Transport and Infrastructure Minister M. Cahit Turhan, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank also held with the participation of Turkey's Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and the Republic of Turkey State Railways (TCDD) in "The Railway Institute of Transport Technology" cooperation on the establishment In his speech at the signing ceremony of the protocol, he said he was happy to come together on the occasion of this protocol.

Stating that the industrially developed countries have a modern transportation infrastructure is one of the main common features, Turhan said: “When it comes to industry, railway transportation is one step ahead. Because the most efficient way to reach the inner parts from the coasts is the railway. As a government, we have handled our railways with a new understanding in order to ensure a balanced distribution between modes of transportation, as in developed countries. Among the policies we prioritize are the implementation of the liberalization practices of the sector, expanding the High Speed ​​Train and High Speed ​​Train network, completing the renewal process of the existing lines, making the entire lines electric and signaled, expanding the logistics centers, and developing the domestic and national railway industry. In this context, we invested 133 billion TL in railways. ”

Minister Turhan thus stated that they have constructed an average of 1950 kilometers of railroads per year after 18, and that they have constructed an average of 2003 kilometers of railroads per year since 135. We aim to increase it to 2023 percent. ” he spoke.

“Our next goal is the production of High Speed ​​Train sets”

Minister Turhan, China will connect to Europe, the railway line of the two most important joining the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line and stressing that they complete the link back to the Marmaray, so also expressed that they make the strategic position of Turkey more powerful.

Stating that they will start the construction works of Halkalı-Kapıkule Railway Line Çerkezköy-Kapıkule Section this week, Turhan continued his words as follows:

“In addition to High Speed ​​Train Lines, we are building high speed train lines suitable for 200 km / h where cargo and passenger transportation can be done together. In this context, we are continuing to work on a total of 786 kilometers of high speed train lines and 429 kilometers of conventional railroads, including Bursa-Bilecik, Sivas-Erzincan, Konya-Karaman-Ulukışla-Yenice-Mersin-Adana, Adana-Osmaniye-Gaziantep. In addition to the railway construction, we have also accelerated the efforts to make the important axles where the load and train traffic are intense electric and signal. While doing all this, we attached great importance to one issue, which is the development of the domestic and national railway industry. In line with this goal, we have made all kinds of legal arrangements that can be made by the state and opened the way for the private sector. We also continue to develop these regulations and pave the way for our industry. We want our private sector to follow the world carefully and apply new developments in our country. ”

Turhan pointed out that they have formed a serious national railway industry in the last 16 years. The high speed train and subway vehicles in TÜVASAŞ in Sakarya, high speed train shears in Çankırı, high speed train sleepers in Sivas, Sakarya, Afyon, Konya and Ankara, Erzincan reminded that they have established facilities producing rail connection materials, started to produce high speed train rails to Kardemir, they cooperated with Makine Kimya for the production of wheels in Kırıkkale.

Reminding that they produced a total of 2018 thousand conventional freight wagons in 33 by TÜLOMSAŞ and TÜDEMSAŞ, Turhan said, “As the 4th country in the world, we produced the hybrid locomotive that can operate as diesel and battery powered. We will also succeed in the design and production of National Electric Train Sets. Our next target is the production of High Speed ​​Train sets. As a nation, we firmly believe that we will experience that great enthusiasm. ” used expressions.

“The cooperation of TÜBİTAK and TCDD will create a great energy”

Minister Turhan stated that the Rail Transport Technologies Institute, which will be established with the cooperation of TCDD-TÜBİTAK, will make a great contribution to all these studies and added: “The theoretical knowledge of TUBITAK, the historical field experience of TCDD will undoubtedly create a great energy. Rail transport is needed to this alliance. Because with the increase in railway investments in our country, the total road length and the number of rail vehicles are increasing rapidly. With this increase, the development of the products we need with domestic and national resources has become increasingly critical and strategic. ” he spoke.

Turhan emphasized that the importance of technological independence in the rail transportation sector will be better understood when 2035 billion investments will be made together with infrastructure investments until 70.

“The countries that have rail transportation technologies later did the development of these technologies through a specialized institute. In this sense, we are taking a step 'small for today and very big for the future' with the protocol to be signed. Hopefully, an institutional cooperation between TCDD and TÜBİTAK will be established and our country will become a leading country exporting technology in rail transportation. In this context, the institute will primarily design the railway technologies needed by our country with national and domestic facilities, and execute technology transfer agreements. After increasing the current technological competence of our country, the institute will become an institution that works on the railway technologies of the future. ”

Minister Turhan wished the Railway Transport Technologies Institute to the country.