railways africa issue 6 2011
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT
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Specialists in refurbishment, repair and upgrade of wagons and major supplier of new wagons to the heavy haul
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WAGON BUSINESS
Tel: +27 (0)12 391 1304 Fax: +27 (0)12 391 1371 Email: [email protected]
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South Africa’s fi rst electric multiple-unit
(EMU) suburban trains started running
in the Cape Peninsula in 1927. The
ability to work complete trains in either
direction without the need to manoeuvre
a locomotive around the set at terminals
was a great advantage – notably in Cape
Town’s main station, with its 14 dead-end
platforms. Those innovative EMUs were
in use here more than 80 years ago – 80
years during which nobody thought twice
about re-ordering electric multiple-unit
rolling stock, so ideally suited to commuter
work.
In all of those fi ve decades however -
though main-line diesels have been active
in South Africa for more than fi fty years -
the only move towards acquiring diesel
multiple-units (DMUs) for short-haul
commuter runs in non-electrifi ed territory -
as widely seen overseas - were half-hearted
efforts that came to nothing. When steam
was retired, all these duties were taken
over by full-size main-line diesel
locomotives– at Port Elizabeth and East
London, and also Malmesbury in the
Western Cape. All three are dead-end
terminals, where – in the old-fashioned,
cumbersome, time-consuming way - the
locos have to run round their trains.
In North America and many countries in
Europe, push-pull working similar to the
multiple-unit principle is employed, but
the use of conventional locomotives is
retained. The loco leads in one direction
on each journey, pulling the train. But it
doesn’t run round at the terminus. Instead,
it pushes the train on its return trip, with
the driver seated in a control trailer at the
other end of the set.
Ironically, the current commuter sets at Port
Elizabeth, East London and Malmesbury
have what used to be control trailers at the
end of each set. Inexplicably, the operating
equipment has been removed.
France’s Alstom has just reported a typical
current overseas order - to supply six DMU
trains to Ottawa in Canada, for “fl exible
operation with short travelling times
and small stop-distances that help meet
demanding timetables.”
Great savings in time, no points to be
changed, no shunting. Just like the
electrics in Cape Town in 1927 - and in
all those years since. Somebody whisper
in Metrorail’s ear – everyone else in the
garden has DMUs. Why not us?
Loco-hauled Cape Town-Malmesbury commuter
train has former control trailers at each end
of the set, from which the equipment – and
windscreens – have been removed. Photo:
Eugene Armer.
Contemporary diesel-multiple-unit (DMU) set in
Cameroon.
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.
3August 2011 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
BARBARA SHEATPublisher / Railways Africa
PUBLISHERBarbara Sheat
EDITOR Rollo Dickson
DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto
ADVERTISINGKim Bevan
SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan
CONTRIBUTORSAnton van Schalkwyk
Dave van der Meulen
Eugene Armer
Geoff Cooke
John Batwell
Leon Zaayman
Roderick Smith
ISSN 1029 - 2756
Rail Link Communications ccPO Box 4794 Randburg 2125
Tel: +27 87 940 9278
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: railwaysafrica
Website: www.railwaysafrica.com
ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT
AU
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ST 2011
WWW.RAILWAYSAFRICA.COM
SCAW METALSGROUP
SPECIALIST CASTINGS FOR THE RAILROAD INDUSTRYSPECIALIST CASTINGS FOR THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY
Tel: +27 11 842-9303 • Fax: +27 11 842-9710Website: www.scaw.co.za
The Scaw Metals Group (Scaw) is an international group, manufacturing a diverse range of steel products. Its principaloperations are located in South Africa, South America, Canada and Australia. Smaller operations are in Namibia,Zimbabwe and Zambia. Scaw’s specialist castings for the railroad industry include bogies used in freight cars,locomotives and passenger cars. Other products manufactured include:
Freight car castings:• Side Frames • Bolsters• Yokes • Cast steel monobloc wheels• Draw-gear components• Centre plates
Cast steel frames for locomotives:• Steerable locomotive frames• Mounting for electrical parking brakes and brakehangers• Traction motor end shields and suspension tubes in cast
steel, manufactured to customer requirements
Passenger car castings:• High speed, high stability radial axle bogies for motored
and unmotored passenger vehicles• Self steering bogies• Fully machined frames ready for assembly into bogies,
including the fitting of bushings and wear plates• Integrally cast brake hanger brackets and mounting
for auxiliary equipment
Scaw has produced castings for the railroad industry since 1921and is a technological leader in this field and has participated in thedevelopment of unique designs such as the cast adaptor sub-frameassembly used in the “Scheffel” radial axle truck.
Scaw manufactures castings under licence to various licensors, butis an open foundry with the capability to undertake work accordingto individual customer requirements. The company has producedthousands of sets of steel castings for freight cars for both the localand export markets. These include side frames and bolsters thathave been approved by the Association of American Railroads foruse on North American railroads.
Scaw supplies globally and also offers nationwide distributionin South Africa through its strategically located branchesthroughout the country.
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August 2011 Railways Africa
A Report-back From IHHA 2011 6
Industry Comment
Recent Highlights – and Also One or Two From The Past 10
Pete the Pundit
RAILWAYS AFRICA / CONTENTS
ContentsContents
6
13
29
42
www.railwaysafrica.com
Malcolm Bates 38
Obituary
Enthusiasts’ tours in 2012 42
Railway Heritage
Bright Ideas Department 2012 46
Postscript
Cape Town Trains On Fire 28
Cable Theft Halts Gautrain In Its Tracks 30
Mishaps & Blunders
Kei Rail Coaches Go On Board 16
NRZ “On Life Support” 22
Africa Update
5
A heavy-haul conference in the Rocky MountainsYour author recently returned from the 2011 International Heavy-
Haul Association (IIHA) conference in Calgary, Canada - a vibrant
experience that relegates an eight-hour jet lag in a week-long
round trip to the background. Regular readers may think that all I
do is attend conferences. However, it is only coincidental that
two top railway conferences, WCRR and IHHA, followed in quick
succession this year.
Canadian Pacifi c Railway is headquartered in Calgary, so post-
conference technical tours provided exposure to some of its key
facilities, such as its network operations centre in downtown
Calgary, Alyth hump yard that handles both east-west and north-
south traffi c, and the Calgary Intermodal Terminal that handles
double-stack container trains.
The piece de resistance was a post-conference 220km
technical tour on the Laggan subdivision of Canadian Pacifi c’s
transcontinental route, from Calgary in Alberta via Banff to Field
in British Columbia. It included Kicking Horse Pass across the
Continental Divide in the magnifi cent Rocky Mountains. East of
the divide, water fl ows to the Atlantic Ocean; west of the divide
it fl ows to the Pacifi c Ocean. The descent from the divide to
Field includes two spiral tunnels, completed in 1909 to reduce
the original scary 4.5% gradient (1:22) to a tolerable 2.2% (1:45).
For perspective, today’s Trans-Canada Highway closely follows the
original steep railway alignment.
Motive power was the Empress
4-6-4 steam locomotive.
Canadian Pacifi c does not do
things by halves: Behind the
locomotive and its tender were
an auxiliary water tender, three
diesel cab units, then some
twenty passenger coaches. The
oil-fi red locomotive ran white
feather all the way, with only
a stop for passenger service
at Banff. Compare this to
Kimberley-De Aar, but without
stopping for water and fi re
cleaning at Orange River. There
was neither smell nor soot in
the tunnels. Admittedly the
diesels were not idling as we
approached the divide.
Interestingly, the transcon, as such routes are known in North
American speak, features predominantly single track, with some
doubling. It is actually not quite transcontinental, stretching
4,800km from Montreal to Vancouver. In total CP conveys a
creditable 300+ billion tonne kilometres on its 24,000 route-km
network—more output than on South Africa’s comparably sized
network.
Refl ections on the conferenceThe conference theme was Railroading in extreme conditions.
Canada was an appropriate host, propane tanks for points
heaters being a conspicuous difference noticed by those from
warmer climates. Looking closer to see RADIANT THAW HEAT
ONLY stenciled on aluminium coal wagons confi rms that one is
away from home.
The conference was more representative than the WCRR
reported on last month. All nine IHHA member countries/
regions (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Russia, South
Africa, Sweden-Norway, and United States of America) were
present, as well as delegates from fi fteen other countries.
Interestingly, the Saudi Arabian presence was substantial. Trial
operations recently commenced on the heavy-haul portion of
its North-South Railway: Expect the IHHA to gain another member
Stoney Creek Bridge on the Canadian
Pacifi c (90 metres high).
Photo: D R Spencer.
Canadian Pacifi c 4-6-4 Empress loco. Photo: D R Spencer
6 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
INDUSTRY COMMENT
COMPELLING INSIGHT FROM ORIGINAL RESEARCH
www.railcorpstrat.com
Dave van der Meulen / Managing Member / Railway Corporate Strategy CC
A Report-back From IHHA 2011
once full commercial operations get under way on Saudi Arabia’s
1,400km phosphate haul, from Al Jalamid near the Jordan-Iraq
border, to the port of Ras Az Zawr on the Persian Gulf. A few
hot topics follow, from IHHA country directors’ presentations at
the opening plenary session:
One of two platinum conference sponsors was Shuo Huang
Railway, China’s second heavy-haul coal line. How many readers
have heard of it? The original Datong-Qinhuangdao, or DaQin as it
is commonly known, heavy-haul coal line recently reached
saturation at 400 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), so a second
line was needed to continue growing capacity to serve coal
mines in China’s Shanxi Province. The Shuo Huang Railway already
conveys over 100Mtpa, with substantial expansion in prospect.
