SAUDI Railways’ Dammam-Riyadh services will benefit from refurbished rolling stock in a programme launched on April 10. The railway’s entire passenger fleet of 49 saloons and nine restaurant cars is being renovated to provide higher comfort and improved safety standards in advance of delivery of new stock. Local firms are carrying out the work with some input from foreign suppliers.
An order was placed at the end of 2002 for a new generation of rolling stock. Construction of four trainsets by South Korea’s Samsung is to be overseen by CPCS Transcom, which will provide engineering and inspection services.
- SRO President Khaled Al-Yaha confirmed on April 22 that eight consortia had been shortlisted for financial consultancy work on the planned Riyadh - Jeddah line, and said a winning bidder would be selected ’within the next few days.’
