Accident on the Darulaman railway

Telegrams in Brief.

The only railway in Afghanistan, the narrow-gauge line between Kabul and Dar ul Aman, the new city built two years ago by King Amanullah, had its first serious accident last week, when an engine overturned, killing one man and injuring two. Its driver, a Peshawari Pathan, escaped.
The Times, 19 June 1928, p15 (Issue 44923, col G)

Construction of the Friendship Bridge

Just south of Termez, at Heratan, on the Amu Darya river, diplomats understand that a reinforced steel bridge is being constructed. The aim, it would seem, is to improve the roads and garrison facilities right from the Soviet border to Kabul

Russians switch to commando-type raids in Afghanistan, Karan Thapar, The Times, 19 September 1980, p1 and p6 (Issue 60728; col C)

Iran offered to fund 1970s rail project

Although relations between Iran and the Soviet Union are at present friendly […] the opportunities for the Russians to make difficulties through Kabul are thus abundant, though Kabul’s rulers would have to forego the $2,00m (£1,111m) which the Shah has offered for the building of Afghanistan’s first railway line.

Hostile neighbours fuel Shah’s defence fears, David Watts, The Times, 22 May 1978, p5 (Issue 60307; col D)
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Italian engineers and electrification plan

FIRST AFGHAN RAILWAY
(from our own correspondent)
SIMLA, Sept.20.

Italian engineers in Kabul are reported to be collecting engines and rolling stock for the first railway to be opened in Afghanistan between Kabul and Darulaman, six miles from the capital. The construction of the line is expected to begin shortly. The possibility of making it an electric tramway is discussed in certain Afghan papers.

The Times, 30 September 1922, p9 (Issue 43150; col G)

The reference to Italian engineers is interesting – one might have expected the people involved to be German.