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RAILWAYS AFRICA / FOREWORD
Foreword
The copyright on all material in this magazine is expressly reserved and vested in Rail Link Communications cc, unless otherwise stated. No material may be reproduced in any form, in part or in whole, without the permission of the publishers. Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers of Rail Link Communications cc unless otherwise stated. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, neither the Editor, Publisher or Contributor can be held liable for any inaccuracies or damages that may arise.
3Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
BARBARA SHEATPublisher / Railways Africa
PUBLISHERBarbara Sheat
EDITOR Rollo Dickson
DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto
WEBSITEShaun Loureiro
ADVERTISINGKim Bevan
SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan
CONTRIBUTORSAnton van Schalkwyk
Bruno Martin
Chas Rickwood
Dietmar Fiedel
Eugene Armer
Jacque Wepener
John Batwell
Leon Zaayman
Pierre de Wet
Piet Conradie
Stewart Currie
ISSN 1029 - 2756
Rail Link Communications ccPO Box 4794 Randburg 2125
Tel: +27 72 340 5621
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55 years down, and quite a few more to go….
Railways Africa (known initially as Railway Engineering) fi rst appeared in 1957. This means
we’re the longest continuously running title on railways – by quite a long way - on the
continent. As a matter of fact, few magazines in any technical fi eld have remained in
publication without break this long (excluding, obviously, in-house journals at one or two
professional associations).
Elvis Presley was going strong in 1957, the year when Soviet Russia launched Sputnik into
space and Ghana was the fi rst British colony in Africa to gain its independence. America
tackled racial segregation head-on, desegregating buses and schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.
François “Papa doc” Duvalier became dictator in Haiti, and the blockbuster Round the
world in 80 days drew crowds everywhere. Oscars for the best fi lm, best director and best
actor went to The Bridge on the River Kwai. Popular author Neville Shute published On
the beach, in which nuclear explosives write off most of the world, and Grace Metalious
wrote Peyton Place. A non-fi ction best-seller was Where Did You Go? Out. What Did You Do?
Nothing, by Robert Paul Smith.
Authoritative and wide-ranging content has kept Railways Africa in the forefront of its
publishing niche, markedly enhanced in recent years by the complementary, easily
accessible and fully archived website www.railwaysafrica.com, featuring the latest rail news
on the continent, updated every week. Both current and previous issues of the magazine
are downloadable in .pdf format, free of charge, and it remains available by subscription in
conventional print.
We like to think our writers lead the pack in their specialist fi eld, and we’ve been privileged to
number some highly regarded names as editor. A E (“Dusty”) Durrant springs immediately to
mind, and Helmuth Hagen’s distinguished years from 1992 aren’t forgotten lightly. Helmuth
came to us with a wealth of hands-on experience in top South African rail management.
Present editor Rollo Dickson recalls reading early issues of Railway Engineering in the CSIR
library, where – once upon a time - he headed the organisation’s Information Division as
scientifi c editor and publisher.
My own tenure at Railways Africa comes of age this year. To our many readers, contributors
and advertisers, my sincere thanks for your support throughout 21 inspiring years.
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Botswana Coal Heads to Durban 14
Ansaldo Signals for Morocco 17
Africa Update
RAILWAYS AFRICA / CONTENTS
ContentsContents
PLASSER SAMaintenance Strategy to Ensure Long-term Sustainability of Track Infrastructure 6
Features 6
17
26
www.railwaysafrica.com
Blue Train Upgrade 22
Actom & Alstom Sign Technologies Agreement 25
SA Rail News
Sell-by Dates for Rolling Stock, Riding by The Rules, Hindsight in Zambia, and Predictions for Africa. 10
Pete the Pundit
Origin of The Word Cocopan 34
End of The Line
Trains Run Non-Stop Through Port Said 28
South African Rail Accident Stats 33
Mishaps & Blunders
Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa 5
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1. INTRODUCTIONTransnet is to spend R300 billion on a number of impressive
projects, many involving new track infrastructure and rolling stock.
These include the Swaziland rail link, expansion of the iron ore line
throughput to 82,5 million net tons, etc.
At the same time, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
(Prasa) is to replace its entire coach fl eet and upgrade its track
infrastructure to accommodate the higher speeds made possible
by new-generation rolling stock.
Railway operators (and the Railway Safety Regulator) seriously need
to address the following questions:
• Are the necessary engineering and technical resources
available to effectively manage additional infrastructure, as well
as existing infrastructure with greater maintenance demands?
• Are world-class long and short term strategies in place to ensure
sustainability of the assets, as well as the safety of passengers
and stakeholders?
• Are safety standards available and effective?
• Is track infrastructure being maintained to safety standards?
• Are technology and reliable systems in place to consistently
measure, monitor and evaluate infrastructure conditions against
safety standards, in order to take timeous corrective action
where needed?
This article addresses a maintenance strategy required to ensure
long-term sustainability of the assets, safety to commuters and
freight, at the lowest possible life-cycle cost. These principles
and practices have been thoroughly researched internationally
and are common practice on modern railways. The strategy will
be explained at the hand of a hypothetical track deterioration
curve (Figure 1). On this curve, many important strategies and the
infl uence of maintenance on track life can be illustrated.
Point “A” on Figure 1 represents the condition of the track after
construction (the initial quality, par 2). This condition level will
depend on the design, quality of materials used and quality of
construction methods.
The condition of the track will start deteriorating as soon as
traffi c passes over the line due to dynamic loading and wear of
the individual track components. The deterioration of one track
component will accelerate the deterioration in others.
Maintenance Strategy to Ensure Long-term Sustainability of Track Infrastructure
The curve “AC” represents the resulting exponential deterioration
of the track as a whole. If the deterioration is left unattended,
the functionality of the track will deteriorate until it reaches the
maximum allowable safe condition (par 3) after which drastic
measures will need to be taken to ensure the safe passage of
traffi c, or the line will have to be closed. This applies to the track
as a whole and also to each individual component with its own
unit of measure and level of maximum allowable safe condition.
This would be uneconomically short. To extend the life of the track
and reduce the life-cycle cost to a minimum, the track deterioration
must be slowed down through planned maintenance interventions
(par 4), as depicted by the line ”BD”. However, the original as-built
functional condition cannot be regained by typical maintenance
input due to the wear of the track components. The maximum
possible improvement in condition will depend on the extent and
quality of the maintenance input.
The threshold for maintenance intervention (par 5) is a specifi c
unit of measure for each track component. Some components
may require an absolute measurement such as rail wear before
grinding is required or rails are replaced, whereas other geometric
measurements such as track roughness will trigger tamping
requirements. Guidelines for track and component condition
is normally provided in the form of “A”, “B” and “C” standards
where the A-standard is a condition within allowable tolerances,
the B-standard is a deviation from the required standard and the
C-standard represents a condition requiring urgent maintenance
intervention necessitating speed restrictions as a preventative
measure until corrective maintenance can take place.
Knowing when maintenance intervention is required implies that
the track condition must be monitored and measured constantly,
and the data analysed to produce track condition information (par
6). There are several parameters and components that must be
measured. Of these, the track geometry is the most critical. The
use of a high-speed infrastructure measuring and recording car is
the only feasible way to carry out these measurements. The IM2000
supplied by Plasser South Africa is currently used countrywide
by both Transnet and Prasa, producing critical track condition
assessments and management information.
After maintenance intervention, the track will continue to
deteriorate (curve “DE”). As the deterioration approaches the
threshold for minimum allowable track conditions, maintenance
intervention is required again (line “EF”) and, as before, the
condition achieved after the previous maintenance input cannot
be regained due to the deterioration of the components.
This process continues with each maintenance input, each
time achieving a lower track condition than before and the
interval between maintenance inputs reduces exponentially. This
produces a new deterioration curve (curve “AK”) which is much
longer than the curve “AC” without maintenance input. The life of
the track has therefore been extended and the life-cycle cost of
the track reduced, resulting in lower operating costs and greater
competitiveness.
This process will continue through many cycles until the
period between required maintenance interventions becomes
Figure 1 : Hypothetical track deterioration curve
6 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA
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the parameters can be adjusted at the discretion of the engineer.
These are not regulations and also do not take into account the
condition of other components or rolling stock, or the infl uence that
the combined deterioration will have on safety and sustainability.
The weighted deterioration of the track requires consideration and
should be part of the maintenance and track condition management
process.
4. MAINTENANCE INTERVENTIONEvery maintenance input should aim to reduce the track condition
deterioration rate. Due consideration should therefore be given to
fi nding the appropriate machine type, supplier and contract for the
task at hand.
So for example, when deciding on the tamping machine to be
used, consideration should be given to the track kilometres to be
tamped per annum, the number and tamping cycle of turnouts,
the length and availability of maintenance windows, etc. A low
production tamping machine may have a low initial cost, but due
to its low production rate, the unit costs of tamping long distances
on main-lines will exceed that of a high-production, more expensive
machine.
5. THRESHOLD FOR MAINTENANCE INTERVENTIONMaintenance strategy should address the value of the threshold
for maintenance intervention as this will have a major infl uence on
the track’s life-cycle cost.
The threshold is a value decided in terms of the maintenance
strategy and will be in a unit of measure specifi c for every track
component. If the threshold for maintenance intervention is set
at a low value (threshold 2 on Figure 2) the effect of too little
uneconomically short (compare distance “GI” with “BE”). Major track
renewal eg ballast cleaning, formation rehabilitation, replacement
of sleepers, rails, fastenings, ballast or any combination of these
components will then be required (line “IJ”). The whole process will
repeat itself.
2. INITIAL QUALITY The strategy regarding the design, quality of construction materials
and processes will have far-reaching consequences for expenditure
later in the life of the track structure. The use of, for example, lower
standard track components, or lower standards of formation or
drainage construction, may save money in construction costs, but
the extra track maintenance cost, train delay times and reduction
in the track life that result from this lower standard of work will far
exceed the perceived savings.
The higher the initial quality of the track, the greater the quality
reserve, the longer the track life and the lower the track life-cycle
cost will be.
3. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SAFE CONDITIONIn contrast to the practice in countries with world-class railways,
minimum safety standards have not been legislated in South Africa.
As a result, safety becomes subjective and maintenance managers
have diffi culty in justifying the need to take drastic steps in ensuring
the safe passage of trains. Even after catastrophic accidents, it may
be diffi cult to prosecute because no regulation or law was broken.
The Railway Safety Regulator, the railway watchdog, is also forced
to be reactive and can only act once an accident has occurred.
Track conditions in the form of “A”, “B” and “C” standards as
developed by Transnet and Prasa do provide some guidelines but
Figure 3: Plasser infrastructure measuring car.
8 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA
KEEPING AIR FLOWING EFFICIENTLY
105 Theuns Street, Hennopspark, Centurion, 0157
PO Box 51063, Wierda Park, 0149, South Africa
www.vanrail.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 653 4595
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infrastructure measuring car (Figure 2) is manipulated to produce
accurate track condition information. From this, the extent to
which the threshold for maintenance intervention is exceeded
can be derived, priorities determined and maintenance budgets
established.
7. CONCLUSIONThe frequency of maintenance interventions will depend
predominantly on environmental conditions and the tonnage that
passes over the line. Some frequencies may be very short, others
long. For example, tamping on a particular line may be required
once in every 12 months while ballast cleaning may be required
only once in 20 years.
Well maintained maintenance machines have very long life-cycles
and it is important that they be utilised to their full capacity, to
ensure the lowest possible cost of the machinery. The machines
are unique to the 1,067mm gauge used in South Africa. Once
purchased, they cannot be used on the more common 1,435mm
gauge employed elsewhere. Poor planning by rail operators
leads to idle machines and equipment, thereby infl ating track
maintenance costs.
It is therefore essential that railway operators have maintenance
strategies that suit short (1-year), medium (5-year) and long-
term (20-year) maintenance requirements and that are budgeted
accordingly. The strategy should seek to extend the useful life of the
assets cost-effectively, at the same time ensuring the consistent
safety of both stakeholders and passengers. The plan must be
formal, approved by top management and regularly updated. It
must be transparent and shared with all stakeholders. Suppliers
and investors will then be in a position to align their own business
strategies with those of the client’s and provide the most cost-
effective maintenance solutions.
maintenance will be hardly noticeable at fi rst but the service life
will be reduced by the knock-on effect of earlier track defects.
For example, if the track roughness index is set too low before
tamping takes place, the roughness will cause higher dynamic
loading of the track. This will cause crushing of the ballast, which
in turn will result in fi nes in the ballast bed retaining moisture, etc,
eventually resulting in damage to the track material.
6. TRACK INFORMATIONThe fact that maintenance intervention is required before track
deteriorates to a point below a minimum threshold implies that
the track condition must be determined on a regular basis. Track
condition monitoring takes place at various levels; from high-speed,
high-technology measurements, to walking the track, to inspections
from the footplate or by trolley. Observations by train drivers can
be valuable.
