RTA to conduct trial run of Dubai Metro

The technical trial run of Dubai Metro on the test track at Jebel Ali, in a sector extending 11km from Ibn Battuta Station to JAFZA Station will be conducted soon, according to a senior official of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which is carrying out the AED15.5-billion Dubai Metro project, said "the train will undergo full tests to monitor noise; wobbling and electromechanical compatibility for early detection of any trouble to address these before passenger service is provided starting September 9, 2009."

He also said that a direct electrical current of 750v will be connected and the train can run at a maximum speed of 90 kilometres per hour on the test track.

"These tests follow the technical trial run conducted at the test track at Wadawaki Factory at Mitsubishi Heavy Industry in Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan, where the train readiness was checked to ensure functionality of all control systems under various operational circumstances", he added.

Tayer pointed out that the trial runs in Japan lasted for several months before the cars were shipped to Dubai. The first batch of Dubai Metro carriages, consisting of 10 cars, arrived in Dubai recently.

After the test run for two months, three to four trains will start arriving every month from June onwards. Around 44 trains will run on the Red Line at the time of its launching. Once fully operational, a total of 79 trains will run on both the Metro lines, including 62 on the 52.1-km- long Red Line and 17 trains on the 22.5km Green Line, reports published by the UAE dailies said today.

Dubai Metro is the world's first driverless metro line constructed 75 Kilometres as one unit. The total length of the two lines is about 75 kilometres, 52 kilometres of which are under the Red Line, and 23 kilometres under the Green Line. Total number of stations is 47, of which 29 stations under the Red Line (four underground and 25 elevated stations) and 18 stations under the Green Line (six underground and 12 elevated stations). WAM

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60pc of Dubai Metro's Red Line complete

The Rail Agency of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is working hard to make September, 9, 2009 the "golden date" when the Red Line commences operations, according to an RTA Press release.
The Line, which is mostly elevated, will snake its way from the Rashidyah through central Dubai and along the Shaikh Zayed highway — passing numerous landmarks — until it reaches Jebel Ali on the outskirts of the city.
With 60 per cent of the work almost completed on the line, it has achieved phenomenal milestones which include the completion of the tunnelling work before schedule, and the construction of the Main Power Station in Jebel Ali.

A drive along Shaikh Zayed road will definitely give any commuter a picture of the long stretch of viaducts being built with almost 60 per cent of the total viaduct stretch on the line completed. Complementing the viaducts are the stations which have been slowly taking shape.

Adnan Al Hammadi, Director of Construction, Rail Projects, said, "Substructures, Piers, Concourse and Mezzanine for stations like Jebel Ali Industrial, Dubal, Ibn Batuta, Al Barsha and Burj Al Arab are completed. Piling works for the stations and viaducts at Rashidyah, Emirates and Garhoud are completed while the steel structure for the station with cladding is completed at terminal 3. Around 55 per cent of the work at Jebel Ali Depot is completed. The depot will consist of an Operation Control Centre, Main Power Station, and a yard equipped to store 44 trains and conduct regular service and maintenance of the trains."

With the civil and construction works making substantial progress on the Red Line, the Rail Agency of the RTA is gearing up for the commencement of test track operations in August 2008 with the first train demonstration on the Red Line targeted for May 2008. The test track is being laid between Ibn Battuta to Jebel Ali Depot and comprises around 10 kms of track. WAM

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10-year operation and maintenance contract for the Dubai Metro to UK services provider

The operational needs of the Dubai Metro will generate over 3200 new jobs, with up to 50% of the positions to be filled by UAE nationals, the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced.

The RTA has awarded the 10-year operation and maintenance contract for the Dubai Metro to UK services provider firm Serco, the authority said on Monday.

Mattar Al Tayer, executive director of the RTA, declined to disclose the value of the contract; however in a statement last year, Serco said the contract was valued at more than 2.9 billion dirhams ($790 million).

The contract stipulates that eventually up to 50% of Dubai Metro employees must be UAE nationals, Al Tayer said.

By the end of the 10-year contract with Serco, the percentage of Emiratis employed at the Dubai Metro could be 80%, he added.

Under the contract terms, Serco will run the Dubai Metro operations control centre, provide train attendants and station staff while maintaining track and station facilities.

Serco currently operates a range of metro and rail systems world-wide, including the Docklands Light Railway in London and metro systems in the US and Australia. The Dubai Metro operation will become the firm’s largest metro operation.

The first two lines of the metro, red and green, are expected to have a combined length of 75 km, with the red line to come online in September 2009, followed by the green line in March 2010.

