Qatar Integrated Railways
Transport Nodes
To Bahrain
Ras Laffan
Al Khor
Dukhan
To KSA
New Port
&
Mesaieed Al Wakra Education City
Lusail West Bay
Doha
1. Long Distance Passenger 2. Freight Transport
3. Metro System
Transport Modes
Long Distance Passenger
Ras Laffan
Dukhan
West Bay Central
NDIA Rail Terminal Doha - West
Camel-Race-Track
To Bahrain
To Saudi Arabia
Port Mesaieed Doha Triangle
Education City
Transport Capacity
1 unit, 4 coaches, 180 persons 360 persons, 2 coupled units Trip Times
NDIA-Manama (hourly train) 0:55 h NDIA-KSA Border (10 trains/day) 0:38 h Operating speed
NDIA-Manama 350 kph
NDIA-KSA 200-350 kph
Axle Load 25 t
Traction Power Electrical (AC)
25 kV / 50 Hz O/H Catenary No of Trains
Doha-Manama 8 Units
Doha-KSA 8 Units
Freight Transport
Ras Laffan
Dukhan
West Bay Central
NDIA Rail Terminal Doha - West
Camel-Race-Track
To Bahrain
To Saudi Arabia
Port Mesaieed Doha Triangle
Education City
Forecasted Volumes for Rail Freight
Transport Capacity
Loading per freight wagon 70 t or 2 container No of wagon per train 50
Operating speed 120 kph Max
Axle Load 25 t
No of Wagons 730
Traction Power Electrical (AC) 25 kV AC / 50 Hz O/H Catenary
Mio t Bulk Cargo Container
2016 0.4 0.1 0.2 10,000 C
2026 5.3 1.75 4.05 202,500 C
2041 2.92 1.95 13.9 695,000 C
Metro System
4 Lines
Red 103 units (3 cars-70m) Blue 12 units (3 cars–70m) Green 33 units (3 cars-70m) Golden 24 units (3 cars-70m) Transport Capacity
400 persons, 3 car train Train Frequency
Inner City Metro 2-10 min Regional Metro 30-60 min Operating speed
Standard ( driverless) 80 kph Regional Metro 130 kph
Axle Load 16 tons
Electrical Traction Power
Standard Metro 750 V DC / 3 rd Rail Regional Metro 25 kV AC / Catenary
West Bay Central West Bay Central
NDIA Rail Terminal NDIA Rail Terminal Education City
Education City
Lusail Lusail- -Marina Marina Lusai Centre
Lusai Centre Lusai North Lusai North
NDIA Airport NDIA Airport Terminal Terminal Al Rayyan South
Al Rayyan South
Ind. Area North Ind. Area North
North Gate North Gate
Ind. Area South Ind. Area South to Dukhan
to Ras Laffan
Key Data
• Metro Network Configuration
Metro Lines Red Line At-grade Tunnel Elevated
112 km 28 km 36 km Green Line
At-grade Tunnel Elevated
66 km 25 km 33 km Golden Line
At-grade Tunnel Elevated
3 km 15 km 20 km Blue Line
Tunnel Elevated
1 km 14 km
West Bay Central West Bay Central
NDIA Rail Terminal NDIA Rail Terminal Education City
Education City
Lusail Lusail- -Marina Marina Lusai Centre
Lusai Centre Lusai North Lusai North
NDIA Airport NDIA Airport Terminal Terminal Al Rayyan South
Al Rayyan South
Ind. Area North Ind. Area North
North Gate North Gate
Ind. Area South Ind. Area South to Dukhan
to Ras Laffan
QATAR
5
Gulf Times Thursday, March 12, 2009
Metro deal award by
‘year-end’
By Bonnie James Deputy News Editor
T he contract for the Doha Metro Network could be awarded by the end of this year, Con- structionWeekonline.com has reported quoting a consultant working on the project.
Plans currently under consideration of the Qatar government form one ‘clus- ter’ of a wider consolidated national railway network.
The wider network is de- signed to integrate fi ve rail- way systems planned across Qatar into a ‘comprehensive and consolidated national railway system.’
It was prepared by DB International, the inter- national wing of German railway company Deutsche Bahn, and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Compa- ny, according to Construc- tion Week.
Last August it was an- nounced that the two fi rms had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to devel- op the conceptual design.
Qatar’s Urban Planning and Development Authority is overseeing the work.
“The plans include Doha Metro as one cluster,” DB International spokesper- son Bernd Weiler told Con- struction Week.
“There are further clus- ters involving other forms of rail traffi c including a line to Bahrain and a line south to Saudi Arabia.” Weiler con- fi rmed that a presentation had been made last month to the Qatar government.
When asked by Con- struction Week how the government had received
the plan, he said: “I have read reports which are friendly but neutral.”
According to Doha’s ap- plication to host the 2016 Ol- ympic Games, phase one of the metro involves fi ve sec- tions, originally scheduled for a 2015 completion date.
But Qatar was eliminated from the running for the Olympics last June, making the 2015 completion unnec-
essary and unlikely.
PTV Doha manager Steve Cole, who is also involved in the wider masterplan, told Construction Week that the construction timetable, in- cluding the contract type, would not be agreed on until
‘the second half of this year.’