Various measurement parameters can be used to decide where
the threshold for minimum track condition lies, such as the
number of workplaces and/or speed restrictions per kilometre. For
scientifi c management, the data obtained from the IM2000
Figure 2: Effect of threshold level on track life.
9Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA
“Nevertheless,“ she told the paper, “we are in the process of
reviewing our standard business terms and conditions to ensure
that they do not contain unfair contract or prohibited terms”.
Her assurance is comforting, but isn’t it a little late? The Consumer
Protection Act came into effect in April 2011 - four months before
Gautrain fi rst started running trains on its main-line to Pretoria.
GAUTRAIN RULES, OK?A notice on the Gautrain website, also displayed in all its trains, says
explicitly: “The Gauteng Provincial Government. Bombela Operating
Company and their shareholders, directors, offi cers, employees,
subcontractors or agents or affi liates in whole or in part, shall
not be liable in any way whatsoever for any loss, injury or damage
(including but not limited to consequential or special damages or
loss of profi ts) of whatsoever nature, and whether or not caused
by the negligence (gross or otherwise).” The text concludes by
“releasing” itself from “any duty of care towards passengers”.
South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act, the Sunday Times pointed
out recently, prohibits a supplier from limiting or exempting itself
from liability for any loss attributable to gross negligence and from
having unfair, unreasonable or unjust contract terms, including
ones that are “excessively one-sided in favour of any person other
than the consumer”.
Asked about this, Bombela customer services manager Christina
Blignaut was quoted explaining that similar exemption clauses “had
been the norm across industries” before the act was implemented.
Good for another innings: 30-year-old South African 5M2A trainsets
impressively rebuilt in 10M3 format by Bombardier & Transnet Engineering.
A 10M3 set near Simon’s Town: water colour by the late Malcolm Bates
(seen in the previous photo), an acknowledged authority on South African
commuter rolling stock.
Derailments, collisions, trains-on-fi re, driver shortcomings,
brake problems, faulty doors, whatever - every time someone
has a complaint about commuter rail in South Africa, the
offi cial response highlights (and often blames) the average
age of rolling stock, variously said to be more than thirty or
even forty years. Exactly what this implies isn’t spelled out.
Does the fi gure meaningfully exceed world norms? At what
level do things like passenger safety begin to be at risk?
Thirty-nine years? Forty-two? But here’s a thought – Aren’t
question-marks about maintenance adequacy more to the
point than age?
We heard last month that passenger rolling stock in
intensive service between Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein
in Germany is more than 40 years old. The story didn’t
suggest this exceeds a norm or has safety implications;
apparently it’s just that in current Western European
terms the coaches are “too loud and do not offer enough
passenger comfort.”
In any event, AKN Eisenbahn - the company running
commuter and freight trains in Hamburg and Schleswig-
Holstein – has awarded Alstom a contract worth €60 million
to supply up-to-the-minute replacement trainsets.
ROLLING STOCK – DOES IT HAVE A SELL-BY DATE?
‘‘ Bit risky playing chess on a
Gautrain bus: it’s bound to be
against the rules.’’
10 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
Sell-by dates for rolling stock, riding by the rules, hindsight in Zambia, and predictions for Africa.
PETE THE PUNDIT ruminates on
people would use the system each day when fully operational,’
Mr van der Merwe said.”
KABWE HUB PLAN FOR ZAMBIAN RECONSTRUCTIONZambia Railways Limited (ZRL) managing director Clive Chirwa,
currently under suspension, visualised centrally located Kabwe,
housing offi ces and workshops for manufacturing rolling stock,
becoming a hub. Around it, his three-year reconstruction project
PREDICTIONS FOR AFRICAIn the words of Bombela Operating Company’s Kelebogile Machaka:
“Gautrain’s average weekday ridership in March 2013 (about
48,000) refl ects an increase of 60% compared with March 2012
(30,000). She added ominously that the growth in patronage is
placing “severe strain” on the system during peak hours, “with
passenger demand already approaching levels only predicted in
year ten of the concession period.”
Predicted by who, exactly? (or should that be “whom”?) According to
a Business Day report on 22 October 2010: “Gautrain management
expects 140,000 passengers a day to use the high-speed Gautrain
rail service when the fi nal phase is completed in the middle of
next year” [ie 2011]. The paper quoted Gautrain Management
Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe saying on 21 October that “initial
forecasts predicted 77,000 passengers a week would use the fi rst
phase between Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport. In
the fi rst few months of operation, the average was about 76,000
passengers a week. ‘This is a clear indication that our forecasts
were quite accurate. This gives us renewed confi dence that 140,000
Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) chief executive Benjamin Even,
when informed late in 2012 that his company’s concession was
being cancelled for non-performance, pointed out indignantly that
it had invested more than $US50 million since its appointment in
2003 – considerably more than the contractual obligation. “Our
obligation as concessionaries was to operate and improve the
infrastructure and hand it back to the government at the end of
the concession period in a better condition,” he was quoted saying.
Today, RSZ is loudly blamed for the state of the railway, its
infrastructure and rolling stock, and for failure to attract heavy
goods traffi c off the roads which are breaking up under the strain.
The story is a familiar one in Africa, where state-owned railways
suffering from decades of neglect, characterised by chronic
under-investment and minimal maintenance, are handed over to
concessionaires who are expected to pump in millions and work
miracles.
Miracles unfortunately take far too long for most politicians. Results
are needed quickly, at least before the next election, otherwise the
politician (rather than the concession-holder) risks biting the dust.
A change in government during the currency of a concession almost
automatically spells trouble – as (it seems) happened in Zambia.
On several occasions in recent years, RSZ CEO Even warned of
problems that his company could not solve on its own, In October
2011 he was quoted saying: “The government of Zambia must
honour the concession agreement for the sake of the Zambian
economy and RSZ employees, and should support our sector with
implementation of transport policies which will make the railways
more competitive in order to shift traffi c from road to rail. These are
mainly refl ected in the road levy refunds, support towards security
and road regulations to be enforced such as weight limitations
and toll gates.” RSZ he said faced challenges such as “about $5
million of paid road levy which has never been refunded.” Vandalism
too “continued to haunt the company.” Even added: “Our role is
to work hard and plan while the government should support us
with the right policies.”
Less than a year down the line - in September 2012 - the new
government cancelled RSZ’s 20-year concession. Within 24 hours,
Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) managing director Knox Karima
was promising an impressive turnaround for the system under
state control. In November it was announced that Karima had
been “retired in the national interest”, with Professor Clive Chirwa
appointed CEO. In late April 2013, the professor’s much publicised
grand plans for ZRL ran into all sorts of trouble. Zambian President
Michael Sata suddenly sent the railway’s entire board packing and
suspended Chirwa on half pay while allegations of corruption are
investigated. The auditor-general is also having a go.
Press comment drew attention to the President’s unilateral
appointment of Professor Chirwa, disregarding conventional
recruiting and interviewing procedures. Commentators suggested
that other potential candidates for the position – had they had the
opportunity to apply - might have had more impressive experience
in running a railway, Chirwa being an aerospace engineering
consultant.
HINDSIGHT: LESSONS FROM THE ZAMBIAN CONCESSION
“Guy says his great-great-grandfather’s land was taken from him to build
the colonialist railway. Refuses to remove his cows – says his claim to get
the land back is sub-judice.”
From Railways Africa’s correspondent in San Francisco:
* “We recently saw an article about the 2011 South
African census.
* Total population: 52 million
* Children under fi ve: 11 million
* Mobile phone ownership: 47 million
(90% of total population)
“Which seems to imply that six million mobile phones are
owned by children under fi ve”.
12 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
look to young Zambian engineers in leading the project. This is a
new approach, the Times observed: “Over the years, Zambia has
relied much on the technological powerhouse of the Chinese
government in major construction projects like roads and even
the same Zambia Railways. Now Professor Chirwa feels otherwise.”
The paper applauded the professor’s assurance that all materials
required for reconstruction would be locally sourced and
manufactured. “It looks like a huge dream” the Times concluded.
“Professor Chirwa seems to have put pen to paper; all that is
remaining is implementation.”
AUDITOR-GENERAL ON CONSULTANTSIn October 2009, South African minister of fi nance Pravin
Gordhan said government departments must trim consultancy,
entertainment, conference and travel expenses. The instruction
appears to have been ignored. Early in 2013, the auditor-general
slammed government departments for the extent to which they
have been using consultants. During the past year, R33.5 billion
[billion, not million] was paid to consultants who amongst other
things developed media monitoring projects, planted trees, offered
basic adult education to police offi cers and audited staff skills - all
tasks that could have been done by public servants in the course
of duties for which they are paid salaries. A question-mark hangs
over the ability of staff who have been appointed without the
necessary skills to perform basic departmentalfunctions.
The Department of Transport was singled out for spending
R14.3 million on consultants to manage the October “Transport
Month” campaign.
would take place. Nine groups or modules were to be created,
each responsible for reconstructing 100 kilometres of line, with a
three-shift schedule covering 24 hours, seven days a week.
PRESS COMMENT ON CHIRWA’S PLANSSeemingly sceptical about Zambian Railways Limited (ZRL) CEO
Clive Chirwa’s elaborate plans to turn the system around, the
Times of Zambia suggested “the plans would not leave one without
a speculative mind on how he hopes to accomplish this entire
enormous dream. “
The paper noted the professor’s assertion that revamping the
entire railway – and electrifying it – in three years would create
10,000 jobs, mainly for Zambian youth. It was also intended to
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Railway Systems of Zambia, whose 20-year concession was cancelled by
the government in September 2012, faced huge problems reviving the run-
down line it inherited. Photo (2006): Dietmar Fiedel.
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
ANGOLAEVENING TRAINS AT LUANDACaminhos de ferro de Luanda (CFL) has introduced four evening
commuter trains. The new service, CFL’s commercial director
Isaac Mateus explains, is aimed largely at students who live in
Viana and study in the city centre of Luanda. The last trains depart
simultaneously at 22:30 from Baia to Bungo and from Bungo to Baia.
BOTSWANABOTSWANA COAL HEADS TO DURBANAccording to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) executive manager for
international business Nyameka Madikizela, the railway is expected
to begin carrying coal from the Morupule Colliery near Palapye in
Botswana to Durban during May. In terms of an agreement being
signed with Botswana, three 35-wagon trains are to run weekly.
Two of these will be made up of TFR wagons and one using
Botswana rolling stock. It is planned to have six trains running
per week by August/September 2013. Successful test runs were
made during April.
It is intended to use Botswana Railways diesel locomotives as far
as Krugersdorp and TFR electric power from there. In the longer
term, the line west of Krugersdorp may be relaid to raise the
permissible axle loading from 18.5 tons to Transnet’s standard
26 tons, Madikizela says. This would permit the use of TFR’s
heavier locos.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT IN LUBUMBASHIThe national railways of Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) have entered into a tripartite agreement
to “harmonise” operations, in order to facilitate “smooth and
seamless transport of goods and passengers”. Acting managing
director of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara)
Dr Damas Ndumbaro, Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) managing
director Professor Clive Chirwa, and Société Nationale des
Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC) acting director-general Vincent
Tshiongo Ngalula signed the agreement in Lubumbashi.
Viaduct at Lengue Gorge. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.
Artist’s impression of station at Luau, Caminhos de ferro de Benguela,
15km from the DRC border. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.
Luau station, nearly fi nished, in May 2013. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.
AFRICA STILL MOST COSTLY FOR FREIGHT TRANSPORTTransporting freight on the continent of Africa is now four times more expensive than in other parts of
the world. This assertion was made during a panel discussion at the Breakbulk Africa Congress 2013,
held in Cape Town during April. An important underlying reason is the lack of infrastructural development.
It was noted that most African governments lack the funds needed for capital-intensive projects, which
means that dependence on private sector investment is inevitable. Unfortunately, a perception that African
governments are not prepared to address the situation makes it diffi cult to convince the private sector to invest. The
panel highlighted the defi ciency of railway infrastructure in most African countries and the absence of rail linkage
across the borders between most countries.
14 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATEAFRICA UPDATE
AFRICA UPDATE
in the Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC) as part of a leasing
package funded by the World Bank. Fitted with 1,000hp EMD 8-645
engines, they will probably be used on shunting and trip work.
EGYPTTHALES WINS CAIRO-ALEXANDRIA SIGNALS UPGRADEAccording to a “high-ranking source” quoted by Egypt’s Daily News,
the France-based Thales Group has won a bid to instal electric
signalling along the Cairo-Alexandria line at an estimated cost of
$US270 million. The Egyptian National Railways Authority (ENR) is
to fund the project through a World Bank loan. Another bid is to
be invited soon in respect of electric signal installation along the
Beni Suef to Assiut line, at an estimated cost of $330m. Director of
the offi ce of the ENR president Magdi Musa is quoted saying that
so far some $19.5m has been spent on installing electric signalling.
