railways africa september and october 2012
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ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT
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1 – 3 OCTOBER 2013 | TSHWANE EVENTS CENTRE | HALL J
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Don’t miss the biggest Rail and Harbours Event on the African Continent from
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Floorplan NOW OPEN! Call for Speakers
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contact Barbara Sheat
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RAILWAYS AFRICA / FOREWORD
Foreword
The copyright on all material in this magazine is expressly reserved and vested in Rail Link Communications cc, unless otherwise stated. No material may be reproduced in any form, in part or in whole, without the permission of the publishers. Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers of Rail Link Communications cc unless otherwise stated. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, neither the Editor, Publisher or Contributor can be held liable for any inaccuracies or damages that may arise.
3Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
BARBARA SHEATPublisher / Railways Africa
PUBLISHERBarbara Sheat
EDITOR Rollo Dickson
DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto
WEBSITEShaun Loureiro
ADVERTISINGKim Bevan
SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan
CONTRIBUTORSAndre Kritzinger
Anton van Schalkwyk
Bruno Martin
Charles Baker
Chris Visser
Eugene Armer
Geoff Cooke
Jacque Wepener
John Batwell
Paul Kilfoil
ISSN 1029 - 2756
Rail Link Communications ccPO Box 4794 Randburg 2125
Tel: +27 72 340 5621
E-mail: [email protected]
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Website: www.railwaysafrica.com
ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT
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WWW.RAILWAYSAFRICA.COM
It’s great being a printed magazine once more - back literally by popular demand. There’s
been no change in our comprehensive website however: complete issues remain accessible
on www.railwaysafrica.com.
We did publish monthly for a short period in the recent past, but this proved impractical for
several reasons. We’ve gone back to six issues annually, an arrangement that worked well
over many decades.
We don’t pretend that news-every-other-month is going to be right up to date; it can’t be,
obviously. We make up for this on our website, where the latest railway news on the continent
is instantly readable on the homepage – no need for fi ddling around with links or clicking on
subject headings (though there is plenty more if you do want to look). A selection of excerpted
items goes out automatically every Wednesday in our widely-read “News Xpress”, direct-into-
your-inbox service, which can be ordered free of charge at www.railwaysafrica.com.
The News Xpress comprises news items selected from those appearing on the current webpage
- which can be called up itself, of course, for a more complete read. If, for any reason, the
News Xpress doesn’t make it onto your own screen (even e-mail gets derailed occasionally),
remember the news will always be there on www.railwaysafrica.com.
The weekly webpage news reports are all fully archived under individual country headings.
You can fi nd everything we’ve published on railways in Tanzania (for instance) in recent years.
Our weekly roundup of railway mishaps across the world is surprisingly well received. We
like to think that, by bringing you accounts of mistakes made elsewhere, it may just help to
prevent similar errors being made closer to home.
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ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT
ContentsContents
NEWCLARE Innovative Newclare Rail Underpass 6
PRASA PRASA to be Self-Sustaining By 2017: Montana 8
Features 6
15
4 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
Photo: Shaun Loureiro,Railways Africa.
Concessions in Southern Africa 12
Service Resumes on CFM 13
Rolling Stock Shortage 14
Zambia to Revive Line to SA 15
Africa Update
20China to Supply Locos to South Africa 16
Retired QR Locos Arrive in Durban 18
Transport By Road Costs SA Billions 20
Metrorail Better in 30 Ways 22
Bombela Wage Agreement 24
SA Rail News
Collision With Truck at Auto-Barrier Crossing 26
More Bomb Threats in Cape Town 27
Metrorail Safety Campaign 28
Apple Express Loses Thousands Through Theft 29
Lightning Knocks Out Commuter Trains 30
Mishaps & Blunders
Sandstone Heritage Trust 32
Zimbabwe Steam Tour, 2013 32
Bamangwato Concessions, Selebi-Phikwe 33
Railway Heritage
Garratts & Kalaharis of The Welsh Highland Railway 34
Book Review
22
26
33
5Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
Throughout this 18-month project, the Newclare to Westbury rail
traffi c remained operational at all times and it is one of very few
structures of this size to be jacked into an operational railway line
embankment without interruption to the railway traffi c.
The BRT route identifi ed through Coronationville and Newclare
absorbs some of the roadway capacity in this busy area and
necessitated additional rail crossing points. The new road-under-
rail crossing links Price and Hoy Streets which run parallel to the
railway at Newclare station, effectively easing future traffi c fl ows
in this area.
The project involved the construction of two reinforced concrete
structures, one on either side of the railway embankment. The
two structures were jacked through the embankment until they
overlapped on the centre line of the railway to form the underpass
structure. The 52.5 metre long underpass is 12 metres wide,
allowing for two road lanes of 3.7 metres each and two sidewalks
of 2.3 metres each. The structures, constructed in two halves,
measured 28 metres long and 24.5 metres long.
The project team comprised consulting and review engineers Vela-
VKE with structural design provided by Concor Civils and lateral
support design by Jones & Wagener. Esorfranki Geotechnical
constructed the lateral support and conducted the jacking, with
Concor Civils undertaking the concrete construction. AfriSam
supplied all the concrete for the project and provided technical
advice for the more diffi cult concreting operations — input that
made a valuable contribution to the project achieving compliance.
The project presented several taxing technical challenges that
required close co-operation between all parties. For example,
the construction team had expected the embankment to contain
mine sand from historic mining operations in the area. In reality,
the embankment material was found to be well compacted fi ll with
high clay content and a greater volume than expected of very hard
quartzite bedrock which required drilling and blasting.
During the 18 month contract period, 30 local labourers were
employed and trained in basic construction activities. Small to
medium enterprises were employed for managing the traffi c on the
roads adjacent to the site, as well as the paving of the sidewalks
and implementing traffi c calming measures such as speed humps,
to boost road safety in the adjacent communities.
Special training was conducted to uphold safety among those
workers required to work in close proximity to the existing railway.
Railway fl agmen and scaffolding erectors were also trained.
Aerial view of project. Hoy Street is the near
side and Price Street the far side.
6 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
NEWCLARE
Concor Civils, a Murray & Roberts Construction company, has harnessed several conventional construction technologies in a unique combination to execute a highly successful “design and construct” rail underpass project in Newclare, Johannesburg, as part of the Johannesburg Development Agency’s Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
INNOVATIVE NEWCLARE RAIL UNDERPASS
The health and safety standards applicable to all Murray &
Roberts Construction Group projects applied throughout. Those
working close to the live railway line were given special training
to ensure knowledge of the specifi c and invisible hazards and all
sub-contractors were inducted into Murray & Roberts Construction
safety standards. This required the workers not only to conform
to the high level safety requirements, but also to produce risk
assessments and method statements for all activities.
The numerous risks associated with this project were successfully
mitigated by careful planning and implementation.
Safety and EnvironmentSince this project was constructed in a densely populated urban
environment, due care and attention had to be paid to construction
noise levels. Compressors were specially silenced, while noise and
vibration from blasting was managed by using small-charge-delayed
blasting.
The material excavated from the underpass was placed to reinforce
the toe of the adjacent railway embankment, eliminating the need
to haul this material across congested roads in the vicinity of the
project. This was seen as a safety consideration, since members
of the local community use the streets for recreational activities.
The Hoy Street side during jacking. A closer look at the structure during the jacking operation.
The completed underpass.
7Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
NEWCLARE
To achieve this goal, PRASA would have to deliver:
1. Short term, visible improvement in the quality of train services
2. Modern trains, signalling, stations and operating systems
3. Financial sustainability through increased revenue from assets
and the property portfolio
Recapitalisation of commuter rail in SA will require an investment
over the next 20 years of approximately R136 billion (in today’s
money) in rolling stock, signalling, stations and other rail
infrastructure, if it is to meet the nation’s requirements over the
next 40 to 50 years. Funding of R25.9 billion is already committed
for spending over the next two years. Although more than 40% of
this is required to maintain existing rolling stock, over R13.5 billion
is being spent on infrastructure modernisation, and preparing the
system for compatibility with new generation rolling stock.
The forum comprises the agency’s most Senior Managers and
Montana used the opportunity to enlighten them on PRASA’s current
status and plans for the future. His intention was to encourage and
motivate them to “play as one team”, in achieving the goals set.
The theme for the 2012 forum was “Leading with purpose”. Montana
said his team should aspire to be more than just managers. They
should aim to be leaders; leaders who pay attention to detail, are
able to operate in ever-changing environments, make diffi cult
(including unpopular) decisions and be responsive to customers’
expectations and needs. The current leadership, he said, should be
remembered as the generation that took passenger rail services in
South Africa to new heights; a modern system that by 2014 would
deliver high quality service on a sustainable basis.
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
(PRASA) Lucky Montana gave the
opening address at the agency’s “Top 300
Leadership Forum” on 4 September 2012.
He provided an overview of progress
made, challenges facing the organisation
and strategic direction for PRASA
to become a modern, self-sustaining
business by 2017.
PRASA TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING BY 2017: MONTANA Chris Visser Reports
Lucky Montana
www.railwaysafrica.com8 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012
PRASA
existing system running. At the same time, intensive work on the
modernisation programme includes the remodelling of urban rail
corridors in three metropolitan areas - Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and
the Western Cape, where there is the highest demand for commuter
mobility.
Key renewal programmes such as resignalling and the introduction
of new rolling stock go hand-in-hand with the corridor modernisation
programme and capacity enhancement projects such as Bridge
AchievementsMontana listed noteworthy achievements by PRASA over the past
few years, the most signifi cant being:
• The sixth unqualifi ed audit report for the group
• Asset value increased by 20%
• Detailed feasibility study completed for the commuter fl eet
• Countrywide signalling upgrade programme begun
• Delivery of 510 new coaches (against a target of 450) under the
accelerated rolling stock programme
• Passenger journeys by rail increased to 523 million
• Passenger journeys by Autopax buses increased by 25% to 4.5
million
• Speed-gate project for station access control begun
• Eerste Fabrieke to Greenview track doubling project well
advanced
• Third phase of the Bridge City development implemented
• National station precinct development programme for 25
stations implemented
• Fatality Rate for 2011 reduced by 16.1%
A number of major challenges remain before the goal of a modern,
well-run, self-sustainable business can be attained by 2017.
The most signifi cant issues faced are:
• An aged rail infrastructure and obsolete technology
• Very high maintenance and operating costs
• A liquidity (cash position) challenge
• Rail passenger journeys that are still below target
• A property portfolio that is not delivering value
• Major problems with fraud & corruption
• Lack of funding for main-line passenger services (Shosholoza
Meyl)
• Encroachment of informal settlements on the rail reserve
The Government has committed to increase investment in the
passenger rail business since 2009 and PRASA commenced with
its upgrade programme in preparing for the 2010 FIFA World
Cup. Currently everything possible is being done to keep the
The most scenic section served by Metrorail commuter trains is that from
Muizenburg to Simon’s Town (south of Cape Town) where the track runs on a shelf
between mountain and sea. Paul Kilfoil took this recent photo near Glencairn.