The red line will run from Al Maktoum International Airport, around the American University, through the city centre, and to the Airport Free Zone.

The green line will run from Festival City, through the city centre, on to service Dubai International Airport Terminals 1 and 3, and on to Rashidiya.

A 47 km blue line will run along Dubai's busy Emirates Road, although the exact route is currently unknown.

The fourth service, a 49 km purple line that will connect Dubai International Airport with the planned Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali, will be added later.

The RTA is planning up to eight metro lines that will link major destinations across the emirate.

The authority is also yet to announce the fare prices for a journey on the trains, which are predicted to carry 200 million passengers per year. Source

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Emaar Industries and Investments(EII) wins Dubai Metro deal

Mammut Building Systems (MBS) has won a contract to build two auxiliary depots at the Dubai Metro project in Al Rashidiya and Jebel Ali.

MBS, a subsidiary of Emaar Industries and Investments (EII) and one of the region's largest manufacturers of pre-engineered steel buildings (PEBs) has been awarded two contracts by Dubai Rapid Link (DURL).

MBS will build multi-span and clear-span buildings using high strength steel over a total built-up area of 109,000 sq/m.

More than 1,900 metric tonnes of steel will be used in the construction of the buildings in Jebel Ali and over 4,000 metric tonnes will be used in Al Rashidiya. DURL is one of the main subcontractors for the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai Metro project.

EII chief executive officer Dr Ahmad Khayyat said the contract by MBS for building auxiliary depots for the Dubai Metro project illustrates the strong inroads made by the company following its partnership with EII.

"MBS is a market leader in pre-engineered steel buildings - a technology that is fast gaining ground in the region for its cost-effectiveness and durability."

MBS, a division of Mammut Group, is the first company in the world to create three-dimensional drawing for all its buildings thus achieving zero per cent detailing errors.

"We have extensive expertise in undertaking complex structures and our contract for the prestigious Dubai Metro project enables us to be part of a landmark infrastructure development in the region," said MBS managing director Bob Webster.

"The deal further cements our reputation as the leader in PEBs, and underscores our capabilities to undertake complex and large-scale projects," Mr Webster said.

MBS, established in 1997, provides PEB applications for factories, cold stores, distribution centres, warehouses, workshops, exhibition halls, showrooms, aircraft hangars, worker accommodation, supermarkets and shopping malls.

EII acquired a majority stake in MBS and assists MBS in its plans to raise production capacity from 6,000 tonnes per month to 12,000 tonnes per month, and build a structural steel division.

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Metro trains arrive in Dubai

The first Dubai Metro train engine and five passenger cars have been loaded aboard a cargo vessel in Japan and now arrived in Dubai.
Late last year, the same train exited the Japanese factory for test trials including climatic and operational speed tests at Mihara test track near Hiroshima.

The tests were conducted under the supervision of top RTA officials, including Mohammad Essa Al Rowaished, Director of Planning and Development.

The trains will operate at speeds of up to 100 km/h and will be driverless – trains will be managed from a central control room with only the latest electronic and computerised driver systems.

The Red Line is expected to be operational by September 9, 2009.

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Dubai Metro progress

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday inspected the 75km-long Dubai Metro project, which is being executed at a total cost of Dh15 billion.
The project is executed in two phases, and the first phase will be completed by September 2009.

Accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and other high ranking officials, Shaikh Mohammed took a car through the Metro tunnel linking Al Ittihad and Al Riqqa stations.
He was briefed by engineer Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Board Chairman and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai on progress of the Dubai Metro project, which begins from Al Ittihad Square in Deira, where four tunnels link the main Al Ittihad station with BurJuman and Al Riqqa stations on the red line and, Baniyas and Salahuddin stations on the Green Line.
Shaikh Mohammed drove 930 metres inside the tunnel from Al Ittihad to Al Riqqa stations, where he ensured the international specifications and standards implemented in the project, which will be the single integrated and the longest ever worldwide project to be operated without a driver.
Al Tayer briefed Shaikh Mohammed about the details of Dubai Metro project. He said the project includes 47 stations with 16,000 employees — engineers, administrators, technicians and workers.
He noted that the passenger capacity of the main Al Ittihad station touches 35,000 passengers per hour, adding “it will be two-storey station, including commercial shops, service premises with escalators to facilitate movement of people inside the station whose length is 240 metres and width 40 metres.
Al Tayer also briefed Shaikh Mohammed on the Red Line, which is the first phase of the project, adding that it has 29 stations at length of 29km, four of the stations are underground and 25 stations up, while the Green Line, which is the second phase of the project, has 18 stations with a length of 23km, of which six of the stations are underground and 12 stations up.
The metro, whose speed is 40km/h, has five apartments — one of them will be allocated to women and children. At the end of the tour, Shaikh Mohammed urged the officials and engineers to ensure the safety measures and the last touching of the project such as lighting, interior design, cleanliness and others. Source

