'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎376r] (754/862)

RAILWAYS
m I MHRMi
HHHBi
585
but it is interesting because it resulted in the construction of a remark
able bridge over the Shatt al Arab (p. 588). Other railway develop
ments in this area include the extension of the line from Zubair to
Jabal Sanam and also to a new port at Umm Qasr near the junction
of the Khor Zubair and Khor Abdulla, where shipping-berths, tran
shipment, and marshalling yards are being constructed.
Other developments have been (i) the construction of a standard-
gauge line from Shalchiya (Baghdad) to Hindiya, with greatly in
creased siding facilities at both terminals and at Musaiyib; (ii) the
commencement of a new metre-gauge line from Samawa to Karbala;
and (iii)the proposed doubling of the metre-gauge track from Basra to
Samawa. These three schemes were parts of a combined project to
increase transport to Baghdad, whence distribution could be effected
by the standard-gauge line northwards to Tel Kotchek or by the
metre-gauge line to Khanaqin. The favourable change in the military
situation rendered much of the work unnecessary, and work on (ii)
and (iii) was abandoned late in 1943. On the Samawa-Karbala line the
track-formation had been completed for about 10 miles at the south
end, but no rails had been laid; from Basra to Samawa the formation
for doubling the line had been finished, and track had been doubled
for 41-5 miles; the standard-gauge line south from Baghdad had been
completed, but some of the sidings laid at Hindiya and Musaiyib
which are no longer required have already been taken up.
Organization and Staff
In normal times Iraq State Railways are administered by a Director-
General of Railways who is responsible to the Minister of Economics
and Communications. Railway headquarters are on the west side of
the Tigris at Baghdad, the Workshops and Stores departments being
at Shalchiya, miles north-west of Baghdad West station, where
all other departmental headquarters are concentrated.
During the War of 1914-1918 the railway staff was entirely British
and Indian, but the policy since has been gradually to employ more
and more Iraqis as these became sufficiently trained. The total staff
of the railways in November 1940 was 8,863, ma de up by 32 British,
31 Indians, and 8,800 Iraqis, but these figures have been greatly
modified since that date by the provision of trained personnel from
abroad to deal with war needs.
Maintenance
In 1940 there were three districts, each under a District Engineer
for maintenance work, supervised by a Chief Engineer,