Aqaba Railway Corporation
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A phosphate train near Ma'an | |
| Reporting mark | ARC |
|---|---|
| Locale | Jordan |
| Dates of operation | 1979–present |
| Predecessor | Hedjaz Jordan Railway |
| Track gauge | 1,050 mm (3 ft 5 11⁄32 in) |
| Headquarters | Aqaba |
| Website | http://www.arc.gov.jo |
The Aqaba Railway Corporation (ARC) is a railway operating in southern Jordan. The railway was formed in 1979 to transport phosphate to the port in Aqaba. It uses the tracks of the Hejaz Railway.
History
In 1908 the Ottoman Empire built the Hejaz Railway, that ran from Damascus to Medina. After World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the railway never operated south of Ma'an. The Hedjaz Jordan Railway operated the tracks of the Hejaz railway in Jordan.[1] In 1975 the railway built a branch from Ma'an to Aqaba, a port city on the Gulf of Aqaba. In 1979 the Aqaba Railway Corporation (ARC) was incorporated and took over the route from Abiad to Aqaba. The purpose of the ARC was to transport phosphates from mines near Abiad and Ma'an to the port in Aqaba. The ARC operated only freight trains powered by GE U17C diesel locomotives.
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A phosphate train near Ma'an.
References
- ↑ The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Steam & Rail