OCTOBER 2011
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SPECIALIST CASTINGS FOR THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY
The Scaw Metals Group (Scaw) is an international group, manufacturing a diverse range of steel products. Its principal operations are located in South Africa, South America, Canada and Australia. Smaller operations are in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Scaw’s specialist castings for the railroad industry include bogies used in freight cars, locomotives and passenger cars. Other products manufactured include: Freight car castings: • • • •
Scaw has produced castings for the railroad industry since 1921 and is a technological leader in this field and has participated in the development of unique designs such as the cast adaptor sub-frame assembly used in the “Scheffel” radial axle truck.
Side Frames • Bolsters Yokes • Cast steel monobloc wheels Draw-gear components Centre plates
Cast steel frames for locomotives: • Steerable locomotive frames • Mounting for electrical parking brakes and brakehangers • Traction motor end shields and suspension tubes in cast steel, manufactured to customer requirements
Passenger car castings: • High speed, high stability radial axle bogies for motored and unmotored passenger vehicles • Self steering bogies • Fully machined frames ready for assembly into bogies, including the fitting of bushings and wear plates • Integrally cast brake hanger brackets and mounting for auxiliary equipment Tel: +27 11 842-9303 • Fax: +27 11 842-9710 Website: www.scaw.co.za
Scaw manufactures castings under licence to various licensors, but is an open foundry with the capability to undertake work according to individual customer requirements. The company has produced thousands of sets of steel castings for freight cars for both the local and export markets. These include side frames and bolsters that have been approved by the Association of American Railroads for use on North American railroads.
Scaw supplies globally and also offers nationwide distribution in South Africa through its strategically located branches throughout the country.
SCAW METALS GROUP
RAILWAYS AFRICA / FOREWORD
Foreword object lessons, ones that might just help avoid the reprising of calamities in other places. Plus a smattering of international coverage - subjects with direct or not-sodirect relevance to Africa, maybe items that are just plain interesting (or funny).
Once there’s a backlog, of course, it can be the very devil catching up again - as railways that let their fleet replacement slip know all too well.
The news on our webpage is instantly accessible - no logging in, no complex site to be navigated - and everything is updated every week.
Actually, that’s not a good analogy; magazines can never be fully up to date. Where news is concerned, there’s always a time-lag between writing and publication. Fortunately, thanks to today’s technology, there’s a quick way of playing down the disadvantage - one we have been making the most of for a number of years.
In short, the cover date on the mag itself isn’t significant at all. Some publications date their issues a month in advance (November coming out in October - that sort of thing). We happen to be doing the opposite, but it’s no big deal. After all, we’ve given you the news already on the webpage. Our advertisers are getting their money’s worth, and (though it doesn’t cost you a cent), we hope you are too.
Want up-to-the-minute news instantly, wherever you are? If it’s to do with railways in Africa, you’ll find it at www.railwaysafrica.com, at the click of a mouse. Together with much more besides like our unique world roundup of rail-related mishaps. True, this feature appeals to the morbid-minded, but hopefully there’ll be
OCTOBER 2011
Railways Africa - the magazine - fell behind hand datewise some months back. At the time, our staff were heavily involved in putting together the Railways and Harbours conference. That’s a statement; it’s not meant to be an excuse!
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RAILWAYS AFRICA / CONTENTS
Contents
Features PLASSERAIL The Curve Tamping Process
6 6
Africa Update First Metro in Algeria Starts
20
Sierra Leone: 1st Ore Shipped by AML
27
30
SA Rail News Eastern Cape Transport Award
30
Doubling East of Pretoria
36
Mishaps & Blunders One That Got Away: Explosion at PE Station
40
Passenger Head-down Between Platform & Train
46
48
Railway Heritage Rovos Rail, Pretoria
48
Eritrea Tour in March 2012
49
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October 2011 Railways Africa
5
PLASSERAIL
THE CURVE TAMPING PROCESS 1. Introduction
2.
by Leon Zaayman
Curve Parameters
Curves connect two sections of tangent (straight) track to change direction or to go around man-made or topographic obstructions. Curves are therefore designed during the construction phase with specific parameters such as the radius, transition curve lengths etc, depending on the type of line and speed. When a curve is tamped, the curve parameters are used to establish the offset and cant for the tamping machine. The original design parameters are not always available, resulting in all curves being measured before tamping commences. In addition, the measuring methods used in the past were not very accurate. Under train movement, the track may have shifted to a new position, especially in the case of curves at the bottom of steep grades. This results in curves adopting different parameters from those in the original design. Very often it is not possible or practical to move the curve back to its original design parameters. It is therefore necessary to measure and establish the new curve data and establish a best fit for the curve in that position before tamping commences. This will ensure that the curve is subjected to minimal stress, will be stable in its position and will be geometrically smooth. Most curves in South Africa have been measured using the IM2000 Infrastructure Measuring Car and the curve parameters recorded for use by the tamping machines. In addition, available software allows the engineer to find a best fit for the curve, considering other fixed structures such as tunnels, bridges, multiple lines and mastpoles. Also, the different fixed points on the curves may be marked using curve markers. The remainder, though a very small percentage of the curves, are still measured by hand, using a 10-metre string. The offsets are measured at 5-metre intervals and plotted on a graph (SHS6 form).This system however is time-consuming and has a cumulative error which often results in geometric errors behind the tamping machine.
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Railways Africa October 2011
Figure 1: Curve design.
A train travelling at a speed v in a curve with a radius R will experience a centrifugal lateral acceleration of a=v2/R. This lateral acceleration may have the effect of displacing wagon loads, risk the overturning or derailment of wagons and have high lateral forces on the track, which increases wear of the rails and wheel flanges, lateral displacement of the whole track etc. It is therefore desirable to limit these effects without negatively impacting on the track speed. Partial compensation for the lateral acceleration can be achieved through the use of cant (superelevation) in the curve, the use of a maximum possible curve radius and the use of a transition curve. Curves are therefore generally divided into three sections, namely – (i)
A transition curve which allows the centrifugal force experienced by a train travelling at a constant speed to increase uniformly from the end of the tangent track to the maximum force in the curve. This is achieved by gradually decreasing the curve radius from the tangent track to the radius of the circular curve in the form of a spiral (the blue and red lines in Figure 1).Transition curves are therefore also referred to as a spiral curve because that section of the curve has an ever changing radius and offset in the form of a spiral.
(ii)
The circular curve (the green line in Figure 1) which follows on the transition curve has a constant radius and constant offset.
(iii)
Another transition curve follows after the circular curve which gradually increases the curve radius again to the tangent track.
These sections are denoted by fixed points (see Figure 1): • the beginning of the transition curve (BTC), • the beginning of the circular curve (BCC),
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PLASSERAIL • •
the end of the circular curve (ECC), and the end of the transition curve (ETC).
The process is as follows: •
First the beginning of the transition curve (BTC) must be established. Since few curves have signposting to indicate this position, the beginning of the curve is at best an estimate, and errors of several metres have been seen.
•
A tape measure is used to measure the position of every station from tangent to tangent at 5-metre intervals. Three stations X, Y and Z are also measured before the beginning of the transition curve. A chalk mark is made on the crown (or on the foot of the rail) to indicate the position of the station. The station number is written on the foot of the rail with white chalk (see Figure 4).
A curve is said to be to the ‘right’ or to the ‘left’ to indicate the direction of curvature to the right or to the left-hand respectively looking in the direction of increasing kilometres.
3.
Hand Measuring The Curve To Establish The Existing Curve Data
3.1
Measuring Method
Explaining the hand method of measuring the curve to establish the curve parameters will provide insight into curve design. When a curve is “measured”, it is actually the offset from the middle of a 10-metre cord to the rail crown that is measured at 5-metre intervals. The measuring position is called a station. The measuring instrument (a versine) is a nylon string of 10 metres which is used in conjunction with a ruler in the middle of the string (see Figure 3) to establish the distance between the string (the cord) and the rail.
Figure 2: Measuring the offset distance between a 10-metre cord and the rail crown.
Figure 4: Marking made on the rail.
•
The mid-ordinate offset can now be measured using the string held by two people at the chalk marks and a third person to measure the offset in the middle of the 10-metre string at each station using a special ruler (see Figure 3). Readings are taken 14mm under the crown.
•
The measured offset is written on the foot of the rail in white chalk next to the station number.
•
The form SHS6 or equivalent is used to write the offset under the column “MO” (mid-ordinate) against the corresponding station number. See Figure 5 for the Plasserail equivalent of the SHS6 form. A dot is made on the graph paper at the offset value.
•
The string is moved on by 5 metres and the next station is measured, the value is written on the foot of the rail and recorded on the SHS6 form.
•
This process continues until the whole curve has been measured and recorded on the SHS6 form.
This data is then used to calculate the transition lengths, the curve radius, the curve offset and the required cant. Accurate information is required to ensure that the tamping machine places the curve in the desired position. Figure 3: Measuring the curve with the manual method and a 10m string.
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Railways Africa October 2011
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Your Specialist Partner For Mechanised Railway Track Maintenance & Construction Machinery PERFORMANCE
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Telefax: (011) 474-3582
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PLASSERAIL
Figure 5: Equivalent of the SHS6 form to dot down the measured offsets.
3.2
Establishing the curve data from the measured information
The SHS6 form must now be presented to the railway representative who will use the information on the form to plot the curve and to establish the position and values of the curve data. The following curve data is calculated:
3.2.1 Offset of the circular curve First the average offset for the circular curve must be established. This is done basically in one of two ways – (i)
the average of the offsets that are clearly in the circular curve are calculated and a line is drawn at that offset, or
(ii)
the railway representative uses a transparent ruler and draws a line where the average appears to be.
