High speed railway applications around the world and adaptation to Turkey

Today, with emerging technology, it is possible that to reach 360 km/h operating speed on railways. Unlike conventional railway, this system which allows reaching high speeds is called high speed railway. It is considered that as an important transportation system for Turkey. In this context, Ankara-İstanbul, Ankara-Konya, Ankara-Sivas and Ankara-İzmir high speed railway projects that are on the agenda, are discussed with examples in the world in terms of distance and travel time, population density, capacity, cost, energy consumption-efficiency, competition and demand for other types of transportation. The applicability of this projects that are evaluated both engineering and economically perspective in terms of Turkey. Turkey is a backward state according to other country which operates high speed railways actively in terms of current railway system. For this reason, investments on railways should not be done only for high speed railways. Also large amount of investment should be made to improve the existing line. Speed Railway Project, which is not going on, is more advantageous in terms of distance and travel time, capacity, cost, energy consumption-efficiency and competition-demand for other types of transportation according to Ankara-İstanbul Rapid Train Project which is going on. So that, taking this railway project to agenda will be right. The high speed railway lines which is being built between Ankara-Konya and Ankara-Sivas will serve only the passenger transport. Besides the transport of passengers, load transportation should be taken into consideration. According to these information, building new conventional railway lines which is allow to reach 160 km/h speed, signalized, electrical and double lines will be a more accurate choice instead of high speed rail line between Ankara-Konya and Ankara-Sivas.