PRASA is also home to Shosholoza Meyl, the intercity passenger service,
with its own dedicated fl eet of locomotives painted in purple livery.
Equipped with microprocessor control systems, the 10M3, 10M4 and 10M5
sets have new bodies mounted on refurbished chassis and bogies. Rebuilding
extends the lifespan but cannot continue indefi nitely, and the basic technology
is obsolete. Photo: Malcolm Bates.
9Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
PRASA
City and Greenview (see below). Work on infrastructure will create
up to 7,000 direct construction and downstream industry jobs over
the next three years.
Capacity Enhancement Projects 1. Bridge City north of Durban on a site of approximately 60
hectares comprises high density mixed-use development
and equates to about 700,000m2 building area. It includes a
regional hospital, residential zones, magistrate’s court, retail
outlets and other commercial facilities. Construction of a new
rail line at a cost of some R700 million is 65% complete.
2. The Greenview doubling and stations project (east of Tshwane)
involves the construction of one new station, two station
conversion/upgrades, a road-over-rail bridge and double-
tracking 4.5km of line, for completion by July 2013.
3. More than R1 billion is to be spent on over 50 stations, installing
access/ticketing control gates, electronic display boards and
customer assistance points, CCTV cameras and public address
systems; also on security measures, fencing etc.
4. More than R400 million will be spent over the next three years
on the rehabilitation of track, foundations, station platforms,
electrifi cation and footbridges. The elimination of some high-
risk level crossings is included in the programme.
5. The rolling stock renewal programme, the catalyst for
transformation of Metrorail – indeed public transport as a
whole - is expected to create approximately 66,000 new direct
and indirect jobs during implementation.
It has been designed to deliver a number of key government
objectives such as the delivery of quality public transport, the
revitalising of South Africa’s rail engineering industry through local
manufacturing, employment creation and the advancement of
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE).
Altogether 5,256 new passenger coaches are to be constructed up
until 2020. A further 456 are planned for the period to 2030. An
additional 1,512 vehicles are envisaged to meet demand on new
route extensions.
The Request for Proposals (RFP) in April 2012 was for the procuring
of 3,600 coaches over the next 10 years with a minimum of 65%
local content and built in a South African factory to be operational
by July 2016. A minimum of 30% BBBEE was specifi ed. Transnet Rail
Engineering (TRE) will provide the successful tenderer with a site
for the manufacturing facility and may function as a sub-contractor.
6. Of the 162 signalling stations across the PRASA network,
139 (67%) have exceeded their design life. Non-availability of
spares makes it increasingly more diffi cult to perform proper
maintenance.
PRASA plans to replace all existing mechanical and electro-
mechanical equipment with electronic interlocking and will spend
R2.4 billion over the next three years on this key priority.
7. An amount of R3.4 billion is planned for the purchase and
maintenance of 88 new locomotives for main-line passenger
services.
One of Metrorail’s fl agship
“Business Express” sets.
10 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
PRASA
8. In planning for future growth and expansion of the rail commuter
network, a number of feasibility studies are being carried out,
notably in respect of marginalised communities and areas that
have developed away from existing lines. These include:
• A 7.5 km branch to serve the Motherwell community north of
Port Elizabeth, as well as the nearby Ngqura harbour and Coega
Industrial development.
• A phased 5 to 15km line extension beyond Nasrec to the
Greater Soweto and Lenasia areas.
• A phased 5 to 18km extension into Chris Hani, Etwatwa and the
Greater Daveyton development areas.
• The reintroduction of commuter service on the existing line to
Hammanskraal.
• A new 120km line linking regional residential and activity areas
along the north-eastern Moloto Corridor to Pretoria.
• A new 4.5km branch off the existing rail network to serve Cape
Town International Airport and provide a link to the city centre.
• A new line from King Shaka International Airport to connect
with the existing rail network north of Durban.
Property PortfolioMontana referred briefl y to the challenges facing PRASA in managing
its property portfolio. To unlock the value of this, a comprehensive
strategy has been developed with four critical elements:
1. R1 billion is needed to buy back high-yielding development
leases.
2. Disposal of residential properties, buildings and land not
required for future rail or transport needs.
3. A national station precinct improvement plan embracing
agreements with developers over the long-term and increasing
the property portfolio.
4. Commercialisation of space at stations.
PRASA’s Bus Subsidiary AutopaxAlmost 200 brand new buses, bought specifi cally for the FIFA World
Cup in 2010, are standing idle, creating a very negative fi nancial
impact on PRASA. Montana plans to restructure the Autopax debt
over the next three months to remove the burden and improve on
the cash position.
High on the list: upgrading infrastructure and generating revenue through
commercial development around stations.
Metrorail is concentrating currently on keeping the existing trains running.
Most of the fl eet comprises 5M2A sets; many coaches are three and four
decades old. The technology dates back more than 50 years and spares are
a problem. Photo: Andre Kritzinger.
Metrorail commuter services at Port Elizabeth, East London and
Malmesbury (near Cape Town) depend on diesel traction.
Photo: Eugene Armer.
11Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
PRASA
ANGOLAINAUGURAL CFM TRAIN TO MENONGUEThe fi rst train in commercial service on Caminhos de ferro de
Moçamedes (CFM) in more than twenty years left the Angolan
Atlantic port of Namibe at 06:00 on 21 September 2012, bound
for Lubango (248km) and then the eastern terminus Menongue
(756km) in the eastern Kuando-Kubango province. A large party
of offi cials was on board, including CEO Daniel Quipaxe who told
the Angola news agency he foresees the railway carrying a million
passengers during the coming 12 months. The line is expected to
be especially useful in transporting agricultural produce.
ANGOLA’S LINK WITH ZAMBIA
According to Angolan National Railway Institute Director Julio
Bango Joaquim, construction of the rail link between Angola and
ZenzaLuanda
Dondo
Malanje
LobitoBenguela
Camacupa
Caaia KuitoHuamboCubal
Luena
Namibe
LubangoDongo Menongue
Chiange
Oshikango
Ondangwa
Tsumeb
Chamutete
Luau Dilolo
DRC
ATLANTIC
ZAMBIA
BOTSWANA
ANGOLA
NAMIBIA
Km300
CONCESSIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICAREPORT SLAMS RAIL CONCESSIONS’ PERFORMANCEAccording to a technical report prepared in 2009 for the Southern
African Development Community (SADC), railway concessions
in the region have generally been characterised by “declining
performance”. The consequences it says are a deteriorating state
of infrastructure as well as “massive retrenchments” and reduced
business cooperation amongst railways in certain areas.
The report evaluated each of the railways that had been
concessioned in the region to determine whether operational and
fi nancial performance had improved since concessioning. Reasons
for failure to achieve expectations were examined.
Several factors were found to be common among those
concessions whose performance was poorest. One of these
was failure by the participating governments to enact enabling
legislation and create a railway regulator prior to concessioning.
This was found to be the case in Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.
“To a lesser extent the same was true in Zimbabwe,” the report
said, “but that concession is unique in its concession process. In the
absence of enabling legislation and regulator, several concessions
depended upon contract language to govern concession
obligations. In most cases the contract language did not anticipate
every circumstance and eventuality that might arise.”
Former Zambian Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande says he
agrees with the SADC report and applauds the government’s
recent decision to rescind the Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ)
concession.
He was quoted by The Times of Zambia saying: “Being at the
centre of Zambia’s development, I realised that a weak railway
system would frustrate the country’s development. Through SADC
ministers’ meetings and in my earlier life I had become aware that
other regional countries had cancelled railway concessions for
non-performance.”
The state subsidies to railways had been eliminated, but “as a
result of the reduced capacity of such railways, some traditional rail
traffi c has since moved on to the road, causing immense damage
to road pavements.”
Reconstruction by Chinese contractors is proceeding apace on the CFB
Benguela line. These photos from Anton van Schalkwyk were taken at Luau,
20km from the DRC border, during October 2012.
12 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATEAFRICA UPDATE
AFRICA UPDATE
saying inter alia: “This [the standard gauge scheme] is a game
changer project. How else under the sun shall Kenya harness and
commercialise the plenty we have found within our borders (oil,
gas and coal) in recent days without a functional railway managed
by committed institutions?” Of the harbour tour he said: “We
witnessed fi rsthand, that at long last, chronic port congestion and
ineffi ciencies are being tackled - bravely by Kenya Ports (KPA) and
timidly by Rift Valley Railways (RVR)… We can confi rm that delays
in cargo offtake and high cost of cargo transportation are the result
of dismal failure in improving railway infrastructure in tandem with
port infrastructure.
“Citadel Capital and Transcentury, the major shareholders in RVR
must simply know that they have failed the land and country in
outstanding fashion.”
[Igathe’s very one-sided diatribe echoes successive assertions by
Kenyan authorities that virtually every delay and shortcoming in the
harbour is the fault of the trains. Against many odds, obstacles and
other problems, RVR is battling to revive a once outstanding railway
that, through government’s consistent mismanagement and failure to
maintain, was effectively run into the ground. – Editor: Railways Africa.]
KENYA REVIVES AIRPORT LINE TENDERKenya Railway Corporation (KRC) has revived an international
tender for a design-and-build turnkey project in Nairobi. A new 7km
line is to run from Embakasi to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
(JKIA) and the project includes the building of a terminal station.
The scheme was suspended earlier when Kenya put a planned
$US200 million infrastructure bond on hold.
The plans were revived when the World Bank approved a $431m
loan for Kenya’s National Urban Transport Improvement Project,
which includes urban commuter rail systems. KRC is to receive
$11.93m from the loan for the carrying out of feasibility studies
and detailed designs for the construction of commuter rail systems
in Nairobi and selected towns. This will be in addition to $23m
allocated previously by the government specifi cally for the technical
design and development of the railway.
KRC Managing Director Nduva Muli says work to be put in hand
includes detailed engineering, architectural and environment impact
studies, as well as designs for the proposed line and terminal. The
contractor, he explains, will be responsible for constructing the track
bed, structures, bridges, stations, communication, signalling, train
control, ticketing and security surveillance systems. Maintenance
of the completed project for 12 months is also required. Bids for the
two-year project were required by 30 October.
NIGERIACHINESE LOAN FOR LIGHT RAIL IN ABUJAChina is to assist Abuja, capital of Nigeria, with loans to fi nance a
new light rail system. Repayment will not be required until the initial
seven years have elapsed. Thereafter interest at a modest 2.5% per
annum will apply over 20 years.
[According to an Associated Press report, “other [Chinese-funded
Nigerian] projects haven’t fared as well. In 2006, then-President
Olusegun Obasanjo signed an $8 billion deal with the Chinese to repair
his nation’s railroads, with no visible effect.” In fact, this particular
project was halted by the Nigerian government due to funding
problems, but has been revived recently. – Editor Railways Africa.]
Zambia - by way of Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB) into the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - is due to be completed
“soon”. This is a priority, he says, to boost development between the
two countries. Joaquim foresees combining Angola’s three separate
railways together with the connection to the DRC as ultimately
forming “a regional rail grid.” The Angolan transport ministry,
he adds, aims for electric trains eventually, but this depends on
improving the quality of electricity generation in the country.