3.2.2 Offsets and length of transition A line is drawn from station 0 (at the BTC) to where the line crosses the circular curve offset line (at 17mm in the example). This line represents the transition curve and shows the required offsets per station. The same is done for the transition curve at the end of the curve. The transition lengths can be calculated by adding the number of stations between the beginning of the transition curve and the end of the transition curve and multiplying this number by 5 metres (the distance between stations).
3.2.3 Curve radius The radius of the curve can now be calculated from the average offset using the Pythagorean formula and the right-angled triangle shown in Figure 6:
10
Railways Africa October 2011
Figure 6: Calculating the curve radius.
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PLASSERAIL 3.2.4 Desired cant Once the curve radius has been established, the radius and the section speed are used to establish the maximum cant for the circular curve from the table in Annexure 9, Sheet 4 of 4, “Superelevation and maximum permissible speed on curvesâ€? in the Manual for track maintenance (2000). Refer also to section 4.1.4 in the manual for further speciďŹ cations that must be adhered to.
The IM2000 integrates inertial sensors (gyros and accelerometers) with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and a non-contact optical gauge measuring system to provide precise measurement of track geometry parameters under normal load conditions.
4.1
Locating the ďŹ xed points of the curve
The measured parameter of “alignment� is further processed to produce curve data based on a 10-metre cord. The accuracy for a 10-metre mid-cord offset measurement is 1mm RMS or better.
The speciďŹ ed cant applies only to the circular curve and will remain constant through the circular curve. The rate of cant increases in millimetre per sleeper must be calculated over the transition curve. The cant starts at 0mm and will reach the required value at the point where the transition curve joins the circular curve. All the information is now available for tamping. Figure 7: The parameter of alignment is used to produce curve data.
4.
Establishing Curve Data Using The IM2000 Infrastructure Measuring Vehicle
The hand measuring of curves explained above is time-consuming and has a cumulative error which, when used for establishing the curve parameters for the tamping machine settings in the curve, often results in geometric errors behind the machine. Curve data is a function of the track geometry parameters that are measured by the IM2000 infrastructure measuring vehicle. The measurements are accurate and eradicate the cumulative errors associated with hand measurements.
When the machine enters a curve it will detect that the alignment increases by more than an average of Âą2mm over a 25-metre distance, after which it will recognise it as a curve. Locating the ďŹ xed points of a curve is very accurate. The IM2000 measures the geometry parameters at 250mm intervals while travelling at 80 km/h. The computer system uses the measurements of the previous 40 metres to calculate a running mean for the average alignment of the left and right rail. The running mean is then used to establish the exact point at which the offset exceeds the running mean by
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Railways Africa October 2011
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PLASSERAIL a set figure. This is the beginning of the transition curve. The other fixed points are similarly located.
If the exact position of a point in the given area is known (such as a fixed beacon), a GPS position reading at that beacon can be compared with its actual known position to calculate an error in the GPS reading.This error is valid for the position of the beacon, and also for positions of all other GPS readings in the given area around the beacon. The error-information within that area can be sent to DGPS subscribers to apply a correction adjustment to their GPS readings to improve accuracy of GPS position locations to less than 0.4 metres.
Figure 8: Using a 40-metre running mean to establish the curve fixed points.
4.2
Locating the fixed points in space
The IM2000 uses a GPS receiver to continuously locate and record the position of the machine on the track. This is of utmost importance in locating the position of track defects and also for the accurate location of the curve fixed points on the track. Standard GPS coordinates are, however, only accurate to approximately 5 metres due to, for example, climatic or atmospheric conditions. For locating track defects and the fixed points of a curve, 5 metres is not accurate enough. The IM2000 therefore uses a system called Differential GPS (DGPS). DGPS relies on the concept that the errors in the position at one location of a GPS receiver are similar to those for all locations within a given area due, for example, to the ruling climatic conditions.
The IM2000 receives the error information constantly and makes error adjustments to ensure that the locations of, for example, the fixed points of a curve are always within 0.4 metre accuracy.
4.3
The curve list
In 2005, a project was launched to record all the curves in South Africa on a curve list from the curve data provided by the IM2000. The curve data was processed to find the best fit for every curve. The curve list provides all the necessary information required for the tamping machine, including the position of all the curve fixed points, the length of the curve parameters, the curve radius, curve number and kilometre location etc. The only problem is that the report provides the location of the curve fixed points as longitude and latitude coordinates. Unless the tamping machine is equipped with a differential GPS, it still does not know exactly where the curve’s fixed points are.
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PLASSERAIL 4.4
Locating the fixed points on the track
As part of the project launched in 2005,the IM2000 curve list was used together with a handheld DGPS instrument to locate the fixed points (BTC, BCC, ECC and ETC) of all the curves. These points were identified by painting the sleeper nearest to the fixed point with green paint to within 1 metre accuracy.
5.
Tamping of A Curve
The curve data must be available before the tamping machine arrives on site.The curve radius, the transition lengths and the
Figure 9: The tamping machine’s cord is not 10m long and does not measure in the centre of the cord.
16
Railways Africa October 2011
sleeper spacing is entered into a computer software programme which calculates the offsets per sleeper for the specific machine type. A printout is made of the offsets. Specific mention is made of the calculated offsets per machine type because the cord distance between the front and rear measuring trolleys of a tamping machine is usually longer than 10 metres and differs from machine type to machine type. The distance between the centre measuring trolley and the front and rear measuring trolleys is also not in the middle of the cord. Refer to Figure 9.
Figure 10: Curve data written on the rail.
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PLASSERAIL All the information must now be written on the sleeper and rail in a chalk colour and position according to a set procedure the day before or on the day of tamping. Other information such as the radius of the curve and the desired cant per sleeper is also written on the sleepers in yellow. Refer to Figure 10. During tamping, from his position in the cab the operator can see the written cant and tamper offset information on the sleeper and make the necessary adjustments manually on the tamping machine to obtain the required results per sleeper. The information written on the rail is not visible to and not used by the operator and is purely for quality control purposes.
On the latest Plasserail tamping machines, such as the 09-3X, Unimat and DYNA-CAT, a computer system eliminates the need to write the offsets on the sleeper. The curve data is entered into the ALC computer system which calculates the offsets and makes the necessary adjustments automatically without any further input from the operator. This allows for the most accurate positioning of the curve possible and is the most efficient in terms of time and resources.
Behind the tamping machine the offset, cant, overhead stagger and height and track to mastpole clearance is measured. The results are also written on the rail and sleepers before it is recorded on a form for quality control purposes.
REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
COENRAAD ESVELD. Modern Railway Track (second edition). VENTER C. The Little Green Book SPOORNET. Manual For Track Maintenance (2000) Plasserail Specifications and Procedures Old South African Railways Specifications – (no references available)
RAIL VEHICLE SYSTEMS
International Railway Industry Standard
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Knorr-Bremse South Africa (Pty) Ltd (KBSA) has had IRIS certification since January 2009 and has just successfully passed not only a re-certification but also an upgrade audit against revision 2 valid from 5 January 2011. KBSA is the first and only company in Africa to have obtained IRIS certification and has experienced the benefits of this certification by reduced non-conformities, improved customer support, improved product quality from suppliers – simply, improved business management across the entire supply chain. | www.knorr-bremse.com | Knorr-Bremse S.A. Pty. Ltd. 3 Derrick Road (Corner Green Road) 1610 Spartan Phone: +27 11 961 7800 Fax: +27 11 975 8249
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AFRICA UPDATE
AFRICA UPDATE ALGERIA FIRST METRO IN ALGERIA STARTS On 31 October, Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika inaugurated the first metro line in the capital Algiers (population 3 million). Siemens, as the consortium leader, delivered the complete rail system as a turnkey project. The Siemens scope of supply comprised the automatic train control system Trainguard MT CBTC, the radio communication system Airlink and the train location system Digiloc. Siemens also installed the telecommunication system, the traction power supply, trackwork and the ticket vending system. In addition, the operations control centre was equipped with technology from Siemens. The company was responsible for the project management and the entire project planning. Consortium partners were Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A. (CAF) and Vinci Construction.
Republic of Congo (DRC), 1,348km from the Atlantic coast, before the end of 2012. Test runs are to be run in January 2012 as far as in Cuito in Bié province.
Algiers transport operator Entreprise Métro d’Alger (EMA) awarded the contract to build the first section of Line 1. The line comprises ten stations and runs from the south to the north and along the coast in a westerly direction into the city centre. In the medium term, EMA plans to expand the line by 3.5km. The first section is operated by RATP El Djazaïr, a subsidiary of the Paris public transport operator. EMA expects around 300,000 passengers per day on the entire metro line. A further expansion of the metro network in Algiers to a total of three lines is planned.
In steam days: wood-burning Garratt 4-8-2+2-8-4 class 10D no 362 on the Benguela Railway.
BOTSWANA COAL AT SESE Following the concept study in September that confirmed the viability of Botswana’s Sese coal project, African Energy Resources has begun bulk sampling work. According to the earlier findings, extraction of up to 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) in a firststage initial operation could generate cash flow with effect from 2013 through selling washed coal into domestic and regional markets. Production is foreseen to reach output of 5mtpa in a second project stage, possibly without needing to use rail, but rail facilities would be indispensable thereafter.
Map courtesy Railway Gazette International.
ANGOLA GARRATTS CUT AT HUAMBO From a sar-L correspondent: “Scrappers started cutting up the Garratt locomotives in the works at Huambo on 30 October. They began on three locomotives (including one non-Garratt) at the extreme western end, and presumably will be working their way east.”
