railways africa march 2011

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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.

3March 2011 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com

PUBLISHERSPhillippa Dean

Barbara Sheat

EDITOR Rollo Dickson

DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto

ADVERTISINGKim Bevan

SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan

CONTRIBUTORSAshley Peter

Boon Boonzaaier

Bruno Martin

Dave van der Meulen

Eugene Armer

Jacque Wepener

John Batwell

Richard Grönstedt

Paul Roos

Peter Rogers

ISSN 1029 - 2756

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E-mail: [email protected]

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Website: www.railwaysafrica.com

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New Generation of Heavy Haul Locomotives

Much has been said in the press and on

radio about the impressive R97 billion to

be spent replacing South Africa’s obsolete

passenger rail system. To be spread over

18 years, obviously the actual outlay will be

a great deal more than R97 billion (since

that’s in terms of what a Rand is worth

today). It is going to take very fi rm resolve

to keep that sort of budget intact for nearly

20 years. Look at the precedent. After the

new stainless steel 8M commuter sets

came in around 1990, nothing new was

bought for 20 years; there were higher

priorities, like health and education.

Those priorities are still there. The hospitals

(to take one example) are in even worse

shape now and need that much more

money. The proposed national health

service is going to cost more billions. Then

there is Eskom and the continued threat of

power cuts because of a 15-year backlog

in building generating capacity. Backlogs

are the very devil to catch up with, as the

railways have learned to their our cost.

And speaking of Eskom – which touches

everyone and is therefore easier for the

man in the street to understand – Passenger

Rail Agency (Prasa) top man Montana is

now using South Africa’s electricity crisis

as an analogy in getting across his dire

prediction of impending rail collapse if that

R97 billion is not forthcoming. “We are

going to have another Eskom if the fi rst 350

coaches do not go into service in 2013,”

he told the press the other day. There will

be no passenger trains left in less than ten

years, he warns, if the present worn-out

fl eet is not replaced.

A large slice of the nearly R13 billion

spent in the last fi ve years went on

rehabilitating coaches. It was no more than

a short-term stop-gap, Montana points

out, briefl y “stabilising a business in decline

owing to years of under-investment and

neglect”. The technology is sixty years old

– and fi xing old technology is for the birds.

He needs new rolling stock and he needs

it now.

As for detail, there has been more than

usual disparity in fi gures bandied about

in the press, ranging from 6,000 to 8,600

new coaches to be bought and 2,000

locomotives. As far as we can make out, the

reality envisaged looks something like this:

For Metrorail in the short term: 862

additional coaches; in the medium-to-long-

term, 6,296. The possibility of multiple-unit

diesel or hybrid electric & diesel units is

mentioned for the Eastern Cape (a strategy,

incidentally, recommended by consultants

more than 20 years ago).

For Shosholoza Meyl: 1,195 coaches

(sleeper; sitter; dining; catering/grill;

power cars). A total of 124 locomotives

(not quite 2,000!) comprising 76 x 3kV DC;

21 x 25kV AC and 27 diesel-electric.

That R97 billion, by the way, hasn’t actually

been sanctioned. To be precise, it forms

the bones of a feasibility study scheduled

for completion in June. After that, it still

has to go to cabinet, and here’s the rub:

– government doesn’t, and isn’t going to,

have R97 billion to spend on Prasa.

Transport minister Ndebele stresses that

the “coffers of the state are not suffi cient

to fund such a large programme”. Montana

puts it bluntly: the state is in no position

to take on R90 billion’s worth of debt. In

short, a partnership with the private sector

is not only on the cards – it is the only

way out.

Deputy transport minister Jeremy Cronin

sounds confi dent on the prospects.

Announcing a “green paper” on transport

policy to be completed shortly, he says it

goes “hand-in-hand with government’s

commitment to recapitalise Prasa to

the value of some R97 billion.” The

Department of Transport (DoT) is to

develop an overarching policy, he explains,

to coordinate and provide an integrated

strategy to assist in rebuilding the country’s

railways

“We need to get all our ducks in a row in

terms of strategy and policy to deal with

the signifi cant challenges of a dilapidating

rail system,” Cronin says. The department

is considering the “positives and negatives”

of dividing rail infrastructure management

from train operations.

Montana’s latest observation is interesting.

Cape Town-Johannesburg passenger trains

should be running at 160km/h, he says.

The existing infrastructure is perfectly

capable of handling this, and it would cut

six hours off the present timing. Now we’re

talking.

PHILLIPPA DEANPublisher / Railways Africa

4 Railways Africa March 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com

ContentsContents

BOMBARDIERInnovative Locomotive Technologies Improve Railway Effi ciency

Over the last ten years, BOMBARDIER

TRAXX has become the most successful

locomotive platform in Europe.

6

BOMBARDIER Innovative Locomotive Technologies Improve Railway Effi ciency 6

ISONGO RAIL Isongo Grinding for Gautrain 10

PLASSERAIL Track Maintenance 12

Features

John Batwell Explores A Transnet Freight Rail Speciality 28

HAZMAT

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On Railway Belts - And The Need For Subways 16

Pete the Pundit on

One More Time … Track Gauge 18

Industry Comment

The 6km Cedara Tunnels - Opened 50 Years Ago; The Longest in South Africa Until 1989 22

Cedara Tunnels

5Railways Africa March 2011 www.railwaysafrica.com

RAILWAYS AFRICA / CONTENTS

End of the LinePPP’S – Thoughts From Britain 74

ReviewPride of Eritrea 72

72

48

62

32

Gautrain Construction Update - Month End 28 February 2011 50

Gautrain Rapid Rail Link

CFB Rehabilitation Progress 32

Kenya Seeks Nairobi Operator 34

Mozambique Needs Rail Wagon Industry 37

New Zambian Mine Railway Planned 38

Africa Update

Transnet’s New CEO 40

Rail’s Share of A Huge Backlog 43

Atlantic Rail 44

SA Rail News

Japanese Quake & Tsunami 58

Rail Awareness Campaign 60

The Floods In Queensland 62

Mishaps & Blunders

Atlantic Rail, Cape Town 70

Umgeni Steam Railway, KwaZulu Natal 70

Railway Heritage

THE EUROPEAN TRAXX LOCOMOTIVE PLATFORMThe TRAXX locomotive platform was the right product for railways

in Europe at the right time. It was the answer to the growing

needs of train operators requesting standard, interoperable

locomotives to perform cross-border services between countries.

And it was launched at a time when the European Union supported

unifi cation of fragmented national railway networks. Today, the

TRAXX platform covers electric locomotives for all major catenary

voltages. A diesel version of TRAXX complies with the newest,

stringent exhaust emission standards. All locomotives have a high

degree of parts commonality and feature the same traction motors,

gearboxes, bogies, control & communication, driver’s desks, etc.

Thanks to this, the railways can use the same spare parts across

their fl eet of different TRAXX locomotive types and can reduce

costs for training as well as investments in depots and workshops.

At present, more than 1,500 units have been sold and

approximately 1,200 locomotives are in operation throughout

Europe. They are operated by state as well as private operators.

As standard products with high residual value, TRAXX locomotives

are leased by fi ve different leasing companies.

TRAXX locomotives are based on proven components and systems.

Thus, high reliability and availability are achieved. Service and

maintenance schedules are extended compared to conventional

locomotives, thus lowering operating costs. The innovations

introduced within the TRAXX platform over the last ten years are

numerous:

• High adhesion capability combined with low track forces.

A novel wheel-slip control system is used which cleans the

tracks and increases the overall adhesion capability of the

locomotive. The result is that the average adhesion coeffi cient

of the locomotive is higher than otherwise available.

• Compliance with new and upcoming railway standards such

as EN (European Norms) and TSI (Technical Specifi cations for

Over the last ten years, BOMBARDIER TRAXX has become the most successful locomotive platform in Europe. The platform is based on a modular building-block structure from which four locomotive types are available. Today, they operate in almost all European countries in both passenger and freight service. TRAXX locomotives have been continuously developed to meet the newest railway requirements and standards using state-of-the-art technologies.

The concept of the TRAXX platform has been applied also to the ALP locomotive platform for North America. The ALP platform is comprised of two types of locomotives: a high-power electric and a dual-powered locomotive, both for commuter and intercity services. A third, novel diesel-electric locomotive is in planning. The dual-powered locomotives have both diesel and electric traction and thus can run with diesel engines on non-electrifi ed routes and with electric power from overhead catenaries.

The TRAXX and ALP technologies are used in very high speed powerheads up to 350km/h. Examples are the AVE S112 and S130 in Spain which today form the largest part of the Spanish fl eet of high-speed trains. In the other extreme of heavy-haul locomotives, the IORE in Sweden and the powerful HXD3 in China rely on the TRAXX and ALP propulsion and control systems. Important overall features are high power effi ciency, low maintenance costs and high reliability. The diversity of applications and high performance makes the above locomotives well-suited also to South African railways.

A 4-axle TRAXX locomotive pulling a demonstration train of 3,700 ton

load (52 full tank cars) under 3kV DC catenary in Poland.


BOMBARDIER

Janis Vitins, PhD, member IEEE // Bombardier Transportation

INNOVATIVE LOCOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES IMPROVE RAILWAY EFFICIENCY

Interoperability). These include TSIs for noise, safety in railway

tunnels, control, command & signalling, and operations.

• Design of the propulsion chain for maximum energy savings

through regeneration of braking energy. By using energy

metering, it is possible to reduce energy consumption

through an optimal driving style. Also, state-of-the-art

traction transformers, converters, drives and traction motors

contribute to high power effi ciency.

• New, interoperable automatic train protection (ATP) systems

based on ETCS. The new systems incorporate Specifi c

Transmission Modules (STMs) with which legacy ATP systems

are integrated into ETCS equipment.

The net effect of these innovations is a reduction of operating costs

per hauled train load and thus an increase in railway effi ciency.

TRAXX locomotives have demonstrated the ability to pull trains that

are 50% heavier than those hauled by conventional locomotives

with DC traction motors. Measurements in Sweden have shown

more than 20% lower energy consumption. Today, TRAXX

locomotives are the most frequently sold locomotives in Europe.

HEAVY-HAUL AND NORTH AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVESHeavy-haul locomotives: The TRAXX locomotive technologies developed in Europe lend

themselves ideally to railway applications elsewhere. The

6-axle HXD3 series heavy-haul locomotive designed and built in

cooperation with Dalian in China is an example of this. It combines

TRAXX propulsion systems with the Bombardier mechanical designs

of the Swedish IORE locomotive. The Swedish IORE locomotives

are world-wide the fi rst electric heavy-haul locomotives to use

modern AC-propulsion technology. They consist of two 6-axle

sections which are semi-permanently coupled. Each section has

only one cab and can operate autonomously, allowing optimum

redundancy in case of a section failure. The design objectives of

the locomotive were to obtain high traction performance with the

target of pulling 50% heavier trailing loads compared to existing

locomotive stock. Further design requirements were to reach low

overall life-cycle costs and to achieve high mission reliability in

the Nordic operating environment.

The traction performance of 10.8MW at the wheels and a starting

tractive effort of 1,200kN necessitates the use of modern AC-

propulsion technology. Key features benefi cial in extreme climatic

conditions are:

• Robust asynchronous (AC) traction motors, largely insensitive

to snow, humidity and dust. The AC motor is smaller than

conventional DC motors, allowing the installation of higher

traction power and tractive effort into the available space

envelope within the bogie.

• High adhesion utilisation when operating on steep grades and

under adverse track conditions.

• Energy savings. AC propulsion circuitry allows a bi-directional

fl ow of power, thus allowing full regeneration of braking power.

The IORE locomotives are designed for maximum possible

regenerative braking power, at the same level as the traction

power, ie 10.8MW. To maximise regeneration, the dynamic brake

force is set to the highest possible safe level of max 750kN for

loaded trains and 250kN for empty trains. On the long 17 ‰

downhill grade to Narvik, the regenerative power is limited to 8MW

due to the limited receptiveness of the network infrastructure.

North American commuter and intercity locomotives: New Jersey Transit (NJT) was the fi rst railway to introduce high-

power, modern AC propulsion technology with the electric ALP-46

in North America. These initial 26 locomotives were delivered

starting 2001 and are used in heavy commuter service. A second

series of 36 units ALP-46A, for speeds up to 200km/h, is now

shortly before delivery completion. These ALP locomotives are

designed for push-pull operation with up to ten heavy, double-deck

coaches, eg between New Jersey and New York City. The traction

converters are of the same MITRAC family as used in TRAXX

locomotives.

TRAXX AC15 and 25 kVAC

TRAXX DC3 kVDC

More than 1’500 units sold

More than 1’100 units in service

Italy, Spain,Poland

North-SouthCorridors

Benelux, Italy, Poland

Non-electrifi ed Lines

TRAXX MS15/25 kVAC & 1.5/3 kVDC

TRAXX DEDiesel-electric

The TRAXX platform consists of three electric locomotives and one diesel-electric.


BOMBARDIER

have high power effi ciency, improved by 10 to 20% compared to

conventional diesel-electric locomotives.

NEW LOCOMOTIVES FOR SOUTH AFRICAThe South African railways can benefi t from the locomotive

developments for Europe and North America. Both the TRAXX

and the ALP platforms are adaptable to the South African railway

environment, such as the loading, narrow track gauge and specifi c

operational requirements. An important element is to establish a

locomotive platform for South Africa in order to avoid high one-

off costs for the development of each required locomotive type:

passenger and freight, as well as electric and diesel. As experience

in Europe has clearly shown, standardised locomotives will open

up the leasing market also in South Africa, thus giving railways

new operational and fi nancing opportunities. By establishing

a technology link to the TRAXX and ALP technologies, it can be

ensured that the future South African locomotives will stay

abridge with state-of-the-art technologies used in Europe and

North America. This is a necessity to obtain the same benefi ts of

modern traction that other railways worldwide already exploit.

In addition, the new dual-powered locomotives, ALP-45DP, have

brought about game-changing innovation in the services provided

by NJT, as well as by the commuter railway of Montreal (Agence

Métropolitaine de Transport, AMT).

The ALP-45DP locomotives can run on power from the 12/25kV

catenaries as well as on diesel power on non-electrifi ed lines.

The integration of both diesel and electric propulsion was made

possible thanks to new, light-weight and compact equipment.

They operate commuter trains in city suburbs where there is no

electrifi cation and switch to electric traction where a catenary is

available. This makes it possible for the railways to provide novel

one-seat-ride services without the need for passengers to change

trains at system borders.

It is planned to complement the existing ALP pltatform with a third

member: a novel diesel-electric locomotive for commuter and

passenger services. It will contain a new diesel propulsion concept

meeting the future demanding Tier 4 exhaust emission standards.

The design will contain a high power redundancy, thus leading to

a high mission reliability. The innovative propulsion concept will

The North American dual-powered commuter locomotives for AMT and NJ Transit. These novel locomotives can operate with diesel traction or powered from an overhead catenary.

The IORE was the fi rst high-power heavy-haul locomotive with AC-

propulsion technology. It hauls heavy iron ore trains of up to 8,200 tons

on steep, winding tracks in the arctic north of Sweden.


BOMBARDIER

Building the futureUltra long rails

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Isongo secured the agency to represent the Loram Maintenance

of Way equipment in Africa in 2005. Loram’s rail grinders are

highly respected throughout the world for their rugged equipment

and effective grinding practices as well as exemplary standards

and quality.

Although Isongo has pursued grinding applications in the South

African railway market for several years, the Gautrain contract

marks the fi rst opportunity for Isongo and Loram to show what they

are capable of accomplishing.

Isongo Rail underwent a rigorous tender process and was eventually

awarded the contract for the Gautrain project. Grinding operations

commenced in February 2011, and early results have been very

positive.

Loram has been a supplier to the worldwide railway maintenance

industry for over 55 years, with 40 years’ experience in the rail

grinding business. The state-of-the-art, high-production Loram rail

grinders are known especially for their reliability, productivity and

quality.

The Isongo Hy-Rail is an eight-stone rail grinder. This small yet

powerful machine is particularly well suited to specialist work such

as defect removal, turnout grinding, track-in-concrete (street rail)

grinding, level crossings, as well as open track main-line grinding.

Isongo Rail (Pty) Ltd, in association with Loram Maintenance of Way in the USA, has been awarded a short term rail grinding contract

by Bombardier.

According to Isongo CEO Rupert Gebers, this is the beginning of an

exciting journey. “Isongo Rail is indeed honoured to work on the

Gautrain project and we relish the opportunity to show what our

Hy–Rail eight-stone, gauge-convertible rail grinder can do.”


ISONGO RAIL

Isongo Rail (Pty) Ltd, in association with Loram Maintenance of Way in the USA, has been awarded a short term rail grinding contract by Bombardier.

Isongo Isongo Grinding for GautrainGrinding for Gautrain

The grinder is comprised of three units including:

• A power car; self-contained Hy-Rail unit that provides all

electrical power, control systems and fi re fi ghting support.

• Two grind carts – each housing four 30hp (23kW) electric grind

motors and a dust extraction system.

• An additional crew cab attached to a rear grinding cart when

required.

The Isongo Hy-Rail Grinder has an extensive on-board fi re prevention

and fi re fi ghting capability.

The grinder excels at corrective grinding, but is also particularly

adept at addressing peaked fl ash butt welds and mill scale. It

is gauge-convertible and can be transported by road across

borders, dramatically reducing time spent during relocation to

new operational sites. The Loram grinders are the equipment of

choice throughout the world, especially for addressing turnouts

and extreme corrective grinding. Loram brings the experience

to help railways go from a corrective situation to an economical

preventive programme.

Isongo Rail is presently short-listed for open track and turnout

grinding tenders with Transnet Freight Rail and is aggressively

pursuing new rail grinding opportunities elsewhere in Africa.

The company will be exhibiting at the Railways and Harbours

Conference and Exhibition at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from

6 to 8 April 2011.

“ The Gautrain contract marks the fi rst opportunity for Isongo and Loram to show what they are capable of accomplishing.”

IS SHUNTING AND TRACK SWITCHING A PROBLEM?Surtees Railways Supplies, has the solutionTrackmobile Railcar, bi-model, road and rail movers have all the required

safety features to conform to your Railway Safety needs:

>> Up to 19250 kg tractive effort

>> Tier 3 electronic diesel engine

>> Hydraulic rail & road brakes

>> Vacuum train brake controls

>> 16 CFM engine drive train air brakes - optional to 100 CFM

>> Power steering / Automatic 4 speed transmission

>> Air operated coupler release

>> Fully enclosed cab with controls integrated into the driver’s seat

>> Excellent entry level costs with low operational costs

SURTEES RAIL GROUP - HEAD OFFICEP.O Box 40178, Cleveland, 2022, Republic of South Africa

93 Whitworth Road, Heriotdale, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Republic of South Africa

Tel: +27 11 626-3516 Fax: +27 11 626-1171/28 [email protected]

www.surtees.co.za

SERVICING THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

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ISONGO RAIL

This process continues with each maintenance input achieving

a lower track condition than before and the interval between

maintenance inputs reducing exponentially. This produces a new

deterioration curve (AK) which is much longer than the curve AC

without maintenance input. The life of the track has therefore been

extended.

This process will continue until the period between required

maintenance inputs becomes uneconomically short (compare

distance GI with BE). Complete track renewal eg formation

rehabilitation, replacement of sleepers, rails, fastenings, ballast or

any combination of these components will then be required (IJ). The

whole process will repeat itself.

The longer the curve AK, the longer the life of the track and the

lower the track life cycle cost will be, resulting in lower freight costs

and greater competitiveness on world markets for exports from

South Africa.

Therefore, the construction and every maintenance and

rehabilitation activity thereafter must aim to reduce the track

deterioration rate. The entire life cycle of the infrastructure must be

considered at all times. The life cycle is infl uenced by the following,

among others:

1. Initial quality Decisions made during the planning, design and construction

phases of the track have far-reaching consequences for expenditure

later in the life of the track structure. The use, for example, of lower

standard track components, or lower standards of formation or

drainage construction, may save money in construction costs,

but the extra track maintenance cost and train delay times that

result from this lower standard of work will consume these savings

several times over.

The higher the initial quality of the track, the greater the quality

reserve, and the longer it will take before the next maintenance

intervention becomes necessary. This point is illustrated in Figure

2.

