![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T2M74W6CPYFN6E5UA65ZWLJE3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=ef3b4fe8072d06d17866666ba8e9ae18b23930ff375f2ae29035a7709cef1c58&width=400&height=225)
Haifa Al Shimmari, human resources and administration director at Etihad Rail.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MLQFV7G5JO46F5ZA2QKAHMSBCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=da7fdb330aae69b34453f4f04dea83cc24a257d59a82a5dcc30c270cbb09c12f&width=400&height=225)
Ibrahim Al Hammadi, 22, recently graduated as a newly qualified train captain at Etihad Rail. All pictures by Victor Besa / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JR4AEFHKRVJE7WIEP472SA3QU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=5e003dc02874b5b8eb1c3e4d81ded4dd80f09b660cbe125f0737a56eb06d3107&width=400&height=225)
There are seven freight locomotives in operation at the Etihad Rail depot in Mirfa, Abu Dhabi.
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Freight trains leave the depot at Etihad Rail to transport granulated sulphur from gasfields in Shah and Habshan to a processing and export point in Ruwais.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DFC425JBQ72LANS6OO4JYBIAAE.jpg?smart=true&auth=f835af18a1cb198dc84619adcd31eee58023dea66a5fc5d71bd16eecf49318e2&width=400&height=225)
Khalifa Al Hammadi, 23, is a train controller with Etihad Rail and is the first member of his family to work in the transport sector.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WUNDHDRCNKAVHS3ZCZIVYN4QDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=ba00a000096fe494f52ff4e167a3dcf81b971ab00fd146b07d90f23eb1540354&width=400&height=225)
Since 2016 more than 30 million tonnes of raw materials have travelled along the tracks, which span 264 kilometres.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2NOOCC3UV7HDPVTXTHA75FRPUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=17709b2e1dc6963d2ab2d3be5f861263795292aaa3f7f4c8cc8ebe679f314411&width=400&height=225)
More than 100 staff help run the daily operations of the UAE's first railway network.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NMQVFQJSGVMRZ4LJ6ACQTWTZNE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1f4c92100df21bf13627b6ad58636f636c5460f3e921f0f60d447830d4964403&width=400&height=225)
Train captain Ibrahim Al Hammadi says he is proud to be one of the first graduates of the UAE's first diploma specialising in railways.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XB4FFCJTCXZPN2SM4RHQRFD6QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=fbbc07a9614e860fbfc5a308dc9cc16d4f1bc9a539cb063d358506b8e3db4c2a&width=400&height=225)
One fully laden freight train trip on the current track can replace approximately 300 lorries on the road.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4UDCYS3CJD7IY3MLLU4MUO2QRQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9025635750a190e057325813ca4b8b621625532e3ec0cf2359ae8db2d1d86d11&width=400&height=225)
Any one train can take up to 110 wagons, can travel at speeds of 120 kilometres an hour and, at full length, can reach about 1.2km
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5GBBZILT7IWSFD6URSQTBAJSWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee8f5b34b2bfc202476195751c579e80ac34236140f5c2af70fee79333621ee3&width=400&height=225)
Jafar Oklah, infrastructure director at Etihad Rail.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VX3NK6Y57DT4TQGXYGWZ4JZREI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b867a68c1b98601f96f1fae1fe86bbf539ce21cd3b70bc3f8ce59edc8d369683&width=400&height=225)
The depot in Mirfa serves as the centre of operations that maintains and services all movement between the trains and tracks.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T2M74W6CPYFN6E5UA65ZWLJE3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=ef3b4fe8072d06d17866666ba8e9ae18b23930ff375f2ae29035a7709cef1c58&width=400&height=225)
Haifa Al Shimmari, human resources and administration director at Etihad Rail.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MLQFV7G5JO46F5ZA2QKAHMSBCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=da7fdb330aae69b34453f4f04dea83cc24a257d59a82a5dcc30c270cbb09c12f&width=400&height=225)