In Australia’s Pilbara, long-established BHP and Rio Tinto are
presently exporting over 200Mtpa, and planning to grow beyond
300Mtpa. Then new-kid-on-the-block Fortescue Metals Group
(FMG) built a 305km line in 18 months. Three-and-a-half years
after pressing the “go” button, it currently conveys 55Mtpa,
en route to a planned 95 Mtpa, with an ultimate vision of 300+
Mtpa by 2015. It ramped up from 26 to 40 tonnes/axle in
24 months, at which axle load it has operated since January
2010. Structures are built for 49 tonnes/axle, and it is looking
at 42 tonnes/axle as a next step. There are thus now three
independent railways in the Pilbara. Along the way, there was
inconclusive wrangling over shared access, but at 300Mtpa
or more a railway has insignifi cant capacity to share, so access
has become a non-issue.
During the parallel sessions, your author’s own contribution to
the conference was co-authorship, with an academic from
Russia’s Far Eastern State Transport University in Khabarovsk, of
a paper: Differences and similarities: learning from heavy haul in
cold and heat. It compared the eastern portion of the
Trans-Siberian Railway, and the Baikal-Amur Magistral, with
Sishen-Saldanha. The Trans-Siberian, which conveys coal, oil and
ores extracted in Siberia, to domestic- and overseas consumers,
has approached saturation of current assets at 100Mtpa,
and capacity has become a major constraint on further
development of regional industry and increased export volumes.
Unsurprisingly, growing coal exports from other countries have
stepped into the shortage left by Russia in the Pacifi c region. To
avoid foregoing expansion opportunities, it needs to leverage
heavy-haul competence to a higher level.
Other reference sitesBeyond information from the IHHA conference, the following
references from Internet searches fi ll out a heavy-haul capacity
picture …
In the United States, nameplate capacity of the BNSF-Union
Pacifi c Joint Line in the Powder River Basin is 400Mtpa. Australia
is exporting 320Mtpa of coal and growing. Brazil is exporting
310Mtpa of iron ore and growing. Indonesia has moved into
second place after Australia in global coal exports with around
250Mtpa. Its national railway has 1.067mm track gauge like
South Africa, a legacy from Japanese occupation during World
War II. During that fateful course of events, Indonesia’s former
standard gauge railways were narrow-gauged to align with those
of Japan. Indonesia encourages mines to build their own new
heavy-haul railways as an adjunct to their mining investment, a
strategy that promotes economic growth in general. It is noteworthy
that while Indonesia entered the coal export market after South
Africa, it has far overtaken the latter, and is gaining new standard
gauge railway development to boot.
GM
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“ You focus on your business, we will focus on your gas supply”
7August 2011 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
INDUSTRY COMMENT
initiatives were triggered by inability to move product through
South Africa. Source competition among countries, something
that used to be “out there,” seems to be moving closer to home.
Speed has become the name of the game. Appreciate that in
three-and-a -half years FMG established from scratch a capacity
that currently exceeds that of Sishen-Saldanha.
The heavy-haul business model is a balancing act among market
opportunities and factors of production. There are global prices
for coal and iron ore, as there are for mining equipment,
locomotives, wagons, rails, diesel fuel, port handling equipment,
and so on. Countries that have some particular natural advantage
that can enhance their competitiveness should of course exploit
it. Failing such advantage, the business model defaults to global
supply/demand as mentioned above. In this context, electrifi cation
increases risk. This is not another round in the old diesel versus
electric debate - the peak oil question has put that in perspective.
However, notwithstanding peak oil considerations, many new
heavy-haul railways still go for diesel traction. The author has
been exposed to projects where commitment to electrifi cation
infrastructure increases project risk, and capacity scalability risk,
to the extent that they outweigh possibly lower energy costs.
The global commodities market has not waited, and will not
wait, for South Africa. Real investment and real jobs in mining,
heavy-haul, and port operations have gone elsewhere. We could
have participated, but have not. South Africa can long debate its
participation in this market, and come up with an ideologically well-
rounded solution, only to fi nd that it, literally, has missed the boat.
This was the fi nal article in this instructive and thought-provoking
series. We look forward to the possibility of further valuable
contributions from Dave van der Meulen, at some time in the future.
– Editor Railways Africa.
One common thread is clear—the countries mentioned see
potential market opportunities, and then boldly get on with
building mines, railways, and ports to grasp them.
Application to South AfricaThe capacity numbers mentioned above bear thought. They roll
in hundreds of Mtpa. Not too long ago, they rolled in tens of
Mtpa. De facto, heavy-haul entry level is now in excess of
100Mtpa. Even capacity seems to expand in 100Mtpa increments.
What has happened? The game has shifted by a good part of
an order of magnitude in just a few years. Coal and iron ore
uptake by China and India has boosted demand substantially.
The days of measuring capacity in low multiples of 10Mtpa, with
10Mtpa expansion increments, have passed, possibly forever.
Is this a bubble of some sort? Perhaps it is. However, the
economic life of a locomotive in intense heavy-haul operation
is only about 12 years: Having literally moved mountains, it is
then totally worn out. At 300Mtpa, rails will wear out in 3-5
years. There is an upside to this - such short life expectancies
reduce the risk of mismatch between market projections and
capacity provision, because the payback period of most assets is
necessarily very short. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity cost of not
participating in coal and iron ore export is high - the global markets
for those commodities simply pass by a country that does not
come to the party.
Xavier Prevost’s paper at the recent Railways and Harbours
Conference 2011 was salutary for South Africa - serious intentions
have emerged to develop alternative routes to export coal from
Botswana eastwards through Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and
westwards through Namibia. While one should not deny South
Africa’s neighbouring countries their aspiration to also share in
the global coal market, one must also question whether such
Tel: +27 11 794-2910 | Fax: +27 11 794-3560 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.yalejhb.co.za
8 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
INDUSTRY COMMENT
Specialist supplier of repair, refurbishing, upgrade and manufacturing services for suburban electric train sets
and mainline coaches.
COACH BUSINESS
Tel: +27 (0)12 391 1304 Fax: +27 (0)12 391 1371 Email: [email protected]
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ALL-PURPOSE SIMULATORIn the global market, railway operators require manufacturers
to provide proposals covering a broad range of aspects, such as
differences in power-feed equipment used by different countries
and lines, variations in types of rolling stock, and services passing
through electrifi ed and non-electrifi ed zones. To meet these needs
and provide swift answers, Hitachi Limited has developed an
innovative “integrated railway systems simulator” which evaluates
complete rail systems from an all-over viewpoint, including
coordination between multiple types of equipment, such as
rolling stock, signalling, and traffi c control. It has the capability to
evaluate the effects of changes in conditions, further facilitating
the installation of new facilities and equipment in line with
technological advances. Hitachi will be enabled to realise optimal
equipment location and appropriate energy allocation, providing
solutions that match global railway infrastructure improvement
plans through comprehensive simulation.
HISTORIC EMU TOOLKIT LIST
Electric Traction Instructions (Cape) 1928. 4. Driver’s Personal Kit.
Each driver must be in possession of a kit-bag or box containing
the following articles:
• 1 carriage door-lock key
• Working time book
• 1 oil hand-lamp tri-colour)
• 2 x red fl ags
• 12 x detonators
• 1 duster
• Electric Traction Instructions (Cape)
• General Train Regulations General Appendix
• Local Appendix for System.
• Emergency Equipment.
• 1 pair rubber gauntlets,
• 1 rubber mat, 30in. by 24in. by 3/4 in
• 1 pair insulated pliers, 8in
• 2 x screwdrivers, 5in and 8in
• 1 fi tter’s 2lb hammer
• 1 lead hammer
• 2 x cold chisels
• 2 x 15in second cut fi les
• 3 x double-ended spanners
(six sizes specifi ed in fractions of an inch)
• 3 x double-ended box-spanners,
(six sizes specifi ed in fractions of an inch)
• 1 Tommy-bar for spanners
• 1 oil-feeder
(NOTE — A box for emergency equipment is provided in each motor
coach, and drivers are responsible for the safe custody of the
aforementioned, and any other articles which may be added from
time to time.)
AGEING ROLLING STOCK: METRORAIL IS NOT ALONE!South Africans tend to think local railway problems are unique
to this country. Residents of Calgary (in the Canadian province
of Alberta) probably think the same way about theirs. This was a
recent press report:
“Just call it the Little Engine That Couldn’t. It’s a kinder name
than what many Calgary commuters have been calling the C-Train
over the past fi ve weeks, with bad luck and brittle infrastructure
causing a massive headache for light rail transit (LRT) riders.