BENGUELA RAILWAY Trains of Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB) are now operating regularly between Lobito on the Atlantic coast and Huambo (380km), eastbound on Tuesdays, returning on Thursdays. Angolan transport minister Aquiles de Carvalho told news agency Angop that the railway will be opened to the border with the Democratic
20
Railways Africa October 2011
The Sese deposit is said to be ideally suited to low-cost, open-cut mining, being noteworthy for: • A large continuous coal seam with a strike-length of some 35km; • A main seam averaging 14m thickness; • Full seam strip ratios of 1.6:1.
CAMEROON Environmental approval for the Mbalam mine, railway and Lolabe port project in Cameroon was granted in 2010. The government has now declared the extent of land along the rail corridor which it intends to acquire so that the line can be built. No further property transactions or construction will be permitted in this strip.
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AFRICA UPDATE CONGO (DRC) NARROW-GAUGE CONGO GARRATTS Notes from Peter Bagshawe: “Construction of the CF Vicinaux du Mayumbe commenced in 1898, believed to be a 615mm gauge, although also quoted at 610mm. “It initially purchased 0-4-0T locos, and around 1905 there was a project to permanently couple some or all of these locos back to back, but there are conflicting reports as to whether this project was realised. “In 1911 they purchased their first Garratts and eventually had a fleet of 20. They were all unsuperheated 0-4-0+0-4-0T with 200mm x 300mm cylinders, 600mm dia driving wheels and weighed between 23 and 27 tonnes in working Order: • Type MA, 1A-4A, St Leonard 1708-1709/1715-1716 of 1911 • Type 3MA, 1B-11B, St Leonard 1899-1900 of 1919/1953-1956 of 1921/2021-2025 of 1924 • Type 4MA, 1C-4C, St Leonard 2056-2059 of 1926 • Type 4MA2, 1E, St Leonard 2096/1927 “By the end of the 1950s the line had been dieselised and, as far as I am aware, none of the Garratts were preserved.”
“Eritrea’s history and its phenomenal railway not only attract railway enthusiasts, they also create dreams for film producers. An innovative, young film producer has developed an interesting concept for a documentary in which Eritrea’s railway will play a major part. She has already produced an award-winning film in which an African train was the recurrent theme. This tour was created to support her. She’ll definitely not spoil our programme nor occupy a photo position. “As we’ve encouraged them to overhaul several two-axle freight cars over the last two years, it’s now possible to offer a large variety of genuinely authentic-looking trains. “The tour will be good for Eritrean ‘newcomers’ as well as regular visitors who want to use their remaining leave for 2011. Our programme is very compact and offers only the ‘cherry on the cake’ of the Eritrean’s railway, but we’ll use all three different types of locomotive and will probably see the ‘new’ 442 56 in steam. This loco has been under overhaul for many years, as we’ve reported. It should be able to haul trains over the stiff gradients by the time we’re there. More details are available here: Arbaroba Special http://www.farrail.com/pages/touren-engl/eritrea-steamarbaroba-2012.php
ERITREA Newsletter: www.FarRail.com/newsletter: mail@FarRail.com
STEAM TOUR FarRail Tours, based in Germany, has arranged a tour to Eritrea, starting on 28 January 2012 and ending on 2 February. Organiser Bernd Seiler explains:
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OPERATIONS & WORKSHOP No1 Frikkie Meyer Road Pretoria West Gauteng Republic of South Africa Tel: +27 12 307-7251 Fax: +27 12 307-7112 fafrail@worldonline.co.za
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Sales and rentals of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock. Repair/reconditioning of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock in our Pretoria West based workshop and on site. Repair/reconditioning of all locomotive and other rolling stock equipment (engines, bogies, turbo chargers, air and vacuum brake valves and auxiliaries, compressors and exhausters, couplers and draft gears etc.) Service exchange components for most major items on present day locomotives, which include traction motors, bogies, power packs, expressors and main generators etc. A full range of spare parts for locomotives and rail wagons, most of which are available off the shelf. Sales and rentals of electrical, mechanical and air jacking systems for the lifting of locomotives and rail wagons etc, on site. Operation and control of entire rail systems ranging from the maintenance of customers own locomotives and rolling stock to the control and transport of their products and the maintenance of their railway tracks and switch/signalling systems.
AFRICA UPDATE ETHIOPIA CHINA TO BUILD NEW LINE TO DJIBOUTI After several years of contradictory announcements and false starts on repairing the existing railway from Addis Ababa to Djibouti, Ethiopia has unveiled plans to build an entirely new line. The first phase will take three years to build and cost $US1.2 billion. A Chinese company is to handle the construction and the Chinese government will fund it.
screened from the line (which will have a 60 metre reserve) by walls either side some nine metres high and extending for more than 12km. The World Bank is financing the project.
ETHIOPIA
SUDAN
100
Kampala
Malaba Nakuru
Entebbe
200
400km
KENYA
SOMALIA
UGANDA
Kisumu
NAIROBI Mwanza
TANZANIA
Lamu
Voi
Mombasa
EAST AFRICA $US900BN NEEDED
MOZAMBIQUE
The crucial role played by railways in the economy of a well functioning country is being recognised at last in African states. Unfortunately, most allowed their rail systems to deteriorate – even fall apart - following the withdrawal of colonial influence. It was widely held that the colonialists only built lines for their own benefit, mostly to facilitate the export of indigenous minerals. Ironically, rail lines being upgraded in Africa today – for instance in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cameroon and elsewhere – prioritise exactly the same thing. Even the much vaunted Tanzania-Zambia “Uhuru” freedom railway was built with the specific object of getting Zambian copper to the sea. At present, global trade is very much in fashion and the shortcomings of African railways mean that many countries are being left behind.
COAL VIA MOZAMBIQUE’S QUELIMANE PORT?
Realisation of these home truths has dawned only lately, but the latest figure quoted for implementing the East African Community (EAC) railway master plan - prepared by Canadian consultancy CPCS Transcom - is a startling $US900 billion. Without it, the member countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) see little hope of meaningfully enhanced economic growth. True, pinning their faith on the perceived magic of “standard gauge” may prove over- optimistic. The budget may need trimming to get nearer to affordability – after all, many railways in the world manage on less than standard gauge.
Quelimane has – or used to have – a railway, but it extended only 145km inland, to Mocuba, and it hasn’t operated for years. Exactly what somebody has in mind is far from clear. Obviously there is no point in connecting Quelimane to Beira. To help move coal from Moatize implies a completely new railway directly from the coalfields – that’s about 550km.
Specifically, planners are eyeing Quelimane, a little port 300km north of Beira and about 550km south of Nacala.
MALAWI
Lake Malawi
[A better idea might be to build a line from Quelimane to Mutarara, on the north bank of the Zambezi (roughly 200km), and double the Sena line to Moatize from there. – Editor: Railways Africa] ZAMBIA
The master plan, together with its implications, objectives and cost, is to be tabled at a heads of state summit in December.
Until recently, Mozambique export coal was envisaged as reaching the sea via the nearly completed Sena line to Beira (in the short term) and by way of Malawi and the port of Nacala as soon as a 100km gap in this route could be filled . Both have upperlimit loading implications. Doubling the 3.67km bridge over the Zambezi for instance would be formidably costly, not to mention constraints at the port of Beira. With the demand for coal rising inexorably however, a third option looks to be on the cards in future planning.
Lichinga
MOZAMBIQUE
Chipata Lilongwe
Footnote: The EAC is home to about 130 million people.
KENYA
Cabora
Bassa D
22
Railways Africa October 2011
Nkaya
Monapo
Entre Lagos Nampula
ZIMBABWE
Za Tete m be si R ive r
Chiromo Mocuba
Mutarara
Morrumbala
Vila de Sena Caia Inhamitanga
To Harare
Lumbo
Blantyre
Moatize
SLUMS TO MAKE WAY IN NAIROBI Integral to planned commuter rail provision in Kenya, the clearance of slum dwellings within the rail reserve through Nairobi’s Kibera is being tackled determinedly. It is a daunting project that will see some 9,000 entities displaced – both dwellings and a large number of small business activities. Two-storey alternative accommodation with electricity and piped water is to be provided,
Nacala
Cuamba
am
Quelimane Marromeu
Indian Ocean
Manica Mutare
0 Dondo
150
300
450 Km
Beira
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AFRICA UPDATE XILUVO: FUTURE MOZAMBIQUE RAIL CUSTOMER Southern Crown Resources’ rare earth element Xiluvo project covers part of the Monte Xiluvo carbonatite complex in the Sofala Province of Mozambique, 110km from the port of Beira. The mainline from Harare via Mutare in Zimbabwe runs along the southern boundary. According to a company statement: “The resource contains a balance between light and heavy rare earth elements, containing oxides of neodymium, europium, terbium, dysprosium and yttrium - which are widely known to be critically undersupplied to the global market in the next decade.�
SENA LINE UPGRADE DELAYED Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique (CFM – the state railway & harbours) expects to complete refurbishment of the Sena line linking the port of Beira with coal mines in Tete province by early 2013. CFM took over the project after the government cancelled the contract with India’s Rites and Ircon, due to failure to complete the work after a series of delays. Until the upgrade is ďŹ nished, the line will not be able to carry the planned six million tonnes of coal per annum. In a later stage of upgrading, it is hoped to raise capacity to about 19 million tonnes. Brazil’s Vale mining company has begun using the Sena line to move its coal to Beira, but at much slower speed than that required for meaningful trafďŹ c volumes.
NAMIBIA LUDERITZ LINE
Tubular track: ideally suited to desert conditions. line running down from Windhoek and beyond. For more than ten years, the route has remained inoperable. The rebuilding project includes a section where the patented tubular track has been laid, being especially suited to desert conditions and blown sand. This activity has been reported extensively in Railways Africa.