SERVICE RESUMES ON CFMOn 2 October, passenger train service to Lubango and Menongue
resumed on Caminhos de ferro de Moçamedes (CFM) following the
collision between two trains on 29 September. The line had been
reopened only eight days previously, after a 20-year break due to
complete destruction during the lengthy civil war. According to
CFM chairman Daniel Quipaxe, there was no derailment and
minimal damage in the accident.
ETHIOPIAADDIS ABABA LIGHT RAILThe Ethiopian government is to contribute 15% of the $US400
million needed to fund the new 34.25km electric light rail system
in Addis Ababa, with the rest coming from China. There are to be
two lines: one 16.9km in length running north-south and the other
17.35km east-west. A 2.7km central portion will be common to
both lines.
The Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC) and the Addis Ababa City
Roads Authority (AACRA) are in disagreement over how the tracks
are to fi t in with existing main roads, intersections and roundabouts.
A number of high-level meetings have taken place in an attempt
to fi nd compromise solutions.
KENYA
CHINA TO BUILD 1.435MM GAUGE LINEAccording to Kenya Association of Manufacturers chairman
Polycarp Igathe, “It is therefore music to the ears to learn that
China Roads and Bridges has signed a commercial contract with
the Kenya Railways Corporation for commencement of the standard
gauge rail from Mombasa to Malaba and perhaps into Kampala.”
The statement followed a tour of the harbour at Mombasa on 19
September during which Igathe was told that Rift Valley Railways
only manages to move 4% of freight traffi c leaving the docks for
inland. He was quoted criticising RVR’s performance at length,
NAIROBI
Voi
Mombasa
Lamu
Nakuru
Kampala Malaba
EntebbeKisumu
Mwanza
100 200 400km
TANZANIA
UGANDA
SUDAN ETHIOPIA
KENYA
SOM
ALI
A
AFRICA UPDATE
13Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
Sumatra’s Acting Director-General Ahmad Kilima told stakeholders
at a one-day seminar held to discuss the draft “There is the
possibility that a private operator will be preoccupied with profi t
motive to the detriment of safety. Though railways are generally a
very safe mode of transport, the safety situation in our railway is
already precarious”. Signalling, he explained, is a function that is
crucial for safety, particularly preventing trains from collision.
Director railways regulation at Sumatra Eliona Simbo said that once
the 2012 regulation is passed, all signals controlling movements
on main or running lines shall be mechanically or electronically
interconnected to prevent confl icting movements.
Railway consultant Alfred Nalitolela, who has 30 years’ experience
in the fi eld, said the new regulations would improve safety standard
and pave the way for future signalling and communication in the
sector.
[Sumatra’s proposals are specifi cally for Tanzania. Since TAZARA
operates in Zambia as well, will there not still be two different
signalling systems in that country? – Editor: Railways Africa.]
TAZARACHINESE EXPERT STUDYMinister of Transport Dr Harrison Mwakyembe told press
representatives in Dar-es-Salaam that the Chinese government has
donated 90 goods wagons and six new locomotives to the Tanzania-
Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).
He explained that a team of 70 technical experts from China was
in Tanzania studying TAZARA in detail, to establish the problems
affl icting the ailing organisation, described as being “on the verge
of collapse”. A team of similar size was in Zambia, looking at the
problems on that side of the border.
CHINA & TAZARA SIGN $US42M DEALThe Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and the Chinese
government have concluded a $US42 million agreement covering
the implementing of 12 projects related to the Dar-es-Salaam-Kapiri
MOZAMBIQUEROLLING STOCK SHORTAGEAccording to Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) chairman
Rosário Mualeia, quoted by the paper Notiçias, shortage of rolling
stock is hampering the company in meeting demands for goods
transport. Extensive repairs have been made to the various
lines in recent years but the railway continues to operate below
capacity due to limitations imposed by non-availability of rolling
stock. Even wagons left at outlying stations have been recovered
and refurbished, but CFM has never been able to match growing
demand for freight transport by countries in the region.
At a recent three-way meeting in Maputo involving the rail operators
of Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland in Maputo, Mualeia on
behalf of CFM made a commitment to improve the levels of service,
the aim being to attract more traffi c to and from neighbouring
countries such as South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
LOCOS FOR MOZAMBIQUE COALRio Tinto, which has its own coal mine in Mozambique’s Tete
Province, is believed to be hiring four locomotives from RRL in
South Africa and is understood to be in the market to purchase
seven new units.
TANZANIASIGNALLING STANDARDS FOR TANZANIAThe two separately administered and operated railways in Tanzania
– Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) and the Tanzania-Zambia Railway
Authority (TAZARA) - each use distinctly different signalling systems.
That at TRL is based on British semaphore practice and single line
control dating from many decades ago. Signals on TAZARA, built
by Chinese engineers, show little similarity. Tanzania’s Marine
Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) is concerned about this,
believing that in the interests of all concerned (and especially from
the safety point of view), one standard practice should be applicable
to all railways in the country. New regulations being drawn up -- The
Railways (Block Working and Signal Interlocking) 2012 -- will be used
to control all railway traffi c in Tanzania.
N
Safi
Marrakech
Agadir
Casablanca
Khourrbag
Rabat
Kenitra
TangierCeuta
Tétouan
Fez
Meknés
Béchar
OujdaTlemcen
Oran
Algeria
Straight of Gibralta
Morocco
SpainMOROCCOCASABLANCA-KENITRA UPGRADEThere has been marked growth in passenger
numbers on the Tanger-Marrakech axis in
recent years, Offi ce National des Chemins
de Fer (ONCF – the national railway of
Morocco) reports. A project to modernise
the Casablanca-Kénitra main line – aimed
at increasing capacity by about 50% - began
on 25 September. Funded in part by a
€300m loan from the African Development
Bank (ADB), the upgrading includes
adding a third track between Casablanca
and Kénitra for freight traffi c, to release
capacity on the existing double-track
alignment. ADB expects the modernisation
programme to create 20,000 direct and
indirect jobs. ONCF foresees carrying
24 million passengers per annum on the
Tanger-Marrakech corridor by 2016; work
has already started on a 200km dedicated
high-speed line between Tanger and Kénitra
for completion by the end of 2015. The
upgraded section to Casablanca via Rabat
is to use TGV Duplex trainsets running at
220km/h under 3kV DC catenary.
14 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
ZAMBIAZAMBIA TO REVIVE LINE TO SAAccording to Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda at a media
briefi ng, Zambia is to spend $US120 million in upgrading the main-
line from Victoria Falls to the Copperbelt. The main objective is to
get export traffi c off the roads, specifi cally mining output routed
to Durban in South Africa. Zambia is concerned at the amount
being expended on road maintenance, which it blames on the poor
condition of the railway. The money to be spent, Chikwanda told
the media, is part of the $750 million debut Eurobond that Zambia
raised on 13 September. Mining companies operating in Zambia
include Canada’s First Quantum Minerals, Vedanta Resources Plc,
Glencore International and Barrick Gold Corporation.
KABWEANS TOAST RAIL CONCESSION ENDOn 12 September, residents of Kabwe reportedly went on a
“solidarity march” in support of the government cancelling the
railway concession signed with Rail Systems of Zambia (RSZ) in
2003. Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Leonard
Hikaumba was quoted welcoming the move, saying that government
and the private sector should now return to the drawing board
to map out strategy.
RSZ came in for strong criticism in government quarters which
contended that the consortium had invested inadequately in the
railway and had “underperformed”. In particular, it was suggested
that road damage in the country was due to railway inadequacy.
Central Province Minister Philip Kosamu said RSZ had failed to
manage the infrastructure and condemned the “incorrect and
unpatriotic” remarks by MMD president Nerves Mumba who said
the takeover of RSZ would chase away investors in the country.
Other offi cials criticised RSZ for downsizing the workforce – from
3,000 to 1,000 according to one speaker.
FOOTNOTE:
A year ago – in October 2011 – CEO Benjamin Even disclosed that RSZ had invested
$US50 million in the railway since taking on the concession. In a joint statement with
Railway Workers Union of Zambia president Gravel Musonda, Even said the government
should implement transport policies which would make the railways more competitive,
in order to shift traffi c from road to rail. “These are mainly refl ected in the road levy
refunds, support towards security and road regulations to be enforced such as weight
limitations and toll gates,” Even said. RSZ, he explained, faces challenges such as
“huge outstanding debts” from neighbouring countries’ railways estimated at $US6
million and about $US5 million of road levy paid by the company “which has never been
refunded”. Vandalism, Even said, is a very big problem.
ZIMBABWEHARARE-BULAWAYO IN 1½ HRSOn 13 September, Alex Bell reported on SW Radio Africa (London)
that China is to fund a high-speed railway linking Harare with
Bulawayo in 1½ hours. He quoted China Railways Corporation’s
Zhao Guangfa saying that the multi-billion dollar project would
take “about three years”. The scheme “forms part of a partnership
between the Zimbabwe government and the China International
Fund Consortium.”
Mposhi line. The agreement fl ows from the 15th Economic and
Technical Co-operation Protocol signed by Zambia, Tanzania and
China in March 2012.
The projects listed include the rehabilitation of 42 passenger
coaches, supply of six new locomotives (four main-line, two
shunting), and various spares, as well as rescue and lifting
equipment. Track inspection trolleys are to be provided, and
some 30,000 wood sleepers. Staff are to be trained by Chinese
instructors and Chinese experts will be seconded to work in
Tanzania and Zambia. Funds under the protocol will provided as
interest-free loans to the Tanzanian and Zambian governments.
MALAYSIA MAY ASSIST TAZARAAccording to Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)
Managing Director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, the railway
is in discussions with SMH Rail of Malaysia which may assist with
rehabilitating the many locomotives and lengthy list of rolling stock
currently out of service. The envisaged agreement would provide for
continuing maintenance over a specifi ed period. Payment would be
deferred until the repaired equipment enables TAZARA to earn the
necessary revenue. SMH Managing Director Narayanan Kuppusamy
assured TAZARA that his company possesses the funds needed to
support the endeavour but TAZARA would be required to provide
the necessary equipment and manpower in order to undertake
the work.
TAZARA STUDY IMPRESSESTanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) Managing Director
Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika says he is impressed with the
speed of the team of 140 Chinese experts which is in Africa to
establish where the railway’s technical and managerial problems
lie. Nobody could be blamed for shortcomings individually, he
suggests: “We are all part of the problems as they are in the hands
of all stakeholders of Tazara.” Mbikusita-Lewanika handed over the
company’s written response to questionnaires prepared by TAZARA
Rehabilitation Project Manager Jia Guangzhi. The study report is
to be handed to the governments of Zambia and Tanzania by June
2013, after which revamping work will begin. The Chinese team is
currently busy with preliminary work in Zambia.
According to the Tanzanian Minister of Transport Dr Harrison
Mwakyembe, the government opted for independent researchers
because most of the challenges involve management. He explained
that the study will result in recommendations on how best to
run the railway.