“The kind of metro they are looking at is mostly underground, which takes time,” Cole added.
The fi rst section, run- ning 30km from the under- construction Lusail mega- project to the New Doha International Airport, was valued at $1.65bn (QR6bn) in the Olympic application.
The four further sec-
tions, originally set to break
ground between 2010 and
2012, run a total of 55km
and were valued collectively
at $3bn.
QIC contest winner
Qatar Insurance Company CEO Ali Al Mannai presenting a cheque of QR75,000 to Ines Akari, the first winner of “Insure & Gain” contest. There will be four more draws as part of the contest till December. Customers stand a chance of winning the value of their insured car in the contest.
02
THURSDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2010HOME
www.pen.com.qa
Toyota introduces 2011 Avalon
DOHA: Toyota has intro- duced the boldly redesigned 2011 Avalon. Evoking a time when travel was sophisticated, elegant and comfortable, the new Avalon possesses a distinc- tive new exterior style while offering a restyled interior rich with premium touch points and practical new technologies.
Even with numerous refine- ments inside and out, the Avalon remains true to the idea that comfort is honest and uncomplicated, and “Travelling Avalon Class” is rich in simple, familiar pleasures.
The new Avalon has dynamic and expressive lines, and an infu- sion of comfort, safety and tech- nology advancements that enrich the driving experience.
Dynamic new exterior The car has been restyled to project an elegant, outgoing pres- ence. A wider, more substantial grille ties into state-of-the-art projector headlamps, working with a broad, undisturbed front hood to suggest a lowered cen- tre of gravity and emphasise the Avalon’s wide stance.
The new headlamps, which combine multi-reflector halogen high beams with halogen or HID low beams, utilise light pipes to
create a signature, night-time appearance. The front fog lamps, now integrated into a trapezoi- dal front bumper, provide a wider angle of illumination.
Viewed from the side, the New Avalon is enhanced by additional use of chrome trim, redesigned rocker panels, and glare-resist- ant outer mirrors with inte- grated turn signals. New 17-inch wheels on the Limited grade feature a 10-spoke design with a mirror finish.
At the rear of the car, iden- tification is cleanly defined by a single Avalon logo located above the license plate. Dual-exhaust pipes are integrated into the cuta- way trapezoid shape of the lower bumper for a modern image.
Taillights have been reshaped to reduce turbulence at the rear, helping to create a lower coeffi- cient of drag.
The new lights integrate stop, turn and side marker lighting functions in one combined lamp.
Unique LED light pipes with dark aluminised sides and both clear and red lenses project a modern appearance.
Spacious Interior Built For Comfort
The new interior has been designed with a contemporary
style. It remains generously spa- cious and elegant, fitted with comfortable seating and thought- fully integrated amenities.
Coordinated colours and rich wood-grain materials have been carefully chosen to convey an optimistic attitude and modern essence.
Standard leather-trimmed front seats and seatbacks on the Limited are fitted with ventila- tion systems and an enlarged perforation area to help keep them cool. Interior seats feature thicker stitching, which provides an elegant accent to the interior design. Active front headrests are also standard.
The rear seating area is con- figured to seat three passengers comfortably, with ample legroom and reclining rear seats.
The rear headrests have also been reshaped and enlarged for better support, and a convenient flip-down centre armrest provides storage when the middle seat is not in use.
A power rear sunshade, deploy- able via a one-touch lever, filters direct sunlight coming through the rear window. The sun- shadeautomatically detracts when the driver selects reverse gear.
THE PENINSULA
Cambridge schoolgirls shine at IGCSE
DOHA: Students of the Cambridge School for Girls were upbeat after the announcement of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examina- tions results last week.
Of the class of 14 students, two girls deserve special mention — Mai Almokadem (pictured) who received 3 A*s, 4 As and one B grade and Eman Eltorky who scored 4As, 3As and one B. Three other students received two or more A grades.
The principal of the school, Margaret Beresford, was pleased as punch: “They are a marked step up from last year and pro- vide a solid basis for the Year 12 A levels. These results confirm
that our way of teaching and the Cambridge School for Girls head girl, Mai Almokadem with Principal Margaret Beresford.
Gold coins in high demand as price surges
DOHA: Bullion traders reported brisk sale of gold yes- terday even as the yellow met- al’s prices hit a record high in the local market at the close of business hours.
Pure or 24-carat gold was sell- ing at an incredible QR161 per gram as the upward price curve inched up further due to global investors increasingly taking ref- uge in assets seen as safe—which gold always is.
Nepalese, Indians and Indonesians, particularly, made a beeline to buy pure gold for investment. “It’s a good invest- ment bet indeed in these days of uncertainties,” said an Indian buyer. He said he believed the prices would go up further so this was the best time to buy.
“I would have bought earlier but waited for the prices to fall a bit.
That never happened, though,”
he said not giving his name. “We
have more Nepalese buyers of the precious metal,” an official from Al Fardan Exchange which also deals in bullion, told this news- paper. “But the second largest buyers are Indians followed by Indonesians,” the official added.