In recent years, progress came to a virtual standstill. It is understood that material to complete the work has been received but has yet to be moved on site. There is talk of a hoped-for new completion date of 2013. The inoperable railway severely hampers the efďŹ ciency of the port at Luderitz.
During 2001, TransNamib began complete reconstruction of the railway that extends some 310km from Luderitz on the Atlantic coast to the junction (at Seeheim North) with the main north-south
“ You focus on your business, we will focus on your gas supply�
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24
Railways Africa October 2011
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FOUNDRY BUSINESS Specialist producers of a range of cast products for the rail industry from locomotive, wagon and passenger coach parts through to state-of-the-art permanent way components. We also serve the mining, automotive
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and marine industries.
Tel: +27 (0)12 391 1304
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Email: sales@transnet.net
AFRICA UPDATE SARA PROTOCOL FRAMEWORK The Southern African Railway Association (SARA) draws its mandate from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and in terms of that is calling for integration of services, with member railways able to offer seamless, efficient and costeffective services. A media statement issued by TransNamib, the state railway of Namibia, says that the protocol provides a clear framework through which the regional railway industry can be developed.
NIGERIA MONORAIL PLANS The Enugu State government in Nigeria, in conjunction with its technical partner, Globim Trans International of Canada, has announced plans to build a 117km monorail line, estimated to cost $US1.6 billion. Describing the monorail system as “safe, self-sustaining and economically viable”, state governor Sullivan Chime says the project will create 4,000 new jobs. It is to be carried out in six phases. The first is to be completed between 20 to 24 months from the date of financing.
ILORIN SERVICE BEGINS On 31 October, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) restored passenger train service from Lagos via Ibadan to Ilorin (391km), the Kwara state capital, following completion of track rehabilitation by the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC). The inaugural train departed from Iddo Station in Lagos at about 09:00 and arrived in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital (193km), at 14:00. According to NRC western district manager Folorunso Rasheed Gbadamosi, north-south express rail services will be fully restored within the first quarter of 2012, on completion of rehabilitation at the Akere Bridge in Niger State. Gbadamosi s ays the Iddo-Ilorin six-coach train will run every Friday, returning on the Sunday. NRC has commenced weekly haulage of 600 metric tons of cement to Osogbo, the Osun state capital. This is to be followed by haulage of a similar amount to Ilorin.
in the 65km Abuja light rail project, due to insufficient funding. Minister in the Federal Capital Territory Senator Bala Mohammed has now asked CCECC to assist in sourcing the $US500 million loan promised from China to help finance the work. The minister was represented at a recent site meeting with the CCECC by his senior special assistant on project monitoring and evaluation, the honourable Ahmed Wadada.
ORE FROM AGBARA The Agbaja Iron Ore Exploration Project being developed in Nigeria by Proactive Investors Energio is said to have resource potential of 1 to 2 billion tonnes. Agbaja lies about 300km southwest of the Nigerian capital Abuja. Reportedly the existing railway through Ajaokuta, less than 70km to the south, has the capacity to move 10 million tons of ore annually to the coast (300km further to the south, once the outstanding 27km extension to the port of Warri is completed). Construction of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta line – the first standard gauge railway in Nigeria – was started in 1987. The extension to Warri was not begun until 1996 but was then suspended due to funding problems. Eventually the federal government revived the project in 2009, awarding N36 billion contracts to Julius Berger plc for the completion of the remaining section and the rehabilitation of the previously built 254km. In November 2010, then Nigerian transport minister Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman promised passenger service on the line in 2011, but this has yet to eventuate.
SÉNÉGAL SÉNÉGAL-MALI LINE UPGRADE NEEDED The 1,233km metre-gauge railway from Dakar in Sénégal to Bamako in adjoining Mali was completed in 1924, though portions of the line were in operation 20 years previously. An extension to Koilikoro, a further 53km, was completed later but is out of use. There was little further investment in the line itself until some three years after operations were privatised in 2003, by which time the track was in poor condition. In 2006, partial improvement took place, funded by an International Development Agency loan of $US48.7 million for “transport corridor improvements”. Today however things are not looking good. Although additional rolling stock has been acquired, Transrail - which holds a 25-year operating concession - reported 136 derailments in the first 10 months of 2011, also 291 instances of broken rail between Dakar and Thies (70km), part of which carries a commuter service. Repair work is in progress along some 44km of this section at present, scheduled for completion in 2014. In 2010, Thomas Cook’s Overseas Timetable listed a once-weekly “express” passenger train linking the two capitals, remarking that “the trains are life-expired, filth has accumulated for years, bedroom doors often don’t lock and lack hinges, lights don’t work and toilets have no water. The available mattresses and linen haven’t been washed for years. Never mind what the timetable says, the train will take anything from 44 to over 80 hours to make the trip”. Transrail says 400,000 tons of freight were conveyed in 2010. Loads are constrained by a 15 ton axle load.
ABUJA LIGHT RAIL FUNDS HOLD-UP The China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), has completed only 26 culverts out of 96 and only 35km of line
26
Railways Africa October 2011
Currently the two countries, keen to upgrade the railway to carry minerals like iron ore and phosphates, are seeking funding for upgrading from sources such as the European Union,
www.railwaysafrica.com
AFRICA UPDATE the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the French Development Agency. A figure of about $US1.6 billion has been mentioned for strengthening the track.
SIERRA LEONE SIERRA LEONE: 1ST ORE SHIPPED BY AML African Minerals Limited (AML) has loaded the first iron ore shipment from its Tonkolili project, the first such shipment from Sierra Leone in more than 30 years. This is a test cargo consigned to the Shandong Iron and Steel Group in China, prior to finalisation of investment totalling some $US1.5 billion.
Africa, and Phuzumayo in Swaziland is completed. The objective is to provide an alternative route for general freight headed to Richards Bay, thereby releasing badly needed extra capacity on South Africa’s coal line. Swaziland Railway’s director for operations and marketing Stephenson Ngubane says a feasibility study is nearing completion, though technical aspects such as determining the specific route are still outstanding. Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama points out that an environmental impact assessment has still to be undertaken, once the feasibility study is complete.
AML built the fully integrated mine, rail and port infrastructure within 14 months of receiving the mining lease and the environmental impact assessment licence. Final commissioning of the port and railway are continuing, with completion expected before the end of 2011. It is planned to export 15 million tons in 2012.
Earlier in 2011, Gama estimated that as much as 15 million tons of general freight currently transported on Transnet’s coal export line could be moved to the new railway.
To support present and future work on expanding infrastructure capacity, additional civil works and equipment will be needed, including additional passing loops, more locomotives and ore wagons, also a second wagon dump facility at the port. These requirements are currently in the design stage or are being procured. It is expected that the bulk of the costs of this additional infrastructure will be funded by vendor finance, the balance from 2012 cash-flow.
TUNISIA
The coal line has a capacity of 68 million tons a year and the Richards Bay Coal Terminal is able to handle 91 million.
STRIKE HALTS TRAINS Passenger service between the Tunisian cities of Sfax, Gafsa and Gabes came to a sudden halt when employees of Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens (SNCFT - the Tunisian National Railways) went on strike. According to law, 10 days notice must be given of the intention to down tools, but this was not done.
MOZAMBIQUE
Production at a rate of 20 million tons per annum is foreseen with effect from 2013. REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
N
MANANGA PIGGS PEAK
l Bo
urg
uib
a
TSHANENI MHLUME
MHLUME SIMUNYE MILL
Hhohho
KADAKE
ze Men
MLAWULA
MGWILI EHLANE MBABANE
MALOYO
MPAKA
SIPHOCO
SITEKI MANZINI MATSAPHA
LUBHUKU
Lubombo
SIDVOKODVO
to Lothair
PHUZUMOYA
SWAZILAND
Metlaoui
BIG BEND
HLATIKULU
Shiselweni
NTSOKO
gauge 0
10
20
30
40
50
LAVUMISA
gauge
Kilometres
SWAZILAND NEW LINE Four to five years may elapse before the planned 165km of new railway between Lothair east of Ermelo in Mpumalanga, South
www.railwaysafrica.com
October 2011 Railways Africa
27
AFRICA UPDATE Considerable inconvenience to passengers was caused, as people’s Eid plans were disrupted, with many prevented from reaching home in time for religious activities. SNCFT arranged buses which went some way to alleviating the problems.
ZAMBIA LUSAKA’S NJANJI COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE Writing in the Times of Zambia, Humphrey Nkonde urges the revival of the Njanji commuter rail service, which connected Lusaka to the townships of Chilenje and George. Opened in 1991, the line was a money-spinner, Nkonde says, earning K458 million revenue in 1995 - a typical year - when 2,700,000 passengers were carried. The service came to an abrupt stop on 10 October 1998 when two trains collided. Both locomotives and 12 passenger coaches were badly damaged and service on the line never resumed. Nkonde attributes the collision to primitive operational control, which relied on walkie-talkie radio. Subsequently the line itself and station at George have not been maintained and are in dilapidated condition. Another obstacle in the way of restarting the trains is the extent to which squatters have encroached on the rail reserve Restoring the line and the train service would help reduce Lusaka’s appalling road traffic congestion, Nkonde argues, and the concept could be extended by introducing commuter trains to Chilanga and Ngwerere, using some 25km of the Zambia Railways mainline. This is concessioned to Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ), which could manage the suggested commuter service.