‘Always be at your stop on time and leave yourself extra travel
time as things happen that are out of our control,’ was the offi cial
social-media message issued by Calgary Transit in late July.
“They sure weren’t kidding. Over the past 30 working days,
Calgary’s LRT network has suffered 18 major delays, forcing transit
offi cials to issue public statements apologising and explaining
the setbacks.
“Half of the C-Train stoppages were mechanical in nature.
Electrical breakdowns, doors refusing to close and other failures
of track and train account for nine transit system stalls, up to 20
Drivers of these 1,500V DC 1M electric sets, fi rst introduced at Cape
Town in 1927, were issued with the tool kit list reproduced here. It was
printed in the September 1993 Western Cape Railtalk. Editor Malcolm Bates
commented that it could have doubled as a bank robbery outfi t.
Malcolm Bates sketched this typical 3-coach 1M set at Sea Point.
10 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
PETE THE PUNDIT looks at some
Recent Highlights – and Also One or Two From The Past
We offer proven rail products with strong after sales service and support in the key markets of:
Our locally manufactured and assembled product offerings are further enhanced by reliably engineered
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minutes long. A handful of delays were medical in nature: though
such cases are offi cially unexplained beyond ‘medical emergency,’
fainting aboard crowded train coaches has been an issue for
busy transit systems around the world.
“The rest of the unscheduled stops are in the bad luck category —
a freight train breaking down in the path of the LRT, a vehicle
colliding with a passing C-Train, and one case of a stray dog running
along the line.
“For people in a rush — and what commuter isn’t — the frequency
of foul-ups is a massive frustration. Missed meetings, lost
appointments and lame excuses to the boss make for miserable
mornings, and that’s not to mention the aggravation of a delay on
the ride back home.
“To be crammed armpit-to-elbow aboard a sweaty C-Train coach,
only to be told there’s a 20 minute delay, gives new meaning to the
phrase ‘Highway to Hell.’ For delays to be such a regular part of
taking transit is like volunteering for a migraine headache.
“But the good news as the LRT packs ever tighter over the next
two weeks with returning students?
“Sorry Calgary — there isn’t any for the immediate future. ‘Our trains
are old and our mechanics do their best to maintain them, but
we have to use everything we have right now due to the demand,’
said Theresa Schroder, spokeswoman for Calgary Transit. ‘During
rush hour we have all available buses on the roads, and with
trains, the way the track is set up, we can only do so much.’
“Upgrades are ongoing: The 18 delays cited above don’t include
planned service restrictions taking place almost every weekend,
when tracks are reduced to one-way to allow for infrastructure
improvements. New trains are gradually on the way too, but for
now Calgarians are still riding aboard a system with LRT coaches
dating back to the days of Mayor Ralph Klein and disco.
“If the trains and track are getting a little funky with age,
Schroder says rotten luck — like the mutt running on the tracks —
has added to woes typical of a big city transit system.
‘We are in the process of upgrading the entire system and that will
help, but we’re going to have passenger emergencies, and cars
stuck on the tracks, and things beyond our control,’ she said. That’s
going to happen, no matter what — it’s the way the system is.’
“The system is old, but at least Calgary Transit’s communication
with passengers is cutting edge. Within minutes of a breakdown,
explanations are sent out via social media, explaining the latest
delay. Of course, passengers can answer right back: ‘If this
summer taught me anything it’s that Calgary Transit is falling
apart,’ was one passenger’s pithy post in response to the frequent
delays. There’s no relief around the corner, but the chair of the
city’s transportation committee says the end of regular
breakdowns is at least in sight. ‘Unfortunately, we are behind
on infrastructure — there were just too many years of too few
improvements,’ said Alderman Andre Chabot. ‘But city council just
approved new LRV cars to replace the existing fl eet, and these
are new modern cars with all the bells and whistles. They should
start to arrive within the next couple of years.’”
THE HEATHROW PODPersonal rapid transit (PRT) aims to combine the best features of
railways and private cars. The vehicles travel on and are restricted
to a guideway – hence the similarity to rail – but each is separate
and individual – like a car.
PRT has not got off the ground quite as quickly as its protagonists
would have liked. It doesn’t come cheaply and authorities able
to raise the sort of money needed tend to be uncertain that the
idea will work.
The latest exponent is London’s Heathrow airport. The bus service,
carrying some 500,000 people annually, has been withdrawn
between Terminal 5 (T5) and the Business Car Park. Passengers
are now using the 21 vehicle “pods” travelling on almost 4km of
guideway. By 21 August, approximately 63,000 trips had been
completed, and today about 800 people are being moved daily.
The system has performed very well so far with an average waiting
time of 30 seconds.
People love the fact that it is on demand, doesn’t stop for
anybody else and gets you quickly to the terminal. Most users are
extremely impressed. The fi ve minute ride has been described as
“futuristic”, “rapid” and “a transport revelation.”
Like many urban light rail systems, that in Calgary runs in the street in the
CBD. Unusually however, passengers board not at street level but from
high platforms.
“ Not everyone would have heard Allen Jorgensen’s interview on Radio 702 on high-speed lines. But thanks for spelling it out, Al – no high speed lines or broader gauge will work until we have fi xed what we already have.”Dr Vaughan Mostert, Department of Transport &
Logistics, Johannesburg University.
12 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
Advantages claimed in the airport context include:
• Keeping down congestion and noise near the terminal
• Greater environmental effi ciency than cars.
• Cutting down on waiting time for passengers as opposed to
mass transit systems on a schedule
• Noise reduction
• Allowing for individualised destination points
Each temperature-controlled Heathrow pod has been designed
for privacy and comfort and allows passengers to select their own
direct destination. There are no timetables as a central computer
ensures that pods are distributed at each station according to
passenger demand. When waiting for a passenger, the pods
recharge themselves at battery points, so are always ready to go.
The overall cost of PRT is very dependent on the environment to
be served. At Heathrow, the system had to fi t into a very complex
existing environment, without disrupting any other airport services.
Much depends on the expected demand which determines
the number of vehicles required. The typical range is between
£4-8 million (say R44-88 million) per kilometre. That includes
the guideway, the stations along the way, the vehicles and the
control systems.
The Heathrow pods were designed and built in Britain by Ultra
Global PRT. Originally, the company explains, the concept was
aimed at urban cities – but these are very complicated
environments. PRT slots in well with airport requirements - a lot
of people moving around and between terminals and transfers
that need to be as smooth and simple as possible.
Footnote: About fi fteen years ago, Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus
Services - in association with an American manufacturing concern
- tried to interest the city in a PRT system. However, nobody went
along with the idea.
PO Box 9375, Centurion0046, South Africa
105 Theuns St. , Hennopspark, Centurion, 0157, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)12 653-4595Fax: +27 (0)12 653-6841www.vherail.co.za
Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) “pods” at Heathrow.
13August 2011 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
UK SIGNALBOXES ON THE WAY OUT Signal boxes will be a thing of the past in the UK within 20 years.
Network Rail plans to consolidate all signal operation in 14 control
centres. The aim is to “apply universal operating procedures across
the network, boosting service reliability and saving money and
manpower.”
Existing operating centres include Derby, Gillingham, Cardiff,
Saltley, Edinburgh, Ashford, Didcot and Glasgow. New centres are
proposed for Romford, Three Bridges, York, Manchester, Rugby
and Basingstoke.
There are still more than 800 signal boxes in Britain, compared to
10,000 a hundred years ago. Staff are to be slowly reduced from
today’s complement of 5,500 to around 1,700 over the next 15
years. Many signal personnel will be retiring at the age limit (65),
so little in the way of redundancies is expected.
PAKISTAN MAY HIRE LOCOSPakistan Railways (PR) is
facing an acute shortage
of locomotives, resulting in
“dozens” of passenger trains
being suspended and others
being delayed for up to 12
hours, leaving hundreds of
passengers stranded across
the country.
PR general manager (operations) Saeed Akhtar told The Dawn
newspaper that locomotives may be hired from India if the
government approves current proposals. According to Akhtar,
China and the Czech Republic are keen to rent locomotives to
PR: “We will advertise. The responsibility of maintaining locomotives
will be on the supplier and PR will pay the rent on daily basis,”
Akhtar says.
DEFIBRILLATORS FOR CHICAGO COMMUTER TRAINSThough federal law in the USA requires defi brillators on passenger
airlines, this is not the case on commuter trains. In 2009,
Boston became the fi rst city in North America to begin installing
defi brillators on its trains. Chicago is to follow suit - if the Metra
rail authority can fi nd $1.1 million for the project.
On 12 August, Metra’s
board agreed to instal 427
defi brillators on its trains,
work facility and police
vehicles. The agreement came
after a committee examined
all medical assistance calls on
Metra rail lines — excluding
Union Pacifi c and Burlington
Northern Santa Fe — over a two-
year period. Within that time,
there were 250 calls, 20
“appearing” to be heart related
problems.
The defi brillators cost between
$900 to $1,000 each, and
another $500 to $600 is
needed to pay for a container
and installation. In addition
to the $1.1 million budget, it
would cost about $500,000
every two years for inspection
and maintenance, as well as
training employees to use the
devices.
