* Rail firm signs $1.28 bln first phase financing
* Part of 1,200 km network in UAE
* Huge infrastructure spending planned in Gulf
(Adds detail, quotes, context)
ABU DHABI, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Etihad Rail, the state-backed firm building a $11 billion railway network in the United Arab Emirates, said on Tuesday it secured $1.28 billion of bank financing to build the first phase of the project.
Gulf states are spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects, ranging from power, transport and housing, as they look to strengthen their economies and improve services for local populations in the wake of the Arab Spring.
Saudi Arabia alone has earmarked around $400 billion to spend on infrastructure over a five year period.
Phase one of the UAE rail network will extend 264 kilometres in the west of the country from Shah and Habshan near Abu Dhabi to Ruwais and transport shipments of granulated sulphur for export for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
Upon completion, the UAE's national railway network will span about 1,200 kilometres and form part of the planned Gulf-wide railway network.
"The securing of this loan represents the beginning of a new era for the UAE in trade and travel through a transportation network that will connect all seven emirates with our GCC partners," Nasser al Sowaidi, chairman of Etihad Rail, said in the statement.
National Bank of Abu Dhabi
Construction of the first phase, one of three planned stages, is already underway after the awarding of a $900 million civil and track works contract was awarded in October 2011.
Etihad Rail received its first shipment of wagons for phase one in December last year and expects to receive the first shipment of locomotives this quarter, the statement added.
(Reporting by Stanley Carvalho; Editing by David French)
((stanley.carvalho@thomsonreuters.com)(+ 9712 6444431)(Reuters Messaging: stanley.carvalho.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: EMIRATES RAIL/FINANCING