UGANDARVR PLANS COMMUTER SERVICERift Valley Railways (RVR) has applied for government authority
to operate commuter passenger service in Uganda, CEO Brown
Ondego told the Kampala Observer. Public liability insurance
has been obtained, he said, adding: “We have all the facilities for
commuter services.”
RVR WORKSHOP CONTRACTRift Valley Railways (RVR) is to refurbish the main workshop in Uganda
at Nalukulongo. Roko Construction Ltd was awarded a three-month
contract worth $US410,000, with work commencing in September.
2012. The facility was built originally to provide the former East African
Railways (Uganda section) with capacity for maintenance of rolling
stock. Prominent among current projects is wagon rehabilitation,
with 54 of a targeted 365 completed to date. The work is being
sponsored by a $3.5 million Kfw grant. Work on overhauling eight
diesel locomotives, taking approximately six months, is expected to
start in September 2012 at a cost of $3.3 million.
A Zambian Railways train on the Victoria Falls bridge. A recent photo by
Geoff Cooke
15Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE
BIG SIGNALLING CONTRACT COMPLETEDActom Signalling recently completed a R83 million signalling
upgrade on a 480km section of the Johannesburg-Durban main-
line from Union Junction near Germiston to Cedara near
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. Altogether, 92 stations were
involved.
The scope of the contract was:
• Migration of blockworking from coaxial copper cable to optic
fi bre cable and installing CS90 remote control to replace the
old S1 remote control system on the entire section from Union
to Cedara.
• Installation of 35U axle-counters and fail-safe data transceiver
(FSDT) equipment between stations from Union through to
Vooruitsig near Volksrust in KwaZulu-Natal.
• Replacing the old evaluation system with new evaluators
incorporating FSDT equipment on the Vooruitsig-Cedara
portion of the line. In addition, the existing axle-counters on
this section had to be linked to the new optic fi bre cable for
the CS90 remote control system.
Transnet added two variation orders during the course of the
contract:
• Modifi cation of the traffi c control centres at Union,
Standerton, Vooruitsig, Danskraal and Newcastle, involving
coupling the CS90 system to these centres, followed by
testing and commissioning.
• Takeouts for a total of 10 stations that were eliminated at
various different places on the line. This involved modifying
the interlocking of the stations on either side of each takeout
station, as well as moving the signals in each case.
Actom (Pty) Ltd - specialist manufacturer, repairer and distributor
of electro-mechanical equipment - employs about 7,500 people in
Southern Africa with an annual order intake in excess of R7.5bn.
It is a black-empowered company with 42 operating units, 43
production, service and repair facilities, and 36 distribution outlets
throughout Southern Africa.
CHINA TO SUPPLY LOCOS TO SOUTH AFRICACSR Zhuzhou has announced that it is to supply 100km/h, 3.1MW,
dual-voltage electric locomotives to South Africa. A fi gure of
$US400 million was mentioned, with delivery starting as early as
2013. The four-axle units will be able to run on both 3kV DC and
25kV AC supply. The company said it won the contract – its fi rst
for electric locos on the African continent - in competition with
eight other bidders, both SA and international. A local content
requirement of 60% was specifi ed by Transnet. CSR, which says
it has invested in 1,067mm gauge technology, hopes to establish
a base in South Africa from which it can supply other potential
customers in the region. It also has its eye on possible contracts
with the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (PRASA) for the supply of
multiple-unit electric commuter stock.
South Africa’s newest electric locos currently in service, the class
19E, also have dual-voltage capability, as do the earlier class 14E.
TENDERS FOR PRASA ROLLING STOCKThe biennial InnoTrans Expo, the world’s biggest rail trade fair, took
place in Berlin in mid-September. South Africa’s ambitious rolling
stock replacement plan was reportedly a subject of considerable
interest.
Tenders closed in the last week of September for the supply (over
20 years) of 7,200 passenger coaches to the Passenger Rail Agency
of South Africa (PRASA). The 65% local content requirement
means that the successful bidder will need to set up a substantial
manufacturing facility in South Africa.
Bidders for the PRASA coach tender were:
• CAF of Spain;
• Bombardier of Canada;
• China South Rail;
• China North Rail;
• Gibela Rail Transportation (a French consortium comprising
Alstom and Actom);
• Dudula Rail, a consortium comprising ABB South Africa and
Stadler of Switzerland; and
• CSR/Wictra, a consortium comprising CSR of China and
Wictra of South Africa.
Transnet Freight Rail meanwhile is in the market for large numbers
of new electric and diesel locomotives.
MANGANESE TARIFF REALITIESCoega Development Corporation Project Director Peter Inman
is quoted by FTW emphasing that if transport tariffs become
too costly, exports become “a waste of time.” He was referring
particularly to the cost-sensitivity of manganese. According to
FTW’s understanding, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) recently increased
tariffs on the manganese line between Hotazel in the Northern Cape
and the Port of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape by more than
triple the offi cial CPI. The rate of R280 per tonne was increased
to R310 per tonne, “and before the year is out, the tariff is set to
increase closer to R400 per tonne”.
Trenching and cable laying in progress during ACTOM Signalling’s upgrade
of the signalling systems on the 480 km section of the Natal Corridor
between Germiston and Pietermaritzburg. Photo: Actom.
16 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
RAIL NEWSSOUTH AFRICAN
SA RAIL NEWS
TRANSNET: RECENT NEW WAGE AGREEMENTThe 2012/13 Transnet wage agreement has been recognised as
a good settlement following “many hours of diffi cult negotiating,”
says Utatu/Sarwhu* general secretary Steve Harris.
The new minimum wage after the agreed
increase of 8.4% to basic salary will be
R58,807 per annum. The value of the service
bonus, which is payable in December of
each year, will be calculated as follows:
If an employee is in service for the full
calendar year (1 January to 31 December)
the service bonus value will be calculated
as the employee’s April salary, multiplied by
12 and divided by 12.
If an employee is in the service (from 1 February to 31 December)
the service bonus will be calculated as the employee’s April salary,
multiplied by 11 and divided by 12; from March, multiplied by 10 and
divided by 12. If an employee is employed after April, the service
bonus will be calculated as the employee’s take-on salary multiplied
by the number of months the employee has been employed as at
December, divided by 12. Employees who terminate service prior to
the payment date of the service bonus will not qualify for a pro-rata
payment.
The value of the medical subsidy will increase to R7,800 per annum.
The value of the housing allowance will increase to R8,640 per
annum. Employees who have a disability that has been confi rmed
will, from January 2012, qualify for special disability leave of fi ve
calendar days over a three-year cycle. This leave will be called
Disability Leave and will be additional to the normal sick leave
entitlement. An employee may spread the four months’ paid
maternity leave over the maternity leave period up to six months.
FIRST 208-WAGON MANGANESE TRAINOn 13 September, a 208-wagon manganese test train left the
Tshipi Borwa mine in the Northern Cape, bound for Port Elizabeth.
It included four test coaches and 208 loaded CR wagons. Nett
cargo mass was 13,104 tons. Total train length overall was 2.23km,
with a gross mass of 16,640 tons.
The 18 diesel locomotives – grouped at the head, middle and rear
of the consist - were controlled from the leading unit using radio
distributed power (RDP) technology.
This was also the fi rst train to use Tshipi’s newly commissioned
siding. The facility features a long loop accommodating three
122-wagon trains to be parked without blocking the main line.
QUADRUPLING MANGANESE EXPORT TRAFFICTransnet’s fi rm resolve to route export manganese through the
Eastern Cape rather than Saldanha faces one or two diffi cult
realities. Unlike the Saldanha line, which is dedicated to heavy-haul
freight consists, the route via Kimberley and De Aar is classifi ed as
“general freight”. Not only must the line be shared with other goods
trains – it is used by Shosholoza Meyl intercity passenger services
too. Added to this, the section down to the coast negotiates some
pretty uneven topography.
A manganese test train comprising 208 wagons (double the normal
load) was operated recently with success, but this was a one-off
working, with special arrangements in force throughout. There are
long single-track sections, along which the length of crossing loops
is a severely limiting factor.
Notwithstanding these problems, Transnet envisages increasing
the current traffi c from 4.5 million tons a year to something like
16 (the capacity of the manganese loading terminal to be built at
the new port of Ngqura). Manganese is essential in iron and steel
production, and has important uses in industrial alloys, especially
stainless steel. The provision of a high-carbon ferromanganese
smelter is proposed in the Coega industrial zone adjacent to
Ngqura.
An entirely new line from to Ngqura from the Northern Cape will
clearly be indispensable, dedicated to manganese. Feasibility
studies are being done but Cleopatra Shiceka, Transnet Freight Rail
General Manager in the offi ce of the CE, says whatever is needed
will not be fi nished before 2018.
SA STATIONS BITE THE DUST
On 29 September, the historic station at Touws River, 249km from
Cape Town on the main-line to Johannesburg, burned down.
TRAINS IN THE SNOW
Charles Baker took this wintry shot of class 18E locos hauling freight on the
KwaZulu-Natal main-line on 8 August 2012.
Snow was falling when Jacque Wepener caught this class 36 in the Free
State.
Demolition taking place at Buffeljagtsrivier, 11km east of Swellendam
and 322km from Cape Town on the line to Mossel Bay. Posted on sar-L,
photographer not known.
Utatu/Sarwhu general
secretary Steve Harris.
17Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Standby and Nightshift allowance will increase by 8,4%. Transnet
will increase the overtime threshold from R172,000 to R183,008
per annum effective 1 July 2012 as per the ministerial determination
as published in the Government Gazette. Transnet will reduce the
number of fi xed-term contract employees to 14% of the permanent
workforce by 31 March 2013.
FOOTNOTE:* The United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) and the South African Railways
and Harbour Union (Sarwhu) recently amalgamated as Utatu/Sarwhu with a combined membership of some 27,000.
THALES IS METRORAL’S PREFERRED SIGNALS BIDDERThales of France has been named preferred bidder for upgrading
Metrorail’s signalling system at a cost estimated at about R1.8
billion. Work to revamp the signalling in Cape Town and Durban
was to begin in October, Metrorail Western Cape Regional Manager
Mthuthuzeli Swartz said. The Cape Town commuter train operation
has come in for heavy criticism, with Metrorail blaming its troubles
on ageing infrastructure.
A group of retired Queensland Rail locos recently went on board ship
at Brisbane bound for Durban. They were duly offl oaded on 22 June
and moved to Gauteng, most by rail (QR, like Transnet, uses the
1,067mm gauge).
According to Les Bray reporting on sar-L, the units were purchased by
the following companies (not by Transnet Rail Engineering, as stated
in press reports):
RRL-Grindrod: 15 locos altogether:
• 6 x 1700 class (nos 1727, 1748, 1767, 1768, 1772, 1775);
• 6 x 2600 class (nos 2600, 2602, 2603, 2606, 2608, 2611);
• 3 x 3100 class
Surtees: seven locos altogether:
• 2600 class (nos 2601, 2604, 2605, 2607, 2609, 2610, 2612)
Safl og: Eleven locos:
• 1700 class (numbers not known)
• 2100 class (numbers not known)
Refurbished ex-Queensland diesel-electrics have been reported in
service in Mozambique.
