Mae Khlong Railway Market, or sometimes called the train market in 2011, Samut Songkhram Provice, Thailand.
It is possible to find unusual stretches of railway in Thailand, which are not part of the main network. Mae Khlong Mahachai railway which runs between Wong Wian Yai in Thonburi, West Bangkok, and Samut Songkhram on the Gulf of Thailand. Originally constructed as a private line to take sea produce from the fishing ports of Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkran to the markets of Bangkok, it later became part of the State Railway of Thailand, though it was never physically connected to the rest of the network. This little known line has a great charm, passing through surprisingly un spoilt countryside, and apparently ending in the middle of the fresh food market ( known as the Train Market ) in Samut Songkhram.
The Maeklong Railway ( also known as the Mae Klong Railway ) is a 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 3⁄8 in ) ( Metre gauge ) railway that runs for nearly 67 kilometres ( 42 miles ) between Wong Wian Yai, Bangkok, and Samut Songkhram in central Thailand. The line consists of two sections: the eastern Mahachai Line, which runs between Samut Sakhon and Wongwian Yai with 18 stations; and the Ban Laem Line, which runs between Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram with 15 stations. The two stretches are separated by the Tha Chin River at Samut Sakhon. The only way to connect between the stations on the opposite sides of the river is by boat.
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 kilometre Mahachai Line; it opened in 1904 with eight stations. A year later, The Maeklong Railway Company opened the 34 kilometre Ban Laem Line. 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 Thai military gained control of the railway in 1942, during World War II, and the line was nationalised by the Thai Government in 1946. The line was operated by the State Railway of Thailand ( SRT ) from 1952 and was fully merged into the SRT in 1955. In 1961 the line's original terminus at Khlong San was closed and replaced with a bus stop, to ease traffic congestion in Bangkok. Wong Wian Yai became the new terminus.
The railway became famous for its route through the Mae klong Railway Market, nicknamed meaning the umbrella pull down market. It is one of the largest fresh seafood markets in Thailand, and is centred on the Mae klong Railway's track. Whenever a train approaches, the awnings and shop coverings are moved back from the rails, to be replaced once the train has passed. Seventeen trains run daily in each direction between Samut Sakhon and Wong Wian Yai. Four trains run daily between Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram. The railway is one of the slowest in Thailand, and the average speed for the whole line is only 30 km / hr. In May 2015, the Ban Laem - Mae klong section closed for renovations and was scheduled to re-open in November 2015, with a new depot at Ban Na Khwang.
Mae Khlong Railway Market, or sometimes called the train market in 2011, Samut Songkhram Provice, Thailand.
It is possible to find unusual stretches of railway in Thailand, which are not part of the main network. Mae Khlong Mahachai railway which runs between Wong Wian Yai in Thonburi, West Bangkok, and Samut Songkhram on the Gulf of Thailand. Originally constructed as a private line to take sea produce from the fishing ports of Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkran to the markets of Bangkok, it later became part of the State Railway of Thailand, though it was never physically connected to the rest of the network. This little known line has a great charm, passing through surprisingly un spoilt countryside, and apparently ending in the middle of the fresh food market ( known as the Train Market ) in Samut Songkhram.
The Maeklong Railway ( also known as the Mae Klong Railway ) is a 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 3⁄8 in ) ( Metre gauge ) railway that runs for nearly 67 kilometres ( 42 miles ) between Wong Wian Yai, Bangkok, and Samut Songkhram in central Thailand. The line consists of two sections: the eastern Mahachai Line, which runs between Samut Sakhon and Wongwian Yai with 18 stations; and the Ban Laem Line, which runs between Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram with 15 stations. The two stretches are separated by the Tha Chin River at Samut Sakhon. The only way to connect between the stations on the opposite sides of the river is by boat.
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 kilometre Mahachai Line; it opened in 1904 with eight stations. A year later, The Maeklong Railway Company opened the 34 kilometre Ban Laem Line. 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 Thai military gained control of the railway in 1942, during World War II, and the line was nationalised by the Thai Government in 1946. The line was operated by the State Railway of Thailand ( SRT ) from 1952 and was fully merged into the SRT in 1955. In 1961 the line's original terminus at Khlong San was closed and replaced with a bus stop, to ease traffic congestion in Bangkok. Wong Wian Yai became the new terminus.
The railway became famous for its route through the Mae klong Railway Market, nicknamed meaning the umbrella pull down market. It is one of the largest fresh seafood markets in Thailand, and is centred on the Mae klong Railway's track. Whenever a train approaches, the awnings and shop coverings are moved back from the rails, to be replaced once the train has passed. Seventeen trains run daily in each direction between Samut Sakhon and Wong Wian Yai. Four trains run daily between Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram. The railway is one of the slowest in Thailand, and the average speed for the whole line is only 30 km / hr. In May 2015, the Ban Laem - Mae klong section closed for renovations and was scheduled to re-open in November 2015, with a new depot at Ban Na Khwang.