RUSSIAN RAILWAYS PRIVATISINGRossiiskie Zheleznie Dorogi (RZhD – the Russian State Railway)
hopes to complete the share sale of its Freight One cargo
subsidiary by the end of September 2011, the St Petersburg Times
reports, quoting company president Vladimir Yakunin. The aim is
to sell off 75% minus two shares in Freight One, which operates
about 21% of Russiâ’s freight rolling stock. RZhD is one of several
state-owned entities that the government wants to wholly or
partially privatise by 2017. The government, Yakunin explained,
will decide what and when to sell, but said the sale of a majority
stake in Russian Railways itself was unlikely and cautioned
against a breakup of the monopoly. President Dmitry Medvedev
has called for the privatisation process to accelerate.
[RZhD operates on the 1,520mm gauge – Editor.]
There are still more than 800 signalboxes in Britain. Most are generally
similar to this example at Cambridge, seen in 1979.
Operational South African signalboxes are becoming rare, though a
number of non-working examples are still in existence – like this one at
Muizenberg.
Muizenberg four decades ago. Rodding to work the points can be seen
between the track and platform. Photos: Editor.
Korakoram Express to Lahore at Karachi, Pakistan. Photo: nomi887.
Metra train in Chicago. Photo: Russell
Sekeet.
Chicago’s Metra: Geneva, a typical
suburban station. Photo: Jeremy Atherton.
14 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD
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ANGOLA KEI RAIL COACHES GO ON BOARDFive years ago, South African Eastern Cape Province’s Kei Rail
initiative saw the 282km line to Mthatha from Amabele junction
(on the main-line to Johannesburg) rebuilt at a cost of over R150
million. A small fl eet of rehabilitated coaches comprises the
rolling stock. Additional coaches, which were rebuilt by Transnet
Rail Engineering (TRE) some time ago but not paid for, were
recently sold off to Angola.
The consignment consisted of 13 economy class sitter coaches,
two business class sitters, one economy class sleeper, two
kitchen/bar/lounge-cars and two power coaches to generate
electricity for air-conditioning and other needs. All were shipped
from Durban late in July.
The 48-seat business class coaches have reclining seats,
footrests and overhead luggage racks. Each of the fully equipped
kitchen cars has an adjoining lounge/bar area with both stool
seating and long tables, and serving hatches are provided.
HISTORY OF CAMINHOS DE FERRO DE BENGUELA (CFB)The Benguela railway company was
founded on 27 November 1902, when a
decree authorised the granting of land for
the construction of a railway from Lobito
to Angola’s eastern border with what is
today the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The following day, a 99-year concession
contract to build and operate the line was
granted by the Portuguese government to
British citizen Robert Williams. Substantial
freight and passenger traffi c, both local
and international, ceased at the outbreak
of civil war in 1975.
In 2001, the concession contract was ended
and the railway passed into government
Ph
oto
s cou
rtesy Tra
nsn
et.
hands. Partial rehabilitation with state
funding began in 2001. The 44km Calenga-
Santa Iria section in Huambo province was
carrying limited traffi c by 2004, followed
by the Lobito-Cubal section in Benguela
province. Rebuilding on the rest of the
railway started in 2006 with funding and
construction assistance from China.
The total line length from Lobito to the DRC
border is 1,344km, crossing the provinces
of Huambo and Bié to the eastern border
in Moxico province.
ANGOLAN INTERNATIONAL RAIL LINKSOn 25 August, Angola’s RNA national radio
quoted transport ministry infrastructure
director Carla Marques saying that rail links
to Namibia, Zambia and the Democratic
Republic of Congo “may be” completed in
2014.
New ports are to be built at Cabinda (the
isolated Angolan province north of the
Congo River) and at Barra do Dande in
Bengo province, 50km north of Luanda,
Marques said. “As soon as construction of
the Barra do Dande port begins, work will
begin on a new branch line from Caminhos
de ferro de Luanda (CFL)”. She added
that providing interconnection between
Angola’s three rail systems – CFL, CFB and
CFM – is an important aim.
16 Railways Africa August 2011
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KENYAAMBITIOUS RAIL PROJECTS: KENYA SEEKS CONSULTANTS Kenya Railway Corporation (KRC) has
invited consulting fi rms to submit
expressions of interest in planning “a
modern commuter rail transport network
linking Mombasa and Kisumu to their
surrounding towns. Successful fi rms would
undertake the technical, economic and
fi nancial viability analysis of the project,
identify options and develop frameworks
for fi nancing and operation including
public-private partnerships.”
According to KRC procurement manager
Lucy Njoroge, “The scope of the
assignment will cover a transport demand
study, identifi cation of major intermodal
and rail transport corridors within the
study area, preliminary social and
environmental impact study and analysis
of rail-based mass transit systems and
networks.” They would be tasked with
preparing the project Implementation
schedule covering a detailed technical
study, construction and commissioning.
The new railway system is expected to
be completed by 2017, “opening up the
regions for growth, reduce reliance on
road transport and reduce the cost of
transport between Kisumu and Mombasa.
It will provide an effi cient, cost-effective
and environmentally sustainable transport
system that will support and spur trade,
socio-economic growth in the western
and coastal towns,” according to the
international tender invitation.
From Kisumu, a 70km commuter network
is planned to Mumias via the towns of Yala
and Butere. Other areas to be connected
include Fort Tennan, Miwani, Muhoroni,
Kibos, Oyugis, Kisii, Kiboswa, Mbale, and
Kakamega.
The Mombasa network will include a new
80km line to Ramisi, passing through
Miritini, Dongo Kundu and Ng’ombeni. The
plan envisages a new 250km railway from
Mombasa to Lamu through Mtwapa, Kilifi
and Malindi. Another project would entail
building a 80km line from Mombasa to Kilifi
through Kaloleni and Takaungu. These three
lines would support the existing Mombasa-
Taveta line in opening up Mombasa and the
surrounding areas.
KRC is looking for investors to help develop
offi ce blocks, hotels, light manufacturing
industries, parking bays and shopping
malls on its 320 acres of land surrounding
the rail stations in Nairobi, Kisumu and
Mombasa at an expected cost $US3.25
billion, to support the new commuter rail
lines.
MOZAMBIQUEMAPUTO’S BEAUTIFUL STATIONThe main railway station in Maputo has
been voted by the American magazine
Travel+Leisure, which claims a readership
approaching 5 million, as one of the 16
most beautiful in the world. Also featured
on the list is the neoclassical Gare du Nord
in Paris, the interior gardens of the Atocha
station in Madrid, the modern stations
of Kanazawa, Japan, and Melbourne,
LOBITO-HUAMBO REOPENINGAngolan president José Eduardo dos
Santos welcomed the fi rst train on the
reopened Lobito-Huambo section of
Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB) at
festivities in Huambo on 30 August. The
Angolan news agency Angop reported that
“thousands” welcomed the president and
other dignitaries. The line had been out
of action for 27 years due to the civil war,
during which the infrastructure was totally
destroyed.
Other speakers at the ceremony included
local governor Fernando Faustino Muteka.
According to Angop, “for the proper
functioning of the Benguela railway,
locomotives, carriages and freight wagons
were imported from South Africa”. The
restored line has the capacity to carry
more than four million passengers per year
and 20 million tons of freight.
Some 200 people boarded the special at
Cubal, in the central Benguela province,
including ministers, journalists, transport
ministry offi cials and railway personnel.
Accompanied by fi rst lady Ana Paula
dos Santos, the president boarded the
inaugural train at São Pedro station.
[As far as we can discover, rolling stock
acquired from South Africa did not include
locomotives. - Editor]
ZenzaLuanda
Dondo
Malanje
LobitoBenguela
Camacupa
Caaia KuitoHuamboCubal
Luena
Namibe
LubangoDongo Menongue
Chiange
Oshikango
Ondangwa
Tsumeb
Chamutete
Luau Dilolo
DRC
ATLANTIC
ZAMBIA
BOTSWANA
ANGOLA
NAMIBIA
Km300
18 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
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Australia, the arte nouveau station of the
Orient Express in Istanbul, and London’s
neo-gothic St Pancras.
Maputo station in Mozambique is the only
African example to feature. The article
highlights the structure’s green exteriors,
its large dome and the intricate steel work
that it believes makes the station “an
unexpected and modest beauty.”
Built between 1913 and 1916 it is often
wrongly attributed to Gustave Eiffel, creator
of the famous tower in Paris. It was in fact
designed by a trio of Portuguese architects,
Alfredo Augusto Lisboa de Lima, Mário
Veiga and Ferreira da Costa.Maputo station in 2011. Photos: Roderick Smith.
NAMIBIATRANSNAMIB’S OPEN DAYOn 29 August, Trans-Namib Holdings
launched its fi rst “business open-day”
to promote rail transport in the business
sector following the completion of the
new railway from Tsumeb to Ondangwa.
The event, which coincided with the
Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) and is
to be held annually, was attended by well-
known business personalities in the north
who were taken aboard the Desert Express
train for an excursion tour to Onyaanya
Station.
