Railways Africa Issue 3 2013

ISSUE 3 // 2013

ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT

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Transformation in the Rail Environment has shifted attention from Quality to Quantity.

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Sheltam remains focused on Quality and Service Excellence.

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RAILWAYS AFRICA / FOREWORD

Foreword 55 years down, and quite a few more to go….

Elvis Presley was going strong in 1957, the year when Soviet Russia launched Sputnik into space and Ghana was the first British colony in Africa to gain its independence. America tackled racial segregation head-on, desegregating buses and schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.

François “Papa doc” Duvalier became dictator in Haiti, and the blockbuster Round the world in 80 days drew crowds everywhere. Oscars for the best film, best director and best actor went to The Bridge on the River Kwai. Popular author Neville Shute published On the beach, in which nuclear explosives write off most of the world, and Grace Metalious wrote Peyton Place. A non-fiction best-seller was Where Did You Go? Out. What Did You Do? Nothing, by Robert Paul Smith.

Authoritative and wide-ranging content has kept Railways Africa in the forefront of its publishing niche, markedly enhanced in recent years by the complementary, easily accessible and fully archived website www.railwaysafrica.com, featuring the latest rail news on the continent, updated every week. Both current and previous issues of the magazine are downloadable in .pdf format, free of charge, and it remains available by subscription in conventional print.

We like to think our writers lead the pack in their specialist field, and we’ve been privileged to number some highly regarded names as editor. A E (“Dusty”) Durrant springs immediately to mind, and Helmuth Hagen’s distinguished years from 1992 aren’t forgotten lightly. Helmuth came to us with a wealth of hands-on experience in top South African rail management.

Present editor Rollo Dickson recalls reading early issues of Railway Engineering in the CSIR library, where – once upon a time - he headed the organisation’s Information Division as scientific editor and publisher.

My own tenure at Railways Africa comes of age this year. To our many readers, contributors and advertisers, my sincere thanks for your support throughout 21 inspiring years.

BARBARA SHEAT Publisher / Railways Africa

ISSUE 3 // 2013

Railways Africa (known initially as Railway Engineering) first appeared in 1957. This means we’re the longest continuously running title on railways – by quite a long way - on the continent. As a matter of fact, few magazines in any technical field have remained in publication without break this long (excluding, obviously, in-house journals at one or two professional associations).

ROLLING STOCK | PERWAY | INFRASTRUCTURE | SIGNALLING | OPERATORS | COMMENT

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PUBLISHER Barbara Sheat EDITOR Rollo Dickson DESIGN & LAYOUT Grazia Muto WEBSITE Shaun Loureiro ADVERTISING Kim Bevan SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan CONTRIBUTORS Anton van Schalkwyk Bruno Martin Chas Rickwood Dietmar Fiedel Eugene Armer Jacque Wepener John Batwell Leon Zaayman Pierre de Wet Piet Conradie Stewart Currie

ISSN 1029 - 2756 Rail Link Communications cc PO Box 4794 Randburg 2125 Tel: +27 72 340 5621 E-mail: stationmaster@railwaysafrica.com Twitter: @railwaysafrica Website: www.railwaysafrica.com The copyright on all material in this magazine is expressly reserved and vested in Rail Link Communications cc, unless otherwise stated. No material may be reproduced in any form, in part or in whole, without the permission of the publishers. Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers of Rail Link Communications cc unless otherwise stated. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, neither the Editor, Publisher or Contributor can be held liable for any inaccuracies or damages that may arise.

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Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

3

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RAILWAYS AFRICA / CONTENTS

Contents

Photo: Shaun Loureiro,Railways Africa.

Features PLASSER SA Maintenance Strategy to Ensure Long-term Sustainability of Track Infrastructure

6 6

Pete the Pundit Sell-by Dates for Rolling Stock, Riding by The Rules, Hindsight in Zambia, and Predictions for Africa. 10

Africa Update Botswana Coal Heads to Durban

14

Ansaldo Signals for Morocco

17

17

SA Rail News Blue Train Upgrade

22

Actom & Alstom Sign Technologies Agreement

25

Mishaps & Blunders

26

Trains Run Non-Stop Through Port Said

28

South African Rail Accident Stats

33

End of The Line Origin of The Word Cocopan www.railwaysafrica.com

34 Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

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PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA

Maintenance Strategy to Ensure Long-term Sustainability of Track Infrastructure 1. INTRODUCTION Transnet is to spend R300 billion on a number of impressive projects, many involving new track infrastructure and rolling stock.

These include the Swaziland rail link, expansion of the iron ore line throughput to 82,5 million net tons, etc.

At the same time, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) is to replace its entire coach eet and upgrade its track infrastructure to accommodate the higher speeds made possible by new-generation rolling stock.

Railway operators (and the Railway Safety Regulator) seriously need to address the following questions: • Are the necessary engineering and technical resources available to effectively manage additional infrastructure, as well as existing infrastructure with greater maintenance demands? • Are world-class long and short term strategies in place to ensure sustainability of the assets, as well as the safety of passengers and stakeholders? • Are safety standards available and effective? • Is track infrastructure being maintained to safety standards? • Are technology and reliable systems in place to consistently measure, monitor and evaluate infrastructure conditions against safety standards, in order to take timeous corrective action where needed?

This article addresses a maintenance strategy required to ensure long-term sustainability of the assets, safety to commuters and freight, at the lowest possible life-cycle cost. These principles and practices have been thoroughly researched internationally and are common practice on modern railways. The strategy will be explained at the hand of a hypothetical track deterioration curve (Figure 1). On this curve, many important strategies and the inuence of maintenance on track life can be illustrated.

