# Thailand: Ralilway Track Market



## GoldenSpike (Aug 12, 2009)

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featu...mae-klong/14139


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## jis (Aug 13, 2009)

The tendency in Asian countries is to build HSR completely grade separated and segregated through highly populated areas, i.e. 40 feet up on elevated structures way above the hustle and bustle below. So it should not be a problem at all should that corridor be deemed necessary for use of a HSR line.


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## DET63 (Aug 13, 2009)

In some Asian countries, the traditional railway systems are either broad- or narrow-gauge, while the HSRs are usually standard gauge, so building a totally grade-separated railway for HSR is not that much of an extra expense.


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## jis (Aug 13, 2009)

DET63 said:


> In some Asian countries, the traditional railway systems are either broad- or narrow-gauge, while the HSRs are usually standard gauge, so building a totally grade-separated railway for HSR is not that much of an extra expense.


This is certainly true where the existing railroad is Meter Gauge or Imperial Gauge (e.g. Japan). I am not aware of any country where the current predominant gauge is Broad Gauge in Asia that is building Standard Gauge HSR. It could happen but such is not the case yet and there are no such plans that I am aware of either.

Chances are when India gets around to building true HSR, which they will do sooner or later, they will build them using Broad Gauge and they will grade separate them through populated areas nonetheless, mainly so that they can make use of the existing station infrastructure in large metropolitan areas, which are all Broad Gauge.


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## DET63 (Aug 18, 2009)

jis said:


> DET63 said:
> 
> 
> > In some Asian countries, the traditional railway systems are either broad- or narrow-gauge, while the HSRs are usually standard gauge, so building a totally grade-separated railway for HSR is not that much of an extra expense.
> ...


What about India, a broad-gauge country? I believe you mentioned in another thread that India has a few standard-gauge lines, including a high-speed airport railway link.

In the case of India, would it ever consider an HSR line with connections to other countries? One problem with that would be that India's political relationships with its larger neighbors (especially China) are not too rosy. (In the case of China, the Himalayas would present another obstacle to an international HSR.)


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## jis (Aug 18, 2009)

DET63 said:


> In the case of India, would it ever consider an HSR line with connections to other countries? One problem with that would be that India's political relationships with its larger neighbors (especially China) are not too rosy. (In the case of China, the Himalayas would present another obstacle to an international HSR.)


International HSR is way too far in the future to seriously discuss at present I think. I surmise International connections will get built both to China and Burma over the next 20 or so years, and they will involve gauge change at the border. I don't believe any main line HSR in India will be built to any gauge other than Indian Broad Gauge.


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