Miscellaneous pictures of railways in Iraq.

Francorail loco out of service at Shalchya shops. These big locomotives only work on western lines due to weight. All were out of service at this point.

Photo:Rick Degman, World Diesel Loco

The loco on the left (DEM2731) was involved in a head-on collision at Iskandarya in December 2003, and was still sitting there in February. There were no fatalities, as the engine drivers got out. The loco on the right (DEM2561) is a Henschel-EMD product from the mid-1980s that was one of the three assigned to Saddam’s special train. The unit was one of the cleanest locos I have ever seen anywhere, inside and out. It was on a special inspection train we took week from Baghdad to Samawa and return. The Henschels are considered to be the best locos on the system.

Photo:Rick Degman, World Diesel Loco

Baghdad Central Station Chinese loco (furthest away), Czech shunting engine, Henschel (nearest).

Photo:Rick Degman, World Diesel Loco

Inspection train at Diwaniya, with Marcosa/EMD diesel on left

Photo:Rick Degman, World Diesel Loco

DEM 2006

Another CKD DEM20xx.

Old Canadian MLW in Shalchya shop. These units from the 70’s have been
out of service for years, and will probably be scrapped.

Photo:Rick Degman, World Diesel Loco

DEM2201
World Diesel Loco

DES2211 leads a freight train.

Alessandro Albà

DHS144, seen on 17 June 2004

DEM2703, 2004
Mike Jackson

DEM2703 hauling a container train, 2004
Mike Jackson

DEM2727, 2004
Mike Jackson

DEM2709 and the Normandy Band, Queen’s Division, attached to 34 Field Hospital on medical support duties, at a
ceremony in Umm Qasr on 19 April 2003

Photo:MOD

DEM2305 (and 2312 or 2313) at Basra

Photo: © UNJLC

Links

• There is a selection of historic photos showing lots of standard gauge and metre-gauge steam locos (and some diesels) on the Iraq section of the Restoration & Archiving Trust website. Well worth a look!
• Some UNJLC photos of railways.
• A webpage with a photo of Baghdad railway station in spring 2002, showing a poster which combines a portrait of Saddam Hussein with a Macosa loco and a steam loco.
• UK Ministry of Defence photos of the reconstruction of the Umm Qasr-Basrah Railway.