2. Threshold for minimum allowable track conditionMaintenance strategy should address the value of the threshold

for minimum allowable track condition as this will have a major

infl uence on the track’s life cycle cost.

Outsourcing in track maintenance, a paper presented by

Professor Peter Veit, provides some of the vital technical and

economical correlations of the track based on a project adopted by

Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB – Austria’s state railway) since

1996. The paper and project concentrated on the optimisation of

track maintenance and also addressed the issue of threshold.

Adequate, well-maintained rail infrastructure is a prerequisite

to South Africa’s successful participation in the global economy.

It is essential to South Africa’s long-term economic growth,

development, and prosperity to eradicate poverty, famine, low skills

levels and unemployment and to improve the general standard of

living of all its people.

Undeniably, reliable and affordable rail infrastructure has been

the key to success of most, if not all, rich industrialised countries.

An effective railway system will stimulate the development of

the national economy by transporting goods and passengers

at minimum cost. Lower-cost structures facilitate domestic

competition and make exports more competitive on international

markets.

The railway system is admittedly only one part of the total

transport picture but in a country where the road infrastructure

is deteriorating very fast and where transport is required for bulk

commodities and minerals, the railway is still the most energy-

effi cient and environmentally friendly mode.

However, for the railway system to be called “effi cient” and to be

able to transport freight and passengers at cost-effective rates,

the infrastructure must be reliable, available, affordable and

safe. This can only be achieved if an effective track maintenance

strategy is followed which considers the entire life cycle cost of

the infrastructure. The objective of maintenance is to lower the

track geometry deterioration rate to preserve service life. Figure 1

shows a hypothetical track deterioration curve schematically, and

the infl uence of maintenance on track life.

An increase in track roughness will result in an increase in dynamic

loads, which will accelerate the rate of deterioration. The curve

AC represents deterioration of an asset with no maintenance

intervention. If the deterioration is left unattended, the functionality

of the asset will reduce until it can no longer be used.

However, for the safe passage of traffi c at a realistic speed, the

track cannot be allowed to deteriorate beyond a determined

threshold for minimum allowable track condition.

To extend the life of the track, track deterioration must be slowed

down through planned maintenance actions (as depicted by BD)

which are executed on time. However, the original as-built functional

condition cannot be regained by typical maintenance input due to

wear of the track components.

After maintenance input the track will continue to deteriorate (DE).

Once again, as the deterioration approaches the threshold for

minimum allowable track condition, maintenance input is required

(EF) and, as before, the condition as achieved after the previous

maintenance input cannot be regained.

Figure 1: Hypothetical track deterioration curve.

Figure 2: The effect of high initial quality on the deterioration curve.


PLASSERAIL

TRACK MAINTENANCE by Leon Zaayman (Please see notes headed POSTSCRIPT on page 74.)

new, the available maintenance budget is concentrated on other

sections where the track condition is poor. Initially the effect

thereof cannot be seen. As the track ages, the threshold has to

increase due to the increasing wear of all the track components, in

order to maintain a reasonable availability and track life. However,

the knock-on effect referred to earlier has already taken its toll and

will negatively impact on the life of the track.

The Austrian project has proved that the most economical

approach to track maintenance is when money is invested in a

high initial quality level with corresponding maintenance. In other

words, a long service life and lowest life cycle cost can be expected

when the threshold for maintenance intervention is at its highest

while the track is still new. The threshold is then gradually reduced

towards the end of the track life.

3. Maintenance tacticsThe maintenance tactics that will be employed during the life of

the track must form part of the maintenance strategy, as this will

infl uence the fi nancial investment as well as the organisational

structure required - and will have an immense effect on the life

cycle cost and life expectancy of the track.

Figure 5 provides a diagrammatical layout of typical maintenance

tactics. The two main tactics are either “planned” or “unplanned”

maintenance. The danger of unplanned maintenance is that - over

time - it can easily consume all available resources. The railway can

fall into a situation where all resources and fi nance are employed to

address unplanned emergency work. This allows the track structure

to deteriorate very fast due to a lack of preventive maintenance.

Ideally the majority of resources employed should be to carry out

planned preventive maintenance activities as this is the only tactic

that will extend the life of the track.

Preventive maintenance has two elements, routine and corrective.

Corrective maintenance refers to work that is required to prevent

failure after a defect has been identifi ed and the date and time

of the execution of such work can be planned; ie it is not an

emergency yet.

Routine maintenance is carried out to maintain the track to

a predetermined standard before defects occur. Time-based

routine maintenance is based on the elapsed time since the last

maintenance action took place. Time-based maintenance is usually

carried out on off-track components such as drains, greasing

etc and is often seasonal. Condition-based routine maintenance

will use the data from a track recording car, trolley inspections,

footplate inspections etc, to determine where the use of scarce

resources can be optimised. Condition-based maintenance will

contribute towards the lowest possible life cycle cost.

4. FinanceTrack maintenance comprises a large percentage of any railway’s

operational expenditure. When fi nancial diffi culty is experienced,

If the threshold for maintenance intervention is set at a low value

as indicated by the line “threshold 1” on Figure 3, the effect of too

little 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

will result in turn in fi nes in the ballast bed retaining moisture, etc;

eventually resulting in damage to the track material.

Professor Veit’s research supported and proved this hypothesis.

His evaluation showed relatively high initial improvements in quality

values directly after maintenance. However, this level was not

sustainable and the deterioration accelerated over time. The quality

level achieved after maintenance was lower than when measures

had been implemented sooner. Intensive maintenance efforts at a

later stage, aimed at extending service life, proved uneconomical.

However, it is not only the level at which the threshold is set that

is of signifi cant economic importance. Research shows that the

threshold should not be set at a fi xed value but rather linked to the

age of the track.

The general tendency by maintenance managers is to maintain a

constant threshold for maintenance intervention throughout the life

of the track (see Figure 4). With a constant threshold, maintenance

intervention will always take place when the track condition has

reached a predetermined level, irrespective of the age of the track.

However, in practice it is more likely to fi nd an increasing threshold

(bottom curve in Figure 4) which means that while the track is

Figure 3: summary of the effect of maintenance due to threshold.

Figure 5: Maintenance tactics diagram.

Figure 4: The effect of the various thresholds on life cycle.


PLASSERAIL

the maintenance budget will usually be reduced fi rst. The graph

in Figure 1 was based on the hypothesis that the necessary

maintenance input in fi nancial terms has been allowed for. The

question arises: What will the case be if the maintenance input

is inadequate, ie both in terms of maintenance intervention at a

point below the maintenance threshold (too late) and/or insuffi cient

input (too little) to achieve the highest possible condition?

Figure 6 illustrates how the deterioration curve will drop down

much more sharply than it will where timeous and suffi cient

maintenance is carried out. The life expectancy of the track will

reduce drastically. In addition, the input required to renew the

track will greatly exceed the input that would have been required if

timeous and suffi cient maintenance were carried out - as depicted

by the length of line AB as opposed to line CD.

The effect of such an underinvestment in maintenance was

highlighted during the RT-CAP research project in the SADC

countries which was carried out by Plasserail of South Africa and

sponsored by Austria during the 1990s.

The maintenance cost curve of Figure 7 is based on the theoretical

and practical relationship of under-investment in maintenance of

the assets and the resultant intervention cost. The derailments and

speed orders (speed restrictions) are the quality indicators which

follow as a result of the above mentioned relationship.

A well planned and executed track maintenance strategy will aim

to sustain the track condition at a predetermined equilibrium level.

This equilibrium level is illustrated by the line MC1 and can be

measured in various different ways such as a standard deviation

(measuring car data) or number of workplaces per kilometre. It

implies that the fi nancial input is adequate to sustain the track

condition at the predetermined equilibrium level.

An inadequate fi nancial input is depicted by the maintenance

cost curve MC which drops to below the equilibrium level, ie the

fi nancial input is inadequate to maintain the predetermined track

condition. The deteriorating track condition will force speed orders

(speed restrictions) to be imposed at an increasing number. The

number of derailments will also increase.

The loss of customers due to late deliveries as a result of speed

restrictions as well as the cost of derailments will force the

railway administration to reverse the negative trend, in order

to ensure the continued functioning of the track. This point of

intervention is illustrated by MC2. The shaded area between

the equilibrium line and the maintenance cost curve depicts the

accumulated backlog costs.

To bring track condition back to the equilibrium level, a huge

intervention cost is required over a small period. This becomes

a capital as opposed to operational expenditure, for which there

is very seldom money available. The value of the intervention

costs greatly exceeds the backlog value (“saved” amount) due to

the knock-on damage to the infrastructure by the deteriorating

track. If the indirect costs of derailments, reduced traffi c due

to speed restrictions and loss of business are added to the

intervention costs, the increase in the life cycle cost of the track is

astronomic. This could have been prevented by small incremental

maintenance expenditure. A stitch in time saves nine.

Re-investment in maintenance will be depicted by the line MC2

to MC3 which indicates an acceleration in expenditure and

renewal cost. After the peak maintenance cost expenditure

level (MC3) has been reached, maintenance expenditure can be

allowed to slow down until it levels off at the equilibrium level, at

which point the level of derailments and speed orders will also

decrease, and reach an acceptable level.

The question is – where is the equilibrium level and how does

one know that the investment is adequate to maintain the

predetermined standard? The answer lies in the availability of track

information.

5. Track informationThe fact that maintenance intervention is required before the

track deteriorates to a point below a minimum threshold (quality

standard), implies that the track condition must be determined.

The railway engineer should ensure that footplate inspections

and measurements take place at regular intervals. In addition, the

railway engineer should do trolley inspections to gain fi rst-hand

experience of the track condition and should always be involved

in all maintenance decision-making. The root cause of some

defects must be determined. Even observations by train drivers

can be valuable. All the observations must be recorded and the

data analysed to produce track information.

Various parameters of measure can then be used to decide where

the threshold for minimum track condition lies, such as number

of workplaces and/or speed orders per kilometre. For scientifi c

management, the data obtained from a track recording car can

be manipulated to produce graphs that will provide very accurate

information regarding the required level of fi nancial investment to

maintain the equilibrium.

Transnet Freight Rail uses the Plasser IM2000 infrastructure

measuring car (Figure 8) to measure and record the track,

overhead contact wire, rail profi le and ballast profi le geometry

and to produce various different reports which range from tables

that list the track geometry defects by type and location to reports

intended for scientifi c fi nancial management. The car measures

and records accumulatively approximately 40,000 kilometres

of track per annum. All the main lines will be measured at least

three times per year.

The IM2000 is a self propelled vehicle fi tted with the Plasser

& Theurer optical contactless system. The car travels at 80 to

100km/h while making various measurements at 250mm sampling

intervals. The measurements are recorded and various further

calculations made from the measurements to produce track

condition data in graphical and table formats.

Figure 6: Track deterioration curve with inadequate fi nancial investment.

Figure 7: Maintenance cost curve (from RT-CAP project).


PLASSERAIL

unevenness on the formation which will accelerate the deterioration

rate. Furthermore, the most important section of the ballast bed,

the sleeper bearing area, is more often than not neglected, due to

the very hard labour involved. Hand methods for track maintenance

are also very slow, uneconomical and inaccurate.

Due consideration should be given to fi nding the appropriate

machine type and supplier for the task at hand.

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.

The supplier of the machines and the technology used by the

supplier is a further consideration. So for example, the Plasser &

Theurer tamping process has been extensively researched and

proven to provide the maximum durability possible.

Practice has also shown that the decision between in-house and

outsourced mechanised maintenance has a great infl uence on

cost-effective maintenance.

Various examples exist in Southern Africa where railways attempted

to maintain and operate the machines themselves, all of which have

failed. In the 1960s, the South African Railways owned, operated

and maintained their own fl eet of machines. Availability dropped

to below 70 % which necessitated more machines to achieve

production requirements. In the 1970s, Plasserail was contracted

to own, operate and maintain the machines, an arrangement which

still continues today. Reliability of machines is now characterised

by availability exceeding 95 % on a month-to-month basis.

Plasserail’s success in maintaining such high availability can be

attributed to following exactly the same philosophies set out for

track maintenance in this article.

The overall message here is that practice, especially in South

Africa, has shown that track maintenance can only be optimised if

appropriate mechanised track maintenance machines are used and

if the maintenance is outsourced to contracting companies who

have the necessary skills, experience and infrastructure.

CONCLUSIONA railway line is an expensive and valuable asset, especially in

the developing world where it provides vital infrastructure for

sustainable social development. The railway is a very reliable and

economic means of transporting goods and passengers. Wisely

planned and implemented maintenance at regular intervals will

extend the life of a railway, enabling it to remain economically viable

for many years - to the benefi t of economic growth in the country

involved. At the same time it will ensure a track infrastructure that

is reliable, available, affordable and safe.

6. Maintenance practiceEvery maintenance input should aim to reduce the track condition

deterioration rate. Some of the parameters that accelerate the rate

of deterioration are poor weed control, poorly maintained drains,

fouled ballast, uneven track geometry, rail surface defects and

neglected ballast profi le. These parameters are interrelated, thus

explaining the exponential deterioration rate so often seen.

7. Maintenance planningPlanning refers to more than just deciding where to work. Planning

also includes addressing root causes of problems as opposed to

addressing the symptoms, understanding trends and being able

to recognise built-in defects such as rail joints (where defects are

detected by a recording car). There are just too many variables for

any human to manage and cannot be effi cient or effective without

the use of a proper maintenance management system.

Various systems are available, ranging from highly sophisticated

computer systems to a simple line layout diagram. The maintenance

planning system should show where and what type of maintenance

needs to be done and where it was done, what the interval of the

maintenance is, where recurring defects exist which require more

investment, etc. Such a system will allow the maintenance manager

to manage his resources effectively.

Planning takes place at various levels in the organisation. Over and

above managerial planning in terms of fi nancial investment and the

maintenance planning as described above, the day-to-day logistical

planning around the maintenance site is also important for the

effi ciency and cost-effectiveness of the maintenance input.

The effectiveness of maintenance planning will have a deciding

effect on the life of the track and therefore the life cycle cost.

8. Maintenance equipment and machineryToday it should no longer be necessary to argue the benefi ts of

mechanised maintenance over the use of hand labour. As a matter

of fact, hand ballast cleaning, for example, has been shown to create

REFERENCES

1. LICHTBERGER, Dipl-Ing Dr B. Track maintenance strategies for ballasted track – a selection. Rail Engineering international edition 2001, no 2.

2. Course Proceedings – Introduction to multi-disciplinary concepts in railway engineering: University of Pretoria chair in railway engineering

3. Regional track condition assessment project: Plasserail

4. MULKE, DR FRIEDEL. Stormwater drainage of rail track

5. SELIG, PROF ERNEST T, Characteristics of ballast shoulder cleaning and ditching:– 6th International Heavy Haul conference

6. SELIG, PROF ERNEST T and JOHN WATERS. Track geotechnology and substructure management

7. EBERSÖHN, DR WILLEM and ING CONRAD J RUPERT. Erstellung Einer Gleisdatenbank Und Eines Instandhaltungs Systems Unter Verwendung Von GPS-,

LiDAR-, Und Video-Technologien: Der Eisenbahn Ingenieur, Heft 8/2001

8. VEIT, PROF PETER (Technical University Graz). Outsourcing In Track Maintenance:– OVG Conference September 2004

1. Article in periodical: JAMES E G and ROGERS F R. The signifi cance of political interference in railway operations. Railway engineering, vol 89, no 97. July 2007,

pp 8-10.

2. Book: JAMES E G and ROGERS F R. The signifi cance of political interference in railway operations. Indianapolis, Indiana university press, 1979.

Figure 8: Plasser IM2000 infrastructure measuring car.


PLASSERAIL

the Kenya-Uganda Railway then (and today), travelled through

bush. Travelling by railway, you saw very few people.

“Compare that to travelling by road. A trucker driving on the

Mombasa-Kampala route can stop and drink at 20 bars and, as

some do, have girlfriends in 10 towns along the way. Passengers

can do the same. Train drivers and passengers doing the same

Mombasa-Kampala route will not even have got out at any station

once! Therefore, of the two, the chaps who travel by road will be

more broadminded because of their encounters with various

cultures along the way.

“From that point of view, though the initial collapse of the Kenya-

Uganda [Railway] was an economic disaster, it was a good thing

politically because it shifted, on average, 80% of East Africans

from the narrow-mindedness of the railway, to the liberating

possibilities of road travel.

“There were other outcomes from the collapse of the railway,

without which even the glimpses of democracy you see in East

Africa today wouldn’t have happened.

“The collapse of the railway was one product of the decline of

the post-colonial state all over Africa. Governments could no

longer run railways, and everything else - education and hospitals.

To fi ll the gap, private transport (buses) were licensed, as were

private schools, and hospitals.

“Until then the structure of our economies meant that

governments controlled every aspect of your life: You travelled

by state-owned railway; went to a government hospital; went

to a government school; and were employed by the government

and lived in a government pool house. The government decided

which crops you grew and at how much you sold the harvest at a

government-owned market.

“Without the collapse of the railway state, we would all be living

in dictatorships. Now, it can be revived, because the power has

shifted away from what our grandparents called the ‘iron snake’.”

KENYA NEEDS AN UNDERGROUNDAccording to Oman Ondus, a member of the Institute of Certifi ed

Public Accountants of Kenya currently working in Canada,

Kenyan planners should consider building underground railways.

Commenting on the envisaged light rail system in Nairobi, which

he thought would do much to alleviate the problems associated

with matatu minibuses, he points out that “major cities elsewhere

now prefer smoother underground subways that avoid street

level challenges”. Heavily used examples are to be found in cities

such as Seoul, Moscow, Tokyo, London, New York and Paris,

carrying millions of commuters every working day (some as many

as 10 million).

Underground railways, Ondus says, “stimulate subterranean

economic activities such as restaurants, coffee shops, book

stores, clothing stores and pharmacies. For instance the cities of

New York, London, Tokyo, Seoul and Toronto have built impressive

subway-level multi-billion dollar business centres that handle

millions of customers daily.”

Egypt, he writes, is the only country in Africa with an underground

railway. Even South Africa, “with its economic muscle, has not

implemented such a transit mode even for its commercial capital,

KENYA’S RAILWAY BELTOnyango-Obbo, executive editor of The Nation media group’s

Africa and digital media division, writing in The Citizen (published in

Dar-es-Salaam), observes:

“At the end of last year, senior editors at The Nation media group

were studying the Kenyan population and political map, and trying

to understand how it might change with the new constitution that

established 47 counties as the new administrative units.

“As we added the numbers, and plotted them on a map we realised

that nearly 75% of Kenyans lived within about 100km of the

railway. Recently, I looked at the Tanzanian and Ugandan maps to

see if the pattern was the same. It was.

“The ‘railway belt’, if we may call it that, is a great population pull.

The main reason for this is that the colonial economy was built

around the railway. That became the foundation of the dynamics

of our societies. Thus, Machakos was the fi rst ‘capital’ of colonial

Kenya. However, the capital was moved to Nairobi in 1899 for

one reason - it [Machakos] was bypassed by the Kenya-Uganda

Railway. Nairobi, in turn, had been founded as a rail depot on the

line linking Mombasa to Uganda.

“Also, nearly all the leading schools in East Africa are within the

railway belt because that is where the colonial administrations

invested most. But there was something else. Missionaries started

many of the schools in Uganda. The missionaries, too, followed the

railway, so they built their schools near it.

“Thus the railway has shaped our countries. The railway belts have

produced most of the region’s presidents, rich men and women,

infl uential intellectuals, and eminent bureaucrats. Because they

didn’t have much sympathy for areas out of the railway belt, they

neglected them.

“This partly produced the deprivation of North Eastern Province,

North Rift, and the northern extreme of Eastern Province in Kenya.

Likewise, north-eastern Uganda. And in Tanzania, the southern

region.

“I also think it explains the parochial and sectarian tendency of

the railway-belt elite. Until about 30 years ago, most students

travelled to and from school by railway, as did workers and civil

servants going back to their villages to visit on holiday. Most of

Two eminent Kenyan writers have been putting down thought-

provoking observations that deserve a wider audience.

Kenya’s “railway belt” – colonial legacy.

Photographer unknown.

OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD


PETE THE PUNDITOn Railway Belts - And The Need For Subways

Tampa, waiving more than $2 billion in grants from the federal

government. He says the proposal is too costly and could put the

state’s taxpayers in line for costs as high as $3 billion. He believes

ridership and revenue projections “tend to be too optimistic”

and would probably require ongoing state government operating

subsidies. Scott noted that if the project foundered, Florida

would be required to refund everything the federal government

invested in it.

