Persia Begins Important Rail Development

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6519, 7 April 1931, Page 7

Persia Begins Important Rail Development

TEHERAN, Persia. Steps are being taken by the Persian Government to reconstruct the southern section of tho railroad from Khor Musa, on the Persian Gulf, via Dizful to Aliabad on the Caspian. This is being done with a view to operating on a commercial basis for the first time this now line, built at great cost by an American railway syndicate some 12 months, but which subsequently suffered considerably from floods and neglect. Ah American expert, A. D l . Carol, has been appointed controller-general of the southern section of tho Persian railways. He is now stationed at Ahwaz with a strong contingent of Russian railway engineers and a number of young Persians who have received engineering training in Europe. They are repairing bridges and culverts and relaying the permanent way damaged by subsidence of the earth-works. The Persian Government has already or hand a sufficient number of railway vehicles of all kinds, including locomotives for the operation of tho line which is essentially a military lim»„ passing through a lawless, part of the country whore it has always been difficult to enforce the Government’s decrees. It is thought that the development of the new route will serve to bring about the pacification of the coountry. About 50 miles beyond Aliabad (the terminus of the line) lies the town of Khoramabad to which the Persians have constructed a first-class . motor Toad, giving communication with, all the productive areas of Persia.