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Test Track planned for Dubai Metro

In order to test the rolling stock and primary rail systems for the Red Line, a Test Track is planned to be provided between Ibn Battuta Station, and Jebel Ali Auxiliary Depot.
The Test Track comprises approximately 10 kilometres of the permanent works including viaduct and at grade sections.
A test Track is necessary to undertake the level of testing needed to ensure delivery of the operating railway in compliance with performance requirements. 'Partial Integrated Testing' will be undertaken of all rail systems under the control of a temporary Operations Control Centre (OCC) to be established at Jebel Ali Auxiliary Depot.
Abdulmajid Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer of Rail Agency, said, "The delivery of the test track is the most vital component of the entire Dubai Metro Project. This will allow us to receive trains, test them and release them for service once the entire line is completed. The test track will also enable us to detect problems early and enable us to rectify anomalies before we go into full service" Factory testing of rolling stock will be undertaken prior to shipment to Dubai at the Mihara Test Site in Japan. New trains will start to arrive in Dubai approximately in February 2008 and each vehicle will be subjected to various safety and functional tests before it is put into service when the system is opened for revenue operation.
As more stations and track areas are completed the Partial Integrated Testing will be expanded accordingly until test running is also undertaken on the remaining 40km of the Red Line.
When traction power on for the remainder of the whole line is achieved, Partial Integrated Testing and commissioning for the whole rail system will continue and verification tests will be undertaken to enable transfer of control from the temporary partial OCC towards full control by the 'permanent' OCC located at Rashidiya Depot. Testing is currently scheduled to commence in August 2008.
Following the testing period, trial operations will be carried out for a number of weeks to ensure the smooth running of the rail system prior to operations commencing in September 2009.
Testing and commissioning of the rail system will take around 10 months followed by 2 months of trial operations prior to full operation to the public.
Adnan Al Hammadi, Construction Director stated that "Currently we are trying to bring testing of the section between Dubal and Jebel Ali Industrial stations (about 2km) forward to April 2008 to take advantage of early availability of power supplies. The test track work progress represents a key milestone in the construction phase of the entire project. The construction of the test track will be a key milestone achievement in the delivery of Dubai Metro". Source

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Metro’s first train to arrive in March 2008

The Roads and Transport Authority’s Rail Agency has announced that the manufacturing of trains for Dubai Metro is well on schedule in Japan. The first train will be delivered in March 2008.
Rail Agency’s Director of Construction Adnan Hammadi said, “As scheduled, each train will be approximately 85 metres long, 2.78 metres wide and 3.86 metres high with five cars, 3 motor cars and 2 trailer cars.”
“The train equipment tests commenced in June 2007 at their respective suppliers’ premises, mainly in Japan, as well as in France and Germany. These tests were carried out in order to ensure that the train and its equipments are compliant with the project specifications and international best practices as well as fit for local environmental conditions,” he said.
The first train will be ready by October 2007 after which it will be delivered to Dubai for testing and commissioning, starting in March 2008.
Altogether 44 sets will be delivered for the Red Line to commence revenue service in September 2009. Source

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Dubai Metro trains will run from 5am to 12.30am

The daily run time for the Dubai Metro will be from 5am to 12.30am - about 19 hours and 30 minutes every day, said a senior official.
Passengers will not be able to ride trains at night from 12.30am to 5am. The first train will start at 5am and the operation will be suspended soon after midnight at 12.30am.
"Break is necessary for maintenance of trains and safe operation," said Engineer Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Agency.
Each train will stop at every station and dwell time [time for each stop] will vary according to the ridership (commuter count) of each station. However, stopping time at each station will be between 20 and 30 seconds.
Total trip time from Al Rashidiya to Jebel Ali Port on the Red Line - 52.1 km long will be 60 to 63 minutes. This will be under all conditions regardless of traffic jams and weather conditions. Runtime for the Green Line is not yet known. The average train speed will be 110 km per hour.
Earlier, Al Tayer, who held a meeting with a delegation from Singapore led by Delib Nayr, Consul General of Singapore in Dubai, briefed the delegation about Dubai Metro and the public transport system being adopted in Dubai.
The delegation also gave a presentation about operation of metro in Singapore and offered to cooperate with the RTA on its metro and public bus transport project.
Red Line work
The Dh15.5 billion metro project was launched in October 2005 and it is the world's largest system, which will use fully automated and driverless trains.
Currently, major work is under way on the 52.1 km Red Line between Jebel Ali Port and Al Rashidiya.
Once completed, some 87 trains will initially run on Red and Green Lines with a total length of 74.6 km. A fully functional metro system will be able to carry about 1.8 million passengers every working day.
"The aims of the Metro are to provide an alternative mode of transport to ease congestion, save passengers' travelling time and improve mobility within the city.
"It is intended to provide transport coverage and reach all strategic areas of the city and develop the network to branch out into the suburbs with future extensions," said Al Tayer. Source