RETIRED QR LOCOS ARRIVE IN DURBAN
Charles Baker photographed the ex-Queensland locos at the harbour in Durban.
18 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
SHOSHOLOZA MEYL: A UNION’S VIEWShosholoza Meyl, now a division on the Passenger Rail Agency of
South Africa (PRASA) provides the country’s long-distance passenger
train services. “Because of the low investment in its rolling stock
and stations over many years, Shosholoza Meyl’s service and
effi ciency standards are in steep decline”, says Utatu/Sarwhu
deputy general secretary Pieter Greyling. Quoted in Labour Report,
he said: “There is talk of upgrading some stations, but it will be a
long, drawn-out process. The priority is to upgrade the end stations
and the depots in between where operating and maintenance
crews can be housed. Many people will be affected by these
changes. They will also affect customer service. The decline
in Shosholoza Meyl’s services has resulted in a decrease in
passengers as customers opt to use taxis and buses instead. That
is creating a vicious circle as with fewer passengers, there is less
income for upgrades. Plans to save the business urgently need to
be put in place,” he says.
“With fewer depots along the way for train crews, PRASA is using
minibuses to transport crews to man the trains. That measure
is costing the company a small fortune. Rubber wheels, as they
are called, are not sustainable in the long run. The operating cost
is about R700 million whereas the income is only about R400
million. It is madness. Certain members will be inconvenienced
because they will have to relocate for operational requirements.
Utatu/Sarwhu will be there to make the landing as soft as
possible. This has tremendous cost implications for the individuals
and their families.
“There is also the aspect of transporting the crews for miles before
they can report for duty. There is no way that they can be fully
rested before they have to take over the responsibility of operating
a train. That is not an ideal situation”.
NDP FOCUS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTSouth Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) identifi es strategic
focus areas in transport infrastructure which need serious attention
if the objectives are to be realised. Solutions that comprise safe,
affordable and effective options must be prioritised; also – very
importantly - transport must be addressed as a whole, not in
terms of individual modes. In city planning, ways must be found
to reduce the need for transport. For example, people should
be enabled to live as close to employment areas as possible (in
obvious contrast to the existing situation in South African cities).
South Africans have to be convinced to reduce reliance on carbon-
intensive transport modes. Increasing the overall investment in
transport is an obvious necessity. The bus rapid transit systems
being implemented are cited as models for providing cost-effective,
high-quality mass transit systems.
SA’S RAIL “CAN’T COPE WITH CHEMICAL TRANSPORT”According to the Chemical and Allied Industries Association quoted
in Business Day, 48% of all vehicle crashes on the N3 toll road
between Durban and Johannesburg, which is one of the chemical
industry’s main transport routes, involve heavy-duty trucks. The
association says this “raises questions” about the risk inherent
in transporting possibly dangerous chemicals by road rather than
rail. N3 Toll Concession Commercial Manager Con Roux is quoted
saying: “Depending on the time of day, 30-35% of the traffi c [on
the N3] is heavy vehicles, which are involved in about 50% of the
accidents. Louise Lindeque, Manager of SA’s arm of Responsible
Care, a global initiative to improve safety in the chemicals industry,
told the paper: “Rail infrastructure is not able to cope with
www.railwaysafrica.com
the economy R34 billion annually, equivalent to about 20% of road
freight costs. Logistics costs in South Africa, he told delegates, are
among the highest in the world. The importance of rail“recapturing
the logistics market” was emphasised by Seedat, as well as
Transnet Freight Rail CE Siyabonga Gama.
TRANSNET WILL PRODUCE EXCESS SKILLS CAPACITYTransnet is to spend R7.6 billion on training over the next seven
years, GCE Brian Molefe says. “New employees” will account for
R4bn of this. Current strategy is to train numbers well in excess
of the group’s own needs, releasing the overfl ow – once they
have acquired vital skills - back into the country’s economy”.
More precisely, Transnet requires about 600 additional artisans
annually, but plans to train 2,000 every year. When the programme
is at its peak, 220,000 jobs will be created.
chemicals. Chemical companies have problems with security on
the rail and with effi ciency.” The 162 member companies of the
Chemical and Allied Industries Association include manufacturers,
distributors, warehousing, hauliers and spill response fi rms.
PRASA TO PRIORITISE BEE IN BUILDING COACHESThe Passenger Rail Agency of SA (PRASA) envisages a large company
being established in the country to manufacture rail passenger
coaches. CEO Lucky Montana is talking of a R15 billion black
economic empowerment programme with a minimum of 30% equity
for black investors. A “selection process” to choose black investors
is expected to be complete by the end of January, according to
PRASA’s Piet Sebola quoted in Business Day.
PRASA’S REAL ESTATE ASPIRATIONSReal estate owned by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (PRASA)
totals about 4,200 hectares of land including 374 stations.
Formerly known as Intersite, PRASA Corporate Real Estate Solutions
(CRES) holds and manages this vast property portfolio. Much of it,
notably located in prime locations, is ripe for development. CRES
is currently looking into the possibilities of developing its holdings
- new offi ce blocks and shopping malls being some of the projects
it has in mind.
TRANSPORT BY ROAD COSTS SA BILLIONS Speaking at the tenth Intermodal Africa Conference in Durban on
6 September, Acting Deputy Director-General of Transport Adam
Seedat said moving goods by road in South Africa “costs billions
annually”, making a “strong case” for improving the country’s rail
infrastructure. This Seedat said is “a critical element in building
a globally competitive transport system”. According to estimates,
factors such as delays caused by traffi c congestion, and high
maintenance costs – notably in the trucking industry – are costing
SA RAILWAYS: SOME STRAIGHT TALKING Editorial in The Citizen, (Johannesburg):
The Blue Train near Bloemhof during September, with a very
dirty class 18E (037) leading. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
“South Africa has about 28,000km of railway track, of which only a very small percentage is in use. Many small towns and sidings have been ghost towns because Transnet no longer moves large amounts of cargo throughout the country. This must change. Transnet must invest in rail infrastructure and reawaken this sleeping giant. The rail giant must actively market its transport services. The infl ux of large trucks on our roads has made our roads even more dangerous and at the same time they are destroying what is left of our good roads. An effi cient railway transport system for cargo and goods is essential.”
Near Vetrivier on the Free State main-line in August 2012, class 6E1 1537
leading. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
20 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
KEEPING AIR FLOWING EFFICIENTLY
105 Theuns Street, Hennopspark, Centurion, 0157
PO Box 51063, Wierda Park, 0149, South Africa
www.vanrail.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 653 4595
Fax: +27 (0)12 653 6841
Email: [email protected]
GM84
8 PR
ESSL
INK_
TRE
The MDS is aimed at expanding South Africa’s rail, port and pipelines
infrastructure, resulting in a signifi cant increase in freight volumes,
especially in commodities such as iron ore, coal and manganese,
as well as achieving a signifi cant modal shift from road to rail. The
main objective of the strategy is to meet validated market demand
and thereby enable economic growth.
Rail traffi c volumes are projected to increase from approximately
200 million tons per annum to 350 million tons during the period.
By 2019, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) hopes to increase its market
share of container traffi c to 92% from 79% currently. Transnet says
its studies show that rail in South Africa is on average 75% cheaper
than road transport. A large-scale shift from road to rail would
address costs and congestion while reducing carbon emissions.
The MDS is the centrepiece of government’s growth strategy
through investment in infrastructure and a key component of
enabling the aspirations of the New Growth Path (NGP).
According to Transnet, “The MDS will catapult TFR, which has the
lion’s share of the investment programme, into the world’s fi fth
biggest rail freight company.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MDS:
• R300 billion capital investment programme
• R205 billion to be allocated to rail projects and R151 billion to
general freight to support the growth in volumes to 170 million
tons per annum (mtpa)
• Expand export coal from 68mtpa to 97.5mtpa
• Expand iron ore exports from 53mtpa to 82.5mtpa
• Container volumes handled through the ports to increase from
4.3 million to 7.6 million twenty-foot equivalent unit containers
(TEUs)
• Investment in the fi nal phases of the new multi-product pipeline
• Stronger fi nancial position: Revenue growth of 16% per annum
over the next seven years, driven by volume growth
• EBITDA - Transnet’s key measure of profi tability - will more than
triple to R68 billion by 2018/19
• R213,6 billion of the required funding will be generated from
operating cashfl ows
• R86,5 billion of the required funding will be raised from debt
capital markets
• Gearing and cash interest cover will remain within target levels
of 50% and greater than three times respectively
• Signifi cant productivity and effi ciency improvements expected
in rail and port operations
• Growth of the local industry through programmatic procurement
- approximately 50% of the R78 billion set aside for locomotives
will be spent on local suppliers
• Transnet’s employee headcount will peak at 74,000 in 2018/19.
The total number of jobs expected to be created via MDS will
peak at 588,000 – this includes direct, indirect and economy-
wide jobs
• Skills development: R7.7 billion spent on training by 2018/19
including R4.7 billion on bursaries and grants
Transnet expects to see revenue “almost triple from R46 billion to
R128 billion over the next seven years.”
R300BN TRANSNET PLAN TO CREATE JOBS Transnet says its Market Demand Strategy (MDS), will see the company spending R300 billion on capital projects over a seven-year period. The group expects to create up to 588,000 new job opportunities.
21Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Major improvements included:
* Replacement of all broken coach
windows and doors.
* The provision of platform marshals at
eight stations.
* An increase in train running speeds.
* Revised working hours.
* Special task teams.
* Better revenue collection.
* The addition of three new trainsets to
the fl eet, which now totals 88.
* The introduction of a mobile
information system.
* The provision of fencing at all stations
and beside rail tracks.
Referring to safety, which he acknowledged
as a serious problem, Swartz says the
number of security guards has been
increased from 469 to 569, to improve
security at stations. These are supplemented
by 400 railway police offi cers and 100
soldiers. More than R10 million is being
spent monthly on security services. Talks
are being held with the city aimed at linking
railway closed circuit television equipment
to the municipal operations centre.
Two trainsets are held for use in emergency
at Kraaifontein, also Nyanga and Retreat.
In the next three years, 28 stations are to
be upgraded, notably Heideveld, Nyanga,
Mitchells Plain, Chris Hani, Bellville and
Woodstock. It is planned to provide secure
storage for bicycles on all stations. Other
facilities envisaged include an electronic
ticketing system in conjunction with
municipal and Golden Arrow buses.
TABLE BAY
CAPE TOWN
Wynberg
Retreat
Muizenberg
Athlone
Fish Hoek
Simon’s Town
Strand
Van der Stel
Somerset West
Eersterivier
Chris Hani
Mandalay
Khayelitsha
KapteinsklipMitchells Plain
Philippi
Nyanga
Heideveld
LangaBellville
Monte Vista
Woodstock
Kraaifontein
Mulders Vlei
Stellenbosch
FALSE BAY
0 kms 10 kms 20 kms
METRORAIL BETTER IN 30 WAYSAccording to Metrorail (Western Cape) Regional Manager Mthuthuzeli Swartz, 30 noteworthy improvements have been achieved since the June 2012 launch of a determined programme to improve service. The number of scheduled trains cancelled has been reduced and punctuality is better.