At the new Nehale Lya Mpingana Station
in Ondangwa, TransNamib Holdings chief
executive offi cer Titus Haimbili said: “We
are pleased to announce that the northern
railway link was extended in 2006 by
246km from Tsumeb to Ondangwa
which made it possible to transport bulk
commodities up to 60km from the Angolan
border.”
Promising that he would make TransNamib
a profi table company before his term
comes to an end, Haimbili boasted that
Namibia is the only country in the Southern
Africa Development Community (SADC)
to “further develop” its railways in the
past decade. The remaining 60km of line
to the Angolan border is currently under
construction.
Haimbili is currently president of the
Southern African Railway Association (Sara).
AFRICA UPDATE
TANZANIACHINESE LOAN FOR TAZARAChina has granted a soft loan of $US39.9 million to the Tanzania-
Zambia Railways Authority (Tazara). The money is to be spent on
purchasing six new locomotives, the rehabilitation of nine others,
acquiring 90 new freight wagons and revamping six cranes, as well
as purchasing materials and spare parts.
The 1,860km Tazara line runs from Tanzania’s port of Dar es Salaam
on the Indian Ocean to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, where it connects
with the Zambian main-line (which extends from the Zimbabwe
border to the Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC). The track,
building s and other infrastructure were built by Chinese endeavour
in the seventies. In recent years the railway has struggled to
maintain its assets and move meaningful amounts of cargo.
When tabling his 2011/2012 budget in Tanzania’s National
Assembly in Dodoma, minister for transport Omar Nundu reported
that Tazara transported 533,964 tonnes - an average of 44,497
tonnes a month – in 2010/2011, compared to 522,966 tonnes in
2009/2010. Passenger service totals also improved marginally,
with 787,666 people carried in 2010/11 - a monthly average of
65,639 - compared to 767,066 in 2009/2010.
Repeated staff boycotts that have plagued Tazara in recent
years – mostly due to late payment of wages - were blamed by the
minister on “poor management”.
FINANCE FOR TAZARA
When tabling his 2011/2012 budget in Tanzania’s National
Assembly in Dodoma, minister for transport Omar Nundu reported
that China has waived half the $60 million debt still outstanding
for the construction of the line in the seventies.
During August, when receiving a seven-year loan of $250 million
from a consortium of local and global fi nanciers led by Stanbic
Bank Tanzania Limited, fi nance minister Mustafa Mkulo said part
will be used to upgrade the Tazara railway.
UGANDAKAMPALA SHUTTLESRift Valley Railways (RVR) is to start a commuter train service to link
the Ugandan capital Kampala with its satellite towns. Operations
manager Peter Owollo told New Vision that initially daily services
will run from Mondays to Fridays from Kampala to Namanve, via
Makerere Business school, Meat packers, interfreight headquarters,
Banda, Kireka and Bweyogerere.
About a month later, Owollo told the paper, trains will serve the Jinja
areas over weekends. He said that fi ve commuter coaches, each
with a capacity of 80 passengers, are ready for service and that a
further three are to be acquired from the RVR Nairobi headquarters.
A fl at fare of sh1,500 will apply in respect of any distance between
Kampala and Namanve. When the weekend service to Jinja
commences, the fare will be sh5,000.
RVR general manager James Nyambari says that services would
have begun long before this, had squatters and informal traders not
settled in the rail reserve.
ZIMBABWENRZ “ON LIFE SUPPORT” According to Tafadzwa Shoko, staff reporter of the Zimbabwe
Financial Gazette, the Ntaional Railways of Zimbabwe only carried
3.7 million tonnes of freight last year, compared with more than
18 million tonnes in 1978.
“It used to run 126 engines in 1999 but the number of locomotives
plummeted to 112 in 2000, 99 in 2001, 83 in 2002 and 60 in
2003,” Shoko writes. “This year, the government allocated $US7.4
million towards the rehabilitation of the railway infrastructure
among other things but the vote was inadequate considering
the years of underinvestment suffered by the parastatal. “Once
the rehabilitation programme is completed, NRZ expects to ferry
about 6.4 million tonnes this year and is projecting an increase
in passenger numbers to 2.5 millioncompared to last year’s
2.2 million.
“Analysts say part of NRZ problems emanate from the fact that
the institution is at times forced to dabble in unviable populist
projects such as the now defunct ‘freedom train’, which used to
charge uneconomic fares.
Ifatakara station on the Tazara Railway. Photo: Manuel Hetzel.
Chingola
Lumbo
DODOMA
Copperbelt
Lake Tanganyika
Lake
Mal
awi
Cabora BassaZambezi RiverKafue River
22 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
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“Kipson Gundani, an economist at the Zimbabwe National Chamber
of Commerce, says the parastatal must be allowed to operate
on a commercial basis and not overplay its corporate social
responsibility function. ‘NRZ is a parastatal and most parastatals
suffered because of the economic meltdown. Also, NRZ does not
have a profi t motive, hence they end up charging prices which
are not cost-determined. Most of its locomotives are old and it
brings a cost burden (to their operations),’ Gundani points out.
“NRZ is one of the worst performing parastatals in the country.
Because of ineffi ciencies in the rail system, most companies now
prefer to transport their goods by road and at times air, which adds
to excessive cost build-ups in the pricing of their products. The
multifaceted problems at NRZ have resulted in the public losing
confi dence in rail Transport.”
GE GT22LC2 diesel, one of 60 acquired by NRZ post-1982, Photo: G Cooke.
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CAPE TOWN TRAINS ON FIRE On 5 August, a Metrorail commuter train was set on fi re –
apparently deliberately - at Stikland, 22km east of Cape Town on
the main-line to the north. Shortly before 21:00 after the Friday
evening peak-hour, a motor coach and three plain trailers were
totally destroyed.
Nearby residents say it took fi refi ghters close to an hour to douse
the fl ames. Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said the burning
carriages were separated from the rest of the train. No injuries
were reported.
On Saturday 9 August, an electrical fault caused a motor coach to
catch fi re between Vlottenberg and Stellenbosch stations.
Speaking for Metrorail’s regional manager’s offi ce, Eddie
Chinnappen said the incidents would affect operations. “The
loss of fi rst four carriages then a second motor coach will have
a devastating effect on our commuters as demand is already
exceeding supply.”
TRAIN & BUS TORCHED IN CAPE TOWNOn 25 August at about 05:00, a motor coach and trailer in a
Metrorail train were set on fi re at Nolungile station in Khayelitsha.
Rail services were severely disrupted and the Golden Arrow
company deployed some sixty buses to convey train passengers.
At about 06:00, a Golden Arrow bus was stoned, then petrol-
bombed. Firefi ghters described the vehicle as a total burn-out.
Furious commuters who suffered heavy delays blamed striking
municipal workers for the fi res.
Members of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) had been
involved in a protracted wage-related strike. When the situation
turned violent, the City of Cape Town obtained a court order
barring the strikers from committing violence.
FIRE IN ROMEA serious fi re at the Tiburtina station in Rome on 24 July caused
widespread disruption to train services throughout Italy. The
effects were felt as far afi eld as Bologna, Florence and Turin.
There were no deaths – not even any injuries – and perhaps
because of this, the general media seemed to show little interest.
Rome Termini is the station most tourists use, but Tiburtina is a
major train/metro/bus hub in the city. The newly constructed
control room was destroyed in the blaze. The old part of the
station was also affected, mainly administrative offi ces of
Ferrovie dello Stato (FS – the Italian state railway). Damage was
said to be “enormous”. The possibility of arson was not ruled out.
The fi re burned for fi fteen hours before being extinguished. For
most of the day, only two lines passing through the station were
open, impeding traffi c on the main north-south intercity route.
These included regional and medium-to-long-run trains. Some
high-speed trains between Milan and the south were rerouted
along western coastal lines via Pisa, in order to bypass Tiburtina.
Alternative bus transport from Rome was organised for travellers
heading to destinations including Florence and Ancona on the
Adriatic, according to Sky TV. The main stations in both Milan
and Rome posted delays of several hours for those long-
distance trains that were able to continue operating. At least one
southbound high-speed service from Milan made it only as far
as Florence, where passengers were told the train would not be
continuing to Rome.
One of Rome’s subway lines runs under Tiburtina station. Smoke
entered the tunnel, forcing the closure of the metro stop for
nearly three days. People living nearby were warned to keep their
windows closed as thick, dark smoke continued to billow out of
the station.
NORTH AMERICAN EARTHQUAKEOn 23 August, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centred in Virginia
rocked the eastern USA. Amtrak and Metro passenger trains were
slowed to 25km/h while stations, tracks and overhead wires
were thoroughly inspected. The large Eastern US freight railroad
CSX worked closely with passenger agencies and government
offi cials in conducting broad-based inspections. Meanwhile in
the New Jersey area, the Holland and Lincoln tunnels leading to
Manhattan were temporarily closed, with both Hudson River
crossings quickly reopened after they were checked for structural
damage, according to The New Jersey Journal.
Inspections were carried out on track, signals, bridges and
tunnels, as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Freight trains
operated at reduced speeds of 16-24km/h. Amtrak expresses
in the Washington-New York-Boston corridor resumed their usual
speeds from 24 August and Metro services – as well as CSX -
returned to normal.
