On 22 Apr 2022 at 12:36:58 AM EEST, "Clank" <clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
> In other local rail news - immediate plans were announced today to extend the
> existing mixed-gauge (standard & Russian) line from Moldova through to Iasi
> (currently gauge change facilities are on the border in the middle of
> nowhere), and to extend the line from Odessa to a new gauge-change facility
> somewhere near Galati, that will then allow through shipment to Constanta from
> Ukraine. (I think there is already an old Russian gauge line from Odessa to
> Galati, so that may be more a return to use, but that the gauge-change or
> transhipment facility will be new). And finally to extend the line at the
> northern border again with mixed gauge as far as Suceava, where again new
> gauge change facilities will be provided.
>
> All, obviously, intended to improve connectivity from Ukraine to the west for
> both people and freight, but also critically to maintain Ukraine's access to
> Black Sea shipping, via Constanta. That latter imperative is why I suspect the
> work at Galati will actually happen - the rest I treat with the healthy
> scepticism that should accompany all RO government announcements

And in what can best be described as "a surprise", the work to reopen the
Galati Russian-gauge line (which has been out of service for 22 years) has
actually not only happened, but about a month earlier than planned:

<https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/81100/>

There were videos going around a couple of weeks ago showing teams of workers
replacing sleepers, track clips, and reballasting more or less entirely by
hand - with the explanation that there was no Russian-gauge track machinery in
the country - in the more or less constant >30c heat we've enjoyed over the
last few weeks, so some credit due to the poor buggers working on it for
getting it done early. (I've no doubt the work has been done to a standard
befitting a freight-only connection in the middle of a war, but even so.)

Not sure the good people of the Port of Constanta will necessarily be entirely
grateful, though - it's already groaning under the twin strains of being an
export route for Ukraine, and having been used as a holding ground for
containers that should have been delivered *to* Odessa but couldn't.

Clank <clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
> On 22 Apr 2022 at 12:36:58 AM EEST, "Clank" <clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> In other local rail news - immediate plans were announced today to extend the
>> existing mixed-gauge (standard & Russian) line from Moldova through to Iasi
>> (currently gauge change facilities are on the border in the middle of
>> nowhere), and to extend the line from Odessa to a new gauge-change facility
>> somewhere near Galati, that will then allow through shipment to Constanta from
>> Ukraine. (I think there is already an old Russian gauge line from Odessa to
>> Galati, so that may be more a return to use, but that the gauge-change or
>> transhipment facility will be new). And finally to extend the line at the
>> northern border again with mixed gauge as far as Suceava, where again new
>> gauge change facilities will be provided.
>>
>> All, obviously, intended to improve connectivity from Ukraine to the west for
>> both people and freight, but also critically to maintain Ukraine's access to
>> Black Sea shipping, via Constanta. That latter imperative is why I suspect the
>> work at Galati will actually happen - the rest I treat with the healthy
>> scepticism that should accompany all RO government announcements
>
> And in what can best be described as "a surprise", the work to reopen the
> Galati Russian-gauge line (which has been out of service for 22 years) has
> actually not only happened, but about a month earlier than planned:
>
> <https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/81100/>
>
> There were videos going around a couple of weeks ago showing teams of workers
> replacing sleepers, track clips, and reballasting more or less entirely by
> hand - with the explanation that there was no Russian-gauge track machinery in
> the country - in the more or less constant >30c heat we've enjoyed over the
> last few weeks, so some credit due to the poor buggers working on it for
> getting it done early. (I've no doubt the work has been done to a standard
> befitting a freight-only connection in the middle of a war, but even so.)
>
>
> Not sure the good people of the Port of Constanta will necessarily be entirely
> grateful, though - it's already groaning under the twin strains of being an
> export route for Ukraine, and having been used as a holding ground for
> containers that should have been delivered *to* Odessa but couldn't.
>

It’s amazing how quickly things get done under the pressure of war. The
tunnels dug into the rock of Gibraltar being a case in point.