LOTTERY CASH FOR ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY A major visitor attraction on the Isle of Wight is the 16km steam

railway. A £35,000 development grant from Britain’s Heritage

Lottery is to go towards a project which Isle of Wight Steam

Railway chairman Steve Oates explains, “will give visitors the

opportunity to view historic railway vehicles at close quarters and

discover how they were once so much a part of life on the Island.

This is a tremendous boost to us.”

Two points:

1. Heritage steam railways are big tourist draws overseas

2. They are recognised as worthy candidates for lottery handouts

Johannesburg. Pundits have attributed this to past apartheid

policies which would have made it uneconomic to run on a

segregated basis.”

[Jawellnofi ne. Actually some 15km of Johannesburg’s Gautrain line is

below ground, with Sandton station (for instance) 40 metres beneath

the surface.– Editor]

COSATU ON HIGH-SPEED RAILCosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said on 16 February that the

proposed Durban-Johannesburg high-speed rail link is “elitist”,

to benefi t only “the fortunate few.” That’s his opinion, which you

may share (if for example you are in the business of building

high-speed railways) or may not (like if you think the unfortunate

majority who use Metrorail can think of a more worthy cause).

FLORIDA, OHIO & WISCONSIN CANCEL HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECTSThe state governors in Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin have rejected

planned high-speed railways. Florida governor Rick Scott is

scrapping a proposed high-speed line between Orlando and

Rubber-tyred underground train in Paris.

Photo: editor, 1977.

Tel: +27 11 794-2910 | Fax: +27 11 794-3560 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.yalejhb.co.za

OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD


afi eld also exist. The bottom line is that Africa can deliver good

management.

Standard-gauge naysayers lament the dismal condition of Sub-

Saharan Africa’s railways, but simultaneously condemn the only

workable way forward. Let them challenge the foregoing reasoning.

The standard-gauge worldNow take a tour to see what the standard-gauge world is doing.

Starting with Africa, Mauritania already operates a heavy-haul,

standard-gauge, iron-ore line and is set to build another, to move

phosphates to the port of Nouakchott from deposits near the

Senegal border. Morocco is adding high-speed lines to its long-

standing standard-gauge network. Egypt uses standard-gauge, as

does Algeria on two-thirds of its railway, and roughly a quarter in

Tunisia. Libya’s standard-gauge network is under construction. A

standard-gauge North African network is emerging, stretching

from Mauritania in the west to Egypt in the east.

Moving to the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is extending its east-west

network to create a Red Sea-to-Persian Gulf landbridge, building a

north-south railway and the Haramain high-speed Mecca-Medina

link. The United Arab Emirates is building a 1,500km Union Railway,

of which portions will support the 2,100km Gulf Cooperation

Council railway, from Kuwait City to Muscat in Oman. Jordan, a

1,050mm narrow-gauge island in the Middle East, is to re-gauge

and extend its network to link with neighbouring standard-gauge

Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The Middle East has become a

substantial component of an Afro-Eurasian continental network.

North Africa and the Middle East are politically touchy at present,

but the rest of the world seems to expect democracy rather than

extremism as outcome. The resulting economic acceleration could

bode well for a substantial addition to the world’s contiguous

standard-gauge railway network.

Further east, Iran is developing its standard-gauge railways

aggressively, having linked to Pakistan’s broad-gauge at Zahedan,

and extended its network to Khaf on the Afghanistan border. To

enable Iranian ports to serve landlocked countries in east Central

Asia, it intends extending standard-gauge to Herat in northern

Afghanistan, and on then on to Mazar-i-Sharif, which links to

Uzbekistan, and ultimately to the Sher Khan Bandar border crossing

into Tajikistan. From there it is some 600km to the Afghanistan-

China border, beyond which lie China’s standard-gauge railways.

In addition to political turbulence in southern Afghanistan, relatively

peaceful northern Afghanistan seems set to become enmeshed

in locating a standard-gauge link between China and the West,

together with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

How to get traction?In this issue, Railways Africa features wheels, axles, bogies and

other key components - the global industry is a cornucopia of this

hard core of railways. The three components mentioned support

aggressive competitiveness when applied to standard-gauge track,

but are quickly emasculated if applied to narrow-gauge.

To repeat once more, the strengths of standard-gauge, and the

weaknesses of narrow-gauge, stem from the vertical and lateral

components of wheel-rail interaction. The vertical component

supports heavy axle-load, the lateral component supports high-

speed. They underpin rail’s inherent competitiveness in the

heavy-haul, double-stack, and high-speed market spaces, three

applications where rail dominates all competitors. Alas, narrow

track gauge frustrates attainment of the heaviest axle loads

and the highest speeds, while standard-gauge excels. Narrow-

gauge railways are thereby denied access to market spaces in

which standard-gauge railways are inherently competitive. With

few exceptions, Gautrain for one, railways in Sub-Saharan Africa

cannot enter market spaces where rail is inherently competitive

and sustainable.

This applies even to heavy-haul, where 30-tonne narrow-gauge

axle-loads are lower than their 40-tonne standard-gauge

counterparts, precisely in the track gauge ratio 1,067mm/

1,435mm, or ¾. Heavy-haul lite would be an apt moniker.

Paradoxically, the price of narrow-gauge, heavy-haul locomotives

is higher than that of standard-gauge, heavy-haul locomotives,

because manufacturing volumes are very much smaller. However,

because they are lighter, they haul less and their capex and opex

is proportionately higher. Even well-maintained narrow-gauge

locomotives generate the same faults per million kilometres as

standard-gauge locomotives, hence they generate more disruptive

incidents because more locomotives are required for given

throughput. Similarly, narrow-gauge wagon load-to-tare ratio is

lower than standard-gauge, and capex and opex proportionately

higher. The inherent competitiveness of narrow-gauge railways is

inadequate.

“If only they managed the railways better…” many have complained,

so let us explore railway management or leadership quality, which

may be brilliant or dull: This piece will not explore the distinction,

but simply recognise its existence. Having established distinctions

between adequate and inadequate Inherent competitiveness, and

between brilliant and dull leadership quality, one can construct the

accompanying fi gure. The four quadrant names have been borrowed

from military terminology, as management writers are inclined.

Popular lamentation regarding the state of South Africa’s inherently

uncompetitive narrow-gauge railways suggests that they are at

best fi ghting a losing battle and at worst suffering defeat. Fighting

a losing battle only takes longer, so examining the distinction

between brilliant and dull leadership is moot. Either way, rail fails to

contribute its rightful share to the national economy.

Noting that enjoying victory comes only when brilliant management

quality acts on inherently competitive railways, can brilliant

managers be found in Africa? Consider the recent example of Wal-

Mart, the biggest retailer in the world, and the biggest business in

the world, ranked number one in the 2010 Fortune Global 500 and

earning revenue 40% higher than its nearest rival. It came shopping

in Africa, and acquired 51% of JSE-listed Massmart. Other examples

of South African management making good in Africa and wider

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Dave van der Meulen / Managing Member / Railway Corporate Strategy CC

One More Time … Track Gauge


opening in 2016. This will terminate the Trans-Siberian railway

within a 1,000km radius of most of Western Europe.

Europe and North America have long enjoyed standard-gauge

continental networks. Note that Spain, previously dominated by

broad-gauge, was recently connected to the rest of Europe by

standard-gauge.

The world’s railways are positioning themselves for aggressive

competition through gauge standardisation and networkability.

How does Sub-Saharan Africa relate to these thrusts?

Africa’s optionsContemporary rail is a successful high-capacity transport mode,

pursuing market spaces in which it is inherently competitive, and

exiting those in which it is not. It requires substantial infrastructure

investment to support the heavy axle load and/or high-speed that

underpin its competitiveness, Contrary to colonial rail, cheap it is

not. This in turn requires selection of corridors that offer suffi cient

traffi c volume to support an adequate return on that investment.

Note that Transnet Freight Rail has properly structured itself

around corridors. However, contemporary rail does not support

branch-lines inherited from times when cheap was the overarching

criterion, and animal-powered overland transport the only

alternative. Unfortunately, much South African rail infrastructure

dates from that era. Will those who hold that slow, light trains on

narrow-gauge legacy infrastructure are still worthy competition

for contemporary trucks, on multi-lane highways with ubiquitous

origin and destination access, please stand up?

Moving to south-east Asia, the Trans-Asia Railway notion dates

from half a century ago. However, on a continent dominated by

standard and broad-gauge, a narrow-gauge regional appendage of

questionable competence got no traction. Enter China, now with

economic muscle to reshape scenarios. To support the Nanning-

Singapore economic corridor, it recently announced a high-speed,

standard-gauge railway from Nanning via Hanoi in Vietnam and

Vientiane in Laos, to Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Bangkok

in Thailand, then to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and ultimately to

Singapore. Both the Thai vice-prime minister and the Lao standing

deputy prime minister delivered fi tting speeches at the 2010

high-speed rail conference opening ceremony in Beijing.

In passing, the “yes, but in Japan” set might note that some 98%

of Japan’s 28,000-odd 1,067mm-gauge passenger stock is

multiple-unit, mainly electric, some diesel. In a previous article

we noted that multiple units are doable on narrow-gauge up to

120-130km/h. Analogous to South Africa, Japan Freight Railway

tonnage has declined 22% over the last fi ve years. Inherently

uncompetitive narrow-gauge, perhaps?

The Eurasian broad-gauge networks - the 1,520mm Strategic

Partnership and Indian sub-continent 1,676mm - are likely to stand

unchallenged. Broad-gauge is inherently competitive, and can

readily adopt standard-gauge technologies. Furthermore, Russian,

Ukrainian, Slovak and Austrian railway authorities have agreed to

construct a 1,520mm gauge railway from its present terminus,

Kosice in Slovakia, to an international logistics terminal in Vienna,

Fighting A

Losing Battle

Enjoying

Victory

Suffering

Defeat

Holding the

Fort

Management Quality

Inherent Competitiveness

Inadequate Adequate

Dull

Brilliant

INDUSTRY COMMENT


COMPELLING INSIGHT FROM ORIGINAL RESEARCH

www.railcorpstrat.com

The track gauge question will not go away Africa is ascendant at long last. But it does not yet have a

continental railway network. All other continents (except South

America, which is a topic for others) have standard or broad-

gauge rail networks, which offer continental networkability and,

for Eurasia, intercontinental networkability. Rail cannot contribute

rightfully to an economy if it is not inherently competitive: It is

unsustainable and owners are unable to invest to keep it current.

The effects are profound:

• Citizens do not enjoy affordable, safe mobility to maximise

employment opportunities and leisure pursuits.

• Exporters cannot satisfy all demands, because rail capacity

falls short.

• Desirable road-to-rail shift remains elusive, because rail is not

competitive.

• Greenhouse gas emissions remain high, because rail’s

comparatively low energy consumption means nothing if the

traffi c is actually on road.

It is now time to get real. Transnet’s new group CEO Brian Molefe

has been appointed for his understanding of capital markets

and asset management, which will be invaluable as the company

moves forward with its massive infrastructure development

programme. The risks are immense: investments in assets that

are not inherently competitive will ultimately be discounted to fi re-

sale prices if privatisation proves to be the last resort. May he

rise to the high challenges that face him. Of course, the same

goes for leaders in the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa)

and the Departments of Transport (DoT) and Public Enterprises,

and for all the good people and businesses that form the

groundswell of public opinion.

Rail’s economic role is thus comparable to that of freeways—in

the most advanced countries they comprise <<5% of the road

network, yet leverage a proportionately much larger economic

contribution. South Africa and Africa do not need their entire

legacy rail network - the world has many moribund or derelict

branch-lines. Despite good intentions, nothing has yet come of

South African branch-line concessioning. Is there compelling reason

why this country should fare any better than many other narrow-

gauge concessions that are at best pedestrian? A competitive

standard-gauge network would thus be very much smaller than

the existing one. Note that this article adopts a freight focus

outside urban areas - high-speed rail is incompatible with colonial

legacy infrastructure.

As agriculture becomes less labour-intensive, rural populations

migrate to cities. All developing countries experience this

phenomenon, which South Africa knows well. Cities grow faster

than rural areas, and some develop into megacities, concentrating

both freight and passenger traffi c on intercity routes. Of the world’s

100 largest cities, 73 are in developing countries, of which eleven

(Cairo, Lagos, Kinshasa, Khartoum, Luanda, Alexandria, Abidjan,

Johannesburg, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Kano) are in Africa.

The continent has leapfrogged the world in mobile telephony and

applications such as low-cost banking - many Africans have no

need for fi xed line telephony. Why should it not now leapfrog to

inherently competitive rail? Of course, many challenges lie ahead.

For example, local manufacture of locomotives has been mooted -

to supply local requirements, create jobs and export locomotives.

While we may be impatient for results, to what track gauge should

we build locomotives? We need to change gauge, and many

possible purchasers are changing or have already done so. This

requires circumspection rather than haste.


INDUSTRY COMMENT

International Railway

Industry Standard

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3 Derrick Road (Corner Green Road)

1610 Spartan

Phone: +27 11 961 7800 Fax: +27 11 975 8249

Knorr-Bremse South Africa (Pty) Ltd (KBSA) has had IRIS certification since January 2009 and has just successfully passed not

only a re-certification but also an upgrade audit against revision 2 valid from 5 January 2011. KBSA is the first and only company

in Africa to have obtained IRIS certification and has experienced the benefits of this certification by reduced non-conformities,

improved customer support, improved product quality from suppliers – simply, improved business management across the

entire supply chain. | www.knorr-bremse.com |

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Since 1932 Timken has played an integral role in the development of the

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bearings for the most challenging environments and applications—from

locomotives to rolling stock, freight to passenger service, trams to high-speed

rail. With innovations ranging from the nation’s first Mobile Rail Service (MRS)

units to the first Black Economically Empowered (BEE) agreement in the

bearing industry, Timken is where South Africa turns for quality products,

service and business leadership—today and tomorrow. Visit Timken.com/rail

or call +27 11 741-3800 for more information.

© 2010 The Timken CompanyTimken® and Where You Turn® are registered trademarks of The Timken Company.www.timken.com

HISTORIC BACKGROUNDThe sinuous and heavily graded railway

alignment between Pietermaritzburg and

Ladysmith was a diffi cult one to operate,

right from the outset when it was opened in

1886. Sections that challenged operations

most of all required reconstructing on more

than one occasion before the present day

double-track alignment was achieved at the

start of the 1960s. Shortly after Union in

1910, grade easing was initially gained as a

trade-off by lengthening the track distance

and by adding curvature, albeit on a wider

radius. The most notable section to be

reconstructed in this manner was taken

into use in 1914, to bypass the notorious

Highlands summit between Mooi River and

Estcourt.

Halving the steepness of the inclination

came at the expense of trains having

to travel 11km further, but now a single

class 14 locomotive could haul the same

load which had previously required three

locomotives – one in front, one mid-train

and one banking.

In the years following the end of the Second World War, extensive track duplication and grade-easing works on South Africa’s main railway lines were carried out on a grand scale in order to cope with the burgeoning volume of traffi c. The biggest and most expensive project at the time was the reconstruction and doubling of the Natal main-line between Boughton (Pietermaritzburg) and Umbulwana (Ladysmith). The alignment diversions entailed civil engineering works of considerable magnitude and culminated with the opening of the Cedara twin tunnels towards the end of March 1960. These remained the longest on the South African rail network until relegated to second place in March 1989 by Tunnel 4 (Hexton)* on the Hex River Pass deviation between De Doorns and Kleinstraat in the Western Cape Province.


CEDARA TUNNELS

The 6km Cedara Tunnels -Opened 50 years ago; the longest in South Africa until 1989

by Bruno MartinApproach from Cedara, September 1957.

(Napier Junction)

(Leonards)

Pentrich

LADYSMITH

DURBAN

PIETERMARITZBURG

COMPILED BY BRUNO MARTIN 09/2010

DamHenley

Henley

1630m

642m

835m

1038m

1008m

969m

747m

788m

901m

1079m

1108m

1129m

1068m

1015m

872m

742m

930m

1048m

1051m

785m

630m

658m

676m

15km

179km106km

4km

(9km)

15km

13km

11km

2km

6km

8km

29km24km

22km

20km

25km

22km

14km

4km

17km

24km

20km

6km

4km

5km

0.0km

Msunduzi

DamHenley

(aband. 1987)

(abandoned 199?)

1987)(aband.

(1916)

(188

0)

(1884-1916)

Branch line to Howick opened 1911 (abandoned 199?)

Park Station to Marlboro portal (opening 2011)(3)Hex River Tunnel No.4(2)Extended by 67 metres in 1917

14732 metres (3)'Gautrain'2009 -13301 metres (2)'Hexton'1989 - 2009

6023 metresCedara1960 - 19891338 metresGroenheuwels1954 - 1960

976 metresHobbs Hill1944 - 1954914 metresDelville Wood1917 - 1944831 metresHilton Road1916

800 metres (1)Stockton1914674 metresLaings Nek

(1)

(18 4)

8

opened 1922

(1880)DT 1906

151m (495 ft) radiusHorseshoe curve

(closed 1960)

LADYSMITH

DURBAN

Boughton - Hilton abandoned 1987

(1884)

DT 1960

1916

DT 1916

Summit: 1129m at Hilton Road Station91m (300 ft) minimum radius curves

Grade: 1-in-30 uncompensated

All routes electrified in 1926.Camp - Braeside abandoned 1916

opened 1884 to Howick (Merrivale)Original Natal Main Line

Grade: 1-in-50

Cedara Twin Tunnels

South Africa from 1960 until 1989Longest rail tunnels in

opened 1916Connecting line

1960

18841916

Longest Railway Tunnels1891 - 1914

Electrified in 1926 (3kV DC)

151m (495 ft) radiusHorseshoe curve

Summit: 1097m (Hilton Road Tunnel)151m (495 ft) minimum radius curves

Grade: 1-in-50 compensated

Town Hill Deviation

Braeside - Cedara closed 1960

Length: 27km (16 M 66 ch)

Opened 1916Pietermaritzburg - Cedara

DT deviationCedara - Merrivale

via Leonards opened 1915connecting line to Hilton (Road)Cedara - Merrivale deviation &

Tunnel (98m)

(831m)Hilton Road Tunnel

Cedara Twin Tunnels (6023m)

Other operational lines

COMPILED BY BRUNO MARTIN 09/2010

L E G E N D

Site of station or siding

6023mTunnel, length in metres

Abandoned connecting linesFormer name

Height above sea level (metres)Distance in kilometres from PIETERMARITZBURG

Main station, siding or halt

Single track & year of openingDouble track & year of opening

Original Natal Main Line (dismantled)Present Main Line alignment

Town Hill deviation (dismantled)

21

kilometres

0Masons Mill

Marshalling yard

(Napier Junction)

Engine Sheds

(Braeside)

(Hilton Road)

(Depot)

(Braeside Signal Cabin)

(Howick)

(Leonards)

(Riet Spruit) (Cedara) (Aradec)

(Hilton)(Duncairn)

(Teteluku)

(Kettlefontein)

(Boshoff's Road)

(Winterskloof)

(Sweetwaters)

(Zwaartkop) (Blackridge)

(Broomfield)

(Grange) (Braeside) (Camp)

Merrivale

Cedara

(Rushbrook)

Boughton

Victoria

Pentrich

PIETERMARITZBURG

Henley

CEDARA TUNNELS

The Town Hill deviation, which provided

an alternative route in 1916 to surmount

the escarpment north of Pietermaritzburg,

only increased the distance to Cedara

marginally, but offered a far gentler climb

than the original alignment opened in

1884. Here, the trailing load for a single

Mallet locomotive was increased from

275 tons to 500. By the early 1920s, an

entirely new alignment, partially double-

track, was taken into use from Merrivale

to Nottingham Road. Large portions of

abandoned trackbed of the original main-

line were adapted to accommodate the

rebuilt Durban-Johannesburg main road.

By 1924, the rebuilt sections from

Pietermaritzburg to Boughton, Cedara

to Quail (Hospital siding), Lions River to

Dargle, Balgowan to Caversham, Ennersdale

to Frere and Umbulwana to Ladysmith

amounted to 41km of double-track which

left a further 138 km of single track to be

duplicated. The overhead catenary wires

carrying the current for 3kV DC electric

traction was strung, section by section, fi rst

from Daimana (Ladysmith) to Estcourt and

on to Mooi River in 1925 and then through

to Masons Mill yard (Pietermaritzburg) by

1926.