The agreement defi nes how the three railways are to collaborate
and interact with each other in the conveying of goods and
passengers through each other’s railway network without re-
marshalling and transshipment. According to a joint communiqué
issued afterwards, they said: “We have come to a mutual
understanding on all the technical parameters regarding our
respective operations and provided for continuous consultations
through regular interchange meetings for the entire period of
the agreement.
“Cargo can now move in either direction and all the way from Dar
es Salaam to New Kapiri-Mposhi and Lubumbashi and vice versa
without necessarily transshipping, remarshalling or complications
of any kind.”
COPPER TO DURBANAccording to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) executive manager for
international business Nyameka Madikizela, it had been hoped to
sign an important “North-South Corridor agreement” in February
but talks were taking longer than expected. In terms of the intended
arrangement, “millions of tons” of copper mined in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (as well as Zambia) will be carried by rail to the
port of Durban, a journey the best part of 2,000km. If the Tanzam
Railway to Dar es Salaam were able to handle this traffi c, the
journey would be some 400km shorter.
EX-QUEENSLAND LOCOS FOR SNCC [Information from Dr J N Middleton]:RRL in South Africa have bought six 62.5 tonne locos built by
GM-Clyde 1ib 967-70 for very light axle-load (10.4 ton) rural branch-
line use in Australia’s Queensland. They are going to Société
Nationale des Chemins de fer Congolais (SNCC – the state railway
For main-line use, RRL is supplying ex Queensland 2600 series locos which
are being renumbered SNCC 2201 upwards. Photo: Les Bray.
AFRICA UPDATE
15Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
KUWAITI HELP FOR EGYPTKuwait is providing $US100 million in assistance for the developing
of Egypt’s railways. According to the Egypt State Information Service,
Kuwaiti Ambassador in Cairo Rashid Al Hamad has stressed the
depth of “brotherly relations” binding Egypt and Kuwait. He said he
expects an increase in the coming months in Kuwaiti investments
in Egypt, which stand currently at some E£16.5 billion.
EGYPTIAN TRAIN SERVICES RESUMEViolence erupted throughout Egypt on 9 March, following the
release of the Port Said stadium massacre verdict. In Cairo, three
protesters were killed in clashes with the police and the police club
in Gezira was set on fi re, as were the nearby offi ces of the Egyptian
Football Association. Protesters from the Ultras Ahlawy hardcore
football fans in Qalubiya stood on the railway in Banha, halting all
train movement. Altogether some 31 trains were affected on the
Cairo-Alexandria line, but by Sunday morning 10 March, services
had returned to normal.
BUSES REPLACE TRAINS IN EGYPTOn 8 April, buses substituted for passenger trains in Egypt, where
a strike by locomotive drivers brought all services to a standstill.
The staff were protesting a government decision to limit increases
in an allowance to 10%. The independent syndicate for train staff
announced its “complete solidarity” with the drivers’ demands
for better conditions. Rail traffi c was operating at about 60% of
normal by 10 April. In the East Delta area, full service had resumed,
according to the state information service in Cairo, quoting
Egyptian National Railways Authority (ENR) head Hussein Zakaria.
He explained that drivers had returned to work after receiving
promises of improved pay and working conditions. A committee
was being formed to look into wage and bonus restructuring.
ETHIOPIAETHIOPIA: ADDIS LIGHT RAILWAY According to Addis Fortune, published in Addis Ababa, the Metals
& Engineering Corporation (MetEC) has completed assembly of
a prototype train for the light rail project in the capital. MetEC
manufactured the bodywork, the undercarriage and bogies being
imported from the Danubian Aircraft Company (DAC), a Hungarian
corporation that specialises in “the overhaul and upgrading of
helicopters and the manufacture of metallic components”. DAC,
which has worked with MetEC previously, is to provide “expert
assistance in the production of tracks” for the project, which is
being overseen by the Ethiopian Railway Corporation.
Construction of the 1,435mm gauge Addis light railway, which is
expected to carry 80,000 passengers an hour, began in January
2012 at an estimated cost of $US475 million. The government
announced in mid-April that the project was 25% complete. The
three lines comprise a 17.2km route from Defence Forces Hospital
to Ayat Village, another of 16.2km from Meskel Square to Kality, and
a link from Lideta to Menilik Square. China Railway Group Limited
(CREG) holds the contract for tracklaying and MetEC is responsible
for supplying the track material and rolling stock. Completion is
expected in 2016.
Additional lines to Shiro Meda in the north, Gelan in the south and
to Lebu in the south-west, are envisaged at a later stage.
ETHIOPIAN NATIONAL RAIL PROJECTThe Ethiopian Railway Corporation is overseeing construction of the
4,744km national railway project, which comprises eight corridors
criss-crossing the country. The track and rolling stock is to be
imported from a Chinese company.
The existing railway from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to the
Red Sea port of Djibouti is currently being replaced with a $US2.8
billion, 1,435mm gauge electrifi ed line by two Chinese concerns.
Turkish and Brazilian companies are to construct other segments
of the national network which aims to create a series of key trade
routes to neighbouring Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan, as well
as Djibouti.
KENYANEW SYSTEM AT RIFT VALLEY RAILWAYS Rift Valley Railways (RVR) has invested in SAP, which is described
as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) tool. SAP ERP consists of
several modules, including utilities for marketing and sales, fi eld
service, product design and development, production and inventory
control, human resources, fi nance and accounting. SAP ERP
collects and combines data from the separate modules to provide
the client with enterprise resource planning.
RVR’s $US4 million SAP ERP project was funded by the World Bank,
supported by Aegis, an india-based company which will train staff,
instal and execute the system. Personnel went through intensive
training from August 2012 to January 2013, mainly in the areas
rolling stock management, quality management, human resource
management, fi nance and accounting, controlling and supply
chain management.
SAUDIARABIA
ASWAN DAM
JORDAN
ISR
AE
L
SUDAN
EGYPT
C AIRO
Abu Tarlour
El Kharga
Nag’Hammadi
El Korma
Isna
Aswan
Luxor
Oena
Sadd el Ali
Bur Sataga
Asyut
Beni Suef
El Wasta
SuezEl Shatt
IsmailiaFerdan
RafahPort Said
EL’Alamein
To Tobruk Mersa
Matruh SimilaSalum
Alexandria
El Faiyum
Railway outof use
Helwan
BahariaOasis
AY
BIL
N0 250 km
MEDITERRANEAN
RED SEA
Addis Ababa station, Ethiopia. Photo: Dietmar Fiedel.
16 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
RVR selected SAP ERP as part of its fi ve-year turnaround programme.
Other projects include the overhaul of 365 wagons through a KFW
grant (149 wagons rehabilitated to date), the overhaul of eight
locomotives, replacement of 70km of rail between Mombasa and
Nairobi (48km completed to date) and repair of nine major culverts
between Busembatia and Jinja in Uganda (almost complete) and
rehabilitation of Uganda’s Tororo-Pakwach line.
MOROCCOANSALDO SIGNALS FOR MOROCCO A contract to design and supply signalling, telecommunications and
a control traffi c centre for Morocco’s new 183km high-speed line
has been awarded to a consortium comprising Ansaldo STS and
Cofely Ineo. Ansaldo STS will cover all phases of signalling
implementation from design to integration and commissioning,
as well as providing the telecommunication equipment, “next
generation” interlocking, track circuits, ERTMS Level 1 & 21-based
automatic train control and train protection, also the traffi c control
centre located in Rabat. Cofely Ineo will provide the wayside
equipment as well as power supply and cable networks. Its
engineering offi ce will provide all plans required for the installation
of “complex and critical systems”. The contract awarded by Offi ce
National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF – the Moroccan state railway),
is worth some €120 million. The new high-speed railway connects
the cities of Tangiers and Kenitra.
MOZAMBIQUEMOZAMBIQUE COAL EXPORTS RESUMEFollowing heavy rains in mid-February in Mozambique, serious
washaways resulted in an embargo on coal traffi c by rail from
Moatize, destined via the Sena Line to the port of Beira. The
prominent Brazilian Vale mining company said the declaration of
force majeure affected the shipment of about 500,000 metric tons
of coal. The Sena Line is currently Vale’s only export route to the
sea. The line eventually reopened and coal traffi c is fl owing normally.
NAMIBIATRANSNAMIB’S FINANCIAL HEADACHESIn a forthright article, Edgar Brandt of New Era, published in
Windhoek, itemised problems facing Namibia’s state railway
TransNamib. In terms of this year’s vote in the latest national
budget, he writes, the Treasury has allocated N$165 million for
rehabilitating the Aus-Luderitz line and N$237.2 million for new
rails and ballast for use mainly on rehabilitating the lines from
Kranzberg to Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb, and between Windhoek and
Walvis Bay. Speed restrictions as low as 15 to 20km/h are in force
along some sections of the Tsumeb line and passenger traffi c has
been halted due to safety concerns. TransNamib Secretary Eugenia
Tjaronda listed some of the other problems currently faced.
Modern standards in the Southern African Development Community
(Sadc), she pointed out, require railways suited to 18.5 ton axle
loading. Normally this is attained using 48kg/m rails welded in
continuous lengths and supported on well-ballasted concrete
sleepers. In Namibia at present, only 1,263km, ie 47% of the total
2,688km route distance, complies with this standard, Tjaronda said.
Of this 1,263 km, 855km were carried out prior to 1988. Since
then, TransNamib has only upgraded 100km, but the Namibian
government did construct the new railway northern extension
(308km) at this standard. Most of the remaining network is
restricted to 16.5 ton axle loading, though some sections have
loading restrictions as low as 13.5 tons.
Brandt quotes Tjaronda explaining, “It costs between N$3 and
5 million to rehabilitate one kilometre of line, but the government
has been contributing only N$1 million annually for line rehabilitation
and maintenance.”
The rolling stock and locomotive fl eet is old, Tjaronda pointed out.
“For example, the GE locomotives, which compromise over 85% of
the active motive power, average more than 45 years in age.”
SOUTH AFRICA
N A M I B I A
A N G O L A
WINDHOEK
To Cassinga
Oshakati Oshikango
Ondangwa
Tsumeb
Oshivelo
Otavi
Outjo
Grootfontein
Otjiwarongo
OkahandjaKranzberg
Usakos
Rehoboth
Mariental
Keetmanshoop
Seeheim Seeheim NorthKolmanskop
Lüderitz
BogenfelsKarasburg
Oranjemund
N
0 250 km
Nakop
ToUpington
Gobabis
AT
LA
NT
I C O
CE
AN
SwakopmundWalvis Bay
To Katima Mulilo
BO
TS
WA
NA
GE U20C diesel – former South African class 33. Still the mainstay of the
TransNamib fl eet, these locos are more than 40 years old.
Photo: John Batwell.
17Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
six months to 20,000 a day with 18 trains. Considering that this is
a corridor with an estimated footprint of 2 million passenger trips
per day, it is clear that the NRC’s mass transit efforts would yield
minimal impact on traffi c congestion in the Lagos area as most
journeys would still be made by road. Worse is that at [a fare of]
N120 or so per trip, it is impossible to ever make a profi t and
sustain the service in the long run. Images in the media of NRC
passengers dangerously clinging to the sides or sitting atop moving
trains is reminiscent of the molues [minibuses] that Lagos is
phasing out. Should this be what passes for rail transportation
in modern day Nigeria in the year of our lord, 2012? In any case,
with the Lagos light rail planning to run modern passenger trains
on this route, there is really no future for the current NRC mass
transit service along this corridor. So why not focus on freight
which will generate far more revenues and make the roads safer
for passengers?”
“STEAM FILLS KANO STATION”The eminent British weekly The Economist recently reported
Nigeria’s reopening of the Lagos-Kano main-line. In a colourful
description of the scene, it wrote in vol 406 no 8822 dated 9-15
February 2013: “Brakes let out a deafening screech and steam fi lls
the station as the Lagos-Kano train ends its 30-hour journey….
Hundreds of passengers emerge wearily from brightly painted
yellow, green and white carriages. It may be sweaty, crowded and
very late… “
“Steam?” asks Railways Africa’s surprised San Francisco
correspondent. “What is Nigeria using for motive power if not those
nice new GE diesels I read about in Railways Africa? Resurrected
steam engines? Or maybe this equatorial nation is using steam to
heat its trains - no wonder the passengers are sweaty”.
He adds: “I found a few pictures of Kano Station on Google. It
looks as if the tracks are open to the sky, with just some canopies
along the platforms. It must be quite diffi cult to fi ll that station
with steam”.
AIRCON TRAINS FOR NIGERIANigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) managing director Adeseyi
Sijuade says air-conditioned trains are to be introduced in Nigeria
during 2013. He told the media: “We plan to introduce the new
modern air-conditioned coaches. In terms of security there would
be no cause for alarm as the corporation would ensure the safety
of lives and the property of customers.”
