New Railway Bypass to Be Built Around Samara for Freight

Details have been revealed about the implementation of the project to build second tracks for the Southern Railway Bypass of Samara. Freight trains are planned to run there.

The project is being implemented as part of the renewal of railway infrastructure on the approaches to the ports of the Azov-Black Sea Basin (ACB).

«The implementation of the project will ensure the unimpeded passage of the forecasted transit wagon flow and achieve the target capacity indicator through the Southern Bypass of Samara in the volume of 152 million tons. As well as the balanced development of freight and passenger transportation towards the ports of the ACB by redistributing freight traffic,» said Vyacheslav Dmitriev, head of KbshZD (Kuybyshev Railway).

He also spoke about what has already been done within the project:

Began designing the construction of second tracks on the Kinel – Bezenchuk section.

Completed work totaling 545.7 million rubles (approximately $5.5 million at current rates), including engineering-geodetic, engineering-geological, engineering-hydrometeorological, engineering-environmental surveys, and a complex of archaeological works.

Also completed a complex of measurement and inspection works for artificial structures, communication devices, contact network, and traction power supply devices.

By 2035, the construction of second tracks on seven sections with a total length of 69 km is planned.

«As well as the technical re-equipment of the contact network on the Bezenchuk-Kinel (Southern Route) section – installation of the 2nd reinforcing wire on the odd track. As well as the technical re-equipment of traction substations Zarechnaya, Stepnaya, Silikatnaya, Druzhba. And the construction of a traction substation on the 57 km section. The timing and volumes of investments may be adjusted based on the economic situation,» also reported the head of KbshZD.

Railway workers first spoke about the need to build a second branch connecting Kinel and Bezenchuk in the summer of 2017. This was due to the launch of daytime express trains and the acceleration of suburban and passenger trains. After the schedule change, there was a need to increase capacity precisely on this section. Besides this branch, there is an idea to build third tracks from Bezenchuk to Oktyabrsk.