Project HSR to La Mecca-Haramain Talgo train

The biggest challenge of a high speed railway

The construction of a high speed train that crosses the Saudi Arabian desert amidst strong winds, sandstorms, temperatures above 50 and other extreme conditions needed several innovations in the trains themselves, specific track systems, special materials and sand containment measures.

Phase II of the haramain High Speed Railway

Phase 2 of the Haramain High Speed Railway has represented an unprecedented technological and engineering challenge for the railway industry.

tonnes of tracks

times the weight of the Eiffel Tower

tonnes of ballast

the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza

metres of catenary cable

times the height of Mount Everest

tonnes of tracks

times the weight of the Eiffel Tower

tonnes of ballast

the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza

tonnes of ballast

times the height of Mount Everest

The challenge of the train of the desert

More than 1,500 people (especially people with engineering and technical profiles linked to the design, execution and management of railway projects) have worked on the design and construction of the trains, infrastructure and systems, as well as more than 7,000 indirect workers, with a large presence of Spanish technology suppliers.

Project Haramain HSR La Mecca-Medina effects of desert sand

Desert sand, an engineering challenge for all processes

Most of the technical studies were aimed to avoiding the potential effects of sand on the infrastructure, rails, systems and trains. For this purpose, the decision was taken to combine ballast construction with ballastless track construction (Rheda 2000) on the segments most exposed to storms and sand movement.

Haramain project The Train of the Desert leveling the tracks

Technical studies to avoid the impact on infrastructure

From the very beginning, the entire railway was monitored to detect the areas where most of the sand existed and accumulated. In addition, the potential impact of desert storms was thoroughly investigated. To mitigate its effects, retaining walls and sand traps were built.

Haramain Project The Train of the Desert manufactures sleepers

Factories for material supply in the middle of the desert

Six factories were set up on site in the middle of the desert for rail material supply, in order to guarantee the construction of the rails in time and with the required quality, and to have the materials needed close to the corresponding segments. Two of them manufactured prestressed concrete monoblock sleepers, reaching manufacturing ratios of ninety thousand units per month.

The train of the desert knowledge export

Export of knowledge

Phase 2 is carried out with Spanish technology, bringing in more than 25 years of experience as a leading country in the execution of high speed railways.