22 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Partially buried track on the Knysna branch, Anton van Schalkwyk took the photos in August 2012.
THE CHOO-TJOE: SLOW TURNING WHEELSThe Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train operation between George
and Knysna has been out of action for over six years, thanks to
devastating fl ood damage. The Western Cape Province, specifi cally
its Department of Tourism, is keen to revive the line which used
to be a leading tourist attraction. “The transfer of ownership
[from Transnet] of the train is a priority issue that needs to be
addressed quickly if we are to preserve the train as a heritage icon.
The longer it lies idle, the harder it will be to get it back on the
tracks,” Western Cape Finance and Tourism MEC Alan Winde said in
January 2011. However, he is still waiting for a decision by Transnet
on whether the assets of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe can (and are
to) be transferred to the province. According to reports late in
2011, a Transnet task team was investigating “various operational
models”, and Winde was supposed to get a fi rm answer from
Transnet by November 2011.
The Heritage Rail Association of South Africa (HRASA) wrote to
the National Minister of Tourism some months ago, It was told that
heritage rail is not his responsibility but that of the Department
of Transport.
“HARDLY USED” GAUTRAIN EQUIPMENT ON AUCTIONAccording to announcements, an impressive list of Gautrain
equipment was to be auctioned at the Midrand site on 10 October.
The sale list included a 1,300hp diesel-electric locomotive recently
fi tted with a new Cummins engine; a Thyssen Henschel DHG 700C
diesel- hydraulic locomotive; a “shunting Locomotive-Vaiacar TSR
340”; Vaiacar rail trolleys; fl at wagons and ballast wagons.
A “1830m demountable almost new double-storey offi ce block”
was listed, “furnished with top-quality, high-value Beechwood offi ce
furniture”. This was said to range from boardroom tables with full
sets of chairs to “a huge variety of modern Beechwood workstations,
each with its own lockable fi ling facility”. There were also CCTV
cameras, printers and a “huge quantity” of security control radios.
Prospective buyers were assured that whatever they were interested
in was in good condition and “hardly used”.
GAUTRAIN A BETTER OPTIONTaking recent (as at early October) fuel price hikes into account,
Gautrain may be a cheaper option than motoring between Sandton
and Pretoria, The New Age suggests.
“The average motorist driving from Hatfi eld, Pretoria, to Sandton,”
writes reporter Michael Appel, “every day Monday to Friday will
drive roughly 2,200km a month (110km round trip x 20 working
days). If the motorist’s fuel tank capacity is 50l, it will cost R598.50
to fi ll the tank.
“Assuming the fuel effi ciency allows the motorist to get 600km per
tank in urban driving conditions, the tank would need to be fi lled
just more than twice at a cost of over R1,200 a month, not factoring
in maintenance costs.
“A commuter taking the Gautrain from Hatfi eld station to Sandton
station daily pays R1,840 a month (R92 round trip x 20 working
days), plus an extra R60 if a Gautrain bus is used daily.”
Appel quotes Senior Economist at Investment Solutions Chris Hart
saying (when vehicle wear-and-tear is factored in): “I think the
Gautrain is probably a better option.”
[ Appel calculates on the basis of daily fare multiplied by 20 but
isn’t the multi-ride ticket cheaper? We tried checking the Gautrain
website on three successive days - admittedly over a weekend but
were unable to call up fare details. Maybe our computer isn’t world-
class.
WEBSITE FOURTH TRY LUCKY - A 35-day ticket between Hatfi eld and
Sandton costs R1,620, ie somewhat less than Appel’s fi gure. - Editor:
Railways Africa.]
GAUTRAIN PARKING FALLING SHORTGautrain parking provision has been falling short at the Rhodesfi eld,
Centurion, Hatfi eld and Pretoria stations, Bombela’s Kelebogile
GAUTRAIN NEWS
23Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Machaka told the press. She suggests commuters should use
Gautrain feeder buses rather than drive.
[During the building phase, there were expectations of 100,000 daily
train passengers. The actual fi gure today is under 40,000 but the
authorities are confi dent this will nearly treble in a few years. The
parking implications are alarming. - Editor: Railways Africa.]
GAUTRAIN STIMULATING ROSEBANKThe arrival of Gautrain in Johannesburg’s Rosebank is largely
credited for the area literally “taking off”. Eight hotels, fi ve of
them fi ve-star, are now to be found within one square kilometre,
Moneyweb points out. Though the fi ve-star Hyatt Regency isn’t
brand new (it has been in Oxford Road since 1995), the management
says “banqueting business” became spectacular after the Gautrain
station opened in October 2011. The hotel is to spend R100 million
on refurbishing, including upgrading of the 100m walkway to the
station.
FRENCH ART AT GAUTRAIN STATIONSAn exhibition of portraits and photographs by French artist Antoine
Tempé, celebrating performances by leading African and Afro-
American contemporary dancers, was on display during October
2012 at Gautrain stations in Johannesburg (Park station, Rosebank,
Sandton and Midrand) and also Hatfi eld in Pretoria.
The Danse l’Afrique danse! event was organised as part of the
France-South Africa Seasons 2012 & 2013, an initiative conceived
and facilitated by the governments of the two countries to give the
people of France and South Africa an opportunity to understand
each other better through cultural, scientifi c, sport, education and
business engagement.
GAUTRAIN GATEFollowing a story in the Mail & Guardian, Bombardier Inc issued
a statement denying any involvement in bribery or unethical
conduct in connection with the Gautrain project. It said: “We do not
condone making any payments to win contracts, Such initiatives
are totally against our ethics and we condemn any such behaviour.
Bombardier maintains and will continue to maintain the highest
standards of ethical behaviour in all of our dealings worldwide.”
According to the Globe & Mail, a spokesman for Bombardier
confi rmed that Youssef Zarrouk (described as a “shadowy Tunisian
middleman” by the M&G), had been an “appointed company
representative.” Bombardier explained that payments to agents like
Zarrouk are “based on market rates and industry norms”. Some
$US35 million had been paid to Zarrouk to ensure Bombardier
landed the Gautrain contract, the Mail & Guardian alleged. There
were remarkable similarities to the controversial South African
arms deal, the paper suggested, “including like-worded agency
contracts, very large offshore payments in case the tender is won
and even a related cast of characters.”
Bombardier was quoted saying: “It is a common practice in many
industries for companies to hire representatives and agents to
promote products and services, to assist in evaluating customer
requirements, and provide insights into potential competition in
countries where they wish to develop business. The selection,
retention and compensation of agents is done in accordance with
international standards and regulations and follows a rigorous
process including due diligence that complies with all applicable
local and international laws and regulations.”
GAUTRAIN RULESAnswering questions in the Gauteng Legislature, Transport MEC
Ismail Vadi confi rmed that Gautrain imposes fi nes on people who
break the rules. To date, he disclosed, about 550 commuters
have paid fi nes amounting to more than R38,000 for breaching
regulations at stations. A penalty of R700 was imposed on two
sisters in July, after security guards caught them chewing gum on a
Gautrain station platform. This was in breach of the rules. Replying
to suggestions that the women were detained for four hours, Vadi
said he was assured by the Gautrain CEO that only two-and-a-half
hours were involved. He said he fully supported the action taken by
the security guards and warned commuters not to be rude, diffi cult
or defi ant, otherwise action would be taken against them.
BOMBELA WAGE AGREEMENT With membership exceeding 65% of employees at the Bombela
(Gautrain) operating concession, Utatu/Sarwhu* is the only
representative union. The fi rst wage negotiations since the
inception of Gautrain began in March 2012. “The talks dragged on
longer than they should have,” the union’s general secretary Steve
Harris told Labour Report. “An agreement was eventually reached
after we had invoked the dispute mechanism and demonstrated
the resolve of our members.”
The 2012 Agreement provides for:
• An across-the-board increase of 7% on basic salary from 1 July.
• Agreement that there will be no retrenchments for a period of
twelve months from date of signing, ie 30 July 2012.
• Introduction of a guaranteed 13th cheque, calculated as 100%
of an employee’s one-month salary in December of each year.
• A housing allowance of R200 per month.
• Maternity leave payment of 100% of salary for the fi rst two
months and 0% for the next two months. Alternatively the
employee can opt for 50% over all four months.
Union general secretary Steve Harris told Labour Report:
“Measured against Bombela’s fi nancial circumstances and present
economic circumstances, this is a fair and realistic pay settlement.”
FOOTNOTE:
* Utatu (United Transport and Allied Trade Union) and Sarwhu (South African Railways
and Harbour Union) recently amalgamated.
“It’s a Gautrain rule: everything to be tested for leaks – tunnels, trains,
buses, the lot.”
24 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
SA RAIL NEWS
Partner and Agent for the Original Equipment Manufacturer of:
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SHELTAM DIESELS WRECKED IN MOZAMBIQUENearly-new Sheltam diesel-electric locos 3016 and 3020 are lying
out of service at Beira in Mozambique following a recent collision.
It is understood they were hauling a freight train on the Sena Line
and rear-ended a stationary consist. Both units were damaged,
the leading loco seriously. It is understood that Sheltam intends to
ship both back to Port Elizabeth for repair.
CROSSING ACCIDENT KILLS EIGHTEight people died and one was severely injured when a trailer
carrying about 16 people was hit by a train on a crossing at Chilleni
(Romania) on 9 September. Police blamed the 78-year-old driver
of the tractor pulling the trailer, who was slightly hurt. Breathalyser
tests proved negative.
COLLISION WITH TRUCK AT AUTO-BARRIER CROSSINGA number of serious accidents have been reported around the
world recently, involving collisions between trains and heavy road
vehicles. Britain’s Rail Accidents Investigation Branch (RAIB) has
released its instructive offi cial (Crown copyright) report: Collision
between a train and a lorry and trailer on Llanboidy automatic half
barrier level crossing 19 December 2011.
A train to Manchester from Milford Haven struck a lorry and trailer
on a level crossing near Whitland in Wales. The impact caused the
lorry to be separated from its trailer and pushed along the track.
The lorry driver left his cab prior to the collision but was struck by
the trailer and slightly injured. The train was not derailed but 27
passengers were hurt, one seriously, and four received treatment
in hospital. The train conductor and the catering host received
hospital treatment for minor injuries and the driver suffered shock.
Road signs on the approach to the crossing instructed drivers of
large or slow vehicles to phone the signaller for permission to cross
the railway. The accident occurred because the lorry driver did not
phone and because a number of factors caused him to use the
right-hand side of the road as he crossed the line. This section was
misaligned with the rest of the road and the road traffi c light signal
on the left projected a metre into the roadway. In addition, there
were other vehicles parked close to the crossing. While travelling
slowly over the crossing, the barrier on the exit side came down in
front of the lorry, causing the driver to stop his vehicle on the line.
The train driver applied emergency brakes as soon as he saw the
obstruction, but when he realised he was unable to stop in time, left
his seat, rushed into the passenger saloon and warned occupants
of the imminent collision. This action saved him from personal
injury as the lorry’s load caused internal damage in the driver’s cab.