According to him, Nepalese buyers mostly prefer one and two-tola coins while the Indians, Indonesians and others went in for coins of various denomina- tions in grams. One tola, a meas- ure quite popular in South Asia, is a little more than 11 grammes.
As for the standard 116 gram gold biscuit which is quite popu- lar with South Asians, its price reached a historic high of QR17,712 in the local market yesterday. It may be recalled that at the dawn of the current decade when many western countries were offload- ing their gold reserves, the prices of the yellow metal had taken a nosedive. THE PENINSULA
Indians, Nepalese major buyers
COINS/BISCUIT PRICE 116-gm biscuit QR17,712
1-tola coin QR1,801
2-tola coin QR3,580
10-gm coin QR1,547
20-gm coin QR3,077
PRICES OF 24-CARAT GOLD COINS
Courtesy: Al Fardan Exchange
Ritz-Carlton launches loyalty scheme
DUBAI: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has introduced its highly- anticipated luxury frequent guest stay programme — The Ritz- Carlton Rewards. Creation of The Ritz-Carlton Rewards is based on strong customer feedback and demand for a world-class loyalty programme that goes far beyond providing complimentary stays and airline flights, and recognises its members with a broad selection of unique travel experiences.
“No other luxury hotel company comes close to providing such a full range of opportunities to earn and redeem points and experience some truly exceptional and exotic adven- tures,” said Herve Humler, president and chief operating officer, The Ritz- Carlton Hotel Company. “We have already brought together some of the most exclusive names in luxury travel and retail including world class travel
provider Abercrombie and Kent;
National Geographic Expeditions Photography Workshops; fashion icon, Vera Wang; and Neiman Marcus, one of the top luxury retailers in the US. This is just the beginning. We will continue to add global partners offering our members the very best in customised and one-of-a-kind memo- rable experiences.”
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards’ part- ners offer unique access available only to members, including Abercrombie
& Kent members — only tours in locations such as China, Turkey and Egypt; special customer events and a half-day personal shopping experi- ence with fashion experts at Neiman Marcus featuring a private consul- tation, fashion show, lunch, facial and make-up application; multi- day photography workshops with National Geographic’s renowned photographers at Ritz-Carlton
hotels and resorts in locations such as San Francisco and Miami; and the opportunity to redeem points for credit toward wedding gowns and other select products designed by celebrated designer Vera Wang.
Members will also be able to redeem points for flights on 31 of the world’s major airlines.
Membership will be complimen- tary and guests are invited to enroll by going online at ritzcarltonre- wards.com, visiting any Ritz-Carlton hotel front desk or by contacting The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Guest Services at 44 (0) 20 3027 2893 in the Middle East and 353 21 493 9122 in Dubai.
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards mem- bers will earn 10 points per dollar spent on the room rate at Ritz-Carlton hotels and can redeem points for stays at Ritz-Carlton hotels.
THE PENINSULA
Skills Center ceremony at ICC today
DOHA: The Skills Development Center will hold a cere- mony at the Indian Cultural Center today at 6pm to mark the conclu- sion of its summer activities. The event will feature dances and songs by par- ticipants of the two- month long summer programmes. Dance and music teachers Kalamandalam Devi, Shreeja and Sileeb Kumar will also per- form. A Karate show by Shahabuddin will also be held.
THE PENINSULA
GREATER DOHA METRO AND INTER GCC RAILWAY NETWORK
Long Distance Travel Times NDIA Doha
Main Station
West Bay Central
Education City
Al Khor Ras Laffan
Dukhan Bahrain (GCC)
Dammam Abu Dhabi
Dubai Fujairah Muscat
NDIA -- 00.10 00.17 00.28 00.48 01.02 01.08 01.21 01.45 03.06 03.28 04.57 06.19
Doha Main Station 00.10 -- 00.05 00.23 00.35 0.50 0.53 01.09 02.10 03.31 03.53 04:50 06:12
West Bay Central 00.17 00.05 -- 00.09 00.29 00.43 00.46 01.02 02.17 03.38 04.00 04.45 06.05
Education City 00.18 00.23 00.09 -- 00.43 00.58 00.34 00.51 02.28 03.49 04.11 04.34 05.54
Doha West 00.40 00.25 00.16 00.05 -- -- 00.28 00.47 02.48 03.04 03.31 04.14 05.34
Al Khor 00.48 00.35 00.29 00.41 -- 00.13
Ras Laffan 01.02 00.50 00.43 00.58 00.13 --
Bahrain GCC 01.21 01.09 01.02 00.51 DOHA: Places like Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat, among other key Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) cities, are to be linked to Doha through an inter-regional rail network.
Details available suggest that once trains begin plying on GCC routes after the railway
projects are completed, one could travel to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) capital of Abu Dhabi, for example, in three hours and six minutes and to Dubai in three hours and 26 minutes.
Similarly, the train to Muscat, the Omani capital, would take six hours and 19 minutes
from Doha. And from the New Doha International Airport, the travel distance to Bahrain would be 1 hour and 21 minutes.
The following table shows travel time to destinations within Qatar (through local rail network) and in the GCC after the rail projects are completed. THE PENINSULA
