The Maeklong Railway (also known as the Mae Klong Railway) is a railway that runs for nearly between Wongwian Yai, Bangkok, and Samut Songkhram in central Thailand.

The railway became famous for its route through the Maeklong Railway Market, nicknamed (; ), meaning the "umbrella pulldown market". It is one of the largest fresh seafood markets in Thailand and is centered on the Maeklong Railway's track. Whenever a train approaches, the awnings and shop fronts are moved back from the rails, to be replaced once the train has passed.

Route description The line consists of two sections: the eastern Mahachai Line, which runs between Samut Sakhon and Wongwian Yai with 20 stations, and the Ban Laem Line, which runs between Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram with 15 stations. The Tha Chin River at Samut Sakhon separates the two stretches. The only connection between the stations on the opposite sides of the river is by boat.

History

The Mae Klong Railway was built in two separate stages. The Tachin Railway Ltd, founded in 1901 with a concession from the crown of Thailand to construct a line to Samut Sakhon from Bangkok, built the 33 kilometer Mahachai Line; it opened in 1904 with eight stations. A year later, The Maeklong Railway Company opened the 34-kilometer Ban Laem Line, using three steam locomotives. The lines merged in 1907 to form the Maeklong Railway Ltd. It was originally opened as a goods line, transporting produce from the fishing ports of Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkram to the Bangkok markets. The Government of Thailand purchased the now-merged company in 1926 and electrified the eastern section, turning it into an interurban tramway. The Thai military later gained control of the railway in 1942, during World War II, and the line was brought under the control of the State Railway of Thailand in 1952 and fully merged into it by 1955. During this period of merger, the electrification was removed from the eastern section, with steam-hauled and later diesel-hauled trains replacing the old tramcars in 1959. In 1961 the line's original terminus at Pak Khlong San was closed and replaced with a bus stop, to ease traffic congestion in Bangkok, with Wongwian Yai becoming the new terminus.

Services

Seventeen trains run daily in each direction between Wongwian Yai and Mahachai. Four trains run daily between Ban Laem and Maeklong. The railway is one of the slowest in Thailand, and the average speed for the whole line is only 30 kmph. There are no signals on the line.

Rolling stock The Maeklong Railway's first trains were hauled by three 0-4-2T wood-burning tank engines, purchased from Krauss Locomotive Works in 1903 and 1906. Consists of electric tramcars worked passenger services on the eastern section of the line from about 1927 up until the line's de-electrification in 1955, initially being replaced with conventional trains hauled by two Henschel 4-6-2 steam engines. A pair of Henschel 440 hp 2-6-2 diesel locomotives were introduced not long after in 1957, but these were not regarded as a success; the railway did not retire steam traction until 1971, when the older but more reliable Sulzer types of diesel, among the first used by the SRT, were cascaded down to the Maeklong Railway with the arrival of more modern locomotives on the main network. Since at least 1975, the Maeklong Railway has operated relatively modern diesel multiple unit trains.

Stations English name Thai Name Code Distancein km Class Thai abbr. Note Location Pak Khlong San ปากคลองสาน -1.90 Closed since 1961 BangkokWongwian Yaiวงเวียนใหญ่50010.001งญ.Talat Phluตลาดพลู50031.782ลู.Wutthakatวุฒากาศ50362.45Halt -Opened 23 October 2020. Interchange to BTS Silom Line.Khlong Ton Saiคลองต้นไทร50043.35Haltไซ.Chom Thongจอมทอง50054.13Haltทจ.Wat Saiวัดไทร50075.76Haltวซ.Wat Singวัดสิงห์50087.152สิ.Bang Bonบางบอน50099.76Haltาา. Kan Kheha การเคหะ 5010 12.23 Halt เค. Rang Sakae รางสะแก 5011 12.53 Halt รแ.No station structure Rang Pho รางโพธิ์ 5012 14.25 2 รโ. Sam Yaek สามแยก 5013 15.83 Halt แย. Phrom Daen พรมแดน 5014 17.29 Halt พแ. Bangkok–Samut Sakhon border Thung Si Thong ทุ่งสีทอง 5034 18.76 Halt ที. Samut Sakhon Bang Nam Chuet บางน้ำจืด 5015 19.97 Halt นจ. Khok Khwai คอกควาย 5016 22.99 Halt วา. Ban Khom บ้านขอม 5017 26.76 Halt ขม. Khlong Chak คลองจาก 5033 29.76 Halt ลจ. Nikhom Rotfai Mahachaiนิคมรถไฟมหาชัย503730.60Halt -Mahachaiมหาชัย501831.221ชั. Tha Chin River Ban Laem บ้านแหลม 5019 0.18 3 แห. Samut SakhonTha Chalom City Hospitalโรงพยาบาลนครท่าฉลอม -0.56Halt -Opened November 2021 Tha Chalom ท่าฉลอม 5020 1.24 Halt ฉอ. Ban Chi Phakhao บ้านชีผ้าขาว 5021 3.89 Halt ผา. Khlong Nok Lek คลองนกเล็ก 5035 5.95 Halt ลเ. Bang Si Kot บางสีคต 5022 6.90 Halt บี. Bang Krachao บางกระเจ้า 5023 8.86 Halt ะจ. Ban Bo บ้านบ่อ 5024 10.90 Halt บ่. Bang Thorat บางโทรัด 5025 13.32 Halt งโ. Ban Kalong บ้านกาหลง 5026 15.78 Halt กห. Ban Na Khwang บ้านนาขวาง 5027 17.94 Halt บ้. Ban Na Khok บ้านนาโคก 5028 19.97 Halt าโ. Khet Mueang เขตเมือง 5029 23.73 Halt ดเ. Lad Yai ลาดใหญ่ 5030 27.66 Halt ลญ. Samut Songkhram Bang Krabun บางกระบูน 5031 30.16 Halt กู. Closed Maeklong แม่กลอง 5032 33.75 3 แอ.

See also Rail transport in Thailand Greater Bangkok commuter rail SRT Red Lines Hanoi Train Street, a rail section in Hanoi with similar scenery to Maeklong Railway Market Molli railway, another narrow-gauge railway notable for street-running

References