IRR Transversal Line

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Map of the IRR Transversal Line.

IRR Transversal Line
Kirkuk to Haditha
km IRR Eastern to Erbil 0 Kirkuk IRR Eastern to Baghdad 16 Thawra 48 Riyadh 65 Marai Tigris 94 Fudha IRR Northern to Rubaiye 107 Baiji IRR Northern to Baghdad 130 Siniya 155 Tharthar Tharthar River 172 Safa 73.0 Wadi 192 Hidab 232 Ata Euphrates IRR Western to Baghdad 252 Haditha IRR Western to Akashat

The IRR Transversal Line or the Haqlaniya-Kirkuk Railway is a railway line in Iraq that connects Haqlaniyah and Kirkuk via Bayji. It is a single-track, standard gauge (1435 mm) line that is not electrified. The line is about 252 km (157 mi) long and has a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62.1 mph). Unlike other Iraqi rail lines, it does not go through or end at Baghdad. The line is currently out of service and many parts of it are damaged or neglected, such as the bridge over the Tigris river.

History

Prehistory and Metre-Gauge Railway

Ever since the latter half of the 19th century, a railway line to Kirkuk was discussed but due to the Great War construction was postponed and eventually started in 1930-1932 on the Kirkuk-Baghdad-Haifa Railway but construction on the Kirkuk Railway Station was already started in 1925. The idea of the section from Baghdad to Haifa was abandoned due to the Arab-Israeli War. In 1949 a 105-kilometre extension to Erbil was started with an iron bridge over the Great Zab River near Al-Tun. A project for an extension to Sulamaniya was initiated by the then Iraqi Director of Railways Major General Saleh Zaki Tawfiq in 1963 but was eventually abandoned with the regime change in 1968.

Poster from the days of the metre-gauge railway.

Standard-Gauge Railway

It was planned by the Ba'athist Regime to replace the original railway with a standard-gauge railway. They renewed the idea of also extending the line to Sulaymaniya. Still, after further consideration, it was decided to construct a brand new standard-gauge railway from Kirkuk to Haditha with an interchange at the Berlin-Baghdad Railway at Baiji. The construction of the railway line was started on August 26th, 1982 but because of the Iran-Iraq War the opening was delayed. The new line was opened in 1988. A ground-breaking ceremony by the then Minister of Communication Mohammed Hamza Al Zubaidi was held on November 7th, 1987. The cost for the construction of the new line was 960 Million USD. The metre-gauge railway that connected Erbil and Baghdad via Baquba and Kirkuk was closed in 1984 by the Office of the Presidency of the Iraqi Republic. It was considered useless compared to the new line to Kirkuk, which was faster and was standard-gauge. The old line had lost its compatibility with the Baghdad-Basra Railway, which had been converted from metre- to standard-gauge. As a result, many landmarks along the old line, such as the Erbil Railway Station, the Baba Kiwan Junction, bridges, and various facilities such as hotels and hospitals, were demolished.

Recent Progress

On November 8th, 2022 the Baiji Field Branch was rehabilitated by the Central Government. Currently, there is no progress on rehabilitating the Kirkuk Branch due to the dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over the disputed territories, of which Kirkuk is part.