CONCRETE MIXER TRUCK FALLS ONTO TRAINThe UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released
its fi ndings following a bizarre incident on 5 November 2010. A
28 Railways Africa August 2011 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
three-axle concrete mixer vehicle crashed through the parapet
of a bridge over the double-track railway near Oxshott, Surrey,
and fell 10.5 metres onto train 2G46, the 15:05 from Guildford
to London Waterloo. The truck was loaded with concrete and
weighed approximately 24 tonnes. One passenger out of 26 on the
train, also the driver of the cement truck, sustained serious injuries.
Five other passengers on the train were slightly hurt.
The train was formed of two four-car class 455 electric multiple
units. Severe crush damage was caused to the leading end of
the sixth coach. In addition one side of the seventh and eighth
coaches suffered serious damage. The last bogie on the train (the
eighth coach) derailed. The train came to a stand with the rear
coach approximately 60 metres from the point of impact.
www.railwaysafrica.com
A truck similar to that which fell onto the train at Oxshott.
The sixth coach of the train. Photo: RAIB.
The seventh coach of the train. Photo: RAIB.
that high levels of fatigue will be experienced by people working a
fi rst night shift.”
ONE FATALITY, 40 HURT IN POLISH CRASHOn 12 August, one passenger died and “at least” 40 were hurt
(according to police reports) when a Polish intercity train aboutr
two hours out of Warsaw on its way to Katowice derailed at the
town of Baby, near the city of Piotrkow Trybunalski. The locomotive
and three coaches left the line. According to a passenger quoted
in a BBC report: “The fi rst wagon was completely destroyed,
windows smashed and its sides bashed in. Local television quoted
fi refi ghter Wlodzimierz Kapiec saying: “We are told that people
were hurled through windows and landed under the wagon
which is lying on its side.”.
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe (PKP – the Polish State Railways)
spokesman Lukasz Kurpiewski told TVN24 that about 280
passengers were believed to have been on the train.
CABLE THEFT HALTS GAUTRAIN IN ITS TRACKSBarely a week after Gautrain services began running to Pretoria,
theft of about 100 metres of electric cable shut down morning
peak-hour operations north of Centurion. “There will be no
Gautrain service between Hatfi eld and Centurion until about 10:00
this morning, 10 August,” the website announced optimistically.
In fact, services only resumed about four hours after that. Buses
provided a substitute service, leaving Gautrain bus feeder routes
in Hatfi eld, Pretoria and Centurion on a frequency of 24 minutes
instead of the scheduled 12.
Bombela spokesman Errol Braithwaite was quoted by The Star
saying: “Something has to be done by the police about this. It
has become untenable. We have done everything we possibly can
and have spent a lot of money on tight security measures”.
RUNAWAY AT SHAPA year ago, in the early hours of 17 August 2010, a northbound
freight train was travelling on a rising gradient between Tebay and
Shap, on the UK west coast main-line in Cumbria. A signalman
noticed the 13-wagon train had come to a stop and that it had
started rolling backwards. Before the driver was able to bring it to a
stand, it travelled some 3km at speeds up to 80km/h.
Driver fatigue, related to the working of night shifts, was the likely
reason for what happened, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch
(RAIB) has concluded. It has urged the Offi ce of Rail Regulation to
update guidance to train operators on how to deal with potentially
tired drivers.
According to the RAIB report: “The investigation found that the
train driver, who was working the fi rst of a series of night shifts,
was probably fatigued and not suffi ciently alert at the time of the
incident.” It concluded that “the mathematical model adopted by
most of the rail industry is likely to under-predict the probability
The cement truck after the train was removed. Photo: RAIB.
30 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
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In 2005, before construction started, international security experts
said they were “undaunted” by crime in South Africa, especially
cable theft, which is “common” in countries where they had worked,
such as Singapore. Star reporter Anna Cox recalls that “Gautrain
project manager Jack van der Merwe told journalists that crime in
South Africa was ‘not unusual’ by international standards. There
was nothing here that the developers brought in to work on the
Gautrain project had not already come across in other countries,
he said.
“The difference in Joburg, Van der Merwe said, would be that the
cabling would be buried deep underground, secured under several
metres of concrete, to ensure the cables remained secure and
could not be stolen. Van der Merwe said there would be CCTV
cameras throughout stations, rail reserves, walkways and parking
areas, and the control centre would monitor trains as well as
stations at all times. “But none of these measures,” Cox pointed
out, “ succeeded in preventing Tuesday night’s cable theft.”
Another problem in the same week was the illegal two-day strike by
Gautrain bus drivers.
[Footnote: Less than a week later, Gautrain services came to a
standstill again, due to more cable theft. Passengers were stranded
and some were said to have missed fl ights. – Editor]
SWISS DERAILMENT Railway accidents in Switzerland are rare, but on 8 August, eight
people were reported hurt when a regional train headed for the
German village of Waldhut with 50 passengers aboard derailed
in the north-eastern canton of Aargau and “grazed” a freight
locomotive. Both drivers were injured.
COMBATING CABLE THEFTA senior police offi cer from the crime intelligence unit has been
brought in to lead the fi ght against copper theft, newly appointed
Transnet CEO Brian Molefe told Chris Barron of the Sunday Times.
He is confi dent, he says, that “this battle will be won”.
MUMBAI MONORAIL CONSTRUCTION FATALITIESDuring July, a beam weighing 60 tonnes collapsed at the monorail
construction site on RCF Road in Mumbai’s Chembur, killing two
persons and injuring three.
A partial monorail trial scheduled on the Mysore Colony stretch was
cancelled following a second accident at one of the construction
sites and heavy rains that slowed down the work. Joint project
director at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority (MMRDA) Dilip Kawathkar explains: “The basic issue was
the accident that happened in July around the same spot, We will
decide on another date for the trial run in due course of time.”
According to additional metropolitan commissioner Ashwini Bhide,
the bad state of roads made it diffi cult to transport heavy beams.
However, she says, the MMRDA aims to complete construction of
the fi rst phase of the monorail project, stretching from Chembur
to Wadala, and start pilot runs on the entire route by May 2012.
“About 60-70% of the work on the route is already complete,”
Bhide says.
The fi rst phase of the 8.26km monorail, part of the Jacob Circle-
Wadala-Chembur route, was originally scheduled to be completed
by December 2010.
BART SYSTEMWIDE SHUTDOWNAmong many similarities between San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid
Transit (Bart) and Gautrain was the choice of a track gauge different
from the whole of the rest of the country. Both systems rely
heavily on computers and sophisticated electronic signalling. The
basic aims of both were similar – to reduce car traffi c on specifi c
freeways, though Bart’s achievements in this department were
dismal by comparison with the optimistic consultants’ forecasts.
Bart has suffered many setbacks during the four decades of its
existence. As with Gautrain, leaks into the tunnel system were
an early problem. In Bart’s case, water was getting into the tube
beneath San Francisco Bay. (The leak was pinpointed by rowing
boats sent out to look for bubbles on the surface).
“ World-class cable theft proved too much: they’ve gone back to steam.”
32 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
The electronic devices send data from the trackside computers
that control the trains and are designed to communicate with
each other, as a backup measure. When one has trouble, the
other takes over. But in this case one of the routers stopped
communicating, and this meant that the fl ow of data stopped too.
Technicians attempting to reboot the routers, using the usual
process of restarting both simultaneously, failed repeatedly. Finally,
they decided to take one router out of service and were then
able to reset the other.
While the 8 August troubles did not affect the trackside computers
or the automatic train controls, Bart has had an increasing number
of service disruptions involving those systems in the recent past.
Offi cials say the system needs $15 billion in upgrades over the
next 25 years-and “only about half of the funding is lined up.”
A serious fi re in the same underwater tunnel during 1979 closed
the line for many months. In the latest incident, on 8 August 2011,
an entire system shutdown lasted two hours, “due to the failure of
two data devices to work together“. Bart offi cials say a
communication problem between two routers, (“confi gured to
prevent a computer crash”), caused the shutdown, stranding
thousands of commuters.
Controllers shut down the railway when, shortly after the evening
peak, the operations control centre in Oakland lost visual displays
supposed to depict the location of all trains running. Each of
the 28 trains running at the time were halted immediately, then
moved to the nearest station, where passengers were advised
to fi nd alternative transport as Bart did not know how long the
problem would last.
Because the entire system had closed down. It was not possible
to arrange suffi cient buses to provide replacement service at
each of the 44 stations.
The cause of the router failure may take weeks or even months
to determine. Until the answer is found, expert technicians are to
remain on site whenever trains are running, to be able to quickly
reset the routers manually if this becomes necessary.
As a matter of fact, Bart has multiple backup systems in place -
but clearly even they can fail. Ironically, the routers that caused
the trouble on 8 August were specifi cally designed to prevent what
happened.
San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (Bart). Photo: Editor.
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cab had been smashed but he escaped injury. He then called the
signaller to request that all trains be stopped on the adjacent line.
When he continued his journey, the tamper driver reported fi nding
another similar panel beside the track closer to Rugby.
The two metal panels were later recovered from the trackside
and found to be from two containers that were on train 4L68.
