TURKISH Railways (TCDD) continues to modernise its network and has extended electrification to the country’s third largest city Izmir, on the Aegean coast.
The first electric trains operated on May 15 on the 241km route from Izmir Basmane to Balıkesir, with modern Class E68000 electric locos replacing diesel locos.
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Electrification to Izmir is the first step in introducing high-speed services to the city. A new high-speed line, due to open in 2019, is being built from a junction south- west of Ankara connecting with the Konya line west to Izmir.
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