Ibrahim Al Hammadi, 22, recently graduated as a newly qualified train captain at Etihad Rail. All pictures by Victor Besa / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JR4AEFHKRVJE7WIEP472SA3QU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=5e003dc02874b5b8eb1c3e4d81ded4dd80f09b660cbe125f0737a56eb06d3107&width=400&height=225)
There are seven freight locomotives in operation at the Etihad Rail depot in Mirfa, Abu Dhabi.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HVRWLJWMY554MVZYNWGA2Y5T54.jpg?smart=true&auth=2c211972c42d776fda3804871a219ae7c2bc2f0bb719b3f221ecdc32c3308fe3&width=400&height=225)
Freight trains leave the depot at Etihad Rail to transport granulated sulphur from gasfields in Shah and Habshan to a processing and export point in Ruwais.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DFC425JBQ72LANS6OO4JYBIAAE.jpg?smart=true&auth=f835af18a1cb198dc84619adcd31eee58023dea66a5fc5d71bd16eecf49318e2&width=400&height=225)
Khalifa Al Hammadi, 23, is a train controller with Etihad Rail and is the first member of his family to work in the transport sector.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WUNDHDRCNKAVHS3ZCZIVYN4QDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=ba00a000096fe494f52ff4e167a3dcf81b971ab00fd146b07d90f23eb1540354&width=400&height=225)
Since 2016 more than 30 million tonnes of raw materials have travelled along the tracks, which span 264 kilometres.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2NOOCC3UV7HDPVTXTHA75FRPUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=17709b2e1dc6963d2ab2d3be5f861263795292aaa3f7f4c8cc8ebe679f314411&width=400&height=225)
More than 100 staff help run the daily operations of the UAE's first railway network.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NMQVFQJSGVMRZ4LJ6ACQTWTZNE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1f4c92100df21bf13627b6ad58636f636c5460f3e921f0f60d447830d4964403&width=400&height=225)
Train captain Ibrahim Al Hammadi says he is proud to be one of the first graduates of the UAE's first diploma specialising in railways.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XB4FFCJTCXZPN2SM4RHQRFD6QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=fbbc07a9614e860fbfc5a308dc9cc16d4f1bc9a539cb063d358506b8e3db4c2a&width=400&height=225)
One fully laden freight train trip on the current track can replace approximately 300 lorries on the road.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4UDCYS3CJD7IY3MLLU4MUO2QRQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9025635750a190e057325813ca4b8b621625532e3ec0cf2359ae8db2d1d86d11&width=400&height=225)
Any one train can take up to 110 wagons, can travel at speeds of 120 kilometres an hour and, at full length, can reach about 1.2km
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5GBBZILT7IWSFD6URSQTBAJSWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee8f5b34b2bfc202476195751c579e80ac34236140f5c2af70fee79333621ee3&width=400&height=225)
Jafar Oklah, infrastructure director at Etihad Rail.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VX3NK6Y57DT4TQGXYGWZ4JZREI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b867a68c1b98601f96f1fae1fe86bbf539ce21cd3b70bc3f8ce59edc8d369683&width=400&height=225)
The depot in Mirfa serves as the centre of operations that maintains and services all movement between the trains and tracks.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T2M74W6CPYFN6E5UA65ZWLJE3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=ef3b4fe8072d06d17866666ba8e9ae18b23930ff375f2ae29035a7709cef1c58&width=400&height=225)
Haifa Al Shimmari, human resources and administration director at Etihad Rail.
Etihad Rail: inside the UAE's ambitious railway megaproject in a quiet Abu Dhabi village
When complete, the network will stretch 1,200km across the country from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah
![Kelly Clarke](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F0d1398b1-947f-4bc8-a663-69c6b02cb849.png?smart=true&auth=168c867e0c9f9e3320a65ec2cb755dfde78d4c07327944646c4aad65792033ee&width=70&height=70)
Kelly Clarke
29 October, 2020
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