The RAIB made a number of recommendations arising from its
fi ndings, the main ones being the necessity to realign the road
through the crossing and reposition the traffi c signal. Other
recommendations concerned design modifi cations to the front end
of the train.
Welsh crossing collision. Photo: RAIB.
Approach showing sign at crossing overlapping roadway. Photos: RAIB.
26 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
Mishaps & BlundersMishaps & BlundersOne objective of our regular feature reporting and commenting on rail mishaps is to provide information and object lessons from Africa and abroad, in the hope that – in some cases at least - this might help avoid recurrences.
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
the truck upright and off the line, before rail
operations could resume.
BILLIONS SPENT ON TRAIN SAFETY: PRASA Mosenngwa Mofi of the Passenger Rail
Agency of South Africa (PRASA) says theft
and vandalism pose a huge challenge to the
organisation, which spends nearly a billion
rand annually fi ghting crime on trains and
stations. The company has committed itself
to improving passenger safety, with the
recent launching of a National Rail Safety
Campaign. Platform marshals are to be
introduced in an endeavour to prevent trains
moving with open doors
MORE BOMB THREATS IN CAPE TOWNOn 17 September, shortly after 06:00,
police received a call advising there was a
bomb on Maitland station. Trains scheduled
through the station were halted, the entire
precinct was cleared and a thorough search
carried out, but nothing was found. Maitland
is a key junction in the suburban railway
network some 5km from the main Cape
Town terminus. Train services through the
station resumed at 07:15, representing a
massive disruption to commuters travelling
to work.
This was the twelfth bomb threat since
March, says Metrorail Regional Manager
Mthuthuzeli Swartz, who believes there’s
more to it than mischievous hoaxing. It is
clear, he told the press, there are people
benefi ting from the threats which are
deliberately made during rush hours.
In the light of rumours that minibus-taxis
might be involved, West Cape News spoke to
Robert Langebarie, provincial spokesperson
for the South African National Taxi Council
(SANTACO) who said he did not think taxi
people were responsible.
Metrorail in the Western Cape transports
some 800,000 commuters a day, about
100,000 being delayed by the most recent
incident.
COLLISION IN CHINA: 24 HURTOn 24 August the Xinhua news agency
reported that two passenger trains
had collided at the Jiamusi station in
Heilongjiang province, in the north-east of
the country, injuring at least 24 people.
Apparently a locomotive hauling four empty
coaches ran into a stationary train while
passengers were alighting.
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BOMB HOAX DELAYS TRAINS AT PAARL On 24 August, an early morning call to the
police at Paarl warned of a bomb at the
local station. The facility was evacuated
while a detailed search was carried out.
Six trains were delayed for between 20 and
40 minutes while explosives experts swept
the area. The train service resumed at
08:20 after the situation was declared safe.
Metrorail Regional Manager Mthuthuzeli
Swartz was quoted saying: “We condemn
the action in the strongest possible terms;
any individual causing such mayhem must
be dealt with severely.” Swartz reiterated an
earlier appeal to the public to expose hoax
callers. “These individuals thrive on causing
chaos and must be stopped immediately.”
TRUCK OVERTURNS ON COMMUTER LINEAfternoon rush-hour Metra commuter
trains to and from Chicago were delayed
on 7 September after a large truck carrying
furniture overturned on a three-track
Union Pacifi c level crossing in Des Plaines,
Illinois. scattering its load over two of
the lines. Nobody was injured in the
accident, the truck driver escaping from
his cab unhurt. It took an hour to get
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
www.railwaysafrica.com
857-INJURY SOWETO CRASH REPORT
On 28 September, South Africa’s Railway Safety Regulator (RSR)
released its report on the 19 May 2011 Metrorail train crash in
Soweto that injured 857 people.
The investigators found that a train travelling in excess of the
prescribed speed overran signals and crashed into a stationary
Business Express set between Mzimhlophe and Phomolong en
route from Johannesburg to Naledi.
Enquiry Board Chairman Dr Chris Dutton told the press that the
driver of the moving train had a record of previous disciplinary
shortcomings, including speeding, and should in fact have been
dismissed before the date of the accident. The driver of the
stationary train was also to blame in that he failed to report to
the train control offi cer that his set had broken down.
According to Dutton, there was no cloud cover nor any other
defi ciency in signal visibility on the day of the accident. Analysis
of the data logger showed that red signals were passed at speed
with no attempt to stop. In addition, the driver exceeded the
prescribed speed limit. The Up Slow Line had been closed due to
earlier fl ood damage. If this line had been open, the crash may not
have occurred.
It transpired during the investigation that drivers resort to using
cellphones because the trunking radio “regularly fails”. Metrorail
provides train drivers with R200 worth of airtime to communicate
with their train control offi cers. The drivers maintain the airtime
is not enough, resulting in their using messages instead of voice
communication.
[Adapted from SAnews.gov.za]
nothing to do with the rail service, trains were stoned and tyres
burned on the line. Major train delays ensued on the Pretoria-
Mabopane route, leaving the service running about 60 minutes
behind schedule. Seven passengers reported injury and one was
admitted to hospital.
Metrorail Regional Operations Manager (Gauteng North) Abram
Nkgabutle appealed to the community to desist from vandalising
trains, saying that service in the Mabopane corridor would have to
be withdrawn if trouble persisted.
IN COURT FOR COPPER THEFTFour men appeared in the Queenstown magistrate’s court on 17
August charged with stealing copper. The were caught by Transnet
security personnel who found them in possession of copper cable
estimated to be worth R273,000. They were remanded in custody
while investigations continued in an endeavour to discover where
the theft took place. According to the police, fi ve accomplices
were still at large.
METRORAIL SAFETY CAMPAIGN On 23 August, South African urban commuter operator Metrorail
launched its National Railway Safety Campaign. Metrorail has been
strongly criticised for its poor safety record, notably by Western
Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle. In the province, the Passenger
Rail Agency of SA (PRASA) has the services of 100 SANDF
members, 400 railway police personnel and 569 private security
guards, The stations at Pinelands, Bellville, Bonteheuwel, Retreat,
Wynberg, Claremont, Lakeside and Du Toit are to have platform
marshals – 84 in all.
CHICAGO DERAILMENT INVOLVES THREE TRAINSEarly on 2 September, eight wagons derailed when a freight train
struck the rear of another in south-west Chicago, derailing several
wagons, some of which hit a third train on a parallel line. All
three were inbound to Chicago. A power line was brought down,
reportedly cutting electricity to some 2,500 properties. One
train with two locomotives and 13 wagons was from Nashville,
Tennessee. The second was from Albany in New York state (four
locos, 93 wagons) and the third – from Flint in Michigan - had 130
wagons headed by two locos.
37 WAGONS DERAILA double-headed freight train from Chicago heading for Harrisburg
in Pennsylvania derailed 37 of its 43 wagons in Fort Wayne,
Indiana, at about 07:00 on 8 September. The Norfolk Southern
Railroad main-line was blocked until early afternoon, as were two
level crossings. Nobody was hurt in the accident but press reports
said all 43 wagons were damaged. Fortunately none were carrying
hazardous material.
RUNAWAY WAGONSTwo railway wagons which ran away on 21 August in Albuquerque,
New Mexico, are puzzling investigators of the Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). Loaded with lumber, it was determined
they passed over at least two level crossings before derailing close
to a plumbing business. In 1999, the same fi rm had its premises
demolished during the night when runaway rail wagons derailed at
a considerable speed and smashed unto it.
STEAM LOCO IN CROSSING COLLISIONRailway crossing accidents occur all too frequently but few these
days involve steam engines. On 26 August, a sports utility vehicle
CRANE COLLAPSE ON LINE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATIONOn 15 August, a mobile crane being used to service signals on a
Chicago line owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
(BNSF) collapsed at midday, blocking all three tracks used by the
Metra commuter service.
It took some fi ve hours to remove the obstruction. BNSF says it is
still investigating the incident and is unable to say at this stage
whether the cause was a mechanical malfunction.
VANDALISM AT KOPANONGOn 14 September 2012, Metrorail’s evening peak train service was
disrupted due to violent service delivery protests at Kopanong, a
township near Rosslyn and Soshanguve. Though the action had
Photo: ER24.
28 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
HRASA Chair Nerina Skuy told The Herald that the depot is poorly
lit. Though there is high-mast lighting, it has been inoperable for
many months, if not years, due to missing parts. “There are no
lights at the entrances of buildings or offi ces. The depot is literally
in semi-darkness and to date, the lights have not been repaired,”
she told the paper.
According to The Herald, “Transnet Security Manager John Elliot
said his department was not responsible for security at the depot.
He referred requests for comment to Transnet communication
management.” Elliot was quoted saying: “As the Apple Express is
a private entity whenever their items are stolen they should report
the matter to the SAPS…..Apple Express can also hire their own
registered security company to protect their assets and whatever
company they use to perform work on Transnet property they
should undergo a safety induction.”
But as Skuy points out: “The Apple Express train is actually the
asset of Transnet Foundation… It is in our [HRASA] custody for
its safekeeping and operation. HRASA has a memorandum of
understanding with the Foundation and as such we are committed
to do what is best for these assets in trying to ensure they are
preserved and safe.”
SIGNALS HALT GAUTENG TRAINSTrains came to a standstill at Johannesburg’s Park station in the
afternoon peak hour on 29 August. According to Metrorail’s Lillian
Mofokeng, “signal power failures affected the movement of all
trains to and from Pretoria, Soweto, Tembisa and Vereeniging.”
Technicians were working on the problem and she apologised for
the inconvenience, asking commuters to fi nd alternative transport.
was hit on a crossing in northern New Jersey by a train of the New
York, Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society, with
about 45 people on board. According to press coverage, “The
driver of the SUV was evaluated by paramedics and released.”
FATAL BALTIMORE ACCIDENT DERAILED 21 WAGONSInvestigations into a bizarre midnight accident on 21 August,
when two girls died while sitting on a bridge at Ellicott, Baltimore,
reveal that the double-headed train of 80 wagons braked suddenly,
but not apparently due to action by the driver. The leading 21
vehicles came off the track, possibly as a result of the air-line
fracturing, causing a simulated emergency stop. The girls were
buried under tons of spilled coal.
Fibre-optic cables broken in the accident disrupted Internet service at
the United States naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, delaying an
important terrorist trial.
According to Federal Railroad Administration statistics, 178 people
were killed in accidents on or near rail lines in the US between
January and May 2012. This fi gure excludes level crossing incidents.
APPLE EXPRESS LOSES THOUSANDS THROUGH THEFTIn a break-in at the Transnet Humewood diesel depot offi ces used
by the Apple Express group, a computer, heavy-duty power cables,
tools and other items worth about R60,000 were stolen. Earlier,
copper worth about R2 million was stolen from the depot over
a period of a month. In early 2010, a truckload of irreplaceable
locomotive spares was removed.
