SRT: The main system (Hualamphong station and rail yard).

[thaitransit]

Last weekend I took a trip into the inner city to photograph some of the trains and infrastructure at Hualamphong station in Bangkok. This station is the largest SRT station in all of Thailand. It is the starting point for most commuter trains and long distance trains run by SRT. On an average weekday 130 trains a day arrive and depart from Hualamphong station.

The station was built in a very European styling that can be seen from the huge arched roof over most of the station. The station and the main north line to Ayutthaya opened in 1910 by King Chulalongkorn (Rama 5). When the station was built the local area was considered the outer suburbs of Bangkok. Today things are very different its now very much in the congested inner city of Bangkok.

Hualamphong station is considered a full terminus that means there are no tracks running south of the station. Therefore all trains head northward to leave the station even if the eventual destination is in the south or east. Recently there are plans for a new underground line to head south west and link up with an upgraded Mahachai line in Thonburi. The new line is part of the red line commuter project. Further upgrades and extensions to the lines beyond Mahachai will allow new main south line to be created. Thus shortening the traveling time for travelers to the south by around 2 hours.

Hualamphong also is connected to the MRT subway line that allows a traffic free route into the inner city areas of Bangkok. However this is only a recent change between 1958 and 2004 there was no rail connection at Hualamphong station. Before 1958 there was an electrified train service along Rama 4 road to Paknam at the mouth of the Chao Praya River. Today there is no rail link to Paknam and bus traveling times are around 3 hours a peak.

Hualamphong station is home to a very large passenger carriage yard and workshop that is located directly north of the platform roads. The workshop is to the north west of the station behind platform 12. The workshop is housed in a rather old concrete building with a loco and DMU siding in front of it.

1. This is a shot of the European styled station building. Taken from Rama 4 road.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l7.../P1010265a.jpg

2. This is an image of the MRT entrance to SRT’s Hualamphong station. The MRT entrance was styled to match that of Hualamphong station.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l7.../P1010264a.jpg

3. This is a shot of the waiting room at ticketing hall inside the station. Taken looking towards the ticket office. Note the blue signs in the middle of the station are for the passing of the Thai kings sister.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l7.../P1010268a.jpg

4. This is a close up image of the ticket counters at Humlamphong. The painting above the middle of the ticket counters is of King Rama 5.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l7.../P1010269a.jpg

5. This is a picture of the waiting room facing back towards the Rama 4 road entrance. Unlike most of SRTs trains and stations this part of Hualamphong is air conditioned.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l7.../P1010270a.jpg

If you would like to see another 41 images of Hualamphong station and yard please visit: http://thaitransit.blogspot.com/2008...ation-and.html

I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.

[hairyhandedfool]

Why can't we have stations that grand! and it still has a KFC!