A 25-year reconstruction hiatus ended in

1949 when work resumed to fi ll in the gaps

between all single-line sections between

Tweedie and Rosetta. This track duplication

was completed in 1953. Further up the

line, the double-track alignment between

Estcourt and Ennersdale was brought into

use in 1955. In the same year, work on

doubling the Frere – Colenso section was

also fi nished. The only remaining unaltered

section of the original main-line alignment

was eliminated in 1956 when an 11km

section of double-track was opened from

Rosetta to Mooi River.

In 1957, an entirely new double-track

alignment, some 32km in length and

embodying two sets of twin tunnels with a

combined length of 9,586 metres - and a

new bridge over the Bushmans River - was

completed to replace the circuitous single-

track route through the Stockton tunnel

between Mooi River and Estcourt. Also

during 1957, the 16km section of double-

track from Colenso to Umbulwana was

opened. It included two sets of twin tunnels

and a new bridge over the Tugela River, This

left rebuilding the Boughton-Cedara section

north of Pietermaritzburg as the last to be

tackled.

When work started on this section in April

1955, two routes were in operation. The

original single-line with its uncompensated

1:30 grade on 91 metre radius curves

branched off at Boughton. This was used

almost exclusively for local traffi c. The

Town Hill deviation, opened in 1916 on a

grade of 1:50 (compensated for 151 metre

minimum radius curvature) was double-

tracked from Pietermaritzburg to Boughton

from the start. It remained single-track

thereafter to Cedara.

Both routes were operated by electric

traction from 1926. Various alignment

options were investigated, including laying

a second track alongside the existing line

around Town Hill, but in the end it was

decided to opt for the most direct route

by tunnelling under the escarpment.

The ₤4.4-million tunnelling project

was undertaken departmentally with a

workforce of 1,000 men.

In September 1955, work began on

excavating the approach cuttings and

installing the services and facilities

needed in preparation for the tunnelling.

A geological survey based on the results

gathered from boreholes sunk along

the centre line of the Up tunnel allowed

geologists to predict the formations which

would be encountered.

The two bores were driven simultaneously

from both ends through alternating layers

of dolerite and sandstone with some shale

and clay in places. Each bore was built to

the standard profi le having a circular arch

of 2.2 metres radius on side walls of 3.4

metres height and 4.5 metres wide, spaced

30.5 metres apart and linked with cross-

cuts at 804 metre intervals for maintenance

and ventilation. Some 367,000 cubic

metres of spoil was excavated and 84,000

cubic metres of concrete poured for the

lining, which ranges in thickness from 304

to 914 mm.

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS• March 1956: Work started on the

Cedara Up tunnel. Shaft excavated

above tunnel.

• April 1956: Cedara Up tunnel heading

started in both directions from the shaft.


CEDARA TUNNELS

Approach at Boughton from

Pietermaritzburg, September 1957.

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As a consequence of the closure of the

Town Hill line, the stations at Teteluku

and Ketelfontein - and Duncairn halt near

the south portal of the 831 metre Hilton

Road Tunnel - were no longer needed. The

opening of the Cedara tunnels brought

to a close the duplication project which

shortened the way from Pietermaritzburg

to Ladysmith by 29.3km eliminated 8,352

degrees of curvature (equivalent to 23

complete circles) and required 10 fewer

stations to staff. The combined length of all

tunnelling (nine twin bores and one double-

track) amounted to 27.9km. The total cost

of building the tunnels and associated

trackwork amounted to ₤11 million**.

THE BOUGHTON ACCIDENT A spectacular accident occurred on 17 April

2005 when a northbound container train

headed by three Class 6E locomotives was

left unattended at Cedara. Starting on its

own volition, it ran back through the tunnel,

eventually colliding with a stationary goods

train at Boughton. Loaded with granite, this

had stopped clear of an earlier derailment.

Some 50 goods wagons lay strewn on both

sides of the line over a distance of nearly

one kilometre. It took a week to rebuild the

track during which the main Johannesburg-

Durban line remained closed. The total cost

of the disruption ran into tens of millions

of Rand.

• August 1956: Excavations from the

Cedara Up tunnel and the north heading

from the shaft holed through.

• September 1956: Work on the south

heading of Cedara shaft stopped.

• November 1956: Work started on

Cedara Down tunnel.

• 17 July 1958: Up tunnel holed through

with a closing error of 57mm in line and

32mm horizontally. Of the total length

of 6,022.8 metres 3,014.4 metres were

excavated from the south portal and

3,008.3 metres from the north portal.

In addition, 612.6 metres and 416.9

metres of emergency concrete lining

had been completed from the two

portals respectively.

• September 1958: Work started from

the south portal on concrete lining of

the Up tunnel.

• November 1958: Work started from the

north portal on concrete lining of the

Up tunnel.

• 21 November 1958: Down tunnel holed

through with a closing error of 38mm

in line and 22mm horizontally. Of the

total length of 6,022.8 metres, 3,206.5

metres were excavated from the south

portal and 2,816.3 metres from the

north. In addition, 907.7 metres of

concrete lining from the south portal

and 408.7 metres from the north was

needed to support bad hanging.

• March 1959: Work started from the

north portal on concrete lining of the

Down tunnel.

• April 1959: Concrete lining of the Up

tunnel complete. Altogether 3,579.5

metres were done from the south portal

and 2,443.3 metres from the north.

• May 1959: Work started from the south

portal on concrete lining of the Down

tunnel.

• October 1959: Concrete lining of the

Down tunnel complete, 2,715.1 metres

were done from the south portal and

3,307.7 metres from the north.

• 28 March 1960: Tunnels offi cially

opened to traffi c by minister of

transport B J Schoeman at a ceremony

held at the southern portals. A special

train conveying dignitaries from Durban

and Pietermaritzburg then passed

through.

The tunnel reduced the length of track

needed for the 1:50 grade ascent from

Pietermaritzburg to Cedara by 6.8 km


CEDARA TUNNELS

References:

SCHMIDT, N F B. The construction methods used on the twin railway tunnels near Pietermaritzburg. The Civil Engineer in South Africa, June 1961, pp 99-113.

New Twin Tunnels on the Natal Main Line. African Roads and Transport, Nov/Dec 1956, pp 179.

Natal Witness, 29 March 1960.

HEYDENRYCH H & MARTIN B. The Natal main-line story, HSRC Publishers, 1992.

RHIND, D M. Hex River Tunnels. S A Rail, vol 29, no 3, May-June 1989, pp 68-70.

Notes:

** In 1960, South Africa’s currency units were still pounds (£) shillings (s) and pence (d). In 1961 one pound became two Rand, but the relevance between past

values and the present has been lost due to the effects of infl ation.

* Hexton will be displaced from its top spot when Gautrain’s main line from Johannesburg’s Park station to Hatfi eld is taken into service later this year. The length

of tunnel from Johannesburg’s Park station to the Marlboro portal is 14,731.7 metres according to the Gautrain website.

Interior of Down tunnel, 1.7km from the Boughton entrance, with work proceeding on the rock

face in the background. (Photos Charles Parry)

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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an important stage, with natural gas from Mozambique providing

a signifi cant new feedstock. Sasol is the leader with its oil-from-

coal project, which led to the development of unique technological

capabilities. The challenge for the industry is to become globally

competitive and produce more chemicals for export.

Highly varied commoditiesChemical products of a wide variety in gaseous, granular or liquid

form are well suited to rail transport. These include:

• Solvents, olefi ns and surfactants

• Chemicals packed in containers

• Acids – eg phosphoric, sulphuric, hydrochloric, tar (and others)

• Alcohol – eg ethanol, hexanol and nonanol

• Gases - eg butadiene, hexane, propylene (and others)

• Anhydrous ammonia

• Caustic soda

• Ammonium nitrate

• Sulphur

• Fuel - eg jet fuel, diesel, petrol

• and many other chemical commodities.

To optimise the use of the specialised wagon fl eet and free up

capacity, Transnet collaborates with its customers on projects

such as:

* White Mamba collaborative – bulk liquid train from

Secunda to Richards Bay fi ve times a week. Turnaround time

has been reduced from 14 days to four.

* Green Mamba collaborative initiative – bulk liquid train

from Secunda to Durban twice per week. Turnaround time has

been reduced from 12 days to seven.

* Butadiene gas train, once weekly from Richards Bay to

Newcastle.

A variety of vehicles is used, including open wagons, fl at trucks

and highly specialised tankcars for hazardous, non-hazardous and

dangerous commodities.

Chemical Industry’s contribution to the economyThe chemical industry contributes more than R12 billion per annum

to the South African economy. It is highly complex and diversifi ed,

ranging from low unit-value bulk chemicals to high unit-value but

small-volume and very specialised compounds. The industry is at

Fuel movement inland from Durban on Natcor,

February 2011. Photo: R Fincham.


SPECIALISED SERVICE

Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) offers unique and specialised total logistics and supply chain services to major players in the local and regional chemicals’ industry. Dedicated chemical freight trains run on a regular schedule, with the service determined by the cost effi ciency of the specifi c freight logistics solution.

H A Z M A TJohn Batwell Explores A Transnet Freight Rail Speciality

TFR ensures that its employees are

appropriately trained, commensurate with

their duties in dealing with dangerous/

hazardous materials:

a) identifi cation and classifi cation

b) packaging requirements

c) loading profi les/specifi cations

d) labelling and marking

e) general hazards presented by the

various classes of dangerous goods

and their safe handling procedures

f) segregation of loads and compatibility

g) placarding

h) rolling stock suitability and service

worthiness

i) loading and offl oading

j) occurrence management, including

contingency planning and emergency

preparedness

k) Railway administrative personnel

interfacing with train operations staff

in the fi eld

Transport of dangerous goods is regulated

to prevent accidents, as far as possible,

to persons or property and damage to the

environment. In South Africa, legislation

(with reference to South African Bureau

of Standards codes of practice) is

prescriptive in specifying the duties and

liabilities of consignor, consignee and

carriers. One of the primary requirements

of transport documents and/or systems

is to convey the fundamental information

relative to dangerous goods being offered

for transport. Therefore, if a consignor

does not declare the hazard/danger of a

product/commodity or the carrier does not

have the information available to transport

the product/commodity safely, or is not

available in emergency situations, this can

be regarded as a criminal offence in terms

of a number acts of parliament, dating back

as far as 1956.

The Rail Safety Regulator Act - Act 16 of

2002 - was promulgated on 5 August of

that year and proclaimed by the president

on 20 September to oversee the safety of

the railway industry. One of the functions

of the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) is to

The total number of different materials

conveyed by TFR is thirty-two. A variety of

rolling stock is used for conveyance, with

the most hazardous commodities moving

in tankcars.

The South African petroleum industry is

valued at R29.9 billion annually, contributing

3% to the country’s GDP. TFR’s look-in in

transportable volume stands at 40%. The

rail division offers three different services.

First, MegaRail comprises a dedicated jet

fuel rail service from Durban to OR Tambo

Airport in Gauteng. Secondly, FlexiRail

offers block train traffi c movements from

Krugersdorp to Botswana, Pretoria to

Zambia and Sasolburg to Beitbridge. The

third is AccessRail which comprises small

consignment loads transported within

a mixed freight train load. The FuelRail

tankcar fl eet stands at some 4,000 vehicles

with some dedicated to specifi c commodity,

while others are interchangeable.

Hazardous material transport: safety proceduresThe transporting of hazardous materials

calls for specialised handling by staff.

“ The chemical industry contributes more than R12 billion per annum to the South African economy.”

Crime along the line of rail remains a thorn in the

fl esh of Transnet Freight Rail. Photo: Transnet.


SPECIALISED SERVICE

Problems: market share, security and possible PPPsThough logically TFR should enjoy the lion’s

share of the market in moving commodities

that ideally lend themselves to rail

transport, this is far from being the case.

Road transport enjoys a 60% market share in

conveying fuel alone. Door-to-door delivery

still calls the shots in speed of service

and minimal serious delays. An increase

in rail-oriented crime has not proved good

to rail’s image as a result of tardy delivery.

The theft of cable on electrifi ed routes has

made up about 70% of incidents of crime

and vandalism across the railway system.

Trains can be stranded for long hours as

a result. A “double whammy” is then the

theft of product from the train loads while

stranded.

TFR was looking last year at a R500

million spend on security over the two

year period 2010/11. Heavy summer rains

this past season caused the collapse of

embankments and formation failures,

leading to the closure of two lines affecting

the transport of export fuel to Botswana.

An upside to Transnet Board’s fi ve-year

development plan is a proposal to enter

PPPs (public-private partnerships). This

would see the creation of openings for

private companies to invest in specialist

equipment such as chemical rolling stock -

typically for the benefi t of a single customer.

act as the competent authority for the

transportation of dangerous goods by rail.

Internal versus over-border rail movementsUnder the leadership of the RSR and

countries in the Southern Africa

Development Community (SADC), railway

administrations compiled the Southern

African Development Community hazardous

materials handbook. This is used by

all railway personnel involved in the

acceptance, handling, loading, offl oading,

storage and conveyance of hazardous

materials from one country to or through

another country.

The instructions contained in this manual

apply to all hazardous materials tendered

for conveyance across borders by rail within

the SADC countries and are in conformity

with international codes of practice and

standards as adopted by all member railway

administrations.

Hazardous materials’ movement over the border – in

this case Zimbabwe. Photo: G E Cooke.


SPECIALISED SERVICE

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

products supplied through strategic alliances with leading international and locally based Original G

M59

2_Pr

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ink

ALGERIAHIGH PLATEAU RAILWAYConstruction is to start soon on the

153km east-west Saida-Tiaret section of

Algeria’s High Plateau line. The country’s

development agency Anesrif has awarded

a 36-month, €417m design and build

contract to a joint venture in which

Italian contracting fi rm Astaldi has a 60%

stake. The contract includes 41 bridges

and viaducts, 35 road overbridges, two

passenger stations and two freight yards.

The route is a continuation of the 120km

Moulay Slissen-Saida section for which

Astaldi is general contractor

ANGOLACFB REHABILITATION PROGRESS The Angolan government is spending

$US200 million rehabilitating the 1,344km

Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB).

Linking the port of Lobito to the

Democratic Republic of Congo, the line

has been out of action since the outbreak

of the Angolan civil war. According to

deputy minister of transport José João

Kuvingwa, CFB might resume full operation

in the fi rst half of 2012. In terms of orders

worth $89m, China is to supply eight

locomotives, 766 coaches and 94 wagons,

and will train CFB staff.

NEW STATION IN HUILA PROVINCEOn 6 March, the governor of the southern

Huila province, Isaac Maria dos Anjos, laid

the foundation stone for the building of a

new station for Caminhos de ferro Namibe

(CFN), formerly known as the Moçamedes

Railway. The construction of the 3,200m2,

two-fl oor building is being carried out

by the Chinese Hyway-Construções Lda

Company. It will provide for offi ces, waiting

rooms and the department of signals and

telecommunication. The Angolan government has invested more than $US300 million in

the rehabilitation of this railway, the Angolan news agency Angop reports.

BOTSWANABOTSWANA-NAMIBIA COAL LINEConstruction of the new 1,500km Trans-Kalahari railway connecting Botswana’s

Mmamabula coalfi eld with the Namibian port of Walvis Bay is expected to start in 18

months. It will take fi ve years to build with costs expected in the range $US5-9 billion.

Twenty-one consortiums have submitted bids for the project, including Canadian-listed

CIC Energy Corporation. Botswana and Namibia aim to appoint a successful bidder by

mid-2011. A pre-feasibility study funded by the World Bank was to be completed by March.

There is a possibility of a future connection to the Waterberg, reputedly South Africa’s

future major coal mining area.

EGYPTEGYPT’S TRAINS RUNNING AGAINTrain services resumed in Upper and Lower Egypt on 5 February, after fi ve days’ s

uspension due to the wave of nationwide political protests. To comply with curfew orders,

the Egyptian Metro Corporation announced that Cairo’s metro would operate between

06:00 and 19:00.

STRIKES INCLUDE RAILWAYA wave of strikes across Egypt has included the railways, which have now promised

permanent contracts for temporary workers, a primary cause of contention. The strikes

continued despite two public warnings from Egypt’s new military rulers urging strikers to

return to work “at this delicate time”. Altogether, the strikes and the 18 days of successful

protests against the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak cost Egypt’s economy

more than $US1.7 billion, according to estimates released by the offi cial government

statistics agency. The sum included losses in the tourism, manufacturing and construction

sectors, according to the report published by Mena, the state news agency.

Strikers have different priorities but coalesced around a central demand that the

government raise the minimum wage to E£1,200. The rate had remained fi xed at only E£35

per month since 1984.

GHANAACCRA-TEMA LINEThe Accra-Tema railway was planned as a result of rapid population growth, in particular

the workforce of both Accra, Ghana’s capital city, and Tema, a town 24km distant in the

Greater Accra region. This led to heavy traffi c congestion, high road maintenance costs,

increased fuel consumption and environmental pollution.

After abandonment for almost two decades, the Ghana railway system has been through

a major transformation. In October 2010, President John Atta Mills offi cially launched a

diesel passenger train service on the revamped Accra-Tema line, and travelled on the

inaugural journey.

Two diesel multiple units (DMUs) are in use. Supplied by China CNR Corporation’s

Tangshan plant, each train comprises a motor coach and three or more trailers depending

on requirements. The two trains have capacity for 1,200 travellers each. A total of $US8m

was paid to the suppliers between 2007 and 2008, and $13.7m on arrival of the DMUs

in March 2009.

Features include low fuel consumption, automatic door locks, facilities for the handicapped

and an automatic passenger information system. The driver has communication with

the conductors and ticket collectors.

The project to rehabilitate the existing Tema-Accra and Accra-Nsawam suburban railways

and construct new lines commenced in December 2004. It included the building of two large

Passenger train at the new N’dalatando

station, Caminhos de Ferro de Luanda (CFL).

32 Railways Africa March 2011

AFRICA UPDATEAFRICA UPDATE

AFRICA UPDATE

www.railwaysafrica.com

Specialists in refurbishing, upgrading and comprehensive testing of traction motors and auxiliary electric

motors. All traction motors are expertly qualified and load-tested to full capacity on back-to-back motor

test facilities.

ROTATING MACHINE BUSINESS


GM

51

9_

TR

E P

ress

lin

k

culverts at Baatsona, the reconstruction of two broken bridges at

Nungua and Baatsonaa, and the installation of a signalling and

telecommunications system.

The fi rst phase was inaugurated in December 2007 by the then

President JA Kufuor at Asoprochonaa, near Tema. The government

fi nanced phase 1 with a loan of $US5 million, $500,000 from

matching funds and $2.58m from the HIPC (Heavily Indebted

Poor Countries) funds. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting

Countries (OPEC) granted a loan of $5m in 2005.

NEW LINES IN GHANAThe Chinese companies CMEC and CMC are to start work in April

2011 on the $US990 million railway extension project in Ghana, to

run from the central business district (CBD) of Accra to Avenor, for

completion in 2012.

Construction on the more extensive Nsawam-Kumasi and Ejisu-

Tamale-Paga new line projects, worth $6 billion, are also expected

to begin this year. A new branch line to Yendi is included. Completion

will add 1,200km of rail to Ghana’s network. New trains running at

160km/hr are envisaged, according to www.ghanaweb.com.

GUINEATRACK RELAYING IN GUINEABrazilian mining giant Vale SA has started laying track on the

330km Conakry-Kankan railway in Guinea.

A statement released by Vale explains it is refurbishing the line

as part of an accord with the Guinea government, to contribute

to the country’s social and economic development. Reconstruction

of the line, run by the Guinea government but out of operation

since 1983, is part of Vale’s commitment to developing Guinea’s

Simandou iron ore province, the company explains.

In April 2010, Vale announced it would invest in Simandou,

which it says will be the largest integrated iron ore mine

and infrastructure project yet developed in Africa. Vale has

programmed investments of $US861 million in the project in

2011. Vale’s Simandou project, being developed together with a

local partner, foresees initial production of 15 million metric tons

of iron ore in 2012, rising to 50 million tons a year in 2020. The

Simandou project will have its own dedicated rail line leading to

a maritime terminal on the coast of Liberia, Vale says.