N$62M NAMIBIAN AUS-LÜDERITZ TENDER IN HIGH COURT According to press reports, the fi rm Profi le Investments formed
a joint venture, Profi le-VAE, with the South African company
voestalpine VAE SA. Profi le-VAE submitted a tender for upgrading
the Aus-Lüderitz railway, including the procuring and delivery
of rails. In November 2012, the Namibian transport ministry
recommended to the Tender Board that Profi le-VAE be awarded
the N$62 million contract. Some weeks later, citing irregularities
during the procurement process (one of them relating to a confl ict
of interests), the ministry reversed its view. Late in April, the High
Court in Windhoek heard an action brought by Profi le Investments
owner Veino Nghipondoka against Tender Board chairman Ericah
Shafudah and works and transport minister Erkki Nghimtina.
Profi le Investments alleges that an offi cial in the ministry of works
leaked confi dential information to their competitor. Permanent
secretary in the ministry Peter Mwatile claimed that the consultant
appointed for the project was also the principal agent for D&M,
which Profi le-VAE SA had subcontracted to do some of the work.
The consultant allegedly designed the tender in such a way that it
favoured Profi le-VAE. The action continues.
TRANSNAMIB’S N$816,000 PAY-OUT In 2009, TransNamib CEO Titus Haimbili appointed Albertus
!Naruseb as general manager of human resources. Haimbili was
subsequently accused of “irregularly and improperly” appointing
!Naruseb, following claims that other candidates interviewed had
been “leapfrogged” and that he and !Naruseb are brothers-in-law.
Haimbili, who denied the allegations, was found “not guilty” by a
disciplinary committee.
In May 2011, lawyer Richard Metcalfe, chairing TransNamib
disciplinary hearings against !Naruseb, found him guilty on three
out of 24 counts of alleged corruption and misuse of a company
credit card, including “non-compliance with company policies.” In
July 2011, !Naruseb was fi red by CEO Haimbili, on instruction by
the board.
Namibia’s Offi ce of the Labour Commissioner recently found the
manner of !Naruseb’s dismissal “wrong and unjustifi ed by law” and
ordered TransNamib to compensate him. Arbitrator Moses Shitaleni
ordered TransNamib to pay !Naruseb N$816,000 - equivalent to 12
months’ salary. Shitaleni ruled that for the decision of !Naruseb’s
dismissal to have come directly from the board, and not from the
recommendations of the chairperson of the disciplinary committee,
was unjustifi ed and in his view violated the applicant’s right to a
fair hearing.
[Based on press reports]
NIGERIA“NO FUTURE FOR NRC AT LAGOS”Bethlehem Rail Infrastructure Limited managing
director Rowland Ataguba, who chairs the Nigerian
economic summit group (Nesg) infrastructure
policy commission rail work-group and is
principal consultant of the Canac-PSO Alliance,
commented on the Nigerian Railway Corporation
(NRC) in a recent letter to the Nigerian press:
“A further strategic imponderable is the NRC’s insistence on
operating the loss-making mass transit service. The NRC recently
crowed that it was carrying what is but a paltry 14,000 passengers
a day in the Lagos axis which it hopes to increase over the next
Rowland Ataguba.
18 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
the Tanzania Daily News that informal traders doing business too
close to the track in the Buguruni kwa Mnyamani area are putting
themselves and train operation in danger. It takes time to stop
a moving train, he pointed out, and drivers are not able to wait
until people get themselves out of the way.
$US330 MILLION ON TANZANIAN RAILWAYSThe current $US330 million upgrade of Tanzania’s metre-gauge
railway includes its conversion to 1,435mm gauge, transport
minister Harrison Mwakyembe confi rms. The East African quotes
him explaining that this is to bring the railway “in line with other
networks across central and Southern Africa”. An important
objective is the ability to move 35 million tonnes of freight annually
to Rwanda, Burundi, parts of Uganda and the eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC). The minister says $3.7 million has been
Talking about the recently rehabilitated main-line from Lagos to
Kano, Sijuade said the project had cost N24.3 billion. The 488km
Lagos-Jebba section accounted for N12.1 billion, and the 638km
from Jebba to Kano, N12. 2 billion”. All this work was completed
within budget.
NIGERIA TRAINING DRIVERSSpeaking at the recent Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC)
Permanent-way Training School graduation function in Zaria,
administration and human resources director Dr Aminu Gusau
told 31 new locomotive drivers: “Do not hesitate to ask questions
from those you meet on the job. Learn from them in order to gain
practical skills to move the corporation forward.” Gusau described
NRC as the “root of civilisation in Nigeria”. The unifi cation of the
nation, he was quoted saying, started from the corporation.
ROOF-RIDERS IN NIGERIANigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) managing director Adeseye
Sijuade, interviewed recently by This Day’s John Iwori and Sunday
Okobi, agreed that overcrowding is a severe problem on commuter
trains serving Lagos. Passengers hang onto open doors and
travel on carriage roofs. The situation worsened recently, Sijuade
explained, following the authorities banning the operation of
“Okada” motorcycle transport in the city.
NRC is making every effort to alleviate the problem by renovating
unserviceable coaches and returning them to service. More than 200
coaches and wagons resumed service during the past two years.
TANZANIATANZANIAN SERVICES RESUMEIn 22 April, Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) resumed commuter
train service between Dar es Salaam and Ubungo. The operation
was suspended following infrastructural damage caused by heavy
rain. According to TRL spokesman Midladjy Maez, fares remain
at 400 shillings for adults and 100 shillings for students. He told
Bujumbura
TangaMuheza
Kilosa
Manyoni
SingidaKaliua
Mpanda
Moshi
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19Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
spent so far in renovating the existing network, which includes an
order for rolling stock expected to arrive by June. This includes 274
passenger coaches, 22 locomotives and other items.
[Surely conversion to 1,435mm gauge will achieve the opposite of the
objective? Neighbouring Zambia, as well as Zimbabwe, Botswana,
the DRC, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and South Africa all use
1,067 mm gauge. - Editor: Railways Africa]
FARES IN TANZANIANew fares applicable to Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) as approved
by Tanzania’s Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority
(Sumatra) are as follows:
First class (25% increase):
• Dar es Salaam to Morogoro 21,100/- (was16,852/-)
• Dar es Salaam to Dodoma 34,700/- (was 27,788/-)
• Dar es Salaam to Tabora 54,800/- (was 43,859/- ).
Second class (25% increase):
• Dar es Salaam to Morogoro 16,600/- (was13,280/-)
• Dar es Salaam to Dodoma 26.400/- (was 21,092/-)
• Dar es Salaam to Tabora 40,500/- (was 32,605/- ).
Third class (44.1% increase):
• Dar es Salaam to Morogoro 8,800/- (was 6,138/-)
• Dar es Salaam to Dodoma 13,500/- (was 9.374/-)
• Dar es Salaam to Tabora 20,400/- (was 14,173/- ).
The Sumatra board has asked TRL to improve its internal revenue
control within three months and to improve passenger services. In
addition TRL has been requested to adopt a passenger management
information system and to simplify ticketing and revenue collection
from passengers within a year.
TAZARAPROBLEMS WITH CHINESE LOCOS AT TAZARAReportedly the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) had nine
operable locomotives. In terms of the 14th Protocol of Economic
and Technical Co-operation signed by the governments of China,
Tanzania and Zambia in December 2009, a loan of $US39 million
was granted to Tazara. Of this, $24 million was spent on six new
3,000hp diesel-electric locomotives. According to press reports,
various technical problems have been experienced with these
SDD20 units, delivered by CSR late in 2012. Almost six months
later, none is currently in service.
Tanzanian minister for transport Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, quoted
by The East African, said a Chinese company won the tender to
supply the locomotives. He told the paper: “I have been told about
the technical problems, but you need to speak to our technicians
and engineers who would be in a better position to explain in detail
the technical problems. It appears the engines can’t cope with
the Tazara terrain.” The manufacturer is “facing challenges in putting
the new locomotives into operation”, Tazara head of public relations
Conrad K Simuchile told The East African, adding there is no need
“at this stage to be overly concerned because the locomotives are
going through a normal trial process after delivery....and they are
still fully in the hands of the manufacturer, who has ample time to
rectify the defects, if any.”
According to a statement issued by GE-Africa media relations
manager Thulisile Thuli Phiri, the locomotives were supplied by
CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Company Ltd (CSR QSY) in China.
“GE supplied engines for the locomotives and no technical issues
were reported on the engines. GE is committed to working with
its partners CSR QSY and Tazara to resolve any technical challenges
related to any of the GE components supplied. The GE team will
continue to conduct trial runs for the locomotives. GE will resolve
traction motor-related issues on units 3001 and 3006 and also
perform trial runs for units 3002 due to pass tests this month
[May 2013], and will also investigate the causes of the technical
failures on the traction motors and provide a containment solution
while continuing to work with QSY and Tazara to test the rest of the
units to minimise impact.”
ACTING MD AT TAZARAAccording to Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) public
relations head Conrad Simuchile, the board of directors has
appointed Ronald Phiri as acting managing director for three
months. The three-year contract of previous MD Akashambatwa
Mbikusita-Lewanika expired in February but was not renewed.
Chairman Dr Muyenga Atanga explains that Phiri, himself a member
of the board, has more than 31 years’ service in the mining sector.
Atanga, who is permanent secretary in the ministry of transport,
works, supply and communications, said the board “searched
extensively” for someone with understanding of the challenges
facing Tazara. A longer term appointment would follow the
identifying of a suitable candidate in due course.
TAZARA DELIVERSOn 24 April, Dar es Salaam’s Tanzania Daily News reported that
the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) accomplished
the delivery of more than 7,500 metric tonnes of freight in the
preceding fi ve days. This followed the resumption of freight and
passenger services. both suspended on 10 April when the line
was blocked some 64km west of Dar es Salaam. This was caused
by the capsizing of a crane sent to recover wagons that went off
the line in an earlier derailment.
SDD20 3,000hp loco, similar to that supplied by CSR QSY to Tazara in
December 2012.
Chingola
Lumbo
DODOMA
Copperbelt
Lake Tanganyika
Lake
Mal
awi
Cabora BassaZambezi RiverKafue River
20 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
given of likely timeframes for actual construction. According to the
paper, “The challenge is now for the initiators of the multi-million
dollar project to move quickly … They should not come up with an
excuse of lack of funds because the Zambian Government is ready
to support this ambitious project.”
ZIMBABWERAILWAY PAY CUTS PROPOSED IN ZIMBABWEThe National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) last paid its staff full
wages last May, ie 13 months ago. On 11 April 2013, a memo
signed by general manager Air Commodore (retd) Mike Karakadzai
proposed that workers be paid between 50 and 75% of their
salaries from the end of April, depending on their grades, with the
lowest grades getting the lowest percentage. It was envisaged that
the lowest paid employee would get “at least $150” every month.
According to the NRZ memo, “the arrangement is designed to
enable workers to at least pay rent and other bills”. Press reports
suggested the employees were unhappy with the proposal. It
dealt only with the future, they pointed out, but not the “massive”
salary backlog.
The memo went on:
“This suggestion was considered by management as reasonable
and meriting development. To this end, management convened
a consultative meeting with labour on 2 April 2013, whereat the
concept of creating predictability for the payment of a portion
of employees’ net salaries with balance being parked as liability
was discussed.
“In addition to the concept, management tabled a schedule
giving typical payment scenario premised on the distribution of
$2,7 million towards the payment of between 50 and 75% of
employees’ monthly net salaries (depending on the employee’s
grade) on the 30th of every month.”
It was the second major disruption suffered by Tazara in three
weeks, the paper recalled, the fi rst (during March) due to washaways
following “persistent rains and fl ooding in the mountainous region
of Mlimba in Tanzania”.
Tazara public relations head Conrad Simuchile said in a statement
that 3,624.50 metric tonnes of copper and 2,980.60 metric tonnes
of maize comprised the bulk of the cargo delivered to Dar es
Salaam. “Other commodities delivered to Mbeya and New Kapiri
Mposhi between 17 and 24 April included fuel and sulphur
concentrates.”
Both the Mukuba and Kilimanjaro Express passenger trains are
running on time between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi
in Zambia.
UGANDAPROGRESS ON PAKWACH LINEIn December 2012, Rift Valley Railways (RVR), the concessionaire
managing the Kenya and Uganda railways, engaged Kato
contractors, a Uganda-based company, to rehabilitate the 500km
Tororo-Pakwach line in northern Uganda at an estimated cost of
$US2 million. The fi rst phase of the work has been completed,
involving the clearance of bushes, weeding and the removal of
anthills
According to a recent RVR press statement, “Work on the second
phase has commenced, which involves restoration of washed-out
areas due to fl ooding and installation of new culverts which have
been successfully fi xed at Awoja, with four barrels of 1.2m diameter
culverts, back-fi lling and re-railing the track.”
RVR general manager Mark Rumanyika expects the line to be in
operation by the end of August 2013.
