List of railway stations in Eritrea
This article is a list of the railway stations in Eritrea.
The Eritrean Railway originally ran from Massawa, a port on the Red Sea, via the capital Asmara to Agordat. The line can be divided into three sections (Massawa-Asmara; Asmara-Keren; Keren-Agordat). Additionally there was until WW2 a potash line, that was used also for civilian service.
Massawa to Asmara
[edit]The route was built between 1887 and 1910 by the Italians, who made the two main stations (Asmara and Massawa) with typical structures of railway stations in small Italian cities.
As of 2008, this is the only section open.
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Asmara to Keren
[edit]
This section (with the stations) was built between 1911 and 1923. The railway generally followed the Anseba River and one of its tributaries through the mountains between Zazzega and Halib Mentel.
Keren to Agordat
[edit]
This section was built between 1924 and 1929.
| Name | Distance[1] | Altitude[1] | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asciadira | 232.7 km (144.6 mi) | 1,204 m (3,950 ft) | 15°45′49″N 38°23′25″E / 15.763700°N 38.390402°E |
| Hummed | 245.7 km (152.7 mi) | 935 m (3,068 ft) | 15°44′20″N 38°19′25″E / 15.738949°N 38.323677°E |
| Agat | 253.3 km (157.4 mi) | 864 m (2,835 ft) | |
| Darotai | 262.5 km (163.1 mi) | 795 m (2,608 ft) | |
| Mai Adarte | 271.4 km (168.6 mi) | 750 m (2,461 ft) | 15°39′19″N 38°08′01″E / 15.655361°N 38.133637°E |
| Umfutat | 284.6 km (176.8 mi) | 669 m (2,195 ft) | |
| Carobel | 296.4 km (184.2 mi) | 677 m (2,221 ft) | |
| Agordat | 306.4 km (190.4 mi) | 606 m (1,988 ft) | 15°32′46″N 37°52′52″E / 15.546063°N 37.881155°E |
Beyond Agordat
[edit]Beyond Agordat, the rails were laid as far as Bishia, another 31 kilometres (19 mi), with plans to extend to Ellit and Teseney,[3] linking with the railway network in Sudan. However this section was never completed.[4]
There would have been a break-of-gauge at the connection between Sudan and Eritrea.
| Name | Distance | Altitude | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agordat | 232.7 km (144.6 mi) | 606 m (1,988 ft) | |
| Bishia | 263.7 km (163.9 mi), | 715 m (2,346 ft) | 15°29′24″N 37°32′48″E / 15.490014°N 37.546572°E |
| Ellit | 290.7 km (180.6 mi) | 735 m (2,411 ft) | km uncertain |
| Teseney | 301.0 km (187.0 mi) | 600 m (1,969 ft) | km uncertain |
 Kassala, Sudan
|
351.0 km (218.1 mi) | 531 m (1,742 ft) | km uncertain; Near Eritrea-Sudan border |
Potash railway
[edit]A 42 kilometres (26 mi) line carrying potash was built to serve the following locations:[5]
The 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge line was active from 1905: a 600-mm track gauge line was built by the Italians inside the port of Mersa Fatuma[6] and from it into the hinterland until Kululi near the Ethiopian border. This was the main source of potash in Eritrea and had to cease operations because of the Great Depression of 1929.[7]
See also
[edit]- Transport in Eritrea
- Eritrean Railway
- Italian Eritrea
- Italian Eritreans
- Railway stations in Sudan
- Railway stations in Ethiopia
- Railway stations in Somalia
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Railways Administration in Eritrea. Imperial Ethiopian Government. 16 November 1965.
- ^ Photo of Otumlo station
- ^ Map of 1938 Italian Eritrea showing the expansion planned toward Ethiopia and Sudan border (the red line continuous is the Massaua-Asmara-Keren-Agordat railway)
- ^ "The Eritrean Railway". Retrieved 24 March 2009.
- ^ "Building the line". Retrieved 24 March 2009.
- ^ Meleca: Map of the potash railway from Mersa Fatuma in page 3
- ^ Neil Robinson. World Rail Atlas and Historical Summary.North, East and Central Africa. London, 2009 (p.35-39). ISBN 978-954-92184-3-5
External links
[edit]
Media related to Train stations in Eritrea at Wikimedia Commons