ZIMBABWE STRIKE COSTS NRZ $US5M The National Railways of Zimbabwe says it lost close to $US 5 million in one week due to strike action that cost about $1 million per day, general manager Air Commodore (retired) Mike Karakadzai told the Zimbabwe Standard. NRZ workers went on strike on 27 September, pressing for better pay, allowances and outstanding salaries dating back to 2009. The strike action drew the whole NRZ workforce affiliated to the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers’ Union, Railway Association of Yard Operating Staff, Zimbabwe Railways Artisans’ Union and Railways Association of Engineering. Karakadzai said the strike was holding back over 15,000 tonnes of unmoved cargo daily. “In terms of tonnage, we are losing about 33,000 tonnes of traffic that should have been moved and that translates to about $2 million in two days since workers went on strike on Tuesday,” Karakadzai said after a crisis meeting held at the NRZ headquarters. Much as the company would like to make up outstanding pay and meet salary demands, je explained, NRZ could not afford to do so. “On average per day, NRZ makes about $225,000, translating to about US$7million in a month against monthly expenditure of about $10.5 million for fuel, salaries and spare parts,” he said.
Lusaka
Commenting on informal public transport on Zambian roads, Nkonde points out that at least the railway used a proper ticket system. Turning to the question of financing, Nkonde says South African experts who looked around the world prior to building Gautrain found that very few urban railways cover both capital and operating cost out of revenue. But Hong Kong for instance is able to erect high-rise building complexes above stations. Infrastructure costs, Nkonde thinks, are best met by government, while private investors can be relied upon to deal with operating expenses and the acquiring of rolling stock, “which they can obtain cheaply on lease.” [Nkonde is described as an international freelance journalist and a logistics and transport professional.]
ZAMBIA
N
Blantyre
ZIMBABWE Moatize Victoria Falls
Livingstone
HARARE Kwekwe
BOTSWANA
Gweru Bulawayo
Francistown
West Nicholson Beitbridge
Mutare
Masvingo
Beira
Rutenga
MOZAMBIQUE
SOUTH AFRICA
ZIMBABWE
Victoria Falls station, National Railways of Zimbabwe, 1 August 2011. Photo: Jean Dulez.
28
Railways Africa October 2011
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SA RAIL NEWS
SOUTH AFRICAN
RAIL NEWS OCTOBER – SA TRANSPORT MONTH Inaugurated by South Africa’s national Department of Transport (DoT), “Transport Month” is observed every year in October. It highlights the achievements of the transport sector in the provision of a safe, efficient, affordable and sustainable transport system. The 2011 campaign focused on job creation and service with the theme: “Year of job creation and service delivery in the transport sector, moving South Africa to a better tomorrow.” The campaign objectives were to: • Highlight transport initiatives, which have a positive impact in all modes of transport • Highlight investment made to create jobs and expand services and infrastructure, especially in rural areas • Raise awareness on the important role that transport plays in the economy of the country • Raise awareness on measures taken to improve the safety of transport users, particularly road users.
INTERIM RAIL ECONOMIC REGULATOR From official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: “The Department of Transport has embarked on initiatives to introduce rail reform through, amongst others, the establishment of an Interim Rail Economic Regulator.”
EASTERN CAPE TRANSPORT AWARD The Eastern Cape Department of Transport recently received a Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA) Public Sector Reporting Award after winning the category for government departments in the Eastern Cape province by scoring 92.57%.
TRANSNET INTERIM RESULTS Official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: Group operating performance – continuing operations “Revenue for the period increased by 20.3% to R22.4 billion (2010: R18.7 billion). This increase was mainly due to a 7.1% weighted average growth as a result of strong increases in iron ore and container volumes. In line with customer contractual commitments, export coal and iron ore tariff adjustments also contributed to the increase. In addition, pipeline tariffs were increased due to commissioning of new assets as part of the New Multi-Product Pipeline (NMPP). These tariff increases enabled the company to achieve a fair return on invested capital. “Despite numerous cost-reduction initiatives implemented throughout the company, operating costs increased by 15.9% to R13.0 billion (2010: R11.2 billion) mainly due to higher material costs of 26.5% to address aging assets and in support of volume growth. Personnel costs increased by 14.0% due to salaries and wages being lower in the prior period as a result of the three- week industrial strike action and an 8.0% average wage increase in the current period. In addition, energy costs were adversely impacted by the electricity tariff increase of 25.0% and an increase in the price of Brent crude oil. “Consequently, earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 27.0% to R9.4 billion (2010: R7.4 billion) resulting in an EBITDA margin of 42.0% (2010: 39.8%). Photo: Jacque Wepener (class 6E1 locos in the lead).
The award was unveiled by MEC for transport, roads and public works Thandiswa Marawu during the official opening of a new driving licence testing centre at Wilsonia in East London on 4 October 2011. The award, she said, clearly shows that despite the negative publicity that the department continues to receive, “we remain on course in our efforts to improve our administration and management of our human and financial resources as we endeavour to provide our people with a safe, efficient, affordable and sustainable transportation system. I would like to salute all the departmental officials for this achievement,” Marawu said.
GAUTRAIN TICKETS & THE CONSUMER ACT Late in September, it emerged that Gautrain could be in hot water with the Consumer Protection Commission by allowing its frequent user discount passes to lapse within seven days (weekly tickets) and 35 days (monthlies). The Consumer Protection Act states that vouchers, coupons and other prepaid devices only expire after three years. Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO Jack van der Merwe said an appeal is to be lodged in conjunction with other transport operators, who are similarly affected. 30
Railways Africa October 2011
Gautrain ticket-issuing equipment.
www.railwaysafrica.com
“Depreciation and amortisation of assets for the period increased by 12.9% to R3.9 billion. This increase is attributable to the roll-out of the capital investment programme and the depreciation of revalued port facilities and pipelines. This trend is expected to continue in line with the execution of the capital investment programme over the next five years. “Profit from operations after depreciation and amortisation increased by 39.5% to R5.5 billion (2010: R3.9 billion). Impairment of assets, amounting to R335 million (2010: R430 million), arose primarily from impairments of trade and other receivables.
The future of mobility
“The fair value adjustment results mainly from the capital loss as a result of the early redemption of a portion of the T018 bonds, offset by an investment property revaluation gain of R200 million recognised for the period in terms of IAS 40: Investment Property. The early redemption of the T018 bonds was completed during the first quarter of the financial year to positively impact the weighted average cost of debt. The ‘mark to market’ of derivative financial instruments resulted in a loss of R1 million for the period. More specifically, the loss arose from the ’mark to market’ of foreign exchange hedges that Transnet executed to eliminate foreign currency risk, some of which were not hedge accounted for in terms of IAS 39: Financial Instruments. “Accordingly, net profit from operations before net finance costs of R5.1 billion (2010: R3.8 billion) reflected an increase of 33.7% when compared to the prior period. “Finance costs increased by 26.9% to R2.2 billion (2010: R1.7 billion) due to increased borrowings to fund the capital investment programme, and are in line with expectations. Capitalised borrowing costs amounted to R811 million (2010: R751 million) and are expected to increase in line with the capital expenditure programme over the next five years. “The taxation charge for the period amounted to R917 million (2010: R652 million), comprising a deferred taxation charge of R917 million (2010: R230 million). A current taxation charge was not raised due to taxation allowances claimed for new locomotives and the NMPP. At 28.2% (2010: 27.0%) the effective taxation rate for the group is marginally higher than the corporate taxation rate of 28.0%. “Profit for the period from continuing operations amounted to R2.3 billion (2010: R1.8 billion), an increase of 32.7%.”
MOLTENO STATION AWARD The Eastern Cape Department of Transport (Chris Hani District) recently won the Centre of Public Sector Innovation Award for innovative partnership in service delivery for the Molteno railway station re-opening project. Molteno lies 300km from East London on the electrified main-line to the interior. It was formerly the junction for a 67km branch-line to Jamestown, closed in 1984.
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The award was received during a ceremony hosted by the Department of Public Services and Administration at the Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng. The department’s Chris Hani District had partnered with Nkwankca Municipality, Shosholoza Meyl and Transnet to revive and re-open the station, closed during the 90s when both the passenger and goods services shut down. The station was re-opened in 2007, in line with government’s “back to rail” initiatives.
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Messe Berlin GmbH Messedamm 22 · 14055 Berlin · Germany Tel. +49(0)30/3038-2376 · Fax +49(0)30/3038-2190 innotrans@messe-berlin.com
SA RAIL NEWS
MEDIA FICTION
The class 6E and 6E1 are “straight” electrics …no diesel in sight. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
Beeld 7 October…A photo showed a “before and after“ class 6E unit after refurbishing at TRE [Transnet Rail Engineering] with the caption – “this Diesel Locomotive has recently been refurbished by TRE.” South African transport minister S Ndebele is quoted claiming TRE is the only one of its kind in Africa. TRANSNET INTERIM RESULTS [2] Official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: Operating division performance Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) Revenue increased by 22.7% to R13.2 billion (2010: R10.8 billion) compared to the prior period. The increase in revenue is attributable to an increase in general freight volumes of 6.3% to 39.1mt (2010: 36.8mt) and effective ‘yield management strategies’ that optimised the cargo mix on general freight business traffic and an increase in containers on rail of 23.5% to 361 606 twentyfoot equivalent units (TEUs), evidencing a market share increase. On-time arrivals and departures for the general freight and export coal business remain a focus area for TFR, as planned performance was not achieved.
arrivals improved significantly and increased capacity as a result of the capital expenditure programme. “The marginal improvement in export coal volumes of 2.6% to 31.3mt (2010: 30.5mt) is mainly due to the extended period A freight headed by 3kV DC loco 18-125. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
“Export iron ore volumes increased by 21.5% to 24.9mt (2010: 20.5mt), due to improved efficiencies which on the departures and
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SA RAIL NEWS that the line was shut down for maintenance due to derailments that occurred. However the coal line set record weekly volume tonnages of 1.62mt per week during the month of September 2011. The challenge will be to sustain this performance over the medium to long term.
and a 12.8% increase in material costs as a result of increased production.
