Comments on: Khyber Pass railway revival discussed http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/1696/khyber-pass-revival-plan-discussed/ Afghan railroads, past, present and future Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:50:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Michael G. Erickson http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/1696/khyber-pass-revival-plan-discussed/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Michael G. Erickson Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:50:47 +0000 http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/?p=1696#comment-79 I am intrigued by the statement, “the rail link could enter Afghanistan at the south-eastern border.” Most would imagine that this means going through Quetta and Chaman, but that need not be the case. It would be quite possible to build a rail line from Gwadar north to the existing rail line that links Zahedan, in Iran, to Quetta. The link might occur somewhere near Dalbandin. From there, going east, the existing rails would need to be improved, probably to Nushki. From Nushki a line could be built straight north to Kandahar. Such a line would have the advantage of avoiding areas in Pakistan that are controlled, or at least heavily influenced, by the Taliban, including Quetta and Chaman. I am intrigued by the statement, “the rail link could enter Afghanistan at the south-eastern border.” Most would imagine that this means going through Quetta and Chaman, but that need not be the case.

It would be quite possible to build a rail line from Gwadar north to the existing rail line that links Zahedan, in Iran, to Quetta. The link might occur somewhere near Dalbandin. From there, going east, the existing rails would need to be improved, probably to Nushki. From Nushki a line could be built straight north to Kandahar.

Such a line would have the advantage of avoiding areas in Pakistan that are controlled, or at least heavily influenced, by the Taliban, including Quetta and Chaman.

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