The containers were fi tted with power generation equipment. The
panels, approximately 2.5m high x 1m wide, had been screwed
to the container sides; each had covered a louvred-aperture. The
RAIB examined the containers and found evidence of loose and
missing screws on other panels that had been fi tted.
DERAILMENT NEAR PENN STATION, NYOn 9 August, two coaches of 10-car Trenton-bound New Jersey
Transit commuter train 3823 derailed in the tunnel near Penn
station, New York. No one was injured. The 300 passengers on
board were transferred to other trains within an hour.
Delays to both local and Amtrak long-distance operations resulted,
as only one track remained open. Keystone service operated
temporarily between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylnania,
only. North-east Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains were
delayed for up to 60 minutes. Midtown Direct trains were cut
back to the Hoboken Terminal.
COLLISION AT PETRUSBERGOn 10 August, a westbound freight train from Bloemfontein ran
head-on into a stationary eastbound train at Petrusberg, on the
line to Kimberley. Eyewitnesses said the driver and assistant of
the stationary train jumped from their cab when they saw the
other train approaching at speed. The driver of the other train and
her assistant also jumped prior to the collision, which they were
unable to avoid. All four were admitted to hospital with light
injuries, for observation.
BELLVILLE DERAILMENTOn 29 July, early in the morning, a Worcester-bound Metrorail
train derailed outside Bellville. Then a power failure disabled the
Wellington-Kraaifontein section. Further delays resulted when a
pedestrian was killed by a train at Stellenbosch.
Metrorail’s Lindelo Matya was quoted by Eyewitness News (EWN)
saying: “We are doing everything in our power to obviously restore
the services. Rescue teams are on site working timeously to try
and remove the train...” A shuttle service was introduced between
Wellington and Kraaifontein, while Eskom technicians worked on
the problem.
Later EWN reported that Metrorail and the Passenger Rail Agency
of South Africa (Prasa) are to meet to “explore ways to improve
commuter services on its trains and stations. They will discuss
complaints from commuters about overloading, delayed trains and
general safety.”
TRACK THEFT ARRESTSSix people were arrested on 8 August for trying to steal railway
lines between Malebitsa and Driefontein, in Tuinplaas, outside Bela
Bela, Limpopo police told News24: “Lieutenant-colonel Mohale
Ramatseba said they were arrested after police were alerted to
suspicious-looking vehicles moving around the area the previous
night. Police arrived to fi nd a wheel spanner and a crowbar on the
railway and that some bolts on the rails had been loosened.
“Ramatseba said police arrested two of the men in the area and
the other four nearby. They were from Soshanguve and Tembisa, in
Gauteng.” The offi cers confi scated the men’s Mazda kombi, Toyota
Hilux and Ford Courier.
CONTAINER PARTS ON UK TRACKThe UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has looked into
the dislodging of container panels, one of which collided with a
track maintenance machine near Althorpe Park, Northamptonshire
on 18 July 2011.
At 17:55, the driver of a tamper travelling on the Down
Northampton line reported that his cab had been struck by an
object from freight train 4L68, the 12:15 container service from
Birch Coppice (near Tamworth) to Felixstowe, as it passed on
the adjacent line. The tamper driver had observed a metal panel
fl apping from the side of the approaching container train. He
released the safety device in his cab as he moved to protect
himself and the tamper came to a stand. The side window of the
Bart coaches created a “space-age” impression when the system debuted,
but there were many teething troubles with the rolling stock. Photo: Editor.
Petrusberg head-on collision 10 August 2011. Photos: A Guelpa.
36 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
DERAILED THEN RERAILEDOn 23 February 2011, one bogie in a train consisting of 27 empty
wagons derailed on a level crossing at Dalchalm in Scotland. The
driver was unaware that anything had happened. In fact, about
340 metres further on, the train passed over a second level
crossing where the derailed wheelset found its own way back onto
the track. Some 16km later, the driver was contacted by radio
from Inverness and instructed to stop and examine his train. A
resident near the Dalchalm crossing had seen a wagon behaving
oddly and had alerted the signal control centre. Reporting that he
found evidence of damage, the driver was sent assistance and did
not proceed further with the train.
Examination by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB)
revealed that a brake block holder on the leading bogie of the
20th wagon had become detached and had fallen between the
running and check rails on the crossing. This resulted in the
second bogie of the wagon derailing.
DERAILED & RERAILED AT BORDESLEY At 00:45 on 26 August, a freight train comprising a diesel-electric
locomotive, 30 empty aggregate wagons and an unloading wagon
derailed on the approach to Bordesley Junction, Birmingham. The
rear four wagons of the train, which was travelling between Banbury
and Barrow-on-Soar, were derailed but then became re-railed.
Extensive track damage was caused at the junction and there was
also some damage to the rolling stock, but no one was hurt.
Preliminary examination by the UK Rail Accident Investigation
Branch (RAIB) revealed that a wheel fl ange climbed over the outer
rail of a curve on the approach to the junction. Other wheels then
also became derailed. There was nothing to suggest that the
signalling or handling of the train contributed to the accident.
A full investigation is proceeding. This will include an examination
of the condition of the train and track, to establish the mechanism
that caused the derailment. The history of the wagons, track and
the maintenance carried out, will be looked at.
PROTECTIVE DEVICE INVOLVED IN TRAM FATALITY The UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is examining
the circumstances of a fatal accident t at Piccadilly Gardens in
central Manchester on 5 June 2011. At about 00:16, tram 1002
was approaching from the direction of Market Street at about
15 km/h when a pedestrian ran in front. He appeared to try to
stop before reaching the track but fell directly in front of the
tram, the front part of which passed over him. Although the driver
started to brake before reaching the pedestrian, he was unable to
stop before the pedestrian came into contact with the under-run
protector. This device that projects down from the underside of
the tram and is designed to prevent pedestrians from being
crushed under the wheels. The victim was found by rescuers to
be in close contact with the under-run protector. He was given
emergency treatment at the site but died later in hospital.
The RAIB investigation will seek to understand the mechanism
by which the injuries were caused to the pedestrian and the role
played by the under-run protector. Also, the history of accidents of
this type on tramway systems generally is to be reviewed.
Arrangement of check rails at Dalchalm level crossing. Photo: RAIB.
The detached brake block holder shown replaced (for photo purposes) into
the checkrail fl angeway where it fell, causing the derailment. Photo: RAIB.
The damaged track at Bordesley junction after the accident. Photo: RAIB.
“It’s this old apartheid-era signalling”.
37August 2011 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
Wendy and Malcolm Bates, after his ordination
as Deacon in 2007.
ation
Nightfall at Beaufort West in the sixties. A class 25 condenser has
just taken over the northbound Trans-Karoo from a class 4E electric:
a card done in 1992.
Spray from pounding seas envelops a 5M2A set at Kalk Bay during the great storm of 22 September 1983.
S
Ba
The fi nal West Cape Railtalk: Altogether, Malcolm
produced 52 of these informative monthlies.
One of a series of characterful Christmas cards for the Railway
Society. On the left, a class GMAM Garratt is about to leave Worcester
for Riversdale in the sixties. Alongside, a class 4E electric gathers
steam (if that’s the right word) for the many miles of 1:40 up the Hex
River Pass.
New-generation Metrorail: Malcolm with a 10M3 set at Simon’s Town.
Malcolm on top of the Mountain.
Malcolm’s monochromatic Christmas Cards for the Railway Society were a
landmark series in the eighties. In later years, friends received characterful
miniature colour paintings each December. All portrayed familiar South
African rail scenes, the locomotives, rolling stock and lineside picked out in
fl awless detail.
Until 1998, Malcolm edited and produced the informative monthly newsletter
West Cape Railtalk, plentifully illustrated with photos (many his own) and
punctuated with characterful sketches from his pen. By then, he had resigned
his professional position with a leading Cape Town publisher to study
theology and go full-time into the church. His ministry was characterised by
dedication and distinction. In a private note commenting on a rail magazine
printing “regeneration” instead of “regenerative” (in a braking context), he
commented: “regeneration is a theological term, Ha Ha!”
Despite a demanding workload, he still found time for his many other
interests. In fact, until the sudden onset of illness barely four months ago
(when he was not quite 63) Malcolm energetically chaired the Railway History
Group in Cape Town, known for its series of informative publications, and he
produced the group’s regular Bulletin. Hopefully the group will put together a
collection of Malcolm’s evocative photographs recording the contemporary
Cape Peninsula rail scene in recent decades. It would fi ttingly commemorate
the important contribution he made.
To his wife and daughter from all
at Railways Africa: our
heartfelt sympathy.
MALCOLM BATESArtist and rail enthusiast Malcolm Bates, keen cyclist and mountain-climber, who died on 17 August, will be missed from the list of contributors to Railways Africa. His work in the magazine was mainly photographic, the subjects often Cape Town suburban electric trains on which he was an acknowledged expert. One of the men who drove the earliest of these, the 1,500V timber-bodied 1M sets introduced in 1927, was Malcolm’s grandfather W E Bates, who had previously been on steam locomotives in the Karoo. An uncle drove steam-hauled expresses to the Strand, in the days of the legendary class 5 Pacifi cs.