“Net operating expenses increased by 17.5% during the period to R8.3 billion compared to R7.1 billion in the prior period. This increase is due to an increase in personnel costs of 10.9%, an increase in electricity tariffs of 26% as well as a 31.2% increase in maintenance costs to improve infrastructure and rolling stock. This resulted in an EBITDA of R4.9 billion (2010: R3.7 billion) an increase of 32.6% compared to the prior period.
TFR TO APPROVE BRANCH CONCESSIONS
GAUTRAINS IN CAPE TOWN & DURBAN?
Consequently, EBITDA increased by 9.7% to R600 million (2010: R547 million) compared to the prior period.
According to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) chief executive Siyabonga Gama, 50 bids were received from entities interested in the concessioning of various South African branchlines, totalling some 3,350km of route altogether. It is expected that three successful candidates will be announced by December. Gama declined to name the lines involved, saying this will be announced by the minister of transport at a later stage.
According to Alec Hogg, speaking on Moneyweb on 27 October, Errol Braithwaite of the Bombela consortium told him he was part of “a whole commission” that is considering [a system similar to Gautrain], both in Cape Town from the City Bowl to the airport and in KZN, which would link Pietermaritzburg to the Durban city centre and King Shaka Airport.” [According to Cape Talk Radio’s John Maytham, interviewing Cape Town city PRO Kylie Hatton, the municipality’s 15-month-old airportCBD air-conditioned buses only seem to be carrying “one or two” passengers. Hatton replied evasively: “the service is picking up nicely”. That could mean as many as four passengers in a bus (ie, a 100% increase). Hardly enough to make a Gautrain viable. – Editor Railways Africa]
Branchline station – Photo: Jacque Wepener.
DIESELS ARRIVE ON SOUTH COAST TRANSNET INTERIM RESULTS [3] Official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: Operating division performance Transnet Rail Engineering (TRE) “Transnet Rail Engineering’s internal revenue increased by 10.8% to R4.5 billion (2010: R4.1 billion) compared to the prior period. The increase is due to increased maintenance demand from TFR. Maintenance programmes for locomotives and wagons are on track to support volume growth. Availability and reliability of rolling stock continues to improve and impact positively on the service delivery to TFR. “TRE’s external revenue increased by 96.3% to R524 million (2010: R267 million) mainly due to the higher volume of Prasa coach upgrades performed. “Operating expenses increased by 17.0% to R4.4 billion (2010: R3.9 billion) mainly due to a 15.2% increase in personnel costs
Class 18Es on air-braked consist at Welgeleë. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
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Railways Africa October 2011
As previously reported, TFR freight trains on the KZN north and south coasts were due to change from electric to 100% diesel traction during October, using class 34 and 37 locos displaced by new class 43 diesels elsewhere in the country. Observers report the arrival of diesels on the south coast line with three class 37 locos seen at Sunwich Port on 19 October, hauling clinker empties for Simuma.
TRANSNET ORE LINE PROGRESS From official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: Iron ore line expansions up to 60mt The iron ore line is the main export channel for iron ore from the mines in the Northern Cape to the Port of Saldanha. Plans are in place to increase rail capacity to 60mtpa and port capacity to 58mtpa over the quay wall. The expansion of the line is almost complete. The acquisition of two batches of class 15E locomotive will facilitate the increase in iron ore capacity to beyond
Brand-new class 15E (50V AC) ore line locos at Saldanha. Photo: Andre Kritzinger.
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SA RAIL NEWS 60mtpa. The first batch of 44 has already been delivered and accepted to date. Of the second batch of 32 locomotives, 15 are planned to be delivered in 2012/13 and 17 are planned for delivery in 2013/14. The new link line to Kumba’s mine near Postmasburg is completed and the mine has commenced hot commissioning of its load out station. “During the year, R950 million was invested in the iron ore expansion projects and locomotive acquisitions.”
TRANSNET COAL LINE PROGRESS From official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: “The coal line is the main export channel for coal. It starts from the mines in Mpumalanga and ends at the port of Richards Bay. Plans are in place to increase capacity to 81mt and together with sustaining capital, investment is estimated to be R37 billion over the next 10 years. ruit Nelsp
Middelburg Witbank Rietkuil Hendrina
Carolina
Hawerklip Springs Breyten
Bethal
Lothair MOZAMBIQUE
Leandra
ERMELO SWAZILAND
Piet Retief
N
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SOUTH AFRICA 50km
75km
100km
VRYHEID
WHITE
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RICHARDS BAY
Transnet Freight Rail’s heavy-haul coal line to Richards Bay.
“The acquisition of 110 class 19E dual-voltage locomotives will facilitate the planned expansion of the coal line to 81mt. The locomotives in combination with wagons and upgraded infrastructure are expected to result in the increased throughput of export coal on the Richards Bay corridor. Of the 110 class 19E locomotives, 80 had been delivered by 30 September 2011. A total of 71 locomotives have been accepted into operations with the remaining nine undergoing acceptance testing. “When the proposed new line from Ermelo through Lothair and then Swaziland to Richards Bay is completed, capacity will be expanded to 90mtpa.”
M & R ON GAUTRAIN TUNNEL LEAKS Construction group Murray & Roberts (M&R) said in a 21 October business update that water ingress rectification on the Gautrain tunnel between Rosebank and Park stations is “progressing in line with the assumptions used to calculate the costs to completion as accounted for in June”. It is expected that work will be “substantially complete” by the end of December 2011. “M&R noted in its yearend results that the value of still-to-be-decided contract claims, which include the Gautrain project, come to around R2 billion.” Murray & Roberts’ Construction Africa and Middle East division, which houses both the Gautrain and the Australian Gorgon Pioneer Materials Offloading Facility (GPMOF) projects, reported a R1.4 billion loss in the previous financial year. Within this number, Gautrain claims and penalties, as well as Competition Commission penalties, were provided for as a R1.15 billion loss.
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Railways Africa October 2011
“Our focus going forward is to influence and ensure that future infrastructure programmes mainly benefit the working class. We have noted with concern that most of the recent projects such as Gautrain have elitist elements and do not benefit the working class and their communities.” -
Statement by the Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee of the South African Communist Party (SACP).
It is noteworthy that the Deputy Secretary-general of the SACP is also South Africa’s deputy minister of transport.
The Mamelodi – Pretoria corridor is one of the more dense commuter corridors in Gauteng with 91,000 passengers being moved daily. Currently, Metrorail only runs a single train in and out of the section between Eerste Fabrieke and Pienaarspoort via Mamelodi Gardens. This precludes the planning of additional trains in peak periods to move the current 31,000 daily peak hour commuters on the corridor. The peak passenger flows on the corridor will increase to 60,000 in future according to projections by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
RIVER
ila
0km
“ELITIST” GAUTRAIN – SACP
DOUBLING EAST OF PRETORIA
Machadodorp
JOHANNESBURG
Murray & Roberts said its liquidity remained under pressure, with the group to return to a net debt position by December, owing to ongoing funding requirements to complete the Gautrain and GPMOF projects.
“With the finalisation of the current track doubling project and the introduction of bi-directional signalling, we will be able to almost double the number of daily trains on the corridor, necessitating increasing the combined capacity of these three key stations from handling approximately 39,000 people per day to 58,000 people per day in future“ says Prasa CEO Lucky Montana. “Our aim is to improve running times in the corridor so that the current 30-minute waiting period is reduced to five or seven minutes.” The approximately 4.5km of track doubling currently under way between Eerste Fabrieke and Greenview at a cost of R373 million includes a number of additional works: • Upgrading the Mamelodi Gardens station with concourse and two island platforms, both 50 metres longer than the existing single platform. • A new station with two island platforms and four platform faces is being constructed in Greenview. • At Pienaarspoort station, a contractor is to be appointed for building work including platforms. The civil works on the contract commenced on 26 July 2010 with an estimated end date of 30 November 2011. The current phase of the project has created a total of 268 jobs of which 181 have been reserved for unskilled, semi-skilled and local community employees/sub-contractors. The next phases of the project will create a further 130 jobs, bringing the total number created by the project to 398. Once the new and expanded stations become operational, permanent positions will be created for personnel to man, operate and maintain the stations.
ENCROACHERS REHOUSED Houses that were identified as built too close to the rail reserve between Eerste Fabrieke and Greenview, where track doubling
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SA RAIL NEWS and station enlargement is in progress, have been reallocated. The owners were allowed to negotiate the terms of purchase and to choose houses and preferred locations. Prasa is overseeing the relocation process and is to assist with attorneys, registration and conveyancing. “We want to ensure that the upgrading of the stations does not interfere with the stability of the communities located close to our tracks but to treat them with the upmost dignity and respect during their relocation,” Montana explains.
NEW SIGNALLING: LENZ-MIDWAY The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has invested approximately R1.9 billion for the introduction of new rail signalling during phase one of the project currently under way on the LenzMidway section of the Langlaagte-Vereeniging line. The signalling upgrades and the introduction of new technology will enhance operational efficiency, increase capacity and improve reliability. “We handle higher than normal passenger numbers on this section and have prioritised this order to deliver quality passenger rail service” says Prasa CEO Lucky Montana.
TFR general freight hauled by 34 499. Photo: Jacque Wepener.
33 locomotive sets are planned to be delivered in 2011/12 and 65 are planned for delivery in 2012/13. “During the period the accelerated acquisition of 43 diesel locomotives for the GFB was approved.”
