“We have produced 60 projects related to Turkey’s railway system in the past six years. Turkey ranks eighth in railway technology worldwide and sixth in Europe. The TCDD will focus on high-speed trains in the new year,” Karaman noted.Turkey began constructing its high-speed rail lines in 2003. The TCDD purchased its first high-speed train engines, with a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour, from Spain in 2007. In March, Turkey launched the country’s first high-speed train service, between Ankara and Eskişehir, on a 240-kilometer segment of tracks. “Our work on the high-speed train line between Ankara and İstanbul is ongoing, as is work on the line between İstanbul and Eskişehir. I believe this line will be operational in 2012 or 2013. We will finish the line between Ankara and Konya in 2010. A line to Sivas is continuing at the maximum pace. We will renovate the country’s railway lines in 2010,” Karaman remarked. The high-speed trains features many luxuries, including entertainment screens for every seat that play movies and display the current position and speed of the train. Spacious seats offer plenty of room during the smooth ride. The train can reach speeds of 260 kilometers per hour and will considerably reduce hours-long trips. Sensor systems control the speed, and the trains are designed to prevent cars from piling on top of one another in the event of an accident.