ZAMBIAZAMBIA: NORTH-WEST RAILWAY PROJECT PROGRESSESAccording to the Times of Zambia, “good progress” is being made
with the north-western rail project. This envisages a new line
running west from Chingola by way of Solwezi to the border with
Angola, from where it is to be extended to connect with Caminhos
de ferro de Benguela (CFB). This would provide Zambia with a rail
link to the Atlantic at Lobito. In all about 700km of new railway
is involved. The Times provided no detail of work done to date
(presumably this is concerned with planning) and no indication was
N50 100 150
KM
RWANDA TANZANIA
SOUTH SUDAN
UGANDA
DRCPakwach
LakeAlbert
Kasese
LakeEdward
KENYA
Malaba
TororoKampala
LakeVictoria
GuluLira
Mbale
Soroti
ZAMBIA
ANGOLA
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
BOTSWANA
ZIMBABWE
MOZAMBIQUE
MA
LAW
I
Monze
Choma
Kwekwe
Gweru
Mutare
Marondera
Tete
Chipata Mchinji
Odzi
Hwange
ChingolaKitwe
KolweziDiloloLuau
Luanshya
Mazabuka
Ndola
Kabwe
LUSAKA
LILONGWE
HARARE
Kapiri Mposhi
LivingstoneCAPRIVI
STRIP
OkavangoDelta
Lake Kariba
Kariba Dam
Proposed North-Western Railway
Cabora Bassa
Mulobezi
Senanga
Kazungula
Kafue
NAMIBIA
Lubumbashi
Loco 395, 15th class, heads a 2013 Valentines Day special operated by the
National Railways of Zimbabwe. Photo: Chas Rickwood.
21Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATEAFRICA UPDATE
manufacturer – dual-voltage, too – are to
be assembled by TE, as will a fl eet of 3,600
commuter coaches for the Passenger Rail
Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in terms
of the contract recently signed with the
Gibela Rail consortium.
DAYLIGHT DURBAN-JBG TRAIN As from 26 April 2013, Shosholoza
Meyl introduced a daytime passenger
train departing from Johannesburg on
Fridays at 07:00, arriving in Durban at
20:30. The return working is on Sundays,
leaving Durban at 07:25 and arriving in
Johannesburg at 20:30. It has been many
years since a scheduled passenger train
ran during daylight through the scenic
Drakensberg and northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Ashley Peter points out: “Although the
intention is to run this train on a weekly
basis, unfortunately this will not be
possible due to the double-line occupations
LOCOS & ROLLING STOCK FROM TRANSNET ENGINEERING At its Koedoespoort (Pretoria) main
works, Transnet Engineering (TE - formerly
Transnet Rail Engineering), in addition
to assembling class 43 diesel-electric
locomotives in association with General
Electric, is developing a prototype diesel
short-haul and shunting loco suited to
conditions on the continent, notably on the
widely-used 1,067mm gauge. Together with
wagons being supplied to neighbouring
countries, such as coal mining concerns
in Mozambique, the product should boost
orders from outside Transnet itself, already
totalling some R850 million in the fi nancial
year ended March 2013. New contracts
from Transnet due for award in the near
future include 465 new diesel-electric and
599 dual-voltage electric locos, all to be
assembled in partnership with an OEM
supplier at TE plants. Similarly, 85 of an
order for 95 electric locos from a Chinese
South Africa’s prestigious Blue Train has
undergone a number of upgrades including
refurbishment of the interiors, improved
technology and revamped critical safety
components. These include the air-cushion
suspension and braking systems, as well as
the fi re and smoke detectors.
Interior work comprised refurbishment
of the décor, reupholstering the furniture
and recarpeting the entire train. The staff
coach has been revamped and fi tted with
an entertainment system, recognising that
on-board personnel are away from home for
more than three days every week.
The on-board entertainment system now
provides a wider variety of movies and
music. Guests can rewind, pause and skip
from one movie to the next - an option that
was not available previously, when fi lms
were automatically programmed.
The driver’s-eye-view camera system,
displayed both in guests’ suites and
the club car (smoking lounge) has been
upgraded and the train is now equipped
with wi-fi throughout. New and improved
butler mobile phones have been introduced
to provide effective communication and
easy availability.
At the same time, the exterior of the train
has been repainted to ensure a new look
and feel.
Other developments under way include
redesign and development of the Blue
Train website and reservations facility. An
improved GPS system is in the pipeline, to
identify the areas traversed and provide text
and audio commentary. These additional
upgrades are expected to be complete in
approximately six months.South Africa’s Blue Train, adjudged the World’s Leading Luxury Train for 2009, 2010 and 2011 at the
World Travel Awards, has .been extensively revamped. Dual-voltage class 14E locomotives handle the
entire 1,600km journey from Pretoria to Cape Town. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
BLUE TRAIN UPGRADE
which take place on the Natcor line once
a month. The train will therefore run
three times per month, but not during the
weekend when the double-line occupation
occurs.”
POSTMASBURG-KAMFERSDAM SIGNALLING UPGRADEA R90 million contract to upgrade the
signalling between Kamfersdam (on
the main-line north of Kimberley) and
Postmasburg, on the line to Sishen and
Hotazel, was commenced in September
2011 and completed two months ahead of
schedule in October 2012.
The old block system, using copper cabling,
had been in operation for close on 50
years. In its place, Actom Signalling
installed a modern optic-fi bre cable system,
with axle-counter equipment incorporating
failsafe data transmission (FSDT). The
existing CS90 remote control system was
22 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
RAIL NEWSSOUTH AFRICAN
SA RAIL NEWS
upgraded to interface the new system with the old interlocking
that continues to operate at all stations.
Actom Signalling’s contracts manager Gerrie Coetzer explained:
“Among diffi culties faced were a very tight schedule for completion
of the fi rst half of the project, logistical problems arising from the
distance covered (some 200km, of which 86km required trenching),
as well as punishing working conditions, with temperatures rising
to as much as 40°C at times, and tough trenching conditions in
places.”
The contract required completion of 50% of the work within 10
months of commencement. “This part, between Kamfersdam and
Koopmansfontein, was extremely fast-track and very challenging,
but we completed it on time,” Coetzer said. “The long distances
necessitated deployment of three separate complete working
teams, each comprising trenching, cable-laying and installation
personnel, with two testing teams to serve the three sections.”
A number of “extremely rocky” trenching conditions were
encountered, notably at Barkly West, UlcoGhaap and Limeacres.
When the project started, the initial section of line at Kamfersdam
was under water, due to fl ooding from the dam. Occupation
here had to be postponed until the end of the contract period.
Despite these setbacks, on completion of the fi rst half of the
work, Transnet Capital Projects presented Actom with a 100,000
hours lost-time injury-free award.
Actom (Pty) Ltd, electro-mechanical equipment specialist, is a
black empowered company with 42 operating units, 43 production,
service and repair facilities, and 36 distribution outlets throughout
Southern Africa. Its personnel number about 7,500.
TOYOTA CARS BY TRAIN FOR EXPORT On 15 March, an epic service level agreement was signed between
Toyota SA Motors and Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). In terms of this,
the fi rst train transporting Toyota cars for export was operated on
3 April from the car terminal at Isipingo to the similar facility at the
Port of Durban, the journey taking about 50 minutes. According
to Toyota local general manager Gerhard Botha, the concept was
fi rst mooted in 2006 and has thus taken almost seven years to
implement.
Currently two trains of 12 wagons each with two car racks are
running daily Monday to Friday, ie 240 cars in total every week.
To accommodate expected increases in the required capacity, TFR
plans to procure additional wagons, suffi cient to boost weekly
totals to 1,000 cars, ie 200 every weekday.
www.railwaysafrica.com
TFR AUCTION 9 MAY 2013Pewter Bagshawe reports:
In the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) auction that ended on 9 May, all
rolling stock lots on offer were sold except for Lot 21 (a single SMLJ
wagon at Midlandia, Noupoort - for which no bid was received).
This particular wagon also failed to sell at the previous TFR auction
which included wagons (Sale 35).
The remaining wagon lots were sold at prices ranging from
R795/ton (Lot 4 - a DZJ wagon at Ogies) to R2,509/ton (Lot 7 - 37
wagons at New Brighton, Port Elizabeth). A number of Lots were
marked “Price Reduced” on the day of the sale and these went for
lower prices (R795 -R1,632/ton).
The largest lot, (Lot 9 - 97 wagons at Kimberley) realised R2.58 million
(R1,978/ton). In total the wagon sales realised over R13 million.
The friction bogies (Lot 51) realised R77,000 (R1,898/ton).
FOOTNOTE:
I recently did an exercise to fi nd out how many wagons have been
auctioned for scrap. Since March 2009 to date, TFR have held 40 auction
sales through Go-Dove (Lots 1-3: March 2009) and Lots 1-37 (June 2009-
May 2013). By my calculations, 17,177 wagons and tankcars have been
offered for sale in these auctions. However, not all wagons have been sold,
and a number have been on offer more than once. I have identifi ed 1,892
such wagons (but suspect there are a number I have missed) and this
reduces the total to 15,285. Still quite a large number! -
NEW TFR TRAIN CREW UNIFORMNew uniforms for Transnet Freight Rail crews are being issued. The
fi rst recipients were ten members of the Coal Business Unit staff
at Ermelo. Logistics manager Sizwesamantshali Mtshali handed
over the uniforms on 2 May to operations managers Christopher
Mzimba, Sipho Scheepers and Muzi Zwane. The existing TFR train
crew uniforms are to be phased out steadily.
PINETOWN LINE SIGNALLINGBellair, Malvern, Northdene and Pinetown are open for trains
working using the Van Schoor single-line token system and
mechanical semaphore signalling. Sarnia, formerly a trains-
working station, is now just a halt. The Pinetown line is the fi rst
earmarked for signalling upgrading in Kwazulu-Natal and should
be fully CTC-operated within 18 months - controlled initially from
Durban CTC, but moving later (probably in 2016) to a new Metro
CTC building at Rossburgh. Optic fi bre cabling with redundancy is
the chosen method of communication now. There are presently
30 trains a day on this line, but this may well increase if a proposed
“clockface” timetable is accepted and introduced.
- News courtesy Ashley Peter
NEW ZEALAND LOCOS TO SOUTH AFRICAFour ex-Kiwirail (New Zealand) class DQ 1,500hp Co-Co diesel
locos have been sold to an undisclosed buyer in South Africa. Units
6347 and 6382 were seen in a freight train heading north from
Wellington, bound for Auckland. They were booked to sail from
Auckland on 15 May.
According to a Wikipedia report, 6376 was damaged in a collision,
while 6324 “had worn its wheelsets down to the point where
they would need to be replaced for the locomotive to continue in
regular service”. Presumably these two locos will follow later,
though it is not clear whether it is intended to repair them prior
to export.
The four locos were built originally as part of a fl eet of 21 classed
1460 for Queensland Rail (QR) in Australia during the mid-sixties,
19 being acquired by the New Zealand operators in 1995. They
were supplied for main-line use but were not entirely satisfactory,
being relegated eventually to helper duties.
TRANSNET FACES R79BN PENSION CLAIM According to Rapport, a group of 66,000 pensioners has instituted
a civil claim to recover about R79 billion they claim Transnet
“plundered” from their pension funds. The claim was instituted
in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. According to court
papers, the “conspicuously illegal manner” in which the funds
were stripped only emerged recently when lawyers acting for the
pensioners obtained and analysed the funds’ fi nancial statements.
The funds’ most important assets, acknowledgements of debt
worth R7.7bn which generated an annual income of R1.2bn, were
apparently “swapped” in early 2001 for MTN shares, known as
M-Cell at the time, worth about R1.4bn. “There is no indication that
the funds received any income from the M-Cell shares,” one of the
lawyers involved in the matter, Leon Kellerman SC, wrote in court
papers.
Pensioner Johan Pretorius submitted in an affi davit that the fund
was plundered to improve Transnet’s balance sheet, with the
knowledge of the former ministers of public works and fi nance,
Jeff Radebe and Trevor Manuel. “About half the pensioners are
white and a third black”, according to a Sapa report. “The claim
consists of debt of about R17.1bn which the government and
Transnet acknowledged was owed to the funds when Transnet
was commercialised in 1990, with interest of 12% per year. In
addition a loss of R5.4bn is being claimed. It was incurred when
the acknowledgements of debt were swapped for shares in 2001.”
Kiwirail (New Zealand) class DQ loco 6324, one of four coming to South
Africa. Wikipedia photo.
At the historic Bellair station, 13km from Durban, the driver of a Pinetown-
bound Metrorail set receives the tablet authorising him to enter the 4km
single-line section to Malvern. This characterful scene will disappear when
CTC arrives. Photo: Editor.