KENYARVR EXPANDS NAIROBI COMMUTER SERVICERift Valley Railways has increased the frequency of its commuter

services in Nairobi and has introduced a new route. Chief

Executive Brown Ondego says the improvements will help cope

with growing demand in the city. Trains are operating from 05:00

to 19:00 on weekdays.

Areas benefi ting are Kahawa, Dandora, Embakasi, Ruiru, Kikuyu,

Kitengela, and Athi River. According to Ondego, service frequency

has been increased from 8 to 18 daily commuter trains - a 125%

improvement. In addition, a new route has been introduced from

Nairobi CBD to Athi River that includes a halt at Kitengela. A fare

of 50 shillings applies, unlike the arrangement on other routes

where tickets are priced on a zonal basis, though still remaining

the most competitive transport option in terms of shillings per

kilometre.

KENYA SEEKS NAIROBI OPERATOR Kenya is seeking an operator to manage its Nairobi commuter

railway system which is to be upgraded and expanded at a cost

of $US100 million by next year. State-owned Kenya Railways

Corporation (KRC) and London-based private infrastructure

development trust InfraCo Ltd have put up an international tender

for an operator to help in developing the railway system and

eventually manage it when completed. Private consortium Rift

Valley Railways’ fi ve-year concession agreement to manage

passenger rail services in Kenya ends this year.

Nairobi residents who use rail transport at present face an

unreliable though cheap service. According to the offi cial tender

announcement, “The new system is expected to comprise 10-15

commuter trains initially, operating over four lines, one of which

will be a new express link to the Jomo Kenyatta International

Airport from the Nairobi Central Station.”

KRC managing director Nduva Muli says the existing 61km

route length is to be expanded to 176km. It will entail the

replacement of the current locomotive-hauled trains with diesel-

electric multiple units, “said to be more suitable and effi cient for

passenger carriers.” KR statistics show that the present trains

BURKINA FASO

COTE

D’IV

OIR

E

TOG

O

Volta

Lake

Techiman

Mampong

Nkoranza

Bole

Sawila

Wa

Bolgatanga

Hamale Paga

Sheini

YendiTamale

KumasiEjisu

Anyinam

KadeShai

Hills

Accra

TemaHumi

Valley

Awaso

Dunkwa

Prestea

Tarkwa

TakoradiSecondi

Nsawam

Akosombo

GHANA

N


AFRICA UPDATE

on the construction of the new 550km line between Sirt and

Benghazi in Libya. Worth €2.2 billion, the contract includes the

building of six major stations.

In late February, RZhD president Vladimir Yakunin gave the

assurance that: “the safety of our employees is one of the

priorities at Russian Railways. The company knows the exact

location of all its staff abroad, and all of them are safe. We are

working closely with Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs and the

Russian embassy in Libya to identify options to ensure the safety

of our employees.”

On 4 March, the unrest “front line” reached the Russian

construction base at Ra’s Lanuf, halfway between Benghazi and

Surt. Work on the Libyan coastal main-line from Ras Ejder on the

Tunisian Border through the capital city Tripoli to Benghazi came

to a halt as workers left to escape the civil war.

MOZAMBIQUENACALA LINE COSTRehabilitation of the railway between Malawi’s commercial capital,

Blantyre and the Mozambican port of Nacala, in Mozambique’s

northern province of Nampula, will cost $US231 million, of which

$8 million is to be reserved for emergency repairs.

The estimate was given by Victor Lungu, director of the planning

and transport department in the Malawian ministry of transport

and public infrastructure, based on the fi ndings of a study

fi nanced by the European Union. The study found that after

rebuilding the line, trains would be able to complete the Nacala-

Blantyre journey in 38 hours at speeds between 50 and 70km/h,

compared with the current journey time of between 5 and 7 days

- at speeds restricted to 20km/h due to the state of the line.

SENA LINE - FURTHER UPGRADECaminhos de ferro do Moçambique (CFM – the state railway &

ports) has unveiled plans to spend $US285 million to rehabilitate

and expand the Sena railway in a bid to handle coal exports from

the western province of Tete to the coast. Around $85 million will

be used to further rehabilitate the Sena line to carry six million

tons of coal annually by 2011, with a further $200m earmarked to

increase the railway’s capacity to 12 million tons in 2014.

The Sena line connects the town of Moatize in the Tete coal basin

to the port of Beira.

carry about 19,000 people a day in 41 carriages, bringing in

$US5,937.50.

“We want to modernise the infrastructure, improve the rail quality,

build new stations and then we will be providing infrastructure

that encourages other transport mode interactions such as

park-and-ride,” Muli says. KRC and InfraCo signed a partnership

agreement in 2009.

The “park and ride” concept will see commuters parking their

cars at the nearest station and riding into the city from where

they can either walk to their destination or connect by public

transport. The project will therefore see KRC and the developer

investing in major parking areas and commercial hubs at main

stations. This will earn income through property rent, thus

increasing profi tability.

In terms of the arrangement, InfraCo will fund the initial cost of

the project and later recoup the money - if the project proves

successful - by selling its interest to the private sector. If it fails,

the money used will be written off as a grant to the Kenyan

government, meaning Kenya Railways bears no risk in implementing

the project.

LIBYACHINESE CONSTRUCTION HALTEDState-run China Railway Construction, which has evacuated

most of its employees from Libya, says billion-dollar projects are

in jeopardy. A statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange

explained: ‘’Due to increasing turbulence in Libya and attacks

against some of the company’s camps, all projects of the

company have been suspended. Given the uncertain situation...the

preservation of equipment and materials on site and subsequent

development remain unclear.”

The company’s three projects in Libya have a total contract

value of $US4.24 billion. Only about a sixth of the work, or $686

million’s worth, has been completed, according to the statement.

The remaining $3.55 billion’s worth of contracts accounted for

2.3% of the company’s total outstanding contracts globally, it said.

The media reported China launching an “air, sea and land

operation, to evacuate more than 30,000 citizens from Libya,

working mainly in the oil, rail and telecom sectors.

RUSSIAN CONSTRUCTION HALTEDRossiiskie Zheleznie Dorogi (RZhD – the Russian State Railway)

had 204 specialists from the company and its affi liates working

The substance of this article appeared in the East African, together with

this photo of a UK dmu captioned: “A modern locomotive with diesel

electric multiple units.”

Al Kuma

Sabha


AFRICA UPDATE


CFM expects the current rehabilitation work to be completed

before the end of June 2011, despite Ricon, the responsible Indian

consortium, falling behind deadline.

Another $400m is to be spent to increase the throughput capacity

at the port of Beira from 15 million to 18 million tons by 2013

or 2014.

Brazilian mining titan Vale expects to start shipping coal by early

July 2011, and Australia-based Riversdale Mining expects to begin

in September. Vale has reserved rights to ship four million tons

on the Sena line, and Riversdale has reserved the remaining two

million tons of capacity.

MOZAMBIQUE NEEDS RAIL WAGON INDUSTRYAccording to minister for transport and communications Paulo

Zucula, quoted by the Maputo press, the Southern African

region has a market and needs that justify creating a rail wagon

manufacturing industry in Mozambique. The minister was

speaking during an offi cial visit to Mozambique by the Portuguese

minister for transport and communications, and the signing

of an agreement to set up an industrial unit in the country by

Mozambique and Portugal.

No dates were given but Zucula said Mozambique is “interested

in making it happen as soon as possible”. This is because, as

well as the prospect of providing the country with the rail trucks

it needs to deal with transporting coal mined in Tete province,

there are regional rail transport demands to be met.

Botswana is developing its coal reserves, and countries such as

neighbouring Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi are increasing their

investment in railway systems. South Africa is currently the only

country capable of supplying railway wagons.

In terms of the deal signed by Zucula and Mendonça, Mozambique’s

rail and port management company Portos e Caminhos de

Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) and Portugal’s rail equipment

maintenance company Empresa de Manutenção de Equipamento

ZIMBABW

E

SOUTHAFRICA

MOZAMBIQUEMALA

WI

ZAMBIA

Beira

Dondo

Inhamitanga

Manica

Mutare

To Harare

To Bulawayo

Inhambane

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Ch

okw

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


Ferroviário de Portugal (EMEF) are to be responsible for setting

up the company.

“We believe that in the next 40 to 50 years there will be no

market problems for rail trucks, as only South Africa produces

them, at a time when we have information about so many orders

that they are unable to meet them any more. Therefore, there is

a market to make the company viable,” said Zucula, for whom

investing in Mozambique equates to investing in the Southern

African Development Community.

Mozambican government projections point to the country

needing at least 600 wagons over the next fi ve years to transport

coal from Tete from mid-2011.

NIGERIAABUJA-KADUNA RAIL PROJECT IN NIGERIAThe China Civil and Engineering Construction Company (CCECC)

has commenced building the new $US874.3 million Abuja to

Kaduna railway in Nigeria, a distance of nearly 200km. In December

2010, the Nigerian government secured a concessionary loan of

$500m from the Chinese government towards the three-year

project.

LAGOS-ILORIN SERVICE STARTSThe Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) commenced passenger

trains operation between Lagos and Ilorin on 23 March. In

accordance with instructions by minister of transport Alhaji

Yusuf Suleiman, passengers were carried free for the whole of

the fi rst week. Departure from Lagos is at 09:00, arriving in Ilorin

at 19:00. The train returns on the following day. Intermediate

stops include Iddo, Agege, Ijoko, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Iwo, Ede,

Oshogbo, Ikirun, Inisha and Offa.

SWAZILAND

PROPOSED SWAZILAND-SA CONNECTIONSwaziland Railway (SR) is currently engaged in talks with its South

African counterparts on a proposed new railway link between

Lothair (in Mpumalanga, endpoint of an existing branchline from

Ermelo) and Matsapha.

SR CEO Gideon Mahlalela says discussions are ongoing and there

is cabinet support for the line. As the iron ore mine at Ngwenya is

likely to open, the line he says would be viable.

Swaziland, Mahlalela points out, is a rich country as it boasts

numerous mineral deposits. Conceding that the poor are poor, he

points out that only government commitment can change that.

UGANDAUGANDA PASSES OUT ARMY RAIL ENGINEERSUgandan President Yoweri Museveni has passed out the fi rst

batch of 47 pioneer Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) railway

engineering students from the National University of Science

and Technology at Lugazi. The graduates subsequently joined the

reconstruction project between Mbale and Soroti on the 503km

Tororo-Pakwach line, out of service for more than 20 years.

The university, bought from the defunct Lugazi University in

2010, equips soldiers with civil works skills, according to college

head Brigadier Timothy Sabiiti Mutebile. He says the institution

is to become a fully fl edged university of science and technology,

specialising in military engineering sciences, development and

research.

Mutebile says Uganda was chosen by the East African Community

to host the military engineering school, the fi rst in Africa.

President Museveni was quoted saying: “I has been wondering

why Africans cannot build their own railway system. I became

determined that we will do it, but I was busy with the problem

of confl icts on the continent”. He said the problem with Africans

was an inferiority complex, which hinders them from looking at

their ability and only look for help from elsewhere.

The President said it had been decided to use the army to build

the railway and ask Murungi to train the engineers.

Museveni said there is a need to have a railway link with Southern

Sudan. He said the government would acquire equipment for the

military to help them in the civil works, to be included in the next

budget. “I can see that in future the UPDF Engineering Brigade

can be contracted to work in other African countries,” Museveni

said, promising a law to enable the military engineering brigade

to bid for contracts along with other contractors.

ZAMBIANEW ZAMBIAN MINE RAILWAY PLANNEDSteel producing fi rm Universal Mining and Chemical Industries

has allocated $US100 million towards the construction of a new

railway from Zambia’s Lusaka westwards to the Mumbwa district –

about 170km. The funds will be mainly used for feasibility studies,

geological investigations and exploration works, which are expected

to commence this year. The main objective is the conveyance of

iron ore for export.

ZAMBIAN NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAYThe private-initiative Zambian North Western Railway project,

dormant for some years, is being revived. Intended to link

existing lines on the copperbelt with north-western Zambia, it will

facilitate the transport of copper and other minerals, including

uranium currently being stockpiled by Equinox Resources,

MO

ZA

MB

IQU

EREPUBLIC OF

SOUTH AFRICA

PIGGS PEAK

MANANGA

TSHANENI

MHLUME MHLUME

SIMUNYE

MILL

MLAWULA

SITEKI

MANZINI

LUBHUKU

PHUZUMOYA

SIDVOKODVO

MATSAPHA

SIPHOCO

MALOYO

MGWILI

KADAKE Hhohho

Lubombo

Shiselweni

HLATIKULUBIG BEND

NTSOKO

LAVUMISA

to Lothair

MPAKA

EHLANEMBABANE

SWAZILAND

Kilometres

0 10 20 30 40 50

N


AFRICA UPDATE

owners of the Lumwana Mine in Solwezi near the border with

Angola. It is hoped to complete construction of the 405km line

in two years. Project chairman Enoch Kavindele expects costs in

the region of $US500 million. Ultimately it is intended to extend

the line to meet Angola’s Benguela railway, to provide a shorter

route to the Atlantic and markets in Europe.

ZIMBABWENRZ FREIGHT STATS PLUMMETThe National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) reports a decline in

goods carried to two million tonnes in 2010 from 18 million

tonnes shipped in 1998. A government report says declining

volumes following a plunge in industrial output have resulted

in staff numbers at NRZ’s Bulawayo headquarters dropping to

2,000 in 2010 from 8,000.

“Apart from the rapid slide in industrial output, which sustains

operations in large logistical companies across the globe, the

NRZ has been hamstrung by massive inter-parastatal debt,”

the Financial Gazette writes. “A report by the World Bank

recommended in 2009 that NRZ should decommission two thirds

of its aged tracks, and implement an extensive rehabilitation

programme.

“The company has been a victim of serious vandalism.

Government last year allocated $US15 million for track, wagon

and locomotive rehabilitation and refurbishment programmes

at the NRZ. But fi nance minister Tendai Biti said ‘requirements

for NRZ infrastructure rehabilitation and maintenance far exceed

budgetary capacity. Hence, the 2011 national budget interventions

will be limited to on-going basic refurbishment programme of

wagons, locomotives, track and signal systems to sustain current

capacity’.

“For decades, Bulawayo, which is the headquarters of the NRZ,

had thrived on the company’s strength to provide employment.

But today, NRZ - once the biggest employer in Matabele-land - is

barely surviving.

“The parastatal has been trying to reintroduce steam trains and

is rehabilitating its diesel locomotives to remain afl oat after 10

years of vandalism to its infrastructure - from signalling equipment

to electricity cables. In May last year, it was estimated that 36%

of the NRZ’s diesel locomotives were in service and that only

64% of its wagons were operational.

“At the time, reports said more than $US10 million was required

to resuscitate the electrifi ed route from Dabuka to Harare.

But without a proper monitoring system in place to reduce

vandalism, NRZ public relations manager, Fanuel Masikati told the

Financial Gazette, it would be unwise to reintroduce electric trains.

The threat of vandalism, he said, was still high.”

Zambian scene in 2006. Photo: Dietmar Fiedel.

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

AFRICA UPDATE

In March, Brian Molefe (43) was appointed

group CEO of Transnet. Chris Barron,

writing in Business Times, says the man

may know nothing about trains, “but he has

learned a lot about politics. And that, said

observers when the equally inexperienced

Maria Ramos was appointed, is the most

important qualifi cation.”

The new CEO, Barron notes: “was

earmarked for greatness by the ANC

before it came to power in 1994. He quickly

became one of the new government’s

brightest young stars, and deservedly so.

He had solid academic qualifi cations, and

is intelligent, thoughtful, personable and

confi dent.

“In 2003, aged 36, he became one of the

most infl uential people in the country

when he was put in charge of the Public

Investment Commission (now the Public

Investment Corporation), which managed

a fund of more than R300 billion of public

employees’ pension money. Under him, the

fund grew to over R800 billion, and he used

his position to become one of SA’s most

prominent players.

“He was a regular at Davos where the

who’s who of the world’s richest and

most powerful met yearly to pontifi cate.

He was a prized participant in then fi nance

minister Trevor Manuel’s brainstorming

sessions on South Africa. In recent

times Molefe lost his position at the PIC

and seemed to have fallen from favour.

However there is no question about it – he

is back in the big time now.

Footnote: South African Transport and

Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) president

Ezrom Mabyana told the press: “We don’t

welcome Molefe’s appointment.” The union

is happy he is black, but does not think he

“understands” Transnet. Sunday Times

staffer Brendan Boyle recalls that Molefe’s

wife Portia was director-general of the

department of public enterprises under

former president Thabo Mbeki.

NEW TRANSNET EXECUTIVEThe recent fi nalisation of its new executive ended nearly two years of uncertainty, Transnet says, following the departure of Maria Ramos to Absa Bank early in 2009.

Taking effect on 31 March, the new exco comprises CEO Brian Molefe; Siyabonga Gama - reinstated as Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) CEO despite dismissal in 2010 ; chief risk offi cer Virginia Dunjwa; group executive for planning and monitoring Mark Gregg-MacDonald; human resources and strategy head Pradeep Maharaj; Transnet Pipelines CEO Charl Moller; Transnet National Ports Authority CEO Tau Morwe (who has been acting head of TFR); group executive for Transnet capital projects Moira Moses; group executive commercial Khomotso Phihlela; Transnet Port Terminals CEO Karl Socikwa (in acting capacity until now); executive responsible for legal, corporate and public affairs Zola Stephen; Transnet Rail Engineering CEO Richard Vallihu; and acting group chief fi nancial offi cer Anoj Singh – who has been acting since predecessor Chris Wells became acting CEO two years ago.

According to Molefe, the new exco will be tasked with “prioritising customer service”. The group plans to spend R110 billion on capital projects up to 31 March 2016.

TRANSNET’S NEW CEO

“ has solid academic qualifi cations, and is intelligent, thoughtful, personable and confi dent.”


RAIL NEWSSOUTH AFRICAN

SA RAIL NEWS

In a ceremony held at its Koedoespoort

manufacturing facility in Pretoria on 21

February, Transnet Limited took delivery

of the fi rst two of the 100 locomotives it

is purchasing from General Electric South

Africa Technologies (Gesat) - the local

arm of General Electric (GE). Transnet

and General Electric entered into an

agreement for the supply of 100 model

C30ACi diesels - the fi rst AC main-line

diesel locomotives to be introduced

in sub-Saharan Africa. Three of these

generate the same hauling power as four

of the older models currently in use, saving

approximately 600,000 litres of fuel a

year. These units, to be used both on the

export coal line and general freight

business of Transnet Freight Rail, are

part of the group’s fl eet renewal plan and

R93.5 billion, 5-year capital investment

programme.

In terms of the agreement, GE will build

the fi rst 10 diesels at its plants in the

United States, while the remaining

90 will be assembled at Transnet Rail

Engineering (TRE) manufacturing facilities

in Koedoespoort. GE will supply all

major components including engines,

alternators and other hardware. TRE will be

responsible for the complete assembly as

well as sub-assemblies.

TRANSNET’S NEW CLASS 43 LOCOS

ANOTHER 32 CLASS 15E LOCOSTransnet Freight Rail (TFR) announced on 2 March it had placed

an order for 32 additional new class15E locomotives for its

861km Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore railway, in line with the targeted

capacity boost to 61 million tons a year. The $US230 million

order was placed with Venus Railway Solutions, the local black-

empowered subsidiary of Japanese company Mitsui.

The contract specifi es a minimum local content requirement of

50%. The locomotives are to be built at Union Carriage & Wagon

(UCW - a Murray & Roberts subsidiary) in Nigel with some

components supplied by other local entities. Production is to

begin in December 2011, with delivery of the fi rst unit by May

2012 and the last by August 2013.

Recently appointed Transnet CEO Brian Molefe says service

levels are expected to improve signifi cantly as TFR progressively

implements its fl eet renewal strategy. To date, 68 new

locomotives have been placed in service – 28 class 15E (50kv AC)

on the iron-ore line and 40 dual-voltage class 19E (25kV AC and

3kV DC) on the coal line to Richards Bay.

In addition to the local manufacturing, there are stringent skills

transfer and development targets. These include training of

engineers, students and apprentices, as well as operating a

welding school to produce nearly 700 welders, with the majority

of benefi ciaries being historically disadvantaged. On 2 April, a

welding school is being opened at UCW.