TRANSNET GENERAL FREIGHT From official Transnet published results, 26 Oct 2011: “An amount of R3.7 billion was invested in the General Freight Business (GFB) and relates to the upgrade and maintenance of infrastructure and rolling stock. 100 new class 43 diesel-electric main-line locomotives: “17 locomotives have been delivered with 13 having been accepted into operations and deployed to the Phalaborwa region. A total of
One of 100 new class 43 diesel-electric locos for Transnet Freight Rail’s general freight business (GFB). Photo: Stewart Currie.
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October 2011 Railways Africa
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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
Mishaps & Blunders One 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. ONE THAT GOT AWAY: EXPLOSION AT PE STATION Somehow we missed this story at the time. For what it’s worth, a gas explosion caused damage to the main building of Port Elizabeth station during August. Reportedly, three people were injured. The tally is certain to have been higher, but a privately-owned bus parked outside the building took much of the blast.
Photographer unknown.
TWELVE CARRY CAN FOR CHINESE METRO CRASH A dozen employees have been penalised since the metro crash in Shanghai that injured nearly 300 people. The city’s safety agency says the accident was the result of negligence, inadequate training and faulty installation of backup power systems. Three train operators were removed from their posts, the Shanghai Administration of Work Safety says. Nine other subway system managers and workers were also punished. A report into the crash said Shanghai Shentong’s first mistake was in authorising repair work at a station without having a contingency plan in case it disrupted the power supply. “Shanghai Shentong should be people-oriented, put safety first, and draw deep lessons from the accident,” the report says. It adds that the metro operator is to face “maximum financial penalties for its lapses.”
OUTAGE HALTS GAUTRAIN Power problems halted Gautrain services north of Marlboro for more than two hours on the afternoon of 11 October, leaving
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Railways Africa October 2011
hundreds of commuters stranded. Long queues formed for buses, with Centurion reportedly the hardest hit. According to Bombela spokesman Errol Braithwaite, the airport service was not affected. “Trains are running on time between Sandton and the airport,” he told the press. Marlboro-Hatfield services were back to normal in the morning of 12 October.
TRAIN DERAILMENT CLOSES TWO SCHOOLS On 18 October, freight trains of the Union Pacific (UP) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) collided at 02:30 under a freeway at Colton near Los Angeles. Six wagons of the UP train derailed. Two were carrying ferrous chloride, a hazardous chemical used in the treatment of wastewater. As a result of this, the Wilson Elementary School and the Colton High School were closed, and traffic in both directions was diverted off a section of the 10 Freeway for three hours while Hazmat crews searched for spills, and again later while the derailed vehicles were recovered.
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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS Footnote: Colton is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 52,154 at the 2010 census. Colton Crossing is one of the busiest at-grade railroad crossings in the United States. The main transcontinental trunk lines of Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe cross at this point. As traffic on each line has soared since the mid-1990s, fuelled largely by the vast increase in imports passing through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the primitive crossing has become a serious bottleneck. The crossing was installed in August 1882 by the California Southern Railroad to cross the Southern Pacific Railroad’s tracks while building northward from San Diego. – from Wikipedia.
ROBBER SHOOTS RAILMAN Police in Shreveport, Louisiana, are on the lookout for a man who shot a Union Pacific employee during an apparent robbery attempt at about 22:15 on 10 October. Ricky Goldsmith was working on the track when a man tried to rob him at gunpoint. There was a struggle and Goldsmith was shot in the shoulder. The gunman dropped the weapon, which was later recovered by the police, and left the scene. Goldsmith was taken to hospital and treated.
research entitled Restrail, with the participation of the Spanish Railways Foundation and Cidaut. Restrail’s seventh framework programme research project will analyse the causes of suicides and trespasses on railway properties based on existing data, studies and research results. The project will identify the most efficient mitigation measures and analyse the extent of their success in the rail environment. Restrail aims to develop and try to implement pilot actions and test measures, and develop indicators to evaluate their effectiveness. The work performed will also propose a toolkit of efficient and costeffective mitigation measures and recommendations at European level, with the aim of not only reducing the occurrence of incidents but also improve its management.
SUICIDES ON THE LINE
With the reduction of suicides and trespasses as the main objective, the project will study their impact on rail service disruption. State-of-the-art best practices and research findings (inside and outside Europe) will be identified, combined with an analysis of factors (internal to railways or external such as media communication) influencing the occurrence of suicides and trespasses and their consequences, based on official data sources and other collected data. This work will consider hotspots and other high risk access points such as level crossings, station platform ends and bridges.
According to European Rail Agency data, suicides represent 62% of the victims, which together with trespasses (unauthorised access to rail property) constitute 83% of the deaths that take place on the railway. This is a growing cause for concern especially in Europe, where the International Union of Railways (UIC) is leading
Additionally, an assessment of existing measures (technical and soft) for reducing suicides, preventing trespasses and mitigating the consequences on rail operations will be performed. The research will subsequently focus on the development of new approaches,
The suspect was described as a black male wearing a red t-shirt, with his face covered with what appeared to be a white t-shirt.
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Railways Africa October 2011
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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS particularly those involving soft measures, and the evaluating of findings. The end objective is to develop recommendations and guidelines. Though the project is essentially a rail-related topic, an essential feature is the involvement of a wide range of relevant professional expert knowledge in the areas of human science and health, law enforcement, emergency services, education and social services, media and communication, in the areas of both road and rail. This will ensure the project output is of practical use to all who may be involved with suicides and trespasses. Seventeen partners from twelve countries make up the multidisciplinary consortium, led by the International Union of Railways (UIC). The project has the participation of organisations in countries such as Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Sweden and Turkey. Seven UIC associate members are involved: German Railways (DB AG), Spanish Railways Foundation, Institute Kolejnictwa from Poland, Infrabel (Belgian Infrastructure Manager), Prorail (Dutch Infrastructure Manager), Turkish Railways (TCDD) and Swedish Railways (Trafikverket). The Academy will be represented by three universities: the German Research Centre for Environmental Health, University Karlstads from Sweden and the University of Nottingham in England.
RUNAWAY TROLLEY – DEFECTIVE DESIGN The UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is looking into an incident between Haslemere and Witley stations on 10 September 2011. “The incident involved a trolley being used by a gang from Network Rail’s track maintenance depot at Havant, to transport tools and equipment. The loaded trolley was left standing on a gradient of 1 in 80 shortly before 03:00 . When it was moved, the brakes did not re-apply automatically, and the trolley ran unattended for a distance of nearly 5km in the wrong direction towards Witley station, before it reached an uphill gradient and stopped. “An examination by the RAIB, Network Rail and the manufacturer identified deficiencies in the design and condition of the trolley. Network Rail has since arranged for all trolleys of this design to be withdrawn from use, and the manufacturer has confirmed that no trolleys of this design have been supplied for use on any other railway system. “The RAIB investigation will include an examination of the design of the trolley braking system, the effectiveness of the safety approval processes and the maintenance regime. It will also consider the roles of the key parties involved in the incident, the arrangements for testing of trolley brakes before commencement of work and the competence of staff involved in operating and maintaining the trolley. The RAIB will publish a report, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation.”
accident”. An earlier CSX freight train had knocked down and killed a college student in Holland, in the Grand Rapids area, about 30 minutes before the Amtrak train was due at the Holland station, at 21:21. CSX investigations to determine whether track damage had occurred took some time. Grand Rapids, Michigan, is located on the Grand River, 64km east of Lake Michigan. In the 2010 census, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, population of 1,321,557. Wikipedia
FEWER ACCIDENTS IN EUROPE LAST YEAR The recently published European Union (EU) railway safety figures for 2010 show this was the safest year since data were first collected in the EU in 2006. There were 10% fewer fatalities compared to the previous year. In all, 1,256 people were killed and a further 1,236 seriously injured on the railways of 27 EU countries. Among the 1,256 fatalities reported, 60% (750) were “other party” victims, i.e. unauthorised persons on railway premises. Passenger and employee fatalities made up 5% of all persons killed on European railways, excluding suicides. A total of 2,743 suicides were recorded on EU railways in 2010, down from 2,773 in 2009. Overall, the 27 member states reported 2,401 “significant” railway accidents in 2010, though in all categories the total was down from 2009. Level-crossing accidents represent one fourth of all railway accidents in the EU, but their number has halved compared to the period 2006-2007. Fatalities among the users of level crossings totalled 359 in 2010. There are more than 120,000 level crossings in the EU.
GAUTRAIN COMMUTERS LEFT STRANDED According to Eyewitness News on 26 October, “Hundreds of Gautrain commuters are frustrated after being stuck for over an hour between Sandton and Marlboro. Angry commuters said the delay was apparently caused by a technical glitch. One said he missed his flight and other flights were fully booked.”
FATAL COLLISION IN VENEZUELA One person died and about 30 were injured in a collision between two commuter trains in a tunnel near Charallave, outside the Venezuelan capital Caracas. According to witnesses, one train suddenly braked due to an apparent malfunction and another crashed into it from the rear, causing the first to derail. Officials said a packed train coming in the opposite direction was able to stop before colliding with the others, averting a possible disaster. The crash cut power in the tunnel between Caracas and the suburbs of Los Valles del Tuy. The 41km line carries about 60,000 passengers a day, Associated Press reported.
4,500 TRAINS DELAYED According to a 28 October item on PrimeMedia Eyewitness News, Metrorail said 4,500 commuter trains were delayed by acts of vandalism during the past six months.
FATAL TRAIN-PERSON ACCIDENT On 24 October, Amtrak’s Pere Marquette express, Chicago to Grand Rapids in Michigan (283km), was extensively delayed en route by what an official news release described as a “fatal train-person
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Railways Africa October 2011
LIRR IN TROUBLE Late in 2010, a $56 million computerised signal system was installed at Jamaica junction in Queens, on New York’s Long Island Railroad (LIRR). It replaced mechanical apparatus almost 100 years old which caught fire earlier in the year. The new high-tech microprocessors and fail-safe features were supposed to put an end to problems caused by the older equipment.
