At the railway station of Atamurat not far from railway station there is a pointwork under the number 11. Rails from here run not only in the direction of Atamurat-Kerkichi railway bridge through Amudarya and further – to the right bank, where intensive development of the richest natural resources are being carried out, but also to the borders of neighboring Afghanistan.
On June 5, 2013, here in the south of Lebap, it was held solemn ceremony of laying of steel main Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan with participation of the heads of three neighboring states. As President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and President of Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon noted in their speeches, new railway will become bright symbol of real neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation, create wide possibilities for efficient realization of transit and transport potential of three countries and their active integration into system of modern international economic relations.
In the first stage, according to the relevant Memorandum signed by the heads of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan in March of the current year, it is envisaged the construction of two sections of steel main. The first is an 85-kilometer long line Atamyrat-Ymamnazar on the territory of our country and the second – a 3-kilometer long length from Ymamnazar up to Akina settlement on the Afghan part.
Main volume of works is realized by the personnel of construction train #2 from city on Amyderya, which was entrusted with construction of banks. Formation was raised by several meters over sands and it is prevented from flood and washing out in the case of abundant precipitations.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to realize the construction of new steel main without water. Grounds, being extracted from nearby quarries by means of the Japanese excavators “Comatsu”, are laid layer-by-layer in banks. Earth mass is uninterruptedly delivered and unloaded by two tens of powerful Russian dump trucks “KrAZ”. Here, it is leveled by bulldozers and graders of the famous American brand “Caterpillar”, and after preliminary moistening, passed with road roller. Over fifty kinds of different technique from the best world manufacturers are activated at the sites in Garagum.
People work on shift work arrangement. Practically all builders labored before at laying of such railroads as Turkmenabat-Atamyrat, Tejen-Serahs-Meshkhed, Ashgabat-Garagum-Dashoguz, as well as in construction of transnational steel main Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran. Now within nearly a quarter of century of the country’s independence, another bright page is whitened into their labor biography.
Immediately after Lebap employees, their Mary colleagues continue the line among dunes. They lay the rails by means of special stock, which has self-propelled crane in front and diesel locomotives – behind. This unusual train has completely essential reserve of materials. There are hoists on the boom of crane. One of them by turns cover the link, and another one moves hand trucks. Such operation always strikes, because, within several minutes after attachment of new link, the steel path noticeably becomes longer before eyes.
Looking at weather-beaten and sunburnt faces of tracklayers, one can be convinced that they are hard pressed on the line. They always work under open air. In winter, the frost pesters in the desert, and in summer, it is difficult because of heat of dunes. In any time of the year, “the Afghan” – strong southern wind is blowing. It raises dense sandy veil, and then, it is impossible to see even in several tens of meters. Cane protective gratings with woody - shrubby plants inside have been dug along laid railroad for its protection from moving sands and their consolidation. And counter to natural conditions, the steel main runs far and far to the south…
On the line, it was envisaged the construction of railway stations – Gulistan and Ymamnazar, various facilities of infrastructure, and two railway bridges through Garagum River. All this means that new life will come to the desert regions of the south of Lebap and they will get rapid development. Here, it is also worth mentioning that experience of national specialists will be essential in development of technical and economic assessments and construction of steel main from Ymamnazar up to Afghan settlement Akina.
But even with completion of works only on the territory of our country, new 85-kilometer long line will give tangible economic benefit. By rails, it will be possible to deliver to Ymamnazar a large volume of petrol and diesel fuel, being produced at Seydi Oil Refinery. Another kind of export product of this large enterprise can become bitumen corresponding with the international standards. On the border with Afghanistan along railroad, it will be possible to deliver high-quality cement of various brands from the plant in Garlyk on the right bank of Amyderya, which was recently commissioned and fitted with the latest equipment. (Powerful modern ore-dressing and processing complex is constructed there for production of potash fertilizers demanded everywhere).
In a word, in spite of relatively short length as compared with other railways, the steel main being laid in complicated natural and climatic conditions is of important strategic significance.
On June 5, 2013, here in the south of Lebap, it was held solemn ceremony of laying of steel main Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan with participation of the heads of three neighboring states. As President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and President of Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon noted in their speeches, new railway will become bright symbol of real neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation, create wide possibilities for efficient realization of transit and transport potential of three countries and their active integration into system of modern international economic relations.
In the first stage, according to the relevant Memorandum signed by the heads of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan in March of the current year, it is envisaged the construction of two sections of steel main. The first is an 85-kilometer long line Atamyrat-Ymamnazar on the territory of our country and the second – a 3-kilometer long length from Ymamnazar up to Akina settlement on the Afghan part.
Main volume of works is realized by the personnel of construction train #2 from city on Amyderya, which was entrusted with construction of banks. Formation was raised by several meters over sands and it is prevented from flood and washing out in the case of abundant precipitations.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to realize the construction of new steel main without water. Grounds, being extracted from nearby quarries by means of the Japanese excavators “Comatsu”, are laid layer-by-layer in banks. Earth mass is uninterruptedly delivered and unloaded by two tens of powerful Russian dump trucks “KrAZ”. Here, it is leveled by bulldozers and graders of the famous American brand “Caterpillar”, and after preliminary moistening, passed with road roller. Over fifty kinds of different technique from the best world manufacturers are activated at the sites in Garagum.
People work on shift work arrangement. Practically all builders labored before at laying of such railroads as Turkmenabat-Atamyrat, Tejen-Serahs-Meshkhed, Ashgabat-Garagum-Dashoguz, as well as in construction of transnational steel main Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran. Now within nearly a quarter of century of the country’s independence, another bright page is whitened into their labor biography.
Immediately after Lebap employees, their Mary colleagues continue the line among dunes. They lay the rails by means of special stock, which has self-propelled crane in front and diesel locomotives – behind. This unusual train has completely essential reserve of materials. There are hoists on the boom of crane. One of them by turns cover the link, and another one moves hand trucks. Such operation always strikes, because, within several minutes after attachment of new link, the steel path noticeably becomes longer before eyes.
Looking at weather-beaten and sunburnt faces of tracklayers, one can be convinced that they are hard pressed on the line. They always work under open air. In winter, the frost pesters in the desert, and in summer, it is difficult because of heat of dunes. In any time of the year, “the Afghan” – strong southern wind is blowing. It raises dense sandy veil, and then, it is impossible to see even in several tens of meters. Cane protective gratings with woody - shrubby plants inside have been dug along laid railroad for its protection from moving sands and their consolidation. And counter to natural conditions, the steel main runs far and far to the south…
On the line, it was envisaged the construction of railway stations – Gulistan and Ymamnazar, various facilities of infrastructure, and two railway bridges through Garagum River. All this means that new life will come to the desert regions of the south of Lebap and they will get rapid development. Here, it is also worth mentioning that experience of national specialists will be essential in development of technical and economic assessments and construction of steel main from Ymamnazar up to Afghan settlement Akina.
But even with completion of works only on the territory of our country, new 85-kilometer long line will give tangible economic benefit. By rails, it will be possible to deliver to Ymamnazar a large volume of petrol and diesel fuel, being produced at Seydi Oil Refinery. Another kind of export product of this large enterprise can become bitumen corresponding with the international standards. On the border with Afghanistan along railroad, it will be possible to deliver high-quality cement of various brands from the plant in Garlyk on the right bank of Amyderya, which was recently commissioned and fitted with the latest equipment. (Powerful modern ore-dressing and processing complex is constructed there for production of potash fertilizers demanded everywhere).
In a word, in spite of relatively short length as compared with other railways, the steel main being laid in complicated natural and climatic conditions is of important strategic significance.