On 8 Jul 2022, Tweed wrote
(in article <ta9k4c$om0o$1@dont-email.me>):

> Clank <clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > On 22 Apr 2022 at 12:36:58 AM EEST, "Clank"<clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > > In other local rail news - immediate plans were announced today to extend
> > > the
> > > existing mixed-gauge (standard & Russian) line from Moldova through to
> > > Iasi
> > > (currently gauge change facilities are on the border in the middle of
> > > nowhere), and to extend the line from Odessa to a new gauge-change facility
> > > somewhere near Galati, that will then allow through shipment to Constanta
> > > from
> > > Ukraine. (I think there is already an old Russian gauge line from Odessa to
> > > Galati, so that may be more a return to use, but that the gauge-change or
> > > transhipment facility will be new). And finally to extend the line at the
> > > northern border again with mixed gauge as far as Suceava, where again new
> > > gauge change facilities will be provided.
> > >
> > > All, obviously, intended to improve connectivity from Ukraine to the west
> > > for
> > > both people and freight, but also critically to maintain Ukraine's access
> > > to
> > > Black Sea shipping, via Constanta. That latter imperative is why I suspect
> > > the
> > > work at Galati will actually happen - the rest I treat with the healthy
> > > scepticism that should accompany all RO government announcements
> >
> > And in what can best be described as "a surprise", the work to reopen the
> > Galati Russian-gauge line (which has been out of service for 22 years) has
> > actually not only happened, but about a month earlier than planned:
> >
> > <https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/81100/>
> >
> > There were videos going around a couple of weeks ago showing teams of
> > workers
> > replacing sleepers, track clips, and reballasting more or less entirely by
> > hand - with the explanation that there was no Russian-gauge track machinery
> > in
> > the country - in the more or less constant >30c heat we've enjoyed over the
> > last few weeks, so some credit due to the poor buggers working on it for
> > getting it done early. (I've no doubt the work has been done to a standard
> > befitting a freight-only connection in the middle of a war, but even so.)
> >
> >
> > Not sure the good people of the Port of Constanta will necessarily be
> > entirely
> > grateful, though - it's already groaning under the twin strains of being an
> > export route for Ukraine, and having been used as a holding ground for
> > containers that should have been delivered *to* Odessa but couldn't.
>
> It’s amazing how quickly things get done under the pressure of war. The
> tunnels dug into the rock of Gibraltar being a case in point.

Friends in the marine world tell me that Constanta “still has capacity”
and can take “many more grain shipments" from Ukraine if the rail link is
improved.

—
Ken
kwelsby [at] gmail.com

On 8 Jul 2022, Tweed wrote
(in article <ta9k4c$om0o$1@dont-email.me>):

> Clank <clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > On 22 Apr 2022 at 12:36:58 AM EEST, "Clank"<clank75@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > > In other local rail news - immediate plans were announced today to extend
> > > the
> > > existing mixed-gauge (standard & Russian) line from Moldova through to
> > > Iasi
> > > (currently gauge change facilities are on the border in the middle of
> > > nowhere), and to extend the line from Odessa to a new gauge-change facility
> > > somewhere near Galati, that will then allow through shipment to Constanta
> > > from
> > > Ukraine. (I think there is already an old Russian gauge line from Odessa to
> > > Galati, so that may be more a return to use, but that the gauge-change or
> > > transhipment facility will be new). And finally to extend the line at the
> > > northern border again with mixed gauge as far as Suceava, where again new
> > > gauge change facilities will be provided.
> > >
> > > All, obviously, intended to improve connectivity from Ukraine to the west
> > > for
> > > both people and freight, but also critically to maintain Ukraine's access
> > > to
> > > Black Sea shipping, via Constanta. That latter imperative is why I suspect
> > > the
> > > work at Galati will actually happen - the rest I treat with the healthy
> > > scepticism that should accompany all RO government announcements
> >
> > And in what can best be described as "a surprise", the work to reopen the
> > Galati Russian-gauge line (which has been out of service for 22 years) has
> > actually not only happened, but about a month earlier than planned:
> >
> > <https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/81100/>
> >
> > There were videos going around a couple of weeks ago showing teams of
> > workers
> > replacing sleepers, track clips, and reballasting more or less entirely by
> > hand - with the explanation that there was no Russian-gauge track machinery
> > in
> > the country - in the more or less constant >30c heat we've enjoyed over the
> > last few weeks, so some credit due to the poor buggers working on it for
> > getting it done early. (I've no doubt the work has been done to a standard
> > befitting a freight-only connection in the middle of a war, but even so.)
> >
> >
> > Not sure the good people of the Port of Constanta will necessarily be
> > entirely
> > grateful, though - it's already groaning under the twin strains of being an
> > export route for Ukraine, and having been used as a holding ground for
> > containers that should have been delivered *to* Odessa but couldn't.
>
> It’s amazing how quickly things get done under the pressure of war. The
> tunnels dug into the rock of Gibraltar being a case in point.

Friends in the marine world tell me that Constanta “still has capacity”
and can take “many more grain shipments" from Ukraine if the rail link is
improved.

—
Ken
kwelsby [at] gmail.com