Good news from Mark W Hemphill: “Work has commenced on the IRR’s Communications-Based Train-Control system, prime contractor Mafeks LLC, subcontractor Wabtec Railway Electronics. When commissioned in 2006, this system will provide system-wide computer-assisted dispatching from Baghdad, using Direct Traffic Control-Manual Block System authorities with reactive enforcement of authority excursions and speed restrictions. Train movement authorities will be transmitted by redundant paths consisting of radio links to repeaters supported by microwave and fiber-optic backbones, and Iridium satellite, and will be digitally displayed on screens in each locomotive cab. The dispatching consoles show the system graphically and are point-and-click operated. It’s expected that the system will double the current traffic capacity of the IRR and provide a very high level of safety. It will support the possible future installation of traditional line-side signaling, cab signaling, floating-block signaling, or local manual interlockings. System architecture has been developed and currently the system software is being written.”

“I’ve examined the preliminary engineering drawings for the Iraq-Iran link between Basra and Khorramshar. The IRR is very excited by this link, and wants to complete it as soon as possible. To my knowledge, construction has not commenced. The most difficult item is a high-level bridge over the Shatt-Al-Arab, estimated at $70 million.”