TFR accounts for roughly half of the Transnet group’s R110 billion

spending programme over the next fi ve years in expanding

capacity and improving infrastructure. This is in addition to the

R73 billion spent over the last fi ve years.

Class 15E loco (Co-Co, 4,500kW , 6,000hp,

50kV AC) at Saldanha. Photo Andre Kritzinger.

SA RAIL NEWS

www.railwaysafrica.com 41Railways Africa March 2011

GAMA REAPPOINTED CEO OF TFRIn March, it was announced

that Siyabonga Gama has been

reappointed CEO of Transnet

Freight Rail (TFR). The posts of

Transnet group CEO and TFR CEO

are the parastatal’s two most

senior positions.

According to a 29 June 2010

statement, TFR CEO Gama,

suspended since September

2009, was to be immediately

dismissed. This course was

recommended by Mark Antrobus SC, who chaired a disciplinary

inquiry. Gama was found to have awarded an R18m contract

to a fi rm that happened to be linked to communications

minister Siphiwe Nyanda. This was irregular; his authority was

limited to contracts less than R10m. He was also found to have

failed to comply with conditions for an R800m contract for

refurbishing locomotives. A charge added during the course of the

hearing arose from “sustained public attacks mounted by Gama,

through his attorney, on the company’s board and executive,”

according to Transnet spokesman John Dludlu.

In February 2011, Gama was appointed as an executive in the

offi ce of Transnet’s chairman. The Congress of South African Trade

Unions (Cosatu) reportedly expressed concern over Gama’s return

to the group, saying he had endorsed “suspect” deals.

The Transnet board - newly appointed group CEO Brian Molefe

told Engineering News - decided that the sanction against Gama

had been too harsh: “He was not found guilty of corruption, or

theft, or dishonesty. He has got a lot of experience in rail, which

I need at the moment.” He added that Gama had received a fi nal

written warning.

PRASA RAIL RENEWAL WORKSHOPOn 5 April, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa)

is holding a one-day workshop in Midrand, to gauge the rail

industry’s ability and interest to assist in its rolling stock renewal

programme. In terms of an envisaged “market engagement

process”, market feasibility studies are to be carried out by

Prasa in partnership with the Department of Transport (DoT),

the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Treasury and

rolling stock manufacturers (and fi nanciers) on the fl eet renewal

programme.

The workshop aims at determining the market’s ability “to

supply adequate quantities of rolling stock suitable to local

requirements, at the same time measuring the potential appeal

to fi nanciers of providing long-term fi nance.”

According to the DoT, “the process will interrogate the market

potential to produce at least 300 passenger coaches a year”;

the possibility of “maintenance or signifi cant/whole life support”

for manufactured coaches; the interest in Prasa’s fl eet renewal

programme of companies “with production lines in at least

three countries”; as well as companies’ prior South African train-

building and maintenance provision experience, or “willingness

to transfer technology to a South African production facility”.

BRANCHLINE CONCESSIONINGAn offi cial Transnet announcement says:“Following submissions of Expression of Interest, the latest development on the concessioning process is that:

* Transnet’s newly appointed Board of Directors is being briefed

on the branchline concessioning process and preparations are

under way to issue a Request for Proposals (“RFP”);

* The RFP is the competitive bidding phase in which Transnet

will provide detailed information about each branchline

opportunity and request the submission of formal proposals

for the award of concession rights;

* Transnet remains committed to involving the private sector in

unlocking the potential of the branchlines so as to provide a

responsive economic transport infrastructure;

* Interested parties are advised that Transnet Freight Rail

cannot accede to requests for assistance in conducting

infrastructure assessments and engagements with customers.

The forthcoming RFP process will facilitate site visits by

bidders and suffi cient time will be provided in the RFP period

for bidders to assess the market opportunities;

* Branchlines that are currently operational will, in the interim,

continue uninterrupted and will be maintained to the required

standards throughout the concessioning process; and

* Transnet reserves the right to withdraw or to suspend or to

terminate any of the processes forming part of the proposed

branchlines procurement process at any time and from time

to time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate

or reimburse any party or person.”

Queries can be sent to [email protected]

Six years have gone by since TFR CEO Gama announced the proposed

concessioning of branchlines at the 2005 Africa Rail conference. During

this time, the vandalising of branchlines escalated (some were literally

stolen) leaving little chance of revival. Too much talk, as usual; far too little

done. Photo: Jacque Wepener.

Transnet Freight Rail CEO Siyabonga Gama.


SA RAIL NEWS

TRANSNET CAPEX PLANNew Transnet CEO Brian Molefe, addressing the business

community in Durban, outlined rolling capital investment plans to

31 March 2016. During the fi ve years, R110.5 billion is to be spent

on rail, ports and pipelines. The aim, he explains, is to improve

performance in South Africa’s logistical system, which “currently

constrains export-led growth”.

Particular attention, Molefe promised, is to be given to backlogs

in rail and to boost operations at Pier 2 in the Durban container

terminal, “which is currently underperforming”.

The bulk of the fi ve-year expenditure is to go to Transnet Freight

Rail (TFR). Some R63.7 billion is to be spent on “growth and

maintenance projects”, of which R16.4 billion is earmarked for

the coal export line from Ermelo to Richards Bay. A further R11.4

billion is to be spent on the iron-ore export line from Sishen

to Saldanha.

The Transnet National Ports Authority will spend R23.2 billion and

Transnet Port Terminals R5 billion. Transnet Pipelines will spend

R15.1 billion and Transnet Rail Engineering R1.6 billion.

Transnet chairman Mafi ka Mkwanazi says the planned investments

will increase the group’s volume capacity by an additional 70

million tons to 250 million annually. “In fact there is suffi cient

demand for an additional 80 million tons”, he says, and

acknowledges that current lack of capacity is stifl ing economic

growth and development.

RAIL’S SHARE OF A HUGE BACKLOGModernising and upgrading South Africa’s “creaking infrastructure”

would cost up to R1 trillion over the next four years, but can no

longer be delayed, parliament has been told. There are backlogs

in water, electricity, sanitation, other infrastructure – and railways.

Economic development minister Ebrahim Patel puts the total

annual expenditure on infrastructure over the next four years at

R250 billion annually, an 18% increase on the state’s previous

infrastructure spending estimate of about R846bn for the three

years to 2013.

Altogether R470bn to be spent on road and rail combined, to

stimulate sustained economic growth and generate many of the 5

million jobs government has promised to create by 2020 in terms

of its New Growth Path. Transport minister Ndebele says R93bn is

to be spent on commuter rail services and between R260bn and

R300bn on intercity rail’s Shosholoza Meyl.

Financing options, to be discussed at an international investors’

conference in June, are to include “a combination of state, private

sector and user funding.”

Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana says

8,600 new coaches are needed for commuter rail and more than

2,000-plus coaches for long-distance travel. Speaking at a media

briefi ng, Montana said each coach would cost between R11 million

and R12 million.

An 18-year programme is “in discussion with the departments of

transport, trade and industry, public enterprises and the Treasury”,

and it is hoped to have the fi rst new coaches delivered in 2014-

15. Montana’s envisaged strategy is to buy the technology from

abroad and produce coaches locally once the production capacity

has been developed. He expects this to take about three years.

[According to Business Day, “Prasa has 4,638 coaches for its Metrorail

commuter operations, 97.5% dating to the late 1950s.” If the fi gure

4,638 has been correctly reported, the intention is evidently to almost

double the fl eet (to 8,600). In any event, the “97.5% dating from the

50s” clearly cannot be right, as elsewhere it is stated: “The average

age of the coaches is more than 40 years, with 33% of the fl eet being

over 36 years and therefore uneconomical to upgrade and unsafe to

operate.” – Editor]

“ Molefe said the lessons learned in

the delays and cost overruns on the

Durban to Johannesburg pipeline

project, the price of which had risen

from less than R10 billion to over

R21 billion, positioned Transnet as an

ideal consultant for future pipeline

projects in the rest of Africa.”

Prasa Group CEO Lucky Montana

Prasa CEO Lucky

Montana: looking

to buy 10,600

coaches at around

R12 million each.


SA RAIL NEWS

KIMBERLEY YARD CONTROLRailComm has completed installing

an automation system at Transnet’s

Beaconsfi eld (Kimberley) Yard. The system

includes RailComm’s DOC® server-based,

central-control system and 11 associated

outdoor-rated control panels. Radio is

used to communicate between the offi ce

system, control panels and power-operated

sets of points, which are worked by

RailComm’s universal switch controller.

GARRATT ON THE ROADOn 14 March, ex-National Railways of

Zimbabwe Garratt no 398 left Beaconsfi eld

(Kimberley) for Durban, en route to New

Zealand – by road. The 15th class engine

(4-6-4+4-6-4, built by Beyer-Peacock in

1950) was conveyed in three sections by

three abnormal load vehicles, overnighting

at Senekal and Ladysmith.

The following account was posted on

zimrail: “NRZ 15th class 398 stored at

Beaconsfi eld by Steamnet 2000 since

March 2008 fi nally departed on 14

March 2011. The loco is owned by Steam

Incorporated of New Zealand, represented

by Russell Gibbard of Wellington.

“Mike Du Plooy Consultants were

appointed to manage the loading and

move throughout from Beaconsfi eld to

Wellington New Zealand, and Saxport

were appointed by Mike for the logistics.

“The three-day operation to lift, load

and dispatch 398 worked smoothly and

thanks are due to TFR staff for tolerating

and assisting during the operation,

especially as it involved a blockade on an

adjacent running line for 48 hours and

switching off the 25kv overhead for the

loads to exit the depot.

“Good progress was made on the Sunday

with the boiler unit loaded and clear by

11:00 but work dragged on, especially

the welding and placement of rails

onto lowbeds. The front unit was only

lowered onto lowbed no 3 at 20:00. After

clearance work it was midnight before the

blockade could be terminated.

“Projected time frame: Sail from Durban 8

April, offl oad & reload Melbourne 28 April

to 2 May, Auckland arrive 16 May.”

DURBAN AIMS FOR OWN GAUTRAINDurban is set to get its own Gautrain in

terms of a wide-reaching public transport

plan soon to be offi cially tabled at the

ATLANTIC RAIL The Atlantic Rail company’s steam excursions

from Cape Town are going well. On 27

February, it was possible to run right through

to Simon’s Town following reopening of the

scenic single track south of Fish Hoek. Peter

Rogers took the photos.

The train makes one intermediate stop at

Kalk Bay (2km before Fish Hoek) and returns

after a break of three hours at Simon’s Town.

The adult return fare is R220, children 3-12,

R110. At a lesser fi gure the 72km operation

(there and back) would not be viable

because of the heavy costs involved - like

R10,000 for the six tons of coal consumed on

every trip. Excellent restaurant facilities and

curio shops are to be found at Kalk Bay. At

Simon’s Town there are restaurants and a fi ne

museum which is opened on those Sundays

when steam trains run.

Atlantic Rail’s running programme to the end

of April can be found at:

http://www.atlanticrail.co.za

Phone 021 556 1012

E-mail [email protected]

Class 24 no 3655 heads the Atlantic Rail

excursion at Kalk Bay.

Kalk Bay level crossing.

Tender overfl ow.

End of the line.


SA RAIL NEWS

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coach parts through to state-of-the-art permanent way components. We also serve the mining, automotive

and marine industries.

FOUNDRY BUSINESS


GM

52

1_

TR

E P

ress

lin

k

eThekwini municipality, followed by a full-scale public participation

process. Transport authority head Thami Manyathi says the plan is

“90% complete” and is to be tabled by May.

A rapid rail network, “much like the Gautrain” is envisaged to link

Umhlanga and King Shaka International Airport.

MIDDLETON ON GAUTRAINDr John Middleton of the World Bank, writing in his personal

capacity, observes:

“Quite a lot of comment on Gautrain recently which I cannot resist

adding to:

‘Gautrain is built and operated by a commercial company.’

“Yes it is and as a commercial company it’s far from a ‘fi nancial

disaster’, in fact its doing very well. Why - because its all underwritten

by the government. The deal that the operating consortium

got was so sweet they will never be out of pocket. However,

whether the government will ever get a return on its investment is

highly debatable.

“Having said that I rode it from the airport for the fi rst time

in January and very nice it is too, clean and all works very well

(you also get an unusual view into Kelvin Power Station where their

two Hunslet diesels are visible from the train; these were never

visible from outside the fence before).

“You do feel as if may be got off in the wrong city as the ambiance is

more 09.30 London to Brighton....(the same type of train for those

who haven’t a clue what I am on about)”

MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: NO PRIVATISING Newly appointed South African minister of public enterprises

Malusi Gigaba, 39, told Sunday Times writer Brendan Boyle he does

not expect any change in the corporatisation of the big enterprises

like Transnet and Eskom, and he rules out privatisation, which, he

says, “wasn’t in the mind of the government at present or in future.”

Gigaba said he believed the boards and management of the

corporations all accepted “they must amend the Trevor Manuel-

taught discipline of the bottom line and tweak their corporate

strategies to support the government’s interventionist policy

of using the share of the economy it owns to boost growth and

employment.”

NO SPENDING ON SA HS RAIL - YETBantu Holomisa from the United Democratic Movement (UDM) was

reported recently saying:

“Recent statements by the Minister of Transport, Mr Sbu Ndebele,

about his department’s plan to spend billions of Rand on

luxurious speed trains and related projects for rail routes linking

Johannesburg to Cape Town, Johannesburg to Durban and

Johannesburg to Messina, leaves the UDM perturbed by the

government’s lack of prioritisation. We are particularly troubled by

the reports that, as usual, there are certain politically connected

companies and individuals who stand to benefi t from these

projects....”

The minister responded: “We wish to categorically state that,

except for the Gautrain, to date not a cent has been spent on the

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SA RAIL NEWS

roll-out of any high-speed rail project in South Africa. Cabinet

approval will kick-start a process including a feasibility study on

the viability of high-speed rail. The Department of Transport intends

to call for expressions of interest in July 2011. In June 2011, we will

also be hosting an investors’ conference to consolidate the interest

in our transport infrastructure projects, including high-speed rail.

There is no way that anyone could know, before we have even

called for expressions of interest, that they will win the right to

construct any rail project.

“As the fi rst country in Africa likely to have such a project, we owe

it to the people of this country and the continent that our proposed

green fi eld long-distance high-speed rail sets high procurement,

transparency, technical and safety standards for the rest of Africa.”

[As pointed out before, the minister’s assurances would have

more credibility if the facts supplied to him were correct.

South Africa is not going to be the fi rst country in Africa to have a

high-speed railway - Morocco is well advanced in building one.

Gautrain’s 160km/h does not qualify as high-speed in world

terms and in any event Morocco has had trains running that fast

for some time. - Editor]

CAPE TOWN’S PUBLIC TRANSPORT CRISISThe full extent of Cape Town’s public transport crisis was

highlighted at a late February special meeting of Metrorail, city

and provincial transport offi cials, the chamber of commerce and

law enforcement agencies.

Facts as presented:

• Metrorail transports 56% of commuters in the city who use

public transport. To do the job it needs 120 trainsets but has

only 85, with six spare sets. When 14 sets were taken out

of service on 14 February after a major onslaught by copper

thieves it was left with only 71 – about 60% of the coaches

actually required.

• In the last two years the number of passengers has increased

by 20% and further increases are expected as fuel prices go

up. Coaches in the 14 trains damaged were stripped of copper

cable and copper wire in the motor coach engines.

• The copper is sold to a network of dealers and most is exported.

Attacks on the signalling system and points machines appear to

be deliberate acts of sabotage.

MARIJUANA AT ESSELEN PARKOn 19 February, the Tembisa Trio Cluster reservists confi scated a “huge number” of dagga plants in Esselen Park – the one-time prestige railway training college. A Kempton Park paper quoted Constable Barbara Ferreira saying they decided to patrol the houses in Esselen Park when they found a garden full of marijuana plants. “She said the street value could not be determined, but they fi lled two cars and a bakkie.”

The story reminded many retired railway enginemen that the police routinely arranged for seized dagga to be burned in the fi reboxes of steam locomotives. There was no residue whatever left – and drivers swore their steeds performed better on a high!

Running ahead of schedule – one guess why!

Metrorail crisis in Cape Town: 120 trainsets needed, only 85 available (of

which 14 were knocked out on 14 February by vandalism).

AUCTION OF ELECTRIC LOCOS Advertised in the Sunday Times on 11 March:“Locomotives and sundry equipment.......fi ve x 8E & 5E 80 ton

electric locos (Siemens & Metropolitan-Vickers), two x ES shunting

locos, 40t ore carriers. 23 x spare traction spare motors, bogies,

wheelsets, compressors, vac pumps, blower motors. Frames,

coach (offi ce), switches, resistors, capacitors etc”

Class 8E electric shunting locos (3kV

DC) at Krugersdorp in 1993. These

units date from the mid-eighties.

“METRORAIL IS A MESS – COSATU”

“Metrorai;,” said Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven on 16 February,

“is a mess”. Photo: Andre Kritzinger.


SA RAIL NEWS

The following Premier Classe trains continue to run:-

• Johannesburg - Cape Town and return (twice weekly)

• Johannesburg - Durban and return (once a week - but subject

to demand)

GM

531_AP Presslink

“ You focus on your business, we will focus on your gas supply”

SHOSHOLOZA MEYL CURTAILED AGAIN

With effect from 14 February, the following sitter and/or sleeper

trains were withdrawn until further notice:-

• Cape Town - Durban and return

• Cape Town - East London and return

• Johannesburg – Komatipoort and return

• Johannesburg – Musina and return

• Johannesburg - Mafi keng - Kimberley and return

• Johannesburg - Kroonstad - Bloemfontein and return

The only remaining sitter/sleeper services are follows:-

• Johannesburg - Cape Town and return (provisionally daily,

but this may be reviewed dependent upon the number of

coaches available - the sleeper section is now reduced to just

two coaches per trainset)

• Johannesburg - Durban and return (daily except Tuesdays)

• Johannesburg - East London and return (daily)

• Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth and return (daily, but also

subject to review pending rolling stock availability)

Shosholoza Meyl intercity trains curtailed

again. Photo: Jacque Wepener.

UMGENI STEAM RAILWAY PROGRAMMEwww.umgenisteamrailway.co.za

Sunday 24 April 2011:Su Kloof – Inchanga (08:30 & 12:30) – steam

Sunday 1 May 2011: S Kloof – Inchanga (08:30 & 12:30) – steam (“Additional Easter long-weekend special”) – to be confi rmed Sunday 29 May 2011: no trains (Due to Comrades Marathon).

Sunday 5 June 2011: Kloof – Inchanga (08:30 & 12:30) – steam

LATE TRAINS TO SIMON’S TOWNAs from 28 March, Metrorail added three late evening trains on

its Cape Town southern suburbs line. Departing the city at 19:30,

20:30 and 21:15, they stop at all stations to Simon’s Town, and

then return. This will assist a number of people who have to work

late – eg those on nursing shifts – who have been inconvenienced

by the previous schedule, with the last train leaving Cape Town

at 19:00. The city is to provide security at 10 park-and-ride sites

and there is to be visible policing on the trains.


SA RAIL NEWS

Western Cape transport MEC Robin Carlisle was quoted in the

press saying he hoped the move would help alleviate traffi c

congestion.

[At 19:30 in the evening? Oh come on! - Editor ]

OLD SAR CROCKERYFrom Jacque Wepener:“A friend brought us a handful of broken SAR crockery, picked up on an abandoned line near Theunissen. First we thought the Winburg branch, then we found out it was the old Orange Free State main-line alignment.

“He took us there and we picked up a bagful, but we only scratched the surface - all along the old embankments lie hundreds of pieces of old crockery.

“Bruno Martin’s map shows the station to have been Elders. A person can make out the remnants of an old station and some loops - all the ballast still remains. We found a piece of rail in a fence embossed ‘CGR 1891’ [Cape Government Railways].

“Now we would like to know, why is all this crockery lying here? Normally one fi nds a couple of pieces but not for the length of an entire line for several hundred metres. The pieces are strewn over a vast area. Was this the site of an accident, did some train stand over here for an extended period of time, was this the place old dining car personnel cleaned out their saloons?

“Some items have blue trim - was this not old Blue Train crockery? Plenty have a golden trim with the green trim, again this was not used on normal passenger trains, though we do have one such

a plate that came off the breakdown train in Kroonstad”.