24 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
“Passing the Germiston line I saw 3 x class 34 (090/097/119) in the latest Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) colour scheme being towed by
3 x class 36 diesels. Apparently they had been newly painted and probably overhauled at Bloemfontein Transnet Engineering works and
were on their way to Germiston diesel depot for fi nal de-snagging and fi nishing. In the
bright African sun they looked fantastic and something TFR can be really proud of,
considering that the locos are over 40 years old.
“The challenge is for TFR to keep the locos in this condition by cleaning them on a
regular basis. Regrettably the majority of their locos are in appallingly dirty condition.
One speculates on the effect of this on drivers. How can one be proud of working
conditions if the workplace is so disgusting? Running around the country, the trains
themselves are the best advert for TFR, but what impression does a train headed by a
dirty, oddly-painted locomotive create in the eyes of a potential customer?”
The agreement encompasses:
• A technology agreement that gives Actom access to Alstom
Grid’s world-class transmission technologies, equipment
and systems.
• A manufacturing agreement enabling Actom to manufacture
specifi c Alstom Grid products, sub-assemblies and
components under licence.
• A representation agreement giving Actom exclusive
representation rights to promote, sell and support Alstom
Grid products in the Southern African region.
The agreement extends an existing partnership that spans nearly
half a century. Actom provides a range of support services for
the large installed base of products Alstom has supplied into the
Southern African market over many years.
Actom (Pty) Ltd is the largest manufacturer, repairer and distributor
of electro-mechanical equipment in Africa, employing about 7,500
people with an annual order intake in excess of R7.5bn. It is a black
empowered company with 42 operating units, 43 production,
service and repair facilities, and 36 distribution outlets throughout
Southern Africa. www.actom.co.za
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power
transmission and rail infrastructure. The group employs 92,000
people in around 100 countries. www.alstom.com
ACTOM AND ALSTOM SIGN TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENTActom, the largest electrical engineering group in Southern Africa, and Alstom Grid, leading overseas provider of engineered solutions and products for smart and conventional power grids, signed a three-year transmission technologies cooperation agreement in Johannesburg on 23 April. Alstom Grid’s commercial vice-president for Southern Europe and Africa Eric Boulot explained: “Alstom and Actom are partners in a number of activities such as signalling, boiler services and Metro coaches in the region and this agreement will reinforce the partnership and cooperation between the two groups.”
Actom chairman of transmission & distribution Jack Rowan emphasised that his company’s focus has always been on maximising local content.
Actom manufactures a number of products under licence to its international partners wherever this proves practicable, in addition to developing
and manufacturing products of its own.
NEW PAINT: GREAT IMPRESSION Stewart Currie reports in the RSSA’s On Track:
25Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Eric Boulot (left) of Alstom Grid and Jack Rowan of ALSTOM T&D shake hands after signing the fi nal
agreement formalising the partnership .between the two groups. Looking on are ACTOM’s Group CEO and
Chairman Mark Wilson and Group Executive Director Andries Tshabalala.
GAUTRAIN PUNCTUALITYWriting about Gautrain on 8 April, the Johannesburg Star’s Anna
Cox said: “in terms of punctuality and customer satisfaction, it
beats the London tube - its UK counterpart - by far.” Cox attributed
the assertion to “what Bombela, the train’s operating company,
discovered during a study conducted between August 2011 and
March 2012”. Several papers picked up the story. Beeld quoted
Bombela spokesperson Kelebogile Machaka claiming that 98.6%
of Gautrain’s departures and arrivals are within three minutes of
scheduled time (“which is above the contractual target of 90%”).
By comparison, she said, quoting “a quarterly report by the UK rail
network, 91.3% of British trains depart and arrive on time”. This
statistic, she pointed out, was based on trains arriving or departing
within fi ve minutes of the schedule.
[Comment: The local newspaper stories are comparing Gautrain’s
80km of less-than-three years-old, new-from-scratch, mainly above-
ground railway (running brand-new rolling stock) with the London
“Tube” - a 400km, largely underground system whose infrastructure
ranges in age from 150 years to the present, with rolling stock in
intensive use for many more hours daily than is the case with Gautrain
(till 01:00, compare Gautrain 20:30.)
The actual stats quoted refer to all UK trains; it’s not clear where
the reference to the London Tube originated. The comparative
fi gures supplied by Bombela made no mention of the London “Tube”
(Underground) and did not suggest it was Gautrain’s “counterpart”.
In any event, the only fair comparison with the performance of all
Britain’s trains would be that of all South Africa’s trains – whose
punctuality is dismal. In fact, monthly UK punctuality records are
available and if one wanted to be selective,,might take one train
operator, National Express c2c, at random. During May 2011, 97.5%
of c2c’s trains ran to time “for the fourth month in a row”. It still isn’t
a fair comparison with Gautrain, because the c2c system – and its
trains - are nowhere near as new. - Editor: Railways Africa.]
NORTH-WEST PANORAMAThe busy Cape-Johannesburg main-line, caught by Jacque Wepener’s camera on 15 May. Distances shown are from Johannesburg.
When class 6E1 locos are rebuilt as 18E, the driving position at no 2 end is removed. Bloemhof scene (331km).
Forest of masts and catenary at Makwassie, 278km.
Blue Train stopped by signal near Leeubos, 243km.
Weighbridge test wagons at Leeudoringstad, 253km.
Southbound CAR wagons leaving Grasslands, 319km, after crossing a northbound ore consist behind four 10E locos. (Note that last loco’s pantographs are down.)
Interesting detail of shroud between Blue Train coaches.
26 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Act safely at level crossings
TRAINS RUN NON-STOP THROUGH PORT SAIDUnprecedented violence on 26 January in Port Said, Egypt’s fi fth
largest city, was so extreme that long-distance trains ran through
without stopping, to avoid being caught in the trouble. More
than 350 people were reported hurt, including 150 police. The
demonstrations followed the imposing of 21 death sentences in
the aftermath of 74 people dying in the course of chaos that
erupted at a soccer stadium in the city during February 2012.
In Cairo, police teargas penetrated into the underground railway,
causing great discomfort to travellers.
FLOODS DISRUPT QUEENSLAND TRAINS From Bruno Martin, 25 January:
“After a prolonged dry spell and heatwave, now the entire east
coast of Queensland is being lashed by torrential rain from ex-
tropical cyclone ‘Oswald’ that formed over the Gulf of Carpentaria
last weekend. The railway between Townsville and Cairns has been
cut by fl oodwaters, and so has the Bruce Highway in several places.
“All northbound and southbound Sunlander & Tilt Train services
from Brisbane to Cairns have been cancelled until further notice
and no alternative road transport is available. Today’s Spirit of the
Outback service terminates at Rockhampton with no alternative
road transport available to Longreach. Brisbane-Rockhampton
(electric) Tilt Train service has been cancelled until further notice
and no alternative road transport is available.
“More than 400mm of rain has been dumped on the Rockhampton
region in a 24-hour period, with heavy rainfall expected to hit
southeast Queensland by Saturday.
“Bureau of Metrology senior forecaster Brett Harrison said 469mm
of rain has been recorded south of Rockhampton since 09:00
Thursday and this amount is the heaviest across the state. A
further 300mm of water fell at Samuel Hill north of Rockhampton,
with Rockhampton recording 292mm of rain and Yeppoon copping
289mm. Rainfall in the south-east over the next four days is
expected to range from 100mm to 300mm.
“The rain fl ushed out the odd north Queensland local, including
two crocodiles seen walking on roads in Ingham.”
AMTRAK HALTED: LARGE BIRD SUSPECTEDOn 26 January, an Amtrak passenger train was delayed almost an
hour near the Cornwells Heights station in Pennsylvania after an
unidentifi ed large object struck the locomotive. Not knowing what
they had hit, the crew took time assessing the unit for possible
CANADIAN TRACKS BLOCKADEDParticipants in Canada’s “Idle No More” grassroots movement stage
almost daily protests against the government’s Bill C-45, which
they say violates treaty rights and weakens environmental laws.
Via Rail passenger trains between Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal
were disrupted on three occasions between 30 December and mid-
January by demonstrators who blockaded the tracks, sometimes for
as long as six hours.
CRASH IN EGYPT KILLS 19In the early hours of 15 January, a military train carrying young
recruits to an army camp derailed in the Giza neighbourhood of
Badrashinthe, a suburb of Cairo. At least 19 people were reported
dead and 107 injured, according to the health ministry. The train
was travelling from Upper Egypt to Cairo. In the city of Alexandria,
police fi red tear gas to disperse hundreds protesting at the lack
of train safety in the country. The demonstrators clashed with
passengers and attempted to prevent trains from leaving the main
station in the city.
FOUR DEAD IN EGYPT CROSSING SMASHFour people were reported dead on 16 January in a collision between
a train and a taxi. According to the Middle East News Agency, the
movement of trains in Upper Egypt was disrupted for some time.
Eye-witnesses were quoted saying the taxi driver managed to exit
the vehicle before it was hit.
SAUDIARABIA
ASWAN DAM
JORDAN
ISR
AE
L
SUDAN
EGYPT
C AIRO
Abu Tarlour
El Kharga
Nag’Hammadi
El Korma
Isna
Aswan
Luxor
Oena
Sadd el Ali
Bur Sataga
Asyut
Beni Suef
El Wasta
SuezEl Shatt
IsmailiaFerdan
RafahPort Said
EL’Alamein
To Tobruk Mersa
Matruh SimilaSalum
Alexandria
El Faiyum
Railway outof use
Helwan
BahariaOasis
AY
BIL
N0 250 km
MEDITERRANEAN
RED SEA
28 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
Mishaps & BlundersMishaps & BlundersOne objective of our regular feature reporting and commenting on rail mishaps is to provide information and object lessons from Africa and abroad, in the hope that – in some cases at least - this might help avoid recurrences.
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
COACHES ON FIRE IN GAUTENGDuring the evening of 22 January, two coaches in an incoming
Metrorail commuter train from the south-west were set alight
at Croesus, south of Langlaagte in Gauteng. A motor coach and
trailer were involved. Preliminary investigations, according to
spokesman Lawrence Venkile, “suggest that arson may have been
the root cause.”
Metrorail’s Mosenngwa Mofi was quoted saying: “We reiterate
cabinet’s call that no one should resort to any form of violence
against people or property as a form of striking or protests.”
Metrorail said it suspected that arson attacks on four trains in
Gauteng in the same week were connected to strike action that
started on 21 January,
On 13 March, three coaches in a Metrorail train were set on fi re at
Mlamlankunzi station in Orlando East, Soweto.
TWO TRAINS SET ALIGHT IN DURBANOn 31 January, two Metrorail commuter trains were set alight
at Durban’s KwaMnyandu station. Offi cials told the press they
estimated the damage at R40 million. Sapa quoted Metrorail’s
Thandi Mkhize explaining that one of the trains was on its way to
Umlazi; the other had departed from Umlazi for Durban. According
to Mkhize, “agitated commuters” set the trains on fi re because
they were delayed. This was due to cable theft at Duffs Road and
points being vandalised at KwaMnyandu in the early hours.
Buses sent to assist passengers were stoned, Mkhize said, but
this was stopped by police.
HEAD-ON IN VIENNATrain operations were being authorised manually at Vienna on 21
January while technicians were working on the points. During this
time – the morning rush hour - two opposing trains, both consisting
of S45 commuter sets, were
somehow routed onto the same
track, resulting in a head-on
collision. In all 41 people were
listed as injured, fi ve of them
seriously including one of the
drivers. Air ambulances were
called in, and some passengers
had to be extricated with the
help of cranes. Sarah Nettel of Österreichische Bundesbahnen
(ÖBB – Austria’s state railway) was quoted saying that human error
had not been ruled out as a possible cause.
27 HURT IN EAST LONDON STATION COLLISIONAt 13:45 on 7 February, 29 people were reported injured when
a train entering the main station at East London was incorrectly
routed onto a platform line already occupied by a train with
passengers due to depart at 14:00. Metrorail regional manager
Richard Walker was quoted saying that 27 passengers and two
members of staff were taken to hospital for assessment. The 14:00
train eventually pulled out from East London 75 minutes late.
Other scheduled passenger train services were delayed during
most of the rest of the day.
UP COAL TRAIN DERAILS 41 WAGONSAt about 01:00 on 3 February, a Union Pacifi c coal train headed
for St Louis was involved in a serious derailment at a point south-
damage (none was found), eventually concluding they must have
collided with a large bird, which had fl own away. No injuries were
reported on board the train.
EVACUATION FOLLOWS DERAILMENT IN COLFAXOn 20 January, a 139-wagon freight train from Oakland (across the
bay from San Francisco) bound for Chicago derailed fi ve vehicles
in the town of Colfax, California. Although these remained upright,
a substance leaking from one led to the authorities evacuating
about 100 homes and businesses in the area, in case something
hazardous was involved. Fortunately it was established from the
consist’s manifest that a saltwater preservative solution was
leaking and the evacuation order was reversed. Nobody was hurt
in the incident.