38 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
OBITUARY
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• Wednesday 1 February: Kisumu- Nakuru (195km) with class 87.
• Thursday 2 February: Nakuru-Naivasha (45km) with class 71;
Naivasha-Nairobi (110km) with class 87.
For more information: [email protected]
Meanwhile, Geoff’s Trains is looking at possibly going to Kenya
in September next year – pricing and the number of bookings
will dictate the feasibility. The programme would aim to include
veteran British diesels and three steam locomotives - class 24 no
2409, class 30 no 3020 and class 59 no 5918 - on the Nakuru,
Mombasa and Thika lines. Cooke’s safari to Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Botswana and South Africa will be repeated in the winter of 2012.
Contact Geoff Cooke for specifi c dates and the full itinerary of all
planned 2012 tours in Africa at: [email protected]. If the
2012 tours are fi rmed up, Geoff says he will offer South African
participants a Rand-based fi nancial package.
Voorbaai depot In preservation circles worldwide, it was always thought that
Transnet Foundation was looking to use Voorbaai depot at Mossel
Bay as a storage facility for prestige locomotives and rolling stock
like the Union Limited saloons. Sadly this has not proved to be
the case. With the ending of the Union Limited tour operations,
a pool of pristine steam locomotives is no longer needed. In
addition to representative former SAR steam classes, there are
Reefsteamers, GermistonReefsteamers will be operating their usual special train to the
annual Cherry Festival in the eastern OFS during 17-20 November
2011. There will be steam haulage on the Bethlehem-Ficksburg
section.
Sanrasm, KrugersdorpSanrasm’s North British-built 4-8-2T (works no 24386/1937),
which worked on Douglas Colliery and has been plinthed at
Florida Junction shopping centre on the West Rand for many
years, has received a new coat of paint.
Atlantic Rail, Cape TownAn Open Day was held on 21 August with three scheduled trains,
all fully booked in advance, to run from Cape Town to Bellville and
back. Unfortunately the weather was bad. Also, while taking on
water after the fi rst trip, class 24 no 3655 developed a serious
leak in the fi rebox followed by a blown tube. The second and third
journeys were therefore aborted.
The operator underwent a successful Rail Safety Regulator (RSR)
audit in August.
Enthusiasts’ tours in 2012A January/February tour, Classic Traction in Kenya (under the
Enthusiasts’ Holidays banner) is being planned to run behind the
old 1960s-vintage, English Electric-built class 71 and 87 diesel
locomotives. It is hoped to have some preserved steam locos lit up.
The provisional itinerary reads as follows:
• Saturday 28 January: Special train Nairobi-Naivasha-Nakuru
(155km) with class 87.
• Sunday 29 January: Nakuru-Eldoret (155km) with class 71.
• Monday 30 January: Eldoret-Kitale (70km) and return with class
71; Eldoret-Nakuru with class 87.
• Tuesday 31 January: Nakuru-Kisumu (195km) with class 87.
North British-built 4-8-2T (works no 24386/1937) at Florida Junction has
received a new coat of paint. Photo: D Walker.
Two tours being planned for 2012 in Kenya are designed to take in the old
English Electric diesel locomotives on the system. Photo: G Cooke.
Voorbaai depot, February 2011 – the two steam foreigners, ex-NRZ class
14A no 508 and class 16A no 615. Photo: P Conradie.
42 Railways Africa August 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com
Preservation is A Preservation is A Vital Part of The Picture Vital Part of The Picture
By John BatwellBy John Batwell
RAILWAY HERITAGE
Specialists and leading supplier of maintenance, repair, upgrade and manufacturing services in Southern Africa
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two “foreigners” at Voorbaai - ex-National Railways of Zimbabwe
(NRZ) Garratt classes 14A no 508 and 16A no 615. Neither enjoyed
much use following their relocation to the Western Cape.
Motivation for acquiring these two locos came from the late Alan
Clarke. At fi rst, they were temporarily housed at Millsite depot,
Krugersdorp.
A photographic record made in February 2011 illustrates the sorry
current situation on the ground at Voorbaai. See:
http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.
com/2011/04/voorbaai-loco-shed-hartenbos-february.html
Narrow gauge Garratt moves out of Port ElizabethBeyer Peacock-built NGG11 2-6-0 + 0-6-2 no 54 has been moved
by road from Port Elizabeth to Sandstone’s Free State site. Two
other engines of the class survive. Former Sanrasm-based no
52 is located at Bloemfontein shops. No 55, which was put
back in running order by Lukas Nel’s technical team at
Bloemfontein in 2004, is used by Paton’s Country Railway
working out of Ixopo, KwaZulu Natal.
Missing link in diesel preservationThe preservation of 1950s vintage South African class 31 and
32 diesel locomotives has been well documented over the
years. Class 31 GE diesels survive in both static preservation
and in industrial service by both Sheltam and RRL Grindrod. The
latest rescue exercise locally was loco no 31.009 from Waterval
Boven, in Mpumalanga. It was moved by road to RRL in Pretoria
for structural modifi cation. Two preserved GE class 32s served
for some years on the George-Knysna branch, until its closure
following severe fl oods in 2006. Other representatives of this
class worked at SNCZ, now Société Nationale des Chemins de fer
Congolais (SNCC – the state railway in the Democratic Republic
of Congo) as well as in the Zambian mineral industry.
Unfortunately, no representative of the seven Henschel-built
class 61 diesel-hydraulic locomotives survives. Acquired by the
South African Railways at the end of the fi fties, six were sold to
the former Rhodesia Railways during the sanctions era early in
the seventies. These centre-cab locos ended their operational
life, four liveries later, in industrial service on Zisco Steelworks’rail
system, in Zimbabwe’s Midlands, during the early 1990s.
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.
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The one that got away – no representation of South African Railways’
experiment in diesel-hydraulic transmission was preserved by way of the
former SAR class 61. Photo: G Cooke.
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The “innovation portal” has four stages – think, explore, prove,
do. To develop the initiative further and encourage a new wave of
proposals, Network Rail is encouraging businesses, universities
and research institutes to consider how they could have a positive
infl uence on the future of the railway.
Network Rail’s director of engineering Steve Yianni says: “There has
been a fantastic response from businesses at home and abroad
which we predict will help Network Rail make savings of around
£38m by 2014. We have been impressed by the thinking and
enthusiasm to help make the railway safer, more effi cient and more
cost-effective and are keen to develop the initiative further as there
is the potential to deliver even greater savings after 2014.
“As well as working with established suppliers, we are keen to hear
from organisations outside the traditional rail industry which could
help improve the railway. We are committed to delivering a better,
safer railway that maximises value for money and are keen to work
with any organisation which can help us achieve this.”
Applicants need to ensure their proposals fi t one of Network
Rail’s challenges, the list of which is reviewed and refreshed every
month. Proposals must be fundamentally new and different, solve a
particular problem and have a strong business case. Each proposal
will be assessed by a specially assigned innovation supply chain
manager to see whether the idea should be taken forward and
developed further.
Network Rail’s current specifi c challenges and priorities may
be viewed at www.networkrail.co.uk/brightideas
An “innovation portal” launched six months ago to encourage
businesses to provide innovative solutions to rail industry issues
in the UK has resulted in novel ideas being introduced that are
expected to produce savings of nearly £40m by 2014.
One solution being implemented is a camera which can spot
defects on the overhead catenary more than seven metres above
the operator’s head. The OLE cameras, developed with Kongsberg
Maritime Limited, can be operated without the need to turn off
the power along the wires or close the line. This will mean a more
effi cient and accurate maintenance programme, fewer delays to
passenger and freight services and will save millions of pounds in
delay payments.
The Thameslink project required a sleeper capable of housing a
53mm conductor rail as well as signalling and track cables. The
original plan was to use a full-depth sleeper with baseplates –
65mm deeper than adjacent sleepers – which would be expensive
and diffi cult to instal and maintain. A solution from Cemex has
seen a wider, shallower sleeper produced with cast-in housings,
delivering cost savings of 90% against existing products, expected
to be around £4m by 2014.
Other proposals from national and international organisations
currently being investigated in detail include acoustic curtains.
These are to provide simple, quick and effective noise control, to
reduce the impact on nearby houses during maintenance. Safety
fences, which clip onto the rail during maintenance and provide
a safe working environment while still allowing trains to pass on
nearby tracks, are another result of some clever thinking.
The single use crucibleRail Welding
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South Africa
1508
The single-use crucible reduces the risk of human error. It is made from a bonded refractory material inserted in an easy-to-handle five-litre container. Welds are more consistent. As there is no drying or pre-heating, weld times are much shorter. And the single use crucible is safer and minimises environmental impacts.
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BRIGHT IDEAS DEPARTMENT
PERFORMANCE
Your Specialist Partner ForMechanised RailwayTrack Maintenance
& ConstructionMachinery
Plasser South Africa (PTY) Ltd
20 Lautre Rd, Stormill, Roodepoort; P O Box 103 Maraisburg, 1700
Tel: (011) 761-2400 Telefax: (011) 474-3582 email: [email protected]