The single use crucibleRail Welding
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PO Box 6070,
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Johannesburg,
Gauteng
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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
LIGHTNING KNOCKS OUT COMMUTER TRAINS On 8 September, Metrorail’s Tony Games in Johannesburg advised
that “stormy weather” had interrupted service in various areas
“with expected major train delays. Lightning has hit a substation
at Pinedene Station, which rendered both lines without overhead
power. This affected all trains on the Pretoria to Johannesburg
and back.”
“Other corridors in the West and East area also experienced more
or less the same challenges ranging from fl ooded rail tracks that is
affecting the movement of trains, power failures, to faulty points
and panel out in Pretoria North.
“Metrorail technical teams will despite the challenges posed by
the stormy rains ensure that trains are authorised to run to ensure
the safe movement of these trains in the region.”
Games apologised for the inconvenience and appealed to
customers to fi nd alternative transport.
TWO KILLED ON THE TRACKOn 7 September 2012, two pregnant women, reportedly from the
Democratic Republic of Congo, were killed by a train while crossing
the line near Kuilsrivier station, east of Bellville in the Western
Cape. It is understood the women took a short cut by way of a
broken fence.
MAJOR DISRUPTION TO GAUTENG TRAINSOn 7 September, Metrorail’s Tony Games in Johannesburg advised
that “the train service is experiencing serious challenges that has
affected the provision of a normal service on account of the bad
weather.
“The following corridors are running behind schedule, as a result,
manual authorisations have been put in place because of faulty
blocks, overhead power failures, CTC panels out, tracks not working
and single lines introduced:
• Mabopane to Eerste Fabrieke, Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane,
Mamelodi.
• Oberholzer, Naledi authorisation at New Canada.
• Katlehong at India and Kutalo.
• Single line working between Vereeniging and Meyerton due to
cable theft.
• Pretoria\Leralla trains to Joburg authorised at Olifantsfontein
to Kaalfontein.
• Major delays at Randfontein - 25 minutes,
• Vereeniging via Midway up to 40 minutes delay expected.”
Games apologised for the inconvenience and appealed to customers
to fi nd alternative transport.
OVERHEAD LINE COLLAPSE DAMAGES TRAMBritain’s Rail Accidents Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released its offi cial (Crown copyright) report:
Collapse of the overhead line near
to Jewellery Quarter Tram Stop,
Midland Metro 20 April 2011.
A tram in Birmingham “struck an
item of overhead line equipment
(OLE), known as a cantilever, which
had previously become partially
detached from its supporting
pole. This caused damage to
Tram 13 and led to a progressive
collapse of the OLE for about
200 metres, which resulted in
further damage to the tram. Three
adult and three child passengers
required hospital treatment.
“The cantilever became detached because part of the assembly
which connected it to its supporting pole, known as the reducing
sleeve, had fractured after becoming mechanically overloaded. The
cantilever may have been restrained to some degree from rotating
around its supporting pole. This restraint, the way in which the
cantilever was installed, the ambient temperature and reduced
clearances around tensioned components were also possibly
factors in creating the overload.
“The striking of the cantilever caused severe damage to the tram’s
pantograph… This caused further cantilevers to become partially
or fully detached from their poles and to be struck by Tram 13,
causing damage to the front and rear windscreens, to side windows
in the driver’s cab and passenger saloon and to the tram’s doors.
Immediately after the tram came to a stand, the driver made an
emergency call to Metro Control to report the accident and to
confi rm that the OLE was electrically isolated so that it was safe to
open the tram doors and initiate an emergency evacuation.
“The tram crew consisted of a driver and a customer service
representative (CSR) who was in the saloon at the time of the
incident. Drivers receive training in dealing with OLE incidents, in
the emergency evacuation of passengers from trams and in acting
as the primary member of service (Primos) at incidents. The Primos
is the NXMM member of staff who will take charge of an incident
on behalf of the tramway and liaise with other agencies pending the
arrival of an Incident Offi cer.”
[The report explains: “The role of a customer service representative
(CSR) is primarily to give information to passengers and to collect
revenue” (ie a conductor – though It seems they still use only one
word for “driver”).]
Smashed windscreen on
Birmingham tram. Photo: RAIB.
Reinstalling cantilever arm after the accident. Photo: RAIB.
30 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
Act safely at level crossings
Pipework had been removed for safekeeping after it was fi tted to
be set and sorted. New metal sheeting to replace the poor lagging
under the boiler has been ordered, and replacing this will be the
next project. Work continues on the tender.
At the beginning of September, a celebratory social function was
hosted for new preservation steam drivers Anthony Attwell and
Gabor Kovacs.
Ex-SAR Class NG15, Welsh Highland RailwayWork is in progress on ex-SAR class NG15 “Kalahari” 2-8-2 no
134. In June, it was reported that the cylinders had been re-bored;
the loco drag box had the rivets knocked out and was ready to be
removed and a completely new drag box was to be attached. Work
was at an advanced stage on no 134’s tender, the tender box sitting
on sister no 133’s frame while 134’s tender frame was sorted.
Locomotive no 134 was built by Franco-Belge in 1952.
Ex-SAR Class A Tank Engine at Woking in EnglandThis past English summer, it was reported that the repaint of former
South African Railways’ class A tank no 196 was coming on well at
the Mizen’s Railway, Woking, despite inclement weather.
Zimbabwe Steam Tour, 2013Geoff’s Trains is planning this event between 18-24 May. The
activity centres on the NRZ’s North Line in the Thomson Junction
and Victoria Falls areas. NRZ is due to supply Garratts of classes
15 and 16A for the photographic activities just south and north of
the junction. The colliery’s steam is on the agenda as well as the
privately-owned class 14A 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 at Victoria Falls.
For a day-by-day breakdown of the tour and other details refer to
www.geoffs-trains.com
Kwazulu-Natal Steam in 2013Between 10-16 May 2013, Geoff’s Trains is planning a tour making
use of preserved class GMAM Garratt no 4074 and narrow gauge
class NGG11 no 55. The class 19Ds still in industrial use at Saiccor
Reefsteamers, GermistonIn mid-August, the class 12AR 4-8-2 no 1535 was patiently
waiting for its eight new tubes to be fi tted. Both tube plates had
been treated, and the copper ferrules were already in place at the
fi rebox end. Some tubes were to be fi tted over a fortnight in August
and the club had a certifi ed welder booked for the fi nal job.
Unfortunately, one of the holes appears to have been built up with
welding, and the welds are showing cracks. It needs to be carefully
inspected and the boiler inspector called out to check. It is likely
that the group will need to do a penetrative dye test. If the hole
fails, the work team will have to cut out a section of tube plate and
fabricate a patch. This would put the 12AR out of action for a while.
Work continues with getting class 15F 4-8-2 no 2914 back to
running order. During August it was reported that the patch plate
for the fi rebox’s right-hand rear corner, which has been forged into
a matching radiused corner, had been certifi ed as still-compliant
even after being heated. It was due to be cut to shape and drilled.
The winter Open Day on 28 July saw both the old and the latest in
South African traction in action: Visitors were met off the Gautrain
at Rhodesfi eld and taken in a steam-hauled train to Reefsteamers’
Germiston site.
Sandstone Heritage TrustSandstone Heritage Trust’s annual steam and heritage gathering
is to take place from 4-12 May 2013. The trust will be celebrating
the centenary of Kerr-Stuart class NG4 no 16, a well-designed
and very iconic tank engine built specifi cally for the Alfred County
Railway and delivered in 1913. The loco is to play a prominent role
in the activities and celebrations throughout the festival which is
entitled “Stars of Sandstone”.
Contact Kirsten Rose for more details at:
Friends of The Rail, PretoriaDuring the winter period, work proceeded on class 15CA 4-8-2 no
2850 with plenty of needle gunning to remove rust and old paint.
Sandstone Trust’s class NG4 will be the highlight of the “Stars of Sandstone”
festival next year. Photo: John Batwell collection.
The former South African Railways’ class A Tank locomotive receives some
tender loving care at Mizen’s, Woking. Photo: John Batwell collection.
RAILWAY HERITAGE
32 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
Preservation is A Preservation is A Vital Part of The Picture Vital Part of The Picture
By John BatwellBy John Batwell
Victoria Falls Steam Train CompanyThis Zimbabwean tour operator has introduced a Cape-gauge tram
at Victoria Falls (see photo). The vehicle was built new by Prof
Engineering in South Africa. The company is the owner of a former
NRZ class 14A Garratt, also carrying the number 512.
on the South Coast are included too. For full details of this tour
opportunity which embraces some scenic, hinterland countryside,
refer to www.geoffs-trains.com
Bamangwato Concessions, Selebi-PhikweDuring Geoff’s Trains’ visit to the Botswana mine this past winter,
ex-South African class 19D no 2689 (Borsig-built) was seen in
service. It is LO812 in the company’s motive power fl eet numbering
(see photo). A further 19D from South Africa, reportedly 1938
Skoda-built no 2626, is earmarked to become LO813.
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Bamangwato Concessions’ additional class 19D 4-8-2 loco no LO812 in
service. Photo: John Batwell collection.
A new sight at Victoria Falls – a biodiesel-driven tram. Photo: John Batwell
collection.
The Victoria Falls company’s other “No. 512” – a class 14A Garratt seen in
steam in October 2012. Photo: G Cooke.
RAILWAY HERITAGE
33Issue 5 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com
Just published, this fascinating book
recounts the history of each of the eight
ex-South African class NGG16 Garratts
and 2-8-2 “Kalahari” NG15 locomotives,
currently at the Welsh Highland Railway
(WHR) in Wales. It includes an account
of footplate working on the Garratts, and
deals with ongoing efforts by the WHRS
Group to restore and return one of the two
NG15 engines to service.
Little has been written about the design
origins of these locomotives, built in Britain
and Europe for service in South Africa.
The book draws on extensive research
undertaken at Boston Lodge since the
mid-1990s in making these engines ready
for the intensive services planned on the
WHR. The origins of their design is recorded
and their development traced from early
beginnings. The story is brought up to date
with coverage of the individual engines now
in North Wales.
Profusely illustrated, the book draws on
photographic collections showing the
locomotives in action both on their original
stamping grounds in South Africa as well
as the more recent activity in North Wales.
With railway modellers in mind, fold-out
scale drawings of the locomotives have
been included, even covering special
features carried only on the fi rst batch of
NG15s in 1931.
The author, a life-long volunteer and part of
the team at Boston Lodge in North Wales,
worked over the last 15 years assembling
the drawings and information needed for
restoring the locomotives. The book was
produced to support the restoration of NG
15 no134.
GARRATTS and KALAHARIS of the WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY by David Payling is published
by the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, Harbour Station, Porthmadog, LL49 9NF, UK.
132pp, 100+ colour and b/w illustrations, hardback, 282mm x 215mm, £25.00.
ISBN 978 0 901848 10 9 www.festshop.co.uk
NG/G16 #143 at Beddgelert on 4 September 2012. Photos: Michael Martin.
34 Railways Africa Issue 5 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com
BOOK REVIEW
GARRATTS & KALAHARIS OF THE WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAYBY DAVID PAYLING
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