Freight trains in both directions were delayed. Passengers on
Amtrak’s westbound California Zephyr were taken off at Roseville
and taken forward by bus. Union Pacifi c crews worked until late
clearing the tracks, all of which were blocked, eventually restoring
normal service the following day.
EXPRESS DELIVERY!In mid-January, a cleaner employed by a sub-contractor to
Stockholm train operating company Arriva (a Deutsche Bahn
subsidiary) reportedly helped herself to a four-coach train in the
depot and drove it nearly 2km to a station. Here the train ran
through the buffers at the end of a dead-end and crashed into the
fi rst fl oor of a three-storey apartment block. The woman, said to
be in her twenties, reportedly sustained serious injury and was
fl own to hospital. There were three families in the building at the
time but none were hurt.
Subsequent reports retracted earlier suggestions that the woman
was responsible for the bizarre accident, saying that investigations
were concentrating on shortcomings in operating practices.
The local press quoted prosecutor Pär Andersson explaining that,
“after searching her home, and speaking with relatives as well as
emergency workers in contact with the woman after the crash,
investigators concluded there was
no longer any reason to believe she
intentionally drove off in the train.
Andersson added the investigation
revealed a number of ‘unfortunate
circumstances’ that allowed the
woman to put the train in motion.”
LONDON’S VICTORIA STATION EVACUATEDTrain services in and out of Victoria, a major London terminus, were
disrupted on 17 January when fi re broke out on an incoming Gatwick
Express set. For a brief period the entire station was evacuated,
an unprecedented occurrence.
FIRE DUSRUPTS CT METRORAILFour coaches on fi re (and
burned out) in a Metrorail emu
commuter set at Woodstock,
one station from the main Cape
Town terminal, badly disrupted
afternoon peak-hour services on
22 January, necessitating buses
being brought in to move stranded passengers. Four commuters
were injured in the incident and taken to Groote Schuur Hospital.
Bizarre Stockholm train accident.
Head-on in Vienna.
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
29Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
east of Fairbury, Nebraska. Nobody was injured, but no less than
41 wagons left the track, resulting in a lengthy and time-consuming
clean-up operation.
METRORAIL: KALAFONG REAR-ENDER INJURES 300 More than 300 people were reported hurt on 31 January when
Metrorail commuter train 9017 ran into the rear of stationary
train 9009 between Cordelfos and Kalafong stations, shortly after
07:00. One passenger and the driver of train 9017 were badly
injured and eight others were said to be in serious condition. Both
trains were heading to Saulsville in the west of Pretoria.
At a media briefi ng at the Kalafong station, Passenger Rail Agency
of South Africa (Prasa) operations chief executive Mosenngwa
Mofi said the theft of two cables had been reported just after
midnight. The signalling system was affected and at the time of the
accident, trains were moving under manual direction.
Responding to suggestions that the
driver of train 9017 was responsible
for the collision, Metrorail said this
was a highly experienced employee
with 36 years’ service who had
received several awards relating to
train safety and bravery, the most
recent on 17 November 2012.The
outcome of the Board of Inquiry
should not be pre-empted, Metrorail
said.
The line remained closed for several days, with buses substituting
for the train service.
BROKEN RAIL CAUSED 8-WAGON DERAILMENTAccording to fi ndings by the US Federal Department of Transportation,
a broken rail caused the 2 February derailment of eight out of 105
wagons in a Hamlet-Wilmington freight train at Bladenboro, North
Carolina, USA. Most of the wagons were empty but one that came
off the track was carrying anhydrous ammonia, a toxic gas used
as an ingredient in fertiliser. This resulted in the evacuation of 300
homes that were downwind of the accident. The speed limit at the
site of the derailment was 78km/h and according to the report the
train was travelling at 70km/h. The total cost of damage included
$467,569 for equipment and $100,000 for structural repairs.
INDIAN STATION STAMPEDE: 36 DEADA station massively overcrowded with Hindu pilgrims on 10 February
degenerated into a stampede situation in which at least 36 people
lost their lives, and 30 were taken to hospital in Allahabad. One of
the dead was a girl of eight; 27 were women, according to reports,
mainly elderly. Sunday was the busiest day of the world’s reputedly
largest religious event at which some 30 million washed away their
sins in the sacred Ganges river.
BRISBANE CRASH BLAMED ON FALLING LEAVESAt 09:38 on 31 January 2013, a six-coach Queensland Rail (QR)
commuter train ran through a dead-end road at Cleveland station,
overran the buffers and demolished part of the recently refurbished
station building. The train crew and 13 passengers sustained minor
injuries, 10 being admitted to hospital. Damage was caused to the
leading coach as well as some 300 metres of overhead traction
wire and its supports.
The offi cial report on investigations into the incident says “leaves
on the rails” probably caused wheelslip when the brakes were
applied. The driver, with 20 years’ experience behind him, did all
he could to stop the train, but “poor adhesion to the track” caused
the train to slide, then mount the stopblock and crash into the
gentlemen’s toilets. Gale force winds during 25 and 26 January had
brought branches down onto the overhead wires and track, creating
“a thick layer of leaf litter on the rails” which resulted in the line
being closed for four days.
OPEN TRAIN DOOR PERTURBS CHICAGO OFFICIALSAn investigation at federal level followed an incident in Chicago
on 6 February when a peak-hour commuter train ran “at express
speed” from Union station with one of the passenger doors open.
Offi cials said a build-up of ice, apparently caused by a faulty heater
thermostat, was the cause of the door failing to close.
Concern over the incident recalls an accident in 1995, when
violinist Rachel Barton was caught in the door of a moving train and
dragged, resulting in the loss of part of a leg. A jury awarded her
$29 million in damages.
DEEP SNOW CLOSES LINES IN NEW YORKOn Friday evening 8 February, New York’s Metro-North Railroad
suspended train service on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven
lines because of the accelerating severity of a massive storm, as
well as heavy projected snowfall accumulations. Grand Central
Terminal in Manhattan closed down after the last trains arrived at
approximately midnight.
CN MAIN-LINE CLOSED BY DERAILMENT On the morning of 9 February, eight wagons derailed in a Canadian
National (CN) freight train near the Jubilee Overpass in Winnipeg,
shortly after departing from the yard in Fort Rouge. Six vehicles
fell onto their sides but the other two remained upright. However,
a number of steel beams fell from one of the wagons that stayed
on the track. Fortunately no hazardous goods were involved and
no injuries were reported. Traffi c on the CN main-line was halted
temporarily while breakdown crews cleared the track.
“SIX-INCH” RAIL GAP NEAR SELBY, UKThe Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) in Britain has
launched a comprehensive investigation into track conditions on
the East Coast Main-Line near Hambleton, where express trains
routinely operate at 200km/h. This follows the 1 February release
by the RMT rail union of a photo showing “six inches of rail missing
at Hambleton South junction near Selby” which the press described
as “an accident waiting to happen”. The union submitted a similar
photo in December 2012, showing a similar
problem at nearby Colton Junction.
According to press reports, “RMT believes
that due to renewals and staffi ng cuts, an
initial crack had crumbled away to a six-inch
gap in the rail head over a period of two
weeks in a mirror image of the incident at
Colton Junction, leaving trains, passengers
and staff at risk of a serious and potentially
lethal incident.”
ARREST AFTER BNSF TRAIN DISABLEDOn Friday 9 February, police in Hamburg, Iowa, arrested a Missouri
man suspected of disabling a train of the Burlington Northern Santa
Kalafong collision.
Photo: Netcare 911.
Gap in a rail at
Colton Junction.
30 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
Fe Railroad (BNSF) at about 04:00. Alleged to have entered the
locomotive’s engine compartment, he was arrested on suspicion of
trespassing, and detained in the Fremont County Jail, with further
charges pending. The train was reportedly stationary near the
intersection of Main and Washington Streets in Hamburg. BNSF
employees said the 27-year-old had boarded the train before arrival
and caused the damage.
CONTAINER TRAIN DERAILS LOCO & 17 WAGONSOn 7 February, a westbound Canadian National (CN) freight
derailed the locomotive and 17 fl atcars carrying containers about
5km west of Biggar, Saskatchewan, about 95km west of Saskatoon.
All remained upright when they went off the track, but traffi c on
the main-line was shut down until the rolling stock was cleared. No
injuries were reported. The cargo was said to comprise “household
goods”; nothing hazardous.
MOZAMBIQUE: FLOODS DISRUPT RAIL IN NAMPULAOn 1 February, the Nachicuva River in Northern Mozambique burst
its banks at Monapo, resulting in a crater about 70 metres long
and 35 metres deep, with the railway hanging in mid-air after the
earthworks were washed away. All traffi c on the Nampula line was
suspended indefi nitely. According to one estimate, the line may be
out of action for as much as three weeks.
DERAILMENT CLOSES MAPUTO-SA MAIN-LINEA serious goods train derailment involving ten wagons near Tenga
on the Maputo-South Africa main-line in mid-February resulted
in total closure of the route to all traffi c. The accident weakened
the structure of a bridge. Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique
(CFM – the state railway & harbours) instructed the contractor to
concentrate on “the essential aspects” of repair work so that trains
could run again, leaving “secondary repairs” till later. There would
be a “provisional reconstruction” of the damaged bridge, allowing
trains to cross, and a “defi nitive rebuilding” afterwards.
Under normal circumstances, the line is used by seven freight and
two passenger trains daily. Every month, some 30 trainloads of
minerals travel the route from South Africa to the port of Maputo.
Arrangements to use the line through Swaziland as an alternative
route were under consideration at the time Notiçias (published in
Maputo) reported the incident.
Coal of Africa (CoAL) issued force majeure notices to its customers
following the derailment, when Transnet attempts to establish
alternative routes to the Matola port were proving unsuccessful.
CoAL told shareholders it would implement measures at all its
operations to mitigate the commercial and operational impact of
the force majeure, and noted that production at its Mooiplaats and
Woestalleen operations would continue until stockpile capacity
was exhausted.
CONCRETE FALLING FROM RAILWAY BRIDGE There is a problem at an elderly railway bridge crossing 273rd
West Avenue in the city of Bristow, Oklahoma. Residents duck their
heads when driving underneath because from time to time, large
lumps of concrete fall off into the roadway. The bridge is owned by
the Oklahoma Department of Transport which leases the structure
to a “shortline” railway company - the Watco Companies Stillwater
Central Railroad - whose responsibility it is to ensure the bridge
Sales and rentals of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock.Repair/reconditioning of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock in our Pretoria West based workshop and on site.Repair/reconditioning of all locomotive and other rolling stock equipment (engines, bogies, turbo chargers, air and vacuum brake valves and auxiliaries, compressors and exhausters, couplers and draft gears etc.)Service exchange components for most major items on present day locomotives, which include traction motors, bogies, power packs, expressors and main generators etc.A full range of spare parts for locomotives and rail wagons, most of which are available off the shelf.Sales and rentals of electrical, mechanical and air jacking systems for the lifting of locomotives and rail wagons etc, on site.Operation and control of entire rail systems ranging from the maintenance of customers own locomotives and rolling stock to the control and transport of their products and the maintenance of their railway tracks and switch/signalling systems.
SPECIALIZING IN THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY
OPERATIONS &
WORKSHOP
No1 Frikkie Meyer RoadPretoria WestGautengRepublic of South Africa
Tel: +27 12 380-0540Fax: +27 12 [email protected]
HEAD OFFICE
P.O Box 40178Cleveland2022Republic of South Africa
93 Whitworth RoadHeriotdale, JohannesburgGautengRepublic of South Africa
Tel: +27 11 626-3516Fax: +27 11 626-1171/[email protected]
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SURTEES RAIL GROUP
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
DEATH & INJURY ON USA RAILWAYSMore people are killed trespassing on the railway in the United
States than in level crossing collisions. Vehicle-train collisions and
injuries at level crossings decreased 5.1% to 1,953 in 2012 but rail
trespassing deaths and injuries increased 7.5% to 442 - the highest
level since 2008. States with the most crossing collisions last year
were Texas, California, Illinois, Indiana and Georgia. States with the
most pedestrian-train casualties (deaths and injuries combined)
were California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Florida.
BNSF UNVEILS LANDSLIDE ACTION PLAN The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) had 200 reported
landslides in the Pacifi c North-west since October 2012, specifi cally
in the section between Everett and Seattle. Improvements costing
$16 million are to be carried out at the six “most risky and problematic
locations”, along a 13km stretch between Mukilteo and Everett.
Company spokesman Guy Melonas told the press that debris is to
be shifted from the top of slopes, and additional catchment walls
built in the area. Drainage systems will be improved at the same
time. When it becomes necessary to close the line and cancel the
operation of passenger trains, journeys on the replacement buses
add as much 90 minutes to commuter travelling.
DERAILMENT AT NAIROBISuburban passenger train service into Nairobi from Kibera,
Gatekwera and Kikuyu was suspended on 18 March following a
derailment at Kibera outside the city. Commuters were advised
to use alternative transport until regular rail operation could be
restored. Press reports said the process of removing the derailed
train had taken longer than expected “owing to technicalities”.
