Here's how humans, camels, reptiles will cross Etihad Rail track

It may be difficult to imagine now, but a train will run through most of the emirates in the UAE in the near future. As a first step, the emirate of Abu Dhabi is geared for the interaction with the latest addition to the public transportation network.

Where can one cross the train track? What are the new rules in place? Where to report a violation? These are some of the tips given to the public by Etihad Rail in a 7-month long roadshow campaign named ‘The Train is Approaching… Play by the Rules’ through the Western Region.

The railway tracks are fenced off.  People can conveniently cross at 20 over-bridges, two under-bridges, 10 road underpasses and 18 smaller underpasses for future use.

Animals will also be able to move around their environment via the 10 camel underpasses, 22 gazelle underpasses, and 78 reptile underpasses, announced Etihad Rail.

Stopping at schools, municipality buildings, malls, workers’ accommodation and other community areas, the two-storey roadshow bus has been designed to resemble a train and features an Experience Centre that will engage audiences on how the railway will work, and how it will impact the UAE.

“The safety of our employees, customers and the community has been our top priority since the inception of this transformational project,” said Faris Saif Al Mazrouei, Acting CEO at Etihad Rail. “Rail is a key pillar of the UAE’s prosperous future, and this campaign ensures that Etihad Rail and Etihad Rail DB’s safety culture extends to the wider public in an interactive manner.”

The safety campaign is a critical component of Etihad Rail’s preparations to launch full operations, which will see trains running for the first time in the UAE and will run throughout the Western Region of the Abu Dhabi Emirate.

Currently services are doing test rounds along a 150km-long track stretching from Habshan to Ruwais, both located in the most eastern corner of the UAE. Later this year, this route will be extended to southern city of Shah, when the railway will cover 264km.

As soon as 2018, all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will be connected through a rail network covering a distance of 2,177km that carries freight as well as passengers.

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