Kemer (İZBAN)

The Kemer Railway Station (Turkish: Kemer İstasyonu) is a railway station in İzmir. The station is the oldest railway station in Turkey, built in 1857^[1]. The station closed to passenger service in 2006 and is currently under renovation. The station is expected to re-open in September, 2010.

History

In 1856 the Ottoman Empire granted a concession to an English company to build a railway from İzmir to Aydın. The Oriental Railway Company (ORC) started construction in late 1856 and completed a 2.17 km (1.35 mi) line, from the start at Alsancak to Kemer, in 1857. Kemer station was opened^[1]. Kemer was chosen to be the main freight depot of the ORC in İzmir. When the railway reached the town of Torbalı in 1860, the first trains started to operate on the line. Freight trains carrying mainly figs, would unload at Kemer depot and would be distributed in İzmir via horse pulled wagons. Freight trains from the south as well as horse pulled caravans from the east and north would unload at Kemer^[1]. In its early years Kemer station was the main freight depot in İzmir. When the railway reached Aydın in 1866, most freight would be unloaded in Alsancak. The Turkish State Railways became the new owners of the station in 1935, when they bought the ORC^[2]. The station was electrified with 25 kV AC catenary in 2001. In 2006 the station was closed to passenger traffic and rebuilt in 2008. The station is re-opened to service on August 30, 2010.

Service

See Also

• Alsancak Terminal
• Turkish State Railways
• Oriental Railway Company

References