<strong>Makkasan repair yard:</strong> Sunlight and dust combine to shroud rail cars under repair inside a cavernous building, part of the 186-acre main repair yard for the State Railway of Thailand.
Makkasan repair yard: Sunlight and dust combine to shroud rail cars under repair inside a cavernous building, part of the 186-acre main repair yard for the State Railway of Thailand.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Nature takes over: </strong>Vines and wires become one on a rail car sitting in the Makkasan yard. The place is filled with rows of train cars. Some will be scavenged for parts to fix cars that will make their way back onto Thai rails.
Nature takes over: Vines and wires become one on a rail car sitting in the Makkasan yard. The place is filled with rows of train cars. Some will be scavenged for parts to fix cars that will make their way back onto Thai rails.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>New again: </strong>Hoists lift refurbished passenger cars for new wheels to be attached.
New again: Hoists lift refurbished passenger cars for new wheels to be attached.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Rail wheels: </strong>Mounds of rail wheels in the Makkasan yard await refurbishment. Each rail wheel weighs about half a ton.
Rail wheels: Mounds of rail wheels in the Makkasan yard await refurbishment. Each rail wheel weighs about half a ton.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Jungle vibes: </strong>Rail cars are slowly taken over by the vegetation at the Makkasan facility.
Jungle vibes: Rail cars are slowly taken over by the vegetation at the Makkasan facility.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Grown over: </strong>Some rail cars seem to be permanent parts of the jungle landscape now.
Grown over: Some rail cars seem to be permanent parts of the jungle landscape now.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Control center:</strong> The control center of an old engine sits just outside the cavernous building where other trains are being refurbished.
Control center: The control center of an old engine sits just outside the cavernous building where other trains are being refurbished.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Restoration process:</strong> A worker sands down a train car exterior so it can get a fresh coat of paint. About 1,100 workers strip down old passenger, dining and sleeping cars and get them back on the tracks in a continuous restoration process.
Restoration process: A worker sands down a train car exterior so it can get a fresh coat of paint. About 1,100 workers strip down old passenger, dining and sleeping cars and get them back on the tracks in a continuous restoration process.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Steam engines: </strong>Refurbished steam engines from the first half of the 20th century sit near more modern wrecks that will never roll again.
Steam engines: Refurbished steam engines from the first half of the 20th century sit near more modern wrecks that will never roll again.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Ready to roll: </strong>A refurbished passenger car is ready to rejoin the active rail fleet.
Ready to roll: A refurbished passenger car is ready to rejoin the active rail fleet.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Restored sleeper cars: </strong>A sleeper car has been cleaned up and refitted for longer Thailand journeys.
Restored sleeper cars: A sleeper car has been cleaned up and refitted for longer Thailand journeys.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Main repair yard: </strong>The train cars are refurbished and updated in a 150,000-square-foot building.
Main repair yard: The train cars are refurbished and updated in a 150,000-square-foot building.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Dining car: </strong>A restaurant car rests amongst the weeds for now but could one day be back on Thailand's rails.
Dining car: A restaurant car rests amongst the weeds for now but could one day be back on Thailand's rails.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Stripped bare: </strong>The hulk of a passenger car stripped of its parts sits in a more remote area of the Makkasan facility.
Stripped bare: The hulk of a passenger car stripped of its parts sits in a more remote area of the Makkasan facility.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Just like new: </strong>A passenger car shines in the sun as workers engage in the final stages of the refurbishment process.
Just like new: A passenger car shines in the sun as workers engage in the final stages of the refurbishment process.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Classic seats: </strong>Wooden passenger cars, some more than half a century old, will eventually roll on Thai rails again.
Classic seats: Wooden passenger cars, some more than half a century old, will eventually roll on Thai rails again.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Retooling the wheel: </strong>Rail-weary wheels are retooled by massive machines so they can be attached to refurbished coaches.
Retooling the wheel: Rail-weary wheels are retooled by massive machines so they can be attached to refurbished coaches.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Back on track: </strong>Retooled wheels gleam in the Makkasan machine shop, ready to head to another building to be put on rail cars.
Back on track: Retooled wheels gleam in the Makkasan machine shop, ready to head to another building to be put on rail cars.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Beyond repair: </strong>While some train cars will make it back on the rails, others look destined to haunt the yard forever.
Beyond repair: While some train cars will make it back on the rails, others look destined to haunt the yard forever.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Break pads: </strong>Tons of brake pads litter a section of the Makkasan yard.
Break pads: Tons of brake pads litter a section of the Makkasan yard.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Train engines: </strong>Engine blocks are lined and stacked up outside the Makkasan repair buildings.
Train engines: Engine blocks are lined and stacked up outside the Makkasan repair buildings.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Ready for repair: </strong>A 1960s-era General Electric locomotive awaits refurbishment at the Makkasan facility.
Ready for repair: A 1960s-era General Electric locomotive awaits refurbishment at the Makkasan facility.
Brad Lendon/CNN
<strong>Rail yard repair shops: </strong>Each repair shop can hold dozens of rail cars. Of the 1,000 passenger carriages belonging to the Thai railway system, about 15% are out of service for maintenance at any one time.
Rail yard repair shops: Each repair shop can hold dozens of rail cars. Of the 1,000 passenger carriages belonging to the Thai railway system, about 15% are out of service for maintenance at any one time.
Brad Lendon/CNN