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Dubai Metro on track for 2009 opening

Dubai's Dhs15.5 billion ($4.2 billion) Metro rail system is on target to open in September 2009, according to the Road Traffic Association (RTA), which is managing the project.Around 7,000 people are working around the clock on the project at different sites across the city. Once completed, 87 fully automated, driverless, trains will run on the Red and Green Lines, which will comprise over 75 kilometres of track.
Almost 2 million people will be able to use the Metro when it is completed.Dubai's RTA is planning for the Metro to form the backbone of an integrated public transport system. Bus routes and stops will be organised around the railway, making it accessible without the use of private cars for most communities in Dubai. Taxi stations and Park & Ride facilities will be included in key Metro stations to further enhance the central role of the Metro System.Passengers will be able to buy tickets or electronic passes that will allow travel on both buses, trains and perhaps even trams in the future.

Details released yesterday confirmed that there will be a total of 47 stations. The 52 kilometre Red Line, which will eventually run from the Airport Free Zone to Jebel Ali via the International Airport and Sheikh Zayed Road, will have 29 stations. The 22.5 kilometre Green Line will begin in Rashidya, loop round Deira City Centre and Healthcare City, before ending almost back at its starting point at Festival City. It will have 18 stations.The lines will cross at Union Square and BurJuman Centre, where passengers will be able to change trains.Unlike most urban transport systems in the West, Dubai's Metro will have segregated carriages for different types of passengers.The more expensive Golden Class will offer a greater level of comfort than Silver Class. There will also be a family carriage for women and children on each train. Source

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Dubai Metro Project is Moving Ahead on the Right Track

The Dh15.5 billion metro project launched in October 2005 has entered its 19th month of construction work, out of a total of 49 months. Around 7,000 people are working on the project at different sites across the city. The number is set to increase as construction work on the Green Line is gaining pace. Major construction work is going on at the 52.1km Red Line between Jebel Ali Port and Al Rashidiya. Work continues round-the-clock at most sites and is on schedule. It is being completed in record time and residents will see a trial run of the train from June to August 2009, before boarding the train in September 2009, a report by the Gulf News daily said today.Once completed, some 87 trains will initially run on the Red and Green Lines - a total of 74.6 kilometres. It is the world's largest system, which will use fully automated and driverless trains. There will be a total of 47 stations (in addition to station on the extension lines). The Red Line will have 29 stations, including 24 elevated, four underground and one at ground-level. This line is 52.1 km long, including 4.7 km underground. The Green Line will have 18 stations, including 12 elevated and six underground. The Green Line is 22.5 km long, including 7.9 km underground.There will be two transfer stations ? Union Square and the BurJuman Centre. At the transfer stations, Green and Red Lines will cross each other and passengers will be able to change between lines. Work on metro stations will continue into 2008. All elevated stations on the Red Line will be completed by the beginning of 2008, while the underground stations will be complete by early 2009.Tunnelling work for the underground lines of the Dubai Metro started in February. There will be a total of 12.3km of underground metro line. A tailor-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) is being used to excavate the tunnel.The tunnel will cross the Creek at a depth of 11 metres below the seabed. The average tunnel depth will be 18 metres while the maximum will be 28 metres. A fully functional metro system will be able to carry about 1.8 million passengers every working day. The interior of the trains is based on a water and air theme and every train will have five compartments. Every train will have three classes ? The Golden Class (VIP), the Women and Children's Class and the Silver Class (economy). All compartments will have reserved wheelchair spaces for special needs people. There will be a policy of priority seating for elderly, injured, special needs people and pregnant women. The compartments will be equipped with audio visual devices. Visual and audio announcement facilities will be available to serve people, especially those with special needs. Clear signage will show the route map of the metro and other directions for passengers. A variety of safety devices, including closed circuit television in all trains will ensure a safe and comfortable journey for all. The metro system will not remain confined to the Red and Green Lines. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is working on designs for the Blue and Purple Lines. Source WAM

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