User:Kiel457/Erbil Metro

The Erbil Metro (Metroya Hewlêr, ميترۆ هەولێر and المترو اربيل) is a single-line underground light rail rapid transit system in the Iraqi Kurdish capital of Erbil. Opened on October 15, 2016, it is the first rapid transit system in Iraqi Kurdistan.

History
Plans for a light rail rapid transit system in Arbil, was first conceived by the Barzani family in 2008, due to the city's increasing road traffic. The president of Iraqi Kurdistan Massoud Barzani broke ground of the Metro on January 25, 2013.

Construction
The Metro was constructed by a consortium of Turkish companies Tekfen-Yüksel-İçtaş. Construction began on February 3, 2013, and ended on September 5, 2016.

Rolling stock
All trains used on Arbil Metro are Ankara Metro's former light rail trains (Breda-Siemens-AEG). The mayor of Ankara Melih Gökçek, in his speaking at the Promotional Days of Ankara in Erbil, said that he will donate 21 Ankaray trains to the city of Erbil. The dismantling of the Ankaray trains, began on September 18, 2016, and ended on September 22, 2016. 21 trains then loaded onto special Goldhofer road trailers. 21 traincars left for Erbil on September 23, 2016, and passed through Gölbaşı, Şereflikoçhisar, Aksaray, Ulukışla, Pozantı, Tarsus, Adana, Ceyhan, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Urfa, Viranşehir, Nusaybin, Cizre, Silopi, and arrived to Habur border gate in 4 days, where all customs process were done. Trains then reached Zakho, Dahuk and found themselves in Erbil. The former logo of the Greater Municipality of Ankara can be seen on the trains.

Future of the Erbil Metro
Nechervan Barzani said in a written statement that, he agreed with the Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbaş for donation of Rotem trains to the city of Erbil. As in the Ankaray Breda-Siemens-AEG light rail trains, the warnings will be changed, and with the donation of the former Istanbul Metro M2 Line trains, the L.C.D. screens will be introduced to the Metro for the first time, displaying the station name in Sorani Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish and English language. The A1 metro line will be upgraded to heavy rail, thus supporting both light- and heavy-rail, which in turn that the Erbil Metro will be a hybrid railway. Like the former Ankaray trains, these trains will be transported by too-long flatbed trailers from İstanbul and the trains' delivery will be completed by July 15, 2017.