The line south of Fish Hoek to Simon’s Town was reopened on 21

February 2011, following storm damage and high seas in November 2009.

Photo: Peter Rogers.

Think Coogar®

GM532_AP Presslink

Photographing at Simon’s Town on 27 February, Peter Rogers speculated

this might have been the real reason for the sea wall collapsing: a 5M2A

motor coach with a 150+ metric tonne/axle loading!


SA RAIL NEWS

1. Underground SectionWithin the southern portion of the Phase 2 tunnel section

between Sandton Station and Johannesburg Park Station, the civil

works are complete. Tracklaying within the completed tunnel is

also approaching completion and has currently progressed

southwards from Rosebank Station to the fi nal section adjacent to

the platform within Park Station itself. Test running of trains and

testing of the signalling system between Sandton and Rosebank

Stations commenced during January 2011 and is ongoing.

The underground works also include the construction of seven

emergency access shafts located at intervals along the single-

track rail tunnel between Park Station and Sandton Station. These

shafts will provide emergency services personnel access to the

tunnels below. At the bottom of certain of these shafts there will

be safe havens where passengers can gather in case of an

emergency. Construction works at four of these emergency

access shafts are substantially complete and are ongoing at the

remaining three.

PARK STATIONAll structural works for the station and parkade are complete,

including the concrete ventilation chamber at the northern end

of the platforms and the cut and cover linking the station to the

tunnel portal. Backfi lling of the cut and cover structure commenced

during January 2011 and is ongoing.

Within the underground station, internal fi nishes and mechanical

and electrical (M&E) installations are well advanced and platform

tiling is substantially complete. Ticket vending machines and fare

gates have been installed on the concourse level.

At the parkade structure, works are substantially complete, with

pavement canopy installation and the erection of shadeport

structures on the top parking level currently in progress. Cladding

of the structural steel entrance pavilion on the southern side

of Wolmarans Street is substantially complete, with façade

glazing to follow. Construction of the ventilation structure on the

northern side of Smit Street is also approaching completion, as

are the M&E installations within this shaft.

The reinstatement of Wolmarans Street and Smit Street is complete

and both of these roads are open to traffi c. Reinstatement of

A) CONSTRUCTIONOn 8 June 2010, Phase 1 of the Gautrain System was opened

for commercial service. The fi rst phase operations include the

airport train service between Sandton Station and OR Tambo

International Airport, a commuter service between Sandton and

Rhodesfi eld - with an intermediate stop at Marlboro Station - as

well as dedicated feeder and distribution bus services to and

from the Sandton and Rhodesfi eld Stations. The Operations

Control Centre, together with the Train and Bus Depot facilities

located just south of Allandale Road in the Midrand area, were

also completed as part of the fi rst phase scope of works.

The remaining sections of Sandton Station required for the

Phase 2 operations are now substantially complete. These

works included completion of the podium slab over the station

complex, the remaining parking facilities, the third platform to

service the southbound line to the Rosebank and Park stations

and an undercover municipal taxi terminus. The reinstatement

of Rivonia Road, which also formed part of these works, was

completed and the road was re-opened to traffi c in its fi nal two-

way confi guration during December 2010.

Monthly Construction Updates now focus on progress of the

Gautrain Phase 2 works, comprising the underground section

between Sandton Station and Park Station and the route between

Midrand Station and Hatfi eld Station.

Month End 28 February 2011

Laying of the tracks through the cut and

cover at Johannesburg Park Station.

Laying of the fi nal tracks at

Johannesburg Park Station.The parkade at

Johannesburg Park

Station.


Gautrain Construction UpdateGAUTRAIN RAPID RAIL LINK

the two remaining roads bordering Park

Station – Eloff and Joubert Streets – is

also substantially complete, but these will

not be opened to traffi c until the station

external works are further progressed.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E1 (HILLBROW)At Shaft E1, all construction works and

M&E installations – including the lift - are

substantially complete, as are the external

works and landscaping.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E2 (THE WILDS, HOUGHTON)At Shaft E2, installation of the structural

steelwork access structure within the shaft

is complete, construction of the surface

head house building has reached roof

level and installation of the lift will follow

shortly. Landscaping and external works

will be completed within the next three

months.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E3 (RIVIERA)At Shaft E3, all construction works and




EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E4 (HOUGHTON)At Shaft E4, all construction works and




ROSEBANK STATIONAt Rosebank Station, works within the

underground station are approaching

completion. The fi rst Electrostar train

arrived in Rosebank during January 2011.

Since then, test running of trains and

testing of the signalling system along the

route between Rosebank and Pretoria has

been taking place and is ongoing.

The parkade structure is also substantially

complete, with fi nal fi nishings and

installation of shadeport canopies on the

upper parking deck in progress.

The phased reinstatement of Oxford Road

adjacent to the station is ongoing. These

road reinstatement works, which are being

carried out on a phased basis to enable the

two station entrances and the ventilation

structure located on the western side

of Oxford Road to be constructed, are

scheduled to be completed by the end of

March 2011. The reinstatements of Baker

Street and the section of Oxford Road to

the south of the station up to Bolton Road

are ongoing. Works to both of the western

entrances and the ventilation shaft are

well advanced. The structural steel canopy

structures have been erected, roof cladding

has been completed and side cladding has

commenced. Within the entrances, the

escalator and the lift have been installed,

stair tiling is complete and fi nal fi nishes are

in progress.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E5 (DUNKELD, ROSEBANK)At Shaft E5, all construction works and


substantially complete. Completion of the

external works and landscaping will follow

in the coming weeks.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E6 (ILLOVO)At Shaft E6, installation of the structural

steelwork access structure within the

shaft itself is complete, lift installation

is also approaching completion and

construction of the head house structure

is well advanced. Reinstatement of the

adjacent pavements will commence shortly

and once all external works are complete,

the temporarily closed lane of Melville

Road will be re-opened to traffi c.

Construction of the parkade at

Rosebank Station.

Installed fare gates at Rosebank Station.


GAUTRAIN RAPID RAIL LINK

CENTURION AREA, INCLUDING VIADUCT 5 OVER THE N1 AND BEN SCHOEMAN HIGHWAYS AND CENTURION STATIONConstruction of all three of the Centurion viaducts is complete.

These comprise Viaduct 5b - the balanced cantilever viaduct

crossing the N1 and the John Vorster Interchange, Viaduct 5c -

the approximately 3 km long segmental viaduct that carries the

elevated Gautrain railway lines through Centurion and supports

the Centurion Station platforms midway along its length and

Viaduct 5d - the second balanced cantilever viaduct – that crosses

the Ben Schoeman highway and the Jean Avenue Interchange.

The overhead catenaries are energised and test running of trains

along this section of the line, together with testing of the signalling

system, is ongoing.

At Centurion Station, all structural and building works are

complete. Within the station buildings, internal fi nishings and M&E

works are also substantially complete. The overhead catenaries

through the station up to Pretoria are energised and test running

of trains through the station, which commenced during January

2011, is ongoing.

Externally, carpark construction is well advanced, with asphalt

paving, roadmarking and the erection of shadeport structures

substantially complete to the park and ride area. Roadworks

at the bus terminus area and the West Street entrance are also

approaching completion. The bus management building and the

perimeter palisade boundary wall are both substantially complete.

Pedestrian paved areas within the station boundary are well

advanced and completion of external pavements and landscaping

will follow in the coming weeks.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E7 (WESTERN SIDE OF RIVONIA ROAD, SANDTON)At Shaft E7, all construction works and M&E installations –

including the lift - are substantially complete, as are the external


2. Northern Section (Depot to Hatfi eld Station)DEPOT TO MIDRANDBetween the Depot and Midrand Station, all construction works

are complete, as are all railway installations. The overhead

catenaries are energised and test running of trains to Midrand

Station commenced during December 2010. Test running of trains,

together with testing of the signalling system, is ongoing along the

full section of the route between Rosebank Station and Pretoria

Station.

MIDRAND STATIONAt Midrand Station, all works are substantially complete. Installation

of street lighting along the new section of Grand Central

Boulevard that provides access to the station from the Old Pretoria

Road (K101) was completed during the month. Trains continue to

run through the station on a regular basis en-route to and from

Pretoria, as part of the current testing procedures.

MIDRAND TO CENTURION, INCLUDING VIADUCT 4 OVER RIETSPRUIT AND OLIFANTSFONTEIN

ROAD SOUTHFrom Midrand Station to Centurion, all construction works and

railway installations are complete. The overhead catenaries are

energised and test running of trains, together with testing of the

signalling system along this section of the route, is ongoing.

The facade at Centurion Station.



CENTURION TO PRETORIA, INCLUDING VIADUCT 6 OVER EEUFEES ROADCivil construction works along this section of the route - which

include extensive earthworks, a number of bridges, U-shape

structures through the military area and Viaduct 6 crossing

Eeufees Road - are substantially complete. Remaining works

include completion of drainage channels and maintenance roads,

trimming of embankments, topsoiling and landscaping. All railway

installations are complete. The overhead catenaries are energised

and test running of trains, together with testing of the signalling

system along this section of the route, is ongoing.

PRETORIA STATION AND SATELLITE BUS DEPOTAt Pretoria Station, all works within the station are substantially

complete, including the platform tiling. All railway installations

are also complete and the overhead catenaries into the station

are energised. Test running of trains, together with testing of the

signalling system between Rosebank Station and Pretoria Station,

commenced in mid-January 2011 and is ongoing.

Externally, the car park and the bus terminal areas are well

advanced, as is construction of the perimeter palisade boundary

wall and the refurbishment of the heritage house, which will

accommodate the bus management offi ces. Construction of the

station ingress and egress routes is substantially complete, as

are the various municipal road upgrades and widenings adjacent

to the station.

Construction of the Pretoria satellite bus depot is ongoing. This

facility is located to the north of the CBD, in the vicinity of the

Pretoria Zoo. It is the base from where the fl eet of Gautrain feeder

and distribution buses that will serve the three stations in the

Tshwane area will operate. Maintenance work and major servicing

of the buses, however, will take place at the already operational

Gautrain Bus Depot, which is located adjacent to the Train Depot

and Operations Control Centre in Midrand. Construction of the

guardhouse, the offi ce building, the workshop and the utility

buildings is well advanced and the concrete hardstand areas are

substantially complete.

PRETORIA TO HATFIELD, INCLUDING VIADUCT 7 OVER NELSON MANDELA BOULEVARDViaduct 7 comprises a set of “Y-shaped” viaducts and fl yovers

that carry the Gautrain railway lines into Pretoria Station from

the south and then across Nelson Mandela Boulevard and the

adjacent Metrorail network towards Hatfi eld. Construction of all of

these structures is complete and the installation of trackwork and

associated railway infrastructure across the decks has also been

completed.

Between Pretoria Station and Hatfi eld Station, a number of

bridges crossing the existing Metrorail line have been either

widened or lengthened to accommodate the adjacent Gautrain

tracks. All of these bridges have already been completed and

reopened to traffi c, with minor fi nishing works ongoing. The

extensive lateral support works in cuttings, together with

the earthworks and construction of the retaining structures

necessary to widen the existing embankments, are complete,

as is construction of dividing walls between the Gautrain and

Metrorail lines. Erection of noise barriers and boundary fencing

are also approaching completion. Tracklaying operations and

the installation of associated railway infrastructure between

Laying of bricks for the pavement

at the Centurion Station parkade.

Installation of the net-shading inside the

parkade at Centurion Station.

The facade at Pretoria Station.

The Pretoria Station concourse.



Pretoria and Hatfi eld, which commenced during October 2010,

arewell advanced along the full length of this fi nal section of

the route.

HATFIELD STATIONAt Hatfi eld Station, works within the station building and the

parkade are substantially complete, apart from de-snagging and the

fi nalisation of M&E testing and commissioning activities. Platform

construction below the concourse slab is complete - including the

platform canopy structures and cladding at either end - and the

escalators between the concourse and the platform have been

installed. Preparations for the start of platform tiling are in progress

and this activity will follow once fi nal tamping of the railway tracks

through the station has been completed.

At the adjacent bus terminus area, the bus management building

is substantially complete, the bus canopies have been erected and

roof cladding to these structures will follow shortly. The Interlocking

block paving to the traffi c surfaces is substantially complete and

paving of pedestrian walkways is well advanced. Final fi nishings

and landscaping are the major activities remaining. Construction

of the new Grosvenor Street bridge is complete and works on the

bridge approach roads and surrounding municipal road upgrades

are well advanced. This bridge, however, will only be opened to

public traffi c when station operations commence.

B) OVERALL PROGRESSConstruction started at the end of September 2006. Gautrain will

be completed in two phases:

1. The fi rst phase was initially planned to be of a 45 months

contractual duration, but was completed three weeks ahead

of this, on 08 June 2010. It includes the network between the

OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton and includes the

stations at OR Tambo, Rhodesfi eld, Marlboro and Sandton,

together with the Depot and Operations Control Centre located

near Allandale Road in Midrand.

2. The second phase, being constructed concurrently, will be

completed during 2011. It includes the remainder of the

rail network and stations linking Sandton to Park Station in

Johannesburg and the route from Midrand to Hatfi eld.

Toll-free call centre: 0800-GAUTRAIN (0800-42887246). The call

centre is operational weekdays between 7am and 7pm with an

answering system after-hours. Communities are reminded that

regular Community Liaison Forums are held in affected areas.

The Hatfi eld Station facade.

View from parkade overlooking Hatfi eld Station and

the Metrorail lines.

Gautrain tracks (on left) between Pretoria Station and

Hatfi eld. Intermediate Metrorail Station on the right.

The Hatfi eld Station concourse.



Your track maintenance eqPhysical Address12 Laser Park Square34 Zeiss RoadLaser ParkHoneydewSouth Africa

Postal AddressPO Boxt 4431Honeydew2040South Africa

Tel: +27 11 794-2910Fax: +27 11 794-3560Email: [email protected]: www.yalejhb.co.za

quipment and machine specialist

JAPANESE QUAKE & TSUNAMI (1)Report by East Japan Railway Company on 14 March:

On Friday 11 March 2011, Japan suffered an extremely severe

earthquake (8.9 Richter), stronger than any other in Japan for as

long as records have been kept. The earthquake caused an

unbelievably large tsunami which brought destructionand especially

heavy casualties to the eastern part of northern Japan along the

coast of the Pacifi c Ocean. Our station facilities, railway tracks, and

rolling stock suffered enormous losses.

As far as we know at this point, none of our customers or employees

suffered casualties or serious injuries on our operating trains or at

our stations. At least three of our regional line trains were washed

off the track by the massive tsunami , but very fortunately, all the

customers and our employees that were on the trains and at the

stations in the devastated regions had successfully evacuated

to safety. Also, no derailment was caused on our operating

Shinkansen. However, we have not been able to confi rm whether

or not all of our employees who were not on duty that day and

the families of all employees survived this tragedy, and we are very

deeply concerned that there may be some who did not survive or

have suffered injuries.

Several electric generation plants (both nuclear energy plants

and thermal power plants) located in the eastern part of northern

Japan along the Pacifi c coast were heavily damaged, and since

then, there has been a serious shortage of electrical power supply

for train operations.

Because of this, even in our Tokyo metropolitan area (within the

100km range from Tokyo) , we had to cancel, suspend or reduce

a great amount of our train service, including Shinkansen trains.

By Monday morning 14 March we had checked our facilities and

trains in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and were generally ready to

resume normal service, starting with the fi rst scheduled morning

trains, except for the power shortage.

In the short term, there is no clear prospect as to when this

enormous shortage of electrical power supply will be over. One

fortunate aspect for us is that we have two electric generation

plants (a thermal power plant and a hydroelectric power plant) of

our own, and we hope that, by careful management of our overall

electrical power supply including purchased electricity, we will be

able to expand the number of trains that can be operated in the

Tokyo metropolitan area.

On the other hand, there is absolutely no way for us to predict when

we will be able to resume our train operation, both Shinkansen and

conventional lines (urban and regional trains) , in the regions along

the Pacifi c Ocean coast that suffered massive casualties from the

earthquake and the tsunami. In the western part of northern Japan

where the damage and casualties from the earthquake and the

tsunami were relatively limited, we have pretty much been able to

resume our train operation on both Shinkansen and conventional

lines, though a few sections are still closed.

JAPANESE QUAKE & TSUNAMI (2)General status quo report, 14 March:

JR East responded to the Japanese government’s request to cut

power consumption by reducing train frequency on the Joetsu and

Nagano Shinkansen, limiting train operations on some narrow-

gauge lines, and suspending services on other lines. However, the

power cuts were not as extensive as originally planned, and JR

East has been able to operate more trains than expected.

Nevertheless, only 20% of services were running on nine of its

busiest lines.

All lines of the Tokyo metro are operating but with a reduced service.

Other private railways are reducing train operations by section and

by time. As a result, trains are running in central Tokyo, but less

frequently than normal or not at all in suburban areas. JR Central

was forced to cancel some Tokaido Shinkansen services because

of the diffi culties faced by train crew reaching the depot in Tokyo.


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.

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Tokyo Electric Power Company estimates its generating capacity

has been cut by 25% due to damage to power stations. Power

cannot be transferred from the western Japanese grid because of

a difference in frequency. Western Japan is on 60Hz compared with

50Hz in the east of the country.

In Sendai, the city’s north-south metro line has partially reopened,

but some station exits are closed and lifts and escalators are not

functioning until they are inspected. JR East planned to reopen the

southern 158km section of the Tohoku Shinkansen on 15 March,

between Tokyo and Nasu-Shiobara.

There was some good news from western Japan on 12 March when

JR Kyushu opened the northern section of the Kyushu Shinkansen

between Hakata and Shin-Yatsushiro, where it connects with

the already-completed southern section to Kagoshima Chuo.

Passengers can transfer at Hakata to JR West’s Sanyo Shinkansen.

GLACIER PARK: 19 OFFOn 9 March, 19 out of 115 wagons in a Burlington Northern Sante

Fe freight bound for Pasco, Washington State, derailed near Essex,

about 72km east of Whitefi sh, close to Montana’s Glacier Park. The

33rd wagon left the line, followed by 18 others. The vehicles were

carrying lumber, paper, plastics and boat products.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder passenger trains were halted and buses

drafted in to convey travellers between Havre and Whitefi sh, past

the accident. The derailment was initially believed to be caused by

a snow slide.

46 DERAILMENTS ON BEIRA LINELack of maintenance on the Beira-Zimbabwe railway caused 46

derailments in just two months, according to a spokesperson for

Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique (CFM – the state railway &

harbours), cited in the Beira daily paper Diario de Moçambique.

CFM is unhappy with the Indian consortium Ricon, the majority

shareholder in the Beira Railroad company (CCFB). The

management of the entire Beira rail system – comprising both the

line to Zimbabwe and the Sena railway linking Beira to the Moatize

coal basin in Tete province - was awarded to Ricon in 2004, via

an international tender process. Prior to Ricon taking over, CFM

undertook some improvements on the line to Zimbabwe, which

resulted in the number of derailments dropping from 169 to 53

in 2004.

CCFB/Ricon, which was supposed to continue this work, hired

local companies to rehabilitate several stretches of track.

“Apparently this work was not done properly due to lack of

experience on the part of the companies hired plus poor

Containers after the tsunami – the domino effect.

inspection by CCFB”, the CFM source told Diario de Moçambique.

“As a result the railway has gone into rapid decline, to the point

where there are now derailments virtually every day”.

He said the state of the line is “deplorable” in some areas, with

sleepers missing, and even a shortage of screws to tighten the

rail fastenings. Added to this, the railway workers lack the basic

tools to align the tracks properly. Derailments occur on both on

main and secondary lines.

CFM chairman Rosario Mualeia wants the government to cancel

the CCFB/Ricon lease. Ricon failed to fi nish reconstruction of

the Sena line on time. But its inability to maintain the line to

Zimbabwe, which was functioning reasonably well in 2004,

suggests - Mualeia was quoted saying - that Ricon is unable to

handle even fairly simple tasks.

DERAILMENT: 32 WAGONSOn 21 February, 32 out of 108 wagons in a grain train hauled by

three locomotives derailed east of Williston, Montana. Nobody

was hurt but traffi c was disrupted. Amtrak passengers were

carried 640km between Minot, North Dakota and Havre, Montana,

by bus.

