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Al Boraq

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Al Boraq
An ONCF Al Boraq Alstom RGV2N2 high-speed trainset at the Tanger-Ville railway station, November 2018
Overview
Native nameالبُراق
StatusActive
OwnerMorocco
LocaleMorocco
Termini
Service
TypeHigh-speed rail
Operator(s)ONCF
Rolling stockEuroduplex
Ridership> 5 million (2023)[1]
History
Opened15 November 2018; 6 years ago (15 November 2018)[2]
Technical
Line length350 km (220 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification
Operating speed320 km/h (200 mph)
Route map

Al Boraq (Arabic: البُراق, romanized: al-burāq)[3] is a 323-kilometre (201 mi) high-speed rail service between Casablanca and Tangier in Morocco. The first of its kind on the African continent, it opened on 15 November 2018 after a decade of planning and construction by ONCF, Morocco's national railway company.

On the 186 km (116 mi) section from Tangier to Kenitra, trains run on a dedicated high-speed line and travels up to 320 km/h (199 mph). For the final 137 km (85 mi), trains run on an upgraded mainline from Kenitra through Rabat and Morocco’s most populous corridor to Casablanca.[4]

It is the first phase of the country's planned 1,500-kilometre (932 mi) high-speed rail network.[5]

Name

[edit]

King Mohammed VI of Morocco named the service Al Boraq (البُراق) after the creature in Islamic tradition believed to have transported some prophets,[6] including the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem during the night journey.

History

[edit]

Early studies into the feasibility of high-speed rail in Morocco began in 2003, and by 2006 the route between Tangier and Kenitra had been identified as being among the first lines to be constructed.[7] In 2007, preliminary agreements to manage the project were signed, and ONCF announced plans to purchase 18 Alstom trainsets.[7][8] In 2008, ONCF said that it planned to begin construction that year, with operations to begin in 2013.[7]

Al Boraq RGV2N2 in Tangier.

Financing was not finalised until February 2010, when ONCF signed agreements worth 20 billion dirhams (DH).[9] Direct investments came from the Moroccan government, which allocated DH4.8 billion to the project, and European sources, which invested a total of DH1.9 billion, while the remaining DH12.3 billion came from commercial loans.[9] DH10 billion were to be spent on infrastructure, with DH5.6 billion going to supporting equipment and DH4.4 billion to rolling stock.[9] At the time, work was expected to start in mid-2010, with service beginning in December 2015.[9] In December 2010, ONCF signed a final agreement to purchase 14 Alstom Euroduplex trainsets.[10] Following further delays, construction of the line began on 29 September 2011, when a groundbreaking ceremony took place in Tangier.[11]

On 25 September 2012, work began on a project to increase capacity on the trackage between Kenitra and Casablanca by constructing a dedicated freight track in the existing right of way, allowing for passenger trains to access Casablanca from the high-speed line to Tangier.[12] In addition to the rail construction, stations in four locations (Tangiers, Kenitra, Rabat/Agdal, and Casablanca) were either constructed from the ground up or rebuilt from existing facilities.[13] On 19 June 2015, rolling stock deliveries began with the arrival of the first trainset in Tangier.[14] In September, the service facility for the trains in Tangier was completed and a joint venture between ONCF and French rail operator SNCF was established to maintain the trains for a 15-year contract.[15] In February 2017, testing of the trains at revenue speeds began; during the test program, an African rail speed record of 357 kilometres per hour (222 mph) was set.[13]

An on-board train speed reading 312 km/h.

In October 2017, track construction was completed, followed by installation of the new electric catenary that November.[5] The electrical system was energised for the first time in January 2018, and the line's control facility came online the following month.[5] By mid-2018, the stations had been completed, though the expected entry into service was pushed back to the end of the year, as trial runs over the route had yet to be operated.[5][13]

On 15 November 2018, the Al Boraq service was inaugurated at a Tangier ceremony on a special train that traveled to Rabat; revenue service was to begin by the end of the year.[6] By 25 December 2018, trains were scheduled to depart Casablanca every two hours from 06:00 until 21:00.

