

^^^^^
Hope that SRT could open the system on 26 march 2010 though

[ncr]

Nils, I take it that the short cut is still open?

Yes, it is still open, as I found out today.

**********

A couple of days ago I saw they have started building a new local road in place of the old 4-lane Kamphaeng Phet 7 Rd (though not as wide as the old one, due to the airport link pillars).

One stretch from Soonvijai/Phetburi intersection west towards RCA (just south of the viaduct) is already finished, and preparations are underway from there east towards Khlong Tan/Nasa Vegas (north of the viaduct).

Hope to take a few pictures in the coming days.

[ncr]

A couple of days ago I saw they have started building a new local road in place of the old 4-lane Kamphaeng Phet 7 Rd (though not as wide as the old one, due to the airport link pillars).

Looking west towards RCA from Soonvijai railway crossing:







"Danger - Construction site - This road has not yet been opened for regular use [or something similar] - We apologize for the inconvenience"



Looking east towards Khlong Tan Station - preparation for road construction