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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS Unfortunately, on 29 September 2011, lightning struck and melted the microchips. The backup system failed in the storm, as did sophisticated diagnostic software that was designed to pinpoint problems. To keep trains in the busy commuter service running, points had to be set manually and spiked in position. The failure came at the start of the Thursday evening peak, with trains stopped between stations and passengers stranded for hours. Service from Penn Station in Manhattan came to a full stop. Technicians who struggled to restart the system were unable to bypass a software programme, supplied by manufacturer Ansaldo, that displayed false information. It proved possible to get a few trains moving but then at 22:00 the signalling collapsed again and the entire LIRR network was shut down.
PIGEON SHUTS DOWN BRISBANE TRAINS On 23 September, the afternoon peak commuter train in Brisbane was delayed by power problems after a pigeon collided with an overhead traction wire. “It sounded like a car crash and when we looked out the window we could see the overhead wires on the railway smoking and sagging,” a witness told the Courier Mail. The effect was dramatic and far-reaching, with Central and Fortitude Valley stations forced to close, halting across-city train services for more than three hours. A Queensland Rail spokesman said the ensuing chaos affected all of 65,000 afternoon commuters.
King’s Lynn station. The tractor driver sustained serious injuries and the train driver suffered from shock. One set of wheels on the train derailed and debris damaged a stanchion supporting overhead electrification equipment. None of the 41 passengers on board the train were injured, but it took almost three hours for them to be evacuated because of concerns related to the damaged electrification. The crossing is not equipped with a telephone, but a sign requires drivers of long, wide, low, heavy or slow-moving vehicles to contact the ‘crossing operator’ before use. At the time of the accident, tractor drivers were obtaining permission to cross the line from the railway signaller by cellphone. Despite this arrangement, a tractor was driven onto the crossing in the path of the approaching train. Although the train driver sounded the warning horn and applied emergency brakes, there was insufficient time for the brakes to have any effect and the train struck the tractor. -
Information courtesy the UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
TRACTOR DERAILS UK TRAIN At 10:13 on Sunday 25 September 2011, train 1T60, the 10:10 service from King’s Lynn to Ely, struck a tractor on the single line at Hatson’s “user worked crossing”, approximately two miles from
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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS
PASSENGER HEAD-DOWN BETWEEN PLATFORM & TRAIN From: Passenger accident at Brentwood station, a Crown copyright 2011 report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, UK Department for Transport: “At 23:42 on 28 January 2011, a passenger alighting from the last coach of a train at Brentwood station fell head-first between the side of the train and the platform. Another passenger who had alighted from the same train saw her begin to fall and was able to hold on to one of her legs. The driver of the train did not see this happen and the train departed from the station with the passenger still in the gap between the train and the platform. The passenger sustained injuries to her leg and head.
Illustrations courtesy RAIB.
“At Brentwood station train drivers are required to undertake a safety check after closing the train’s doors and before moving out of the platform. To do this, the driver needs to look out of his cab window at the first six coaches of the train and look at a platform-mounted monitor to see the last two coaches of the train. “The driver of the train involved in the accident had stopped beyond the monitor and in a position where it was only just possible to see the image. He performed the safety check as the train started to move and it is therefore unlikely that he was able to see the events happening at the last coach of the train before the image in the monitor was obscured. It is also possible that his view of the last coach was obstructed by a passenger walking along the platform.
Illustrations courtesy RAIB.
Illustrations courtesy RAIB.
“The investigation found that the passenger had tried to alight as the doors started to close and then fell as she squeezed between the leaves of the door. The investigation identified weaknesses in the way that the train operator, National Express East Anglia, had trained, briefed and monitored its drivers who are required to dispatch trains from unstaffed platforms and in the way that it addressed the risk from driver-only operation of trains. There were also weaknesses in the way that key items of equipment (monitors and signage provided to indicate to a train driver where to stop) were configured on the platform where the accident occurred.” 46
Railways Africa October 2011
CCTV monitor. Photo: Network Rail.
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RAILWAY HERITAGE
Preservation is A Vital Part of The Picture
By John Batwell
Reefsteamers, Germiston This club is trying to procure brake blocks for GMAM Garratt 4-8-2 + 2-8-4 no 4079. A new concept being investigated is an evening “aroundJohannesburg” steam working similar to Pretoria’s popular Tshwane Xplorer and Rohan Vos’ dinner trains around the city. The club’s New Year’s trip to the KwaZulu Natal South Coast (a far longer distance than Ficksburg and at a reasonable quote) has been fully subscribed, but the quotation by Transnet for the operation of the Cherry Festival run to the Free State, embracing steam traction, had been prohibitive in comparison. Only one locomotive was used to the annual Cherry Festival, class 15F 4-8-2 no 3046 (see photo). Reduced bookings meant only one meal sitting this year. Sandstone provided watering facilities at Vailima. Class 25NC 4-8-4 no 3472 is now in need of new driving wheels.
Atlantic Rail, Cape Town In late October, Atlantic Rail scored a corporate train and ran with the North British class 24 2-8-4 no 3655 out to Stellenbosch for Woolworths’ staff. The regular trips to Simon’s Town are the group’s “bread and butter” operations economically and have proved very popular.
Friends of The Rail, Pretoria This group’s class 19D domeless 4-8-2 locomotive no 2650 required six tubes to be replaced. Ultrasonic testing was undertaken too the Dolly will not return to running order until the early months of 2012.
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Class 15F no 3046 pictured on the Cherry Festival run at night, Bethlehem. Photo: A Guelpa.
As the year drew to an end, a second potentially tragic day for this club was narrowly averted, again on the short Cullinan branch. In the previous incident class 15F 4-8-2 no 3117 toppled, as reported in this column at the time. On the present occasion, the crew on the footplate of class 24 2-8-4 no 3664, its corporate train in tow, was able to pull up just ahead of a stretch of track from which steel sleepers had been stolen (see photo). This was some 3km from Cullinan. The Tshwane-based club has run out and back on the branch safely since the theft, again using its North British-built class 24.
Rovos Rail, Pretoria
Progress, if slow, is nevertheless proving productive to a small degree at this time on class 15CA 4-8-2 no 2850’s restoration. The Friends are looking to put another tender - in superior condition to the existing one - on what is a good set of tender wheels on this particular veteran, North British-built 4-8-2 “Mountain” (works no 24018/1930).
North British class 19D 4-8-2 no 3360 (works no 26080/1948) named “Shaun”- returned to service in the latter part of 2011 out of this tour operator’s Capital Park hub. Today the only serviceable loco of this class (see photo), it is being used on the popular dinner runs. The previously working 19Ds that rendered admirable service with this upmarket South African tour operator’s services were 1938 Borsig-built nos 2701 and 2702.
Friends of The Rail’s class 24 no 3664 stopped short of the sabotaged section on the Cullinan line. Photo: P Odell.
Rovos Rail has returned North British-built class 19D no 3360 to service. Photo: B Botha.
Railways Africa October 2011
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Paton’s Country Railway, KwaZulu-Natal This preservation organisation has inaugurated a Friday evening run behind its ex-SAR class NGG 11 locomotive no 55 out of Ixopo with pizzas being served to the travelling patrons, and the station pub open for refreshments.
Umgeni Steam Railway, KwaZulu-Natal Umgeni’s class 19D 4-8-2 no 2685 is looking at requiring more work than initially thought. The rivets that secure the bosses to the firebox have corroded badly and will necessitate replacement. As they cannot be replaced with the firebox in position, alternative methods are being investigated.
Class NGG13 returns to operating order in Switzerland In 1985, the club SchinznacherBaumschulBahn “SchBB” (a railway based in a tree nursery in Schinznach, Switzerland) purchased ex-SAR 1927, Hanomag-built class NGG13 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 Garratt no 60 from South Africa and commenced restoring the engine to perfection – the locomotive (works no 10551/1927) is now back in steam in glorious condition (see photo, taken in September).
In 1985, the club SchinznacherBaumschulBahn “SchBB” (a railway based in a tree nursery in Schinznach, Switzerland) purchased ex-SAR 1927 vintage class NGG13 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 Garratt no 60 – it is now back in steam. Photo: P Ackermann.
Eritrea tour in March 2012 A steam tour with the Italian-built Mallet locomotives, working hard on the steep gradients between Lessa, Arbaroba, Sheregeni, and Asmarais, is scheduled for March. The safari embraces fine mountain railroading on 950mm gauge. After its success in September 2011, Tanago Tours will return to the most spectacular sections of this unique Eritrean railway. The tour focuses on the spectacular section from Lessa to Arbaroba, followed by the steep climb into the small station of Sheregeni. Here one will get to enjoy the breath-taking vistas at the “Devil´s Gate”. Just above Sheregeni a marvellous stone-arched bridge offers numerous photographic opportunities, followed by the really steep section with a lot of twists and turns into Asmara at 2,200 metres. There will be night shots at the depot, staged shunting and photography at Asmara station as well as a ride with the Krupp-built diesel locomotive and a set of authentic Krupp freight wagons. The operational classes of steam and diesel locomotives in Eritrea comprise a sole class 202 (0-4-0 built by Breda), small Mallet no 440.008 (0-4-4-0 built 1915 by Ansaldo), class 442 Mallets (0-4-4-0 built 1938 by Ansaldo) and Krupp diesel no D27 (built 1957). By March it is hoped that the Fiat railcars “Littorina” and “Littorinella” will be in operation too. Contact Geoff Cooke for more details at: geoff@geoffs-trains.com
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