When the steel channel spanning the desert shifts from internal combustion drive to intelligent control, it not only changes the train traction mode, but also leverages a country's economic development pattern.

Winning the bid for the project

Recently, there have been reports of project construction starting in the heart of the Sahara Desert. China Railway Construction, in collaboration with local partners in Algeria, has won the bid for the Western Railway Mining Line Three Electricity Project and started construction. The contract amount is 69.8 billion dinars, equivalent to RMB 3.56 billion. This is not an ordinary infrastructure project, the target of renovation is Africa's first desert heavy-duty railway. This transportation artery, which has been in operation for many years, has insufficient long-term operational efficiency. The entire route is 950 kilometers long, passing through the Sahara Desert, where water is scarce and sandy, and the construction environment is extremely harsh. This railway is an important transportation channel in southwestern Algeria. In the past, it relied entirely on diesel locomotives for traction, resulting in high fuel consumption, limited transportation efficiency, and more traditional scheduling methods. The local government is determined to supplement the communication, signal, and power supporting facilities for the railway, and install a complete set of intelligent operation guarantee system for the line.

The three electric systems referred to are communication, signal, and power systems, which ensure smooth railway communication, visible train operation, and stable power supply. The three work together to bid farewell to traditional experiential scheduling and strengthen the foundation of driving safety. The project covers 10 stations, 28 passing stations, and 4 centralized control centers along the entire line, including the entire process of design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and trial operation. At the same time, the training of operation and maintenance personnel is included in the contract agreement.

Technological breakthroughs

The biggest challenge of the project comes from the harsh natural environment, where high temperatures, limited water resources, and sandstorms are common occurrences. The line span is large, the equipment points are scattered, the maintenance distance in the later stage is long, and the difficulty of fault repair is high. Extreme environments impose strict requirements on the stability of the entire system. China Railway Construction Corporation has domestic experience in the construction of the Taklamakan Desert Railway and has mastered complete sets of wind and sand protection technologies. Now, it has replicated this set of desert engineering capabilities to the Sahara.

The Chinese side is not limited to simple construction, but will carry out integrated overall design for communication, signal, and power. The equipment will be specially adapted to the harsh local environment to reduce the risk of equipment failure. Relying on the advantages of system integration and full chain coordination, synchronously output complete design specifications and operational technical standards. The project will simultaneously carry out local talent cultivation, through joint operations, specialized training, and technical exchanges, to cultivate a professional technical team in the field of three electricity for the local area, and achieve project completion and technical retention. Keywords: Algeria, desert heavy-duty railway, China Railway Construction Corporation

Empowering the local community

After the completion of the project, a complete communication, driving safety control, and power guarantee system will be built along the entire line, improving the frequency of traffic and freight capacity, and synchronously improving the level of driving safety. The project will provide strong support for the development of the Gala Jebilet iron mine, open up channels for ore transportation, drive investment in the southern region, and promote diversified economic development in Algeria. From Taklamakan to Sahara, China's engineering and technological solutions have paved the way for development in the desert.Editor/Gong Ziwei