METRORAIL HICCUPSA massive power failure at the end of February stranded Metrorail
trains and knocked out signalling throughout the length of the
Cape Town-Simon’s Town suburban line. Press photos showed
commuters who had detrained walking along the track (it looked
like Plumstead), with a stationary 10M3 set in the background.
remains in good repair. The company recently inspected the bridge
and it appears there is steel beneath the concrete which should
prevent chunks falling off – but a further assessment is to be
carried out.
POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS LANDSLIP AT DONCASTERTrain service between Doncaster, Goole and
Scunthorpe in the UK was halted for “at
least two months” by a spectacular landslip
near Doncaster on 11 February. The tracks
were left “twisted and buckled like a scene
from a disaster movie,” according to press
reports. The site is that of an extensive tip
adjoining a large colliery whose engineering
consultants are “monitoring the situation closely” before attempting
remedial work. Stainforth Town Council Mayor Arlene Abbott was
quoted saying the municipality has been trying “for years” to get
the size of the tip reduced. Britain’s Rail Accident Investigation
Branch (RAIB) is investigating.
DERAILMENT COST TRANSNAMIB N$65 MILLIONAccording to TransNamib acting CEO Eugenia Tjaronda, the
derailment during December 2012 behind Dune 7 near Walvis Bay
cost the parastatal more than N$65 million. The two locomotives –
both write-offs - were removed soon afterwards but the 17 wagons
that came off the track (all loaded with manganese) were still
lying at the entrance to the Dune 7 recreational area, popular with
tourists, until recently.
KENYAN TRAIN DERAILS NEAR VOIOn 2 March, all rail traffi c through Voi, 164km from Mombasa on
the main-line to Nairobi, was halted for some six hours following the
derailing of a Magoda Soda freight train. The cause was suspected
to be a problem with the track. Press representatives looking for
details quoted a police department spokesman saying he was not
aware of the accident, though reportedly it occurred “only a few
metres from the Voi police divisional headquarters”.
PEACOCK ENCOUNTER INJURES CREWMANIndia’s Deccan Herald reported recently that a passenger train
travelling from Madurai to Shencottah was delayed more than an
hour after a peacock entered the driver’s cab and ”attacked” the
assistant engineman. Offi cials said the train was moving at about
80km/h near Thiruthangal in the district of Virudhunagar when
the “low-fl ying” peacock broke the windscreen, entered the cab
and clawed at the crewman, who was slightly hurt and admitted
to hospital at Rajapalayam. The bird was pronounced dead at
the scene.
Twisted tracks at
Doncaster landslip.
Photo: RAIB
“Signalman says it wasn’t a fl ag, it was a handkerchief he was waving to his
girlfriend. The drivers all thought it meant they could pass the next signal
at danger”.
On 5 May, a number of loaded ore wagons derailed on the Sishen-Saldanha
line near Moravia, spilling their loads and ripping up a lengthy section of track.
32 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
DRILLING INTO A LONDON TUNNEL HALTS TRAINSEarly in March, the driver of a train
from London’s Moorgate to Welwyn
Garden City in Hertfordshire saw
muddy water pouring into the tunnel
near Old Street station, a section
used by two million city workers
annually. He reported the incident
and all rail services were stopped.
Network Rail sent an operations
manager in a special, empty trainset
to investigate. Approaching Old
Street, the men on board spotted
two large metallic objects that had
apparently fallen from a hole in the roof of the tunnel, one of which
was in contact with the live conductor rail. These were later identifi ed
as sections of an auger (drill) that had penetrated the tunnel lining
before falling onto the track. Each section measured approximately
two metres in length and was 0.35 metres in diameter. Immediate
checks revealed that the augering operation was associated with
construction activity on land about 13 metres above the top of
the tunnel. The line remained closed until investigations into the
incident were completed and repairs carried out. Britain’s Rail
Accidents Investigation Branch (RAIB) is to issue a full report in
due course.
HAZARDOUS TANKCARS DERAILAmerica’s national Route 5 Highway was closed on 22 February
near West Springfi eld in Massachusetts following the derailing of
two tankcars on the adjoining railway. One of the vehicles contained
butyraldehyde, “a colourless, odourless and fl ammable chemical
used in the manufacturing of plastic products”. The other was
empty, “but still had enough residual materials inside to warrant
concern.” West Springfi eld authorities ordered the evacuation of
several homes in the immediate vicinity of the accident and 14
people were accommodated in an emergency shelter at the West
Springfi eld Middle School. Once the tankcars were placed back
on the track, a locomotive had to be sent in from Springfi eld (to
the east) as track damage to the west of the derailment precluded
rescue operations on that side.
Butyraldehyde is said to be highly fl ammable, harmful if swallowed
or brought in contact with skin. It can cause serious eye irritation
and is harmful to aquatic life. Warnings by the authorities point
out that the vapour - being heavier than air - may travel along the
ground, so that “distant ignition is possible.” If mixed with air, it can
be explosive”.
SOUTH AFRICAN RAIL ACCIDENT STATSManager for safety analysis Kenny Makgati of the South African
Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) told the annual rail safety conference
in Johannesburg that “occurrences” during the 2011/12 fi nancial
year cost the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) R203.2
million – 65% more than the corresponding period 12 months
earlier. By comparison, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) reported a 65%
drop over the same period. This meant that TFR paid out R228.6
million – a signifi cant improvement over the R942.2 million debited
in 2010/11.
TFR attributed most of the lessened expense to a decrease in the
number of collisions at level crossings. The bill here went down
from R816.3 million in 2010/11 to R148.1 million in 2011/12 – the
lowest in four years.
Augur drilling bits in the tunnel
near Old Street. Photo: RAIB.
SENA LINE CLOSED Lengthy and very costly stoppage in the movement of export coal
hit Mozambique’s Moatize mines on 12 February. This resulted from
the closure of the Sena line to the port of Beira following washaways
after heavy rain. Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique (CFM – the
state railway & harbours) plans to deviate the initial portion of the
route to a higher level eventually (it is prone to fl ooding), but not in
the near future.
The Sena line is the only effective route currently for exports from
Moatize, as the use of road trucks is wholly impractical over more
than 500km of poor infrastructure. Vale and Rio Tinto, the main
producers, are mining far more coal than can be moved under
normal conditions. The fl oods have made matters that much worse.
ZIM
BA
BWE
SOUTHAFRICA
SWAZILAND
MOZAMBIQUEMA
LAW
I
ZAM
BIA
Beira
Dondo
Inhamitanga
Manica
Mutare
To Harare
To Bulawayo
To Johannesburg
Inhambane
Inharrime
Xai - Xai
Ungub
ana
MoambaKomatipoort
Ressano Garcia
Boane
Goba
Manhica
Xinavane
MAPUTO
Manjacaze
ChicomeMarao
Ch
okw
e
Caia
Vila de Sena
Marromeu
Mocuba
Nacala
Monapo
LumboNampula
Cuamba
Entre LagosNkaya
Moatize
Chiromo
Mutarara
Blantyre
Tete
Lichinga
Lilongwe
Chipata
Quelimane
Indian Ocean
Cabora Bassa Dam
Zambesi River
TANZANIA
Lake
Ma
law
i
1500 300 450
Km
Morrumbala
The number of derailments countrywide went down by 11% to
798, but those at TFR cost the operator R53.5 million in 2011/12
(2010/2011: R25.4 million). Rail collisions however cost TFR
R620,000 in 2011/12 (2010/2011: R3 million).
The cost of collisions at Prasa however totalled R61 million during
2011/12 (2010/2011: R24.4 million), nearly treble. Level crossing
incidents also cost Prasa three times more - around R600,000. A
year ago, the fi gure was R200,000.
Fatalities associated with railways totalled 425 in 2011/2012
(2010/2011: 487). Most incidents involved pedestrians being
struck by trains.
Theft and vandalism including cable theft cost TFR R19.2 million in
2011/2012, and Prasa R9.1 million. Fires on trains cost TFR R7.11
million and Prasa R126 million.
33Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
ORIGIN OF THE WORD COCOPAN In response to the note about cocopans
(see page 12) which was included on www.
railwaysafrica.com some weeks ago, we
received the following:
SECOND OPINION Apparently the “Zulu origin” stems from the
Collins English dictionary. I have a second
opinion on this one - in my blog entry for
Kimberley’s Olive, this explanation is given:
One of the mining tipcarts (also “tramcar”)
which was used to transport concentrates
holding diamonds. Locally in South Africa
these are known as “cocopans” - a word
probably coming by folk etymology from the
Afrikaans words “koek” (cake) + “pan”(pan).
This information stems from America’s
authoritative source: Merriam-Webster’s third
new international dictionary (This 3rd edition
[2661pages!], fi rst published in 1961), reads:
Koek and pan have their roots deep in
the Dutch (“MD”) and German (“OHG”)
languages.
Note that around the year 1900, the Afrikaans
word would have been “koekepan”, which is
very close to “cocopan” to the ear. A Dutch
dictionary (Beknopt Nederlands Woordeboek
voor Zuid-Afrika) published in 1908 does list
the word “koekepan” - as a pan for baking
pancakes. No mention yet of mining tip-carts.
Personally for me, the “cake pan” version is
more plausible - it is unlikely that the Zulu
language had a word for “short truck” -
Originally they only used oxen sleighs, and
only saw wheels after contact with western
civilisation. Their “ngkumbana” (Ku+ban
sounds like Koe+pan) more likely stems
from “koekpan” as well! After diamonds
were discovered at Kimberley and gold on
the Reef and Baberton, large numbers of
Afrikaans-speaking people went to work on
the diggings - it is very likely that there they
would have coined the word “koek(e)pan”
for the tip-carts - which then found its way
as “cocopan” into the English vocabulary.
As an anticlimax, the Afrikaans HAT
(Handbook of the Afrikaans Language) also
supports the Zulu origin for the Afrikaans
word “koekepan”. I still prefer the Webster
explanation which has been around for 50
and more years -the HAT (now in its 5th
edition) was fi rst published in 1965 - not
sure if it originally offered information about
koekepan.
– Piet Conradie
END OF THE LINE
34 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013 www.railwaysafrica.com
CORRESP NDENCE
Alone in a sea of khaki scrub.It didn’t look like much from a distance.A silver roof glinting in the setting sun
Amongst a grove of bluegums,Stately wardens of the Karoo,And home to owl, kestrel, dove,
And noisy hadedas.
Providers of cool summer shade,Golden pollen for the bees,
Wood for our fi res,Timber for our homes,
And soothing winter liniment.This antipodean interloper,Stood proud on the line,In the yard at the back,
Of the wonderful Railway Hotel.
As we drew nearer, our white dust,A haze o’er the veld,
The sun sank behind a black horizon,Turning scrub and road mauve and dunn,
And gum trees to inky darkness,And silver roofs grey without sun.
We saw a turning windmill,Its fi shtail fl icking, while the wind sought
Refuge for the night.
But out farther,On the spreading landscape, far beyond
The tiny inn,Far across the tumbled scrubland,
Black smoke moved, drawing a charcoal line,Smudged darkly through the spreading
Panorama.
Pulling up on crunchy gravel,With a stoep light shining brightly,W
In the fading warmth of day,We saw cars and bakkies drawn up
Side by side,And people danced and sang,
To the jerking beat of a boereorkes,While a faraway whistle fl oated sweetly,
On the evening air.
A steam whistle, faint yet urgent,Along the distant track,
Where coloured signals split the rails,Like scissor blades opening, then closing.
A locomotive black and looming,Of jutting banjo mien,
Howled through our tiny world, rocking,Its men on easy cushions green,
With wind on their arms, and their hair.Running hot with no smoke from her chimney,
No steam to be seen, anywhere,
Except a feather of steam o’er her boiler,Flying white as a pennant fair,
And the shimmering heat waves rising,Of her sound and her presence aware.
She hurried through, rocking and moaning,In dusky, metallic splendour,
And we heard and we felt her pass by,That train with a big condenser
Pounding ‘neath the Great Karoo sky,Like a parasol darkened and punctured,
By pinpricks of stars fl oating by,Past that wonderful place in our memories,
That place we all knew so well,That place that is never forgotten,
The wonderful Railway Hotel.
- Pierre de Wet
THE RAILWAY HOTEL
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With Alstom, designing uidity becomes a reality
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Alstom designs sustainable and global railway solutions tailored to each operator and public authorities they serve. Whether people are planning transport systems, operating them, or riding them, Alstom irons out obstacles. We create systems that meet daily the new challenges of smarter mobility by building and maintaining solutions that run smoothly and ef ciently. To us, success is when passengers, who enjoy seamless and safe journeys, make this new mobility their own and fully integrate it in their lifestyle.
Alstom_AP-corpo_Prima2_A4_UK.indd 1 19/04/13 16:06
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