RAIL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNThe management of Caminhos de ferro de Luanda (CFL) is

intensifying a rail awareness campaign addressed to people living

along the line, and advising precautions to be taken while trains

are running. This follows a recent incident when three children

were involved in an accident with a suburban passenger train. Two

died and the third was admitted to intensive care in the Josina

Machel Hospital. CFL chief executive Osvaldo Lobo do Nascimento

told the Angolan News Agency Angop that what he termed the

“invasion” of railway property is out of police control, with fencing

vandalised to obtain access.

COLLISION NEAR SPRINGS (1)Shortly before 22:00 on 2 January, a driver and guard were

injured when their empty passenger train collided with a goods

train between Springs and Brakpan, according to spokeswoman

Lillian Mofokeng of Metrorail quoted by Sapa. Both men were

slightly injured. The line between Springs and Brakpan was still

closed the following day and passengers were being carried by

bus. The damage caused to the Metrorail train was said to amount

to R7 million.

COLLISION NEAR SPRINGS (2)On 14 January 2011, two Metrorail trains collided near Springs,

47km east of Johannesburg.

There were no fatalities, but 95

passengers were injured, seven

seriously. It is understood that

the automatic colour-light block

signalling was not functioning,

and that verbal authorisation to

the drivers was misunderstood.

TRUCK RAMS RAILROAD TRESTLEOn 3 March, a semi-articulated truck crashed into a railroad trestle

bridge in Greenwood, Johnson County, Indiana. Reportedly the

roof of the trailer was “peeled back” due to insuffi cient clearance.

The truck driver left the damaged trailer in the parking area of a

nearby school and drove away. No one was injured and traffi c was

not blocked, but the truck’s driver was traced and arrested, and

charges are pending.


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Catastrophic fl oods struck the Australian state of Queensland in December and January. On 31 December, Railways Africa correspondent Bruno Martin, who lives 35km east of the state capital Brisbane, reported: “The weather bureau predicted a wet Christmas – and Queensland faces the worst fl ooding crisis in its 150-year history.”

On 3 January, it was reported that only one of Queensland’s coal limes remained open following days of rain and fl ooding throughout the state. But as at 11 January it was still raining, with some three-quarters of the state a declared disaster area and many people dead or missing. Worse was to come, when Brisbane - inundated by unprecedented fl oods – was itself labelled a disaster zone. Then on 2 February, Cyclone Yasi arrived….

During all this time, the coal industry lost millions of dollars a day because of fl ooded mines and blocked railway lines. The accompanying photos (taken before the worst of the troubles), give some idea of the problems faced in restoring rail service. (Queensland Rail uses the same gauge as South Africa – 1,067mm).

Even before the fl oods proper started, heavy rains caused a serious

derailment at Yukan, on the Goonyella line linking the Bowen Basin

mining area to the coal terminal at Dalrymple Bay.

THE FLOODS IN QUEENSLANDP

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on which the victims were perched. A

relief train was rushed to the scene with

additional railway police but “at least” two

carriages were burned by then.

FREIGHTS SIDESWIPE: 15 WAGONS DERAILOne freight train that sideswiped another

along Puget Sound near Tacoma in

Washington state on 25 February resulted

in the derailing of 15 wagons. Four were

conveying sodium hydroxide. No injuries

were reported, but hazardous material

teams who attended sealed off a slight leak

in one vehicle.

ARGENTINA’S WORST IN 15 YEARSFour people died and 120 were injured

when a passenger train crashed into

another standing near the San Miguel

station, about 30km outside Buenos

Aires. Offi cials said 16 people remained in

hospital, adding that the number of victims

might rise during the clearing of debris.

According to planning minister Julio De

Vido, the “emergency brake from the fi rst

train was unusable”. Media reports said

the crash was the worst on Argentinian

railways in 15 years.

CZECH HEAD-ON COLLISIONA regional passenger service and a freight

train collided head-on at the station in the

Czech Republic town of Vodnany, killing

one passenger and injuring 20 others.

Twelve of the injured passengers had to

be hospitalised, while the others were

treated at the scene. Associated Press

quoted Czech Rail Inspection agency

spokesman Martin Drapal saying that initial

fi ndings suggest the driver of the passenger

train was to blame.

BOMB BLAST ON COLUMBIAN MINE RAILWAYThe 149km mine railway operated by

coal giant Cerrejon - Colombia’s largest

coal exporter - suffered its second bomb

attack of 2011 just before midnight on 23

February. No casualties were reported

and operations continued immediately

afterwards. The attack by unknowns was

the second in two months and the fi fteenth

against the Cerrejon railway since 1984.

On 19 January 2011, an explosion blew up

a section of line.

The latest explosion occurred at kilometre

57 on the railway which connects the mine

with the port of Bolivar. Colombia’s army

attributed previous attacks to the “FARC’s

59th Front”, which operates in the area.

Cerrejon produces 32 million tons of coal

annually, 90% being exported. The company

is jointly owned by Switzerland’s Xstrata

and British companies Anglo American

PLC and BHP Billiton PLC.

EAST LOUISVILLE DERAILMENTOn 13 January, an 85-wagon train behind

two locomotives derailed seven empty

car-carriers in East Louisville, Kentucky.

A CSX spokesman said six ended up on

their sides. Nobody was injured.

ARM TRAPPED IN TRAIN DOORThe Chicago metropolitan transit authority

Metra and the Burlington Northern Santa

Fe Railway are investigating an incident

where a woman’s arm was trapped by the

doors of a suburban train at a station in

La Grange, a south-western suburb. The

woman herself was still on the outside of

the coach, but another passenger was

able to activate an emergency switch as

the train began to move. The woman was

unhurt, WLS-TV Chicago reports. Metra

says it will look at whether the train crew

followed proper procedures.

[About 10 years ago, I saw a similar

incident at Observatory station in Cape

Town. A passenger ran to the train as it

started, grabbed and held onto the vertical

handrail, and was trapped by the closing

doors outside the coach (with a foot on a

ledge) until the next station (Salt River) was

reached. Attempts by myself and others to

activate the door mechanism failed. - Editor]

INDIAN ROOFRIDERS KILLEDAccording to the Times of India on 1

February 2011, at least 15 people were

killed and more than 50 seriously injured

when over a thousand people returning

from a recruitment rally of the Indo-Tibetan

Border Police (ITBP), who were sitting on

the roof of the Himgiri Express, were

crushed by a low overbridge. The incident

happened near Shahjahanpur, 130km

from Lucknow. Following the mishap, a

mob torched the carriage next to the one


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On 12 February, fl oodwater from Namibia’s Dabib River washed away the railway between Hardap en Salzbrunn, just north of Mariental , resulting in the derailment of a 17-wagon, Windhoek-bound train just before midnight. According to a statement issued by TransNamib, about 4km of track was damaged. One locomotive and two wagons carrying cement fell over. The driver reported he reduced speed to a crawl because of poor visibility during a storm. “The train was almost stationary when hit by a wall of water which caused the fi rst wagon to fall over.”

Four days previously, on 8 February, the main-line between Karasburg and Ariamsvlei was damaged by fl ash fl oods, stranding a 16-wagon freight train. Train operations to and from South Africa were suspended for almost a week. The Seeheim-Lüderitz line between Schackalskuppe siding and Ausnek was also washed away.

Flood damage

in Namibia.

FLOODS DERAIL TRANSNAMIB TRAIN

Flood damage

in Namibia.

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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Reefsteamers, GermistonA new restoration project under way

involves class 12R no 1947, a 90-year-old

Baldwin-built 4-8-2 that was Germiston’s

station pilot for many years. It carried the

names Rosie and Vicki at various times

and was plinthed later at Germiston shed.

The 12R locos were originally Hendrie’s 12

and 12B classes, rebuilt in the early thirties

with standard no 2 boilers.

The two GMAM Garratts stored for Ian

Welch of New Zealand are being relocated

to Friends of The Rail in Pretoria for further

caretaking (see below).

An Open Day was held by Reefsteamers at

Germiston on 29 January with Sandstone’s

class GMAM no 4079 operating the public

shuttles to Boksburg East and return. In

steam as well were class 12AR no 1535,

15F no 3046 and 25NC no 3472.

Friends of The Rail (FoTR), PretoriaIn December, a FoTR working had to be

terminated at Rayton, due to more theft

of sleepers on the branch to Cullinan. On

a second occasion, a bottleneck on the

main line resulted in a Friends’ steam run

ending at Greenview. The club suffered

a R65,000 loss when a Valentine’s Day

special was not able to get into section at

all from Hermanstad. After a two-hour wait,

the passengers had to be turned away.

Meanwhile, the three-year certifi cation of

the club’s class 24 2-8-4 no 3664 has been

completed.

FoTR is taking over the staging of New

Zealand preservationist Ian Welch’s two

GMAM Garratts at the Hermanstad site.

These 4-8-2 + 2-8-4s, no 4135 (North

British) and no 4148 (Henschel), ended

their working lives in South African

industrial use, since when they have sat

inactive at Germiston depot.

Rovos Rail, PretoriaDuring January, class 25NC 4-8-4 no 3442

re-entered service. Class 19D 4-8-2 no

3360 is receiving attention and should be

back in working order soon.

Sanrasm, KrugersdorpDuring a visit in mid-December,

Reefsteamers took away a load of

fi rebricks which had been stored in the

fi rebox of a Garratt staged near the old

workshops, together with other surplus

items. Eskom sent a big crane and a couple

of low-beds to collect the loaned Kitson

4-6-0T and Hunslet 2-6-0T locomotives, for

restoration and repainting at Rosherville.

Similar attention is to be given to the

Barclay 2-4-0T La Moye, Henschel 2-6-2T,

Avonside 4-8-2T and the Umgeni 0-4-0

fi reless, all of which are to be collected

in due course. Eskom also removed three

hoppers, some wagons, small pumps and

valves as well as their wooden patterns

which had been stored above the swaging

machine.

Friends of the Rail, too, visited Randfontein

- to collect tubes, super-heater elements,

a drop-pit jack and a big pile of fi rebricks,

as well as fl ue tubes sent to Sanrasm for

swaging (a long time ago).

The dump has been broken up at North

Site. Locos here that Sanrasm will be

endeavouring to retain are the small

Davenport (0-6-0DM) and Ruston &

Hornsby (4wDM) diesel shunters, an

English Electric 0-6-0DE shunter and the

Grafton steam crane. Inspection revealed

that virtually all are missing essential

components that need to be replaced

before they can be hauled out. Sourcing

these components and fi tting them is

going to take time. In the meanwhile,

security has been stepped up, to try to

prevent entry by thieves. Some locos

will have to be taken out by road, either

because of age and fragility, or the

condition of wheels, but hopefully most

will be able to leave by rail.

Atlantic Rail, Cape TownOperations by Atlantic Rail in Cape Town

have been well supported. Class 24 2-8-4

no 3655 worked a number of trains to Fish

Hoek in December and January, and two

in February, the second going on to

Simon’s Town following reopening of the

line along the False Bay coast. Over the

Christmas week-end, the rolling stock

suffered minor vandalism damage. The

engine’s petticoat was replaced in late

January.

Atlantic Rail’s running programme to the

end of April can be found at:

http://www.atlanticrail.co.za

Phone: 021 556 1012

E-mail: [email protected]

Umgeni Steam Railway, KwaZulu NatalUmgeni Steam Railway has been looking

after Dübs A tank no 133 – property of

the North British Locomotive Preservation

Group - at Mason’s Mill. It had been

planned that the loco would leave South

Africa in November 2010, but the vessel

supposed to carry it to England was

deemed unsuitable. A further potential

shipping opportunity - out of Richards Bay

in mid-January - was lost owing to time

constraints.

Umgeni’s class 3BR no 1486 is now using

the tender from class 19D no 2737.

By John BatwellBy John Batwell

Preservation is A Preservation is A Vital Part of The Picture Vital Part of The Picture

Class 12R no 1947 is Reefsteamers’ next restoration

project. Photo: N Newport.

Class 24 2-8-4 no 3655 heads the Atlantic Rail

excursion at Simon’s Town on 27 February.

Photo: Peter Rogers.

Friends of The Rail’s North British-built class 24 2-8-4

no 3664 has been returned to service.

Photo: K R Wilson-Smith.

RAILWAY HERITAGE


Specialists in products and services for rail cargo as well as ISO container refurbishing and wagon cleaning,

including a diverse range of products and services like the supply of newly manufactured, repaired and washed

tarpaulins and accessories.

AUXILIARY BUSINESS


GM

52

0_

TR

E P

ress

lin

k

on going for as long as

they have the strength.

And strength they do have!

Standing and twisting the

brake handle [on the wagons

and coaches, descending

steep grades] is a good way

to develop muscles. These

men have experienced

many eras on the railway

under both Italian and

British rule. It is fascinating

to experience their language

skills. These real characters

speak both Italian and

English very well and appear

to delight in speaking with

visiting admirers of their

railway.”

Though Eritrea is no world leader – nor African leader for that

matter – in the fi eld of railways, it has had more coverage

(certainly more photographs) in Railways Africa than many others.

This is largely thanks to Richard Grönstedt, whose name is a

household word in our monthly list of contributors.

Last year, he published a very beautiful book: Pride of Eritrea,

a collection of his outstanding photos of an unusual country,

certainly by present-day world – or African - standards. Railways

Africa readers have had many previews of Richard’s work in our

pages though these come nowhere near the quality of images in

the book.

Why Eritrea, a small country tucked away up in the north-east of

the continent and well off most beaten tracks? Richard explains:

“I trace some of my roots back to Eritrea. My maternal grandfather,

Richard Sundström, born in 1869, was a minister of religion.” He

studied tropical diseases in the United Kingdom, qualifying as

a physician. Then, as a missionary with the Swedish Evangelical

National Missionary Society, he went out to Gheleb, Eritrea, in

1898. In 1915 he was sent to establish a new missionary station

in Cheren, but died of cancer in 1919 and was buried there.

“When I visited Eritrea in 2008,” Grönstedt writes, “I had two

tasks: fi rst, to fi nd my grandfather’s grave and the missionary

station in Cheren; and second, to study the reconstruction of

the country’s railway, totally destroyed by Ethiopia during the

war of liberation. As a result, I had to take a taxi journey for

several hours from Asmara to Cheren. Like other Eritrean cities,

Cheren was extremely well organised with a wonderful mix of old

and new.

“I have visited some twenty countries in Africa over many years.

Of all these, Eritrea was the one where I felt completely safe

during my entire stay, whatever the time of day or night. Unlike in

other African countries, here order rules. Passengers get on the

buses on the back platform, not through non-existent windows.”

The Eritrean railway once went all the way from the Red Sea

port of Massawa to Agordat - 281km. World War II put a stop to

further progress towards the Sudan border and 31km of track

already laid beyond were taken up in 1942. British forces

displaced the Italians and after the war a misguided United

Nations handed Eritrea to Ethiopia. A protracted war of liberation

ensued, during which the railway was literally ripped up. After

hostilities fi nally ended in 1991, work began on reviving the 118km

Massawa- Asmara section. Former employees, though most were

now elderly, were re-employed. Work stopped in 1998 during

more trouble with Ethiopia, but eventually resumed, with the line

reopening to traffi c in 2002.

“These old workers,” Grönstedt observes, “who might have

devoted fi fty years of their life to the tracks, are allowed to keep

PRIDE of ERITREAISBN. 978-91-86275-54-9

Richard GrönstedtPO Box 72, A-130-37 Stavnas, Stockholm, [email protected]

“ The Eritrean railway once went all the way from the Red Sea port of Massawa to Agordat - 506km”

Ansaldo-built 0-4-4-0 Mallet, dating from the thirties, heads a charter train

Water supply for the steam

locos is a big problem,

solved by ingenious means.


REVIEW

There are no scheduled passenger services on the Eritrean railway,

but enthusiast visitors are able to charter a diesel railcar or a

steam-hauled train. Many make the long journey from Europe or

America to do just that. Nowhere else in the world can one hire

a complete train, double-headed with antiquated Mallet steam

locomotives, and ride the footplate on a 2,300 metre climb up

gradients as steep as 1:28, over 500 bridges and stone-built

viaducts, through 30 tunnels, and clinging to cliff edges through

stunning scenery.

The 950mm-gauge Ansaldo-built 0-4-4-0 tank locos date from the

Italian occupation in the thirties. The Litterina railcars (one running,

one used for spares) are not much younger.

Agordat

10050

kms

Keren

Baresa

ASSMARAEritrea Railway

MASSAWA

RED SEA

N

Many employees started working on the Eritrean railway before the

protracted war of liberation from Ethiopia. This Littorina diesel railcar

driver is 85.

REVIEW

PPP’S – THOUGHTS FROM BRITAINDear editor

I received an email this morning [25 February] about the April

Railways and Harbours conference in Johannesburg and the fact

that the programme will include a presentation on the latest

thoughts about public-private partnerships.

When the awful Blair/Brown bunch came to power [in the UK],

they started pouring our money down the drain with relish and

when we needed our reserves with the banking fi asco (as much

Mr Brown’s fault as anyone else’s) we found the cupboard bare.

One of the other great ideas that gentleman had was to trumpet

public-private initiatives as the way forward to getting things done

in the public sector, which set off a spree of hospital building

programmes and refurbishing every school in the land.

The fact is that this idea was Brown’s wheeze to keep such

spending off the UK balance sheet so that he could claim he was

a brilliant chancellor and hide massive, unaffordable spending.

Combined with the incompetence of Brown and his cronies was

the inability of his civil servants to draw up proper contracts.

The result is that buildings that could have cost the taxpayer £3

billion, for instance, will now cost some £30 billion and the people

who are enjoying this largesse are the contractors. Nowadays it

appears that if one of these places needs to replace a light bulb,

the original contractor has to be called back to do the work. What

should cost a few pounds now costs a few hundred!

Sheer brilliance. Whoever speaks at your conference, it would be

interesting to learn whether Mr Brown’s enthusiasm for the idea of

providing the public with value for money (don’t forget, he was Mr

Prudence) is shared by others.

– David Buirski (by e-mail from the south of England)

[When politicians anywhere stumble over what they perceive as a

magic cure-all, they tend to run with it. By the time the costly chickens

come home to hatch, the perpetrators will have moved on, and it is

too late to do anything about it. – Editor]

THE NEW CLASS 15EDear editor,

I have doubts about the total quantity of new class 15Es now on

order, as reported in the press. I understood that the very fi rst order

for 32 units was augmented by another 12 and UCW/Mitsui were

expecting a further 18. I think that the “new” order for 32 actually

comprises the old second order for 12, and then the last 18 has

now become 20, giving 32 in all. The total number of units will thus

be 32+32 = 64, as I see it, and not 76. At about R50 million a shot,

somebody had better have their fi gures correct

– Jean Dulez, Johannesburg

POSTSCRIPTTRACK MAINTENANCELeon Zaayman’s article on page 12 is the fi rst in a series on

mechanised track maintenance. The reader is introduced to the

multiple aspects of the subject, an activity without which there

would be no rail traffi c at all. In this month’s article, the signifi cance

is explained on an essentially theoretical basis. Subsequent

articles will describe the role of each of the mechanised track

maintenance machines used on the South African rail network, to

ensure that the track is reliable, available, affordable and safe.

The next in this series, to appear in the April issue of Railways

Africa, will deal with the topic where all maintenance starts - track

condition monitoring and analysis. Unless the condition of the

track is known, effective maintenance budgeting, planning and

execution would not be possible.

FOLLOW US AT@railwaysafrica

END OF THE LINE


CORRESP NDENCEWHAT’S IN A NAME?Railways are named after countries -A tradition they taught us in school;

yy

Like Nigerian Rail Corporation.y

Throughout Africa, this is the rule.g

The French-speaking lands have examplesSuch as Chemin de fer du Mali.

p g

Namibia coined its own version:TransNamib is neat, you’ll agree.

In the nineties, South African RailwaysBroke ranks and stepped way out of line.

y

The network was rechristened Spoornetyy

(You see, “nets” were the rage at the time).

Though rules are made to be broken,In this case results were obscure.Of home ground no inkling was given.

It could have been Spain - or Darfur.

The world in due course got the message,Though it took umpteen years to sink in -

g g

That Spoornet (South African Railways)g yg y

Were one and the same, kith and kin.p yp

What gives, you may ask – now - with Transnet (FR):A new, unremarkable con?

yy

Nobody, nowhere, will know what it is -We’re all the way back to square one.

yy

railways africa march 2011

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