The inauguration of the high-speed rail service also came with the opening of several new or renovated train stations: Tanger-Ville Railway Terminal,[16] Kenitra Station,[17] Rabat-Agdal Station,[18] and Casa-Voyageurs Railway Station.[19]

In January 2022, Mohamed Abdeljalil, Morocco's Minister of Transport and Logistics, announced that the Al-Boraq network would eventually terminate in Agadir and announced the construction of a high-speed line which would connect Agadir with Marrakesh.[20] In November 2022, Abdeljalil announced the construction of dedicated high-speed tracks that would connect Marrakesh to the original line via Kenitra.[20] The construction is to take place in three segments, with the 150-kilometre-long (93 mi) segment connecting Kenitra with Aïn Sebaâ to be constructed first. Then a 130-kilometre-long (81 mi) extension will be built from Aïn Sebaâ to Nouaceur, and then finally the construction of new tracks from Nouaceur to Marrakesh, with the cities 212 km (132 mi) apart.[20] Tests were run on the current tracks from Casablanca to Marrakesh in January 2023, reaching 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph). The plan is to continue to test the current tracks between Casablanca and Marrakesh, with ONCF hoping that a top speed of 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph) can be reached safely.[20]

Infrastructure

[edit]

The line is made up of two sections—a new route from Tangier to Kenitra and an upgrade of the existing route from Kenitra to Casablanca.[11] The 186-kilometre-long (116 mi) Tangier–Kenitra line has a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph), while the 137-kilometre-long (85 mi) Kenitra–Casablanca line was rated for 160 km/h (99 mph) when service began, with a planned upgrade to 220 km/h (137 mph).[6] The trackage from Kenitra to Casablanca is to be eventually replaced by a new high-speed right of way, with construction scheduled to begin in 2020.[6] Two electrification types are used—from Tangier to Kenitra, the new trackage was built with 25 kV 50 Hz AC electrification while the line from Kenitra to Casablanca retained the existing 3,000 V DC catenary.[6] The ETCS-type signal system was installed by Ansaldo STS and Cofely Ineo.[21]

At service launch in 2018, travel time between Casablanca and Tangier dropped from 4 hours and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 10 minutes.[6] Completion of dedicated high-speed trackage to Casablanca would further reduce travel time to 1 hour and 30 minutes.[6]

Rolling stock

[edit]

The twelve (14 were originally ordered) Alstom Euroduplex trainsets operating on the line are bilevel and have a passenger capacity of 533.[10][6] Each trainset is composed of two power cars and eight passenger cars (two first-class cars, five second-class cars, and a buffet car).[10]

  • ONCF RGV2N2.
    ONCF RGV2N2.
  • Train ticket from Tangier to Casablanca
    Train ticket from Tangier to Casablanca
  • View of first-class seats
    View of first-class seats
  • View of second-class seats
    View of second-class seats

ONCF also operates regular trains with newer Alstom E 1400 (Prima II) locomotives and ex-SNCF corail coaches.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Smith, Kevin (7 March 2024). "ONCF ridership and revenue up in 2023". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  2. ^ "'Africa's fastest train' steams ahead in Morocco". Al Jazeera. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  3. ^ "صاحب الجلالة الملك محمد السادس يتفضل ويطلق إسم "البراق" على القطار المغربي الفائق السرعة". Maroc.ma (in Arabic). 12 July 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  4. ^ "TrainReview's guide to Morocco's Al-Boraq high speed train". Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d "ONCF prepares for launch of high-speed services". International Rail Journal. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "Africa's first high speed line inaugurated". Railway Gazette International. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  7. ^ a b c "Work on Tanger - Kénitra high speed line to start soon". Railway Gazette International. 14 May 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Morocco to order Duplex TGVs". Railway Gazette International. 23 October 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d "High speed funding package agreed". Railway Gazette International. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  10. ^ a b c "ONCF to buy 14 Duplex high speed trains". Railway Gazette International. 10 December 2010.
  11. ^ a b "Ceremony launches Tanger – Casablanca high speed project". Railway Gazette International. 29 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Casablanca – Kénitra upgrading starts". Railway Gazette International. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "Morocco's Al Boraq high speed service to launch by year end". Railway Gazette International. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Africa's first high speed train delivered". Railway Gazette International. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  15. ^ "Tanger high speed train depot inaugurated". Railway Gazette International. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  16. ^ "محطة القطار بطنجة تفتح أبوابها استعدادا لإنطلاق البراق". طنجة 24 (in Arabic). 19 November 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  17. ^ "محطة القطار في القنيطرة تنتزع "جائزة فرساي"". Hespress (in Arabic). 14 September 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  18. ^ "المغرب وفرنسا يدشنان "البراق".. أسرع قطار في أفريقيا". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  19. ^ "فيديو: افتتاح محطة القطار الجديدة بتمارة بتكلفة 36 مليون درهم". 2M (in Arabic). Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  20. ^ a b c d "Morocco's High-Speed Train Trial Run Finishes in Marrakech". Morocco World News. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  21. ^ "Tanger - Kénitra high speed line signalling contract signed". Railway Gazette International. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  22. ^ Sleeper train in Morocco! Marrakech to Tangier by night train, retrieved 3 January 2023
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