Point “A� on Figure 1 represents the condition of the track after construction (the initial quality, par 2). This condition level will depend on the design, quality of materials used and quality of construction methods.

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The curve “ACâ€? represents the resulting exponential deterioration of the track as a whole. If the deterioration is left unattended, the functionality of the track will deteriorate until it reaches the maximum allowable safe condition (par 3) after which drastic measures will need to be taken to ensure the safe passage of trafďŹ c, or the line will have to be closed. This applies to the track as a whole and also to each individual component with its own unit of measure and level of maximum allowable safe condition.

This would be uneconomically short. To extend the life of the track and reduce the life-cycle cost to a minimum, the track deterioration must be slowed down through planned maintenance interventions (par 4), as depicted by the line �BD�. However, the original as-built functional condition cannot be regained by typical maintenance input due to the wear of the track components. The maximum possible improvement in condition will depend on the extent and quality of the maintenance input.

The threshold for maintenance intervention (par 5) is a speciďŹ c unit of measure for each track component. Some components may require an absolute measurement such as rail wear before grinding is required or rails are replaced, whereas other geometric measurements such as track roughness will trigger tamping requirements. Guidelines for track and component condition is normally provided in the form of “Aâ€?, “Bâ€? and “Câ€? standards where the A-standard is a condition within allowable tolerances, the B-standard is a deviation from the required standard and the C-standard represents a condition requiring urgent maintenance intervention necessitating speed restrictions as a preventative measure until corrective maintenance can take place.

Knowing when maintenance intervention is required implies that the track condition must be monitored and measured constantly, and the data analysed to produce track condition information (par 6). There are several parameters and components that must be measured. Of these, the track geometry is the most critical. The use of a high-speed infrastructure measuring and recording car is the only feasible way to carry out these measurements. The IM2000 supplied by Plasser South Africa is currently used countrywide by both Transnet and Prasa, producing critical track condition assessments and management information.

After maintenance intervention, the track will continue to deteriorate (curve “DE�). As the deterioration approaches the threshold for minimum allowable track conditions, maintenance intervention is required again (line “EF�) and, as before, the condition achieved after the previous maintenance input cannot be regained due to the deterioration of the components.

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Figure 1 : Hypothetical track deterioration curve

The condition of the track will start deteriorating as soon as trafďŹ c passes over the line due to dynamic loading and wear of the individual track components. The deterioration of one track component will accelerate the deterioration in others.

This process continues with each maintenance input, each time achieving a lower track condition than before and the interval between maintenance inputs reduces exponentially. This produces a new deterioration curve (curve “AK�) which is much longer than the curve “AC� without maintenance input. The life of the track has therefore been extended and the life-cycle cost of the track reduced, resulting in lower operating costs and greater competitiveness.

This process will continue through many cycles until the period between required maintenance interventions becomes

6

Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

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GM904_PLASSER SA_Presslink

Local Partner of Plasser & Theurer for: Consulting and new machine sales Technical support Training Spare parts Major component overhaul and machine refurbishment Operating and maintenance agreements Contracting Plasser South Africa (Pty) Ltd | PO Box103, Maraisburg, 1700 | Tel: 011-761-2400 | info@plasser.co.za

PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA uneconomically short (compare distance “GI” with “BE”). Major track renewal eg ballast cleaning, formation rehabilitation, replacement of sleepers, rails, fastenings, ballast or any combination of these components will then be required (line “IJ”). The whole process will repeat itself.

2. INITIAL QUALITY The strategy regarding the design, quality of construction materials and processes will have far-reaching consequences for expenditure later in the life of the track structure. The use of, for example, lower standard track components, or lower standards of formation or drainage construction, may save money in construction costs, but the extra track maintenance cost, train delay times and reduction in the track life that result from this lower standard of work will far exceed the perceived savings.

The higher the initial quality of the track, the greater the quality reserve, the longer the track life and the lower the track life-cycle cost will be.

3. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SAFE CONDITION In contrast to the practice in countries with world-class railways, minimum safety standards have not been legislated in South Africa.

As a result, safety becomes subjective and maintenance managers have difficulty in justifying the need to take drastic steps in ensuring the safe passage of trains. Even after catastrophic accidents, it may be difficult to prosecute because no regulation or law was broken.

The Railway Safety Regulator, the railway watchdog, is also forced to be reactive and can only act once an accident has occurred.

Track conditions in the form of “A”, “B” and “C” standards as developed by Transnet and Prasa do provide some guidelines but

the parameters can be adjusted at the discretion of the engineer.

These are not regulations and also do not take into account the condition of other components or rolling stock, or the influence that the combined deterioration will have on safety and sustainability.

The weighted deterioration of the track requires consideration and should be part of the maintenance and track condition management process.

4. MAINTENANCE INTERVENTION Every maintenance input should aim to reduce the track condition deterioration rate. Due consideration should therefore be given to finding the appropriate machine type, supplier and contract for the task at hand.

So for example, when deciding on the tamping machine to be used, consideration should be given to the track kilometres to be tamped per annum, the number and tamping cycle of turnouts, the length and availability of maintenance windows, etc. A low production tamping machine may have a low initial cost, but due to its low production rate, the unit costs of tamping long distances on main-lines will exceed that of a high-production, more expensive machine.

5. THRESHOLD FOR MAINTENANCE INTERVENTION Maintenance strategy should address the value of the threshold for maintenance intervention as this will have a major influence on the track’s life-cycle cost.

The threshold is a value decided in terms of the maintenance strategy and will be in a unit of measure specific for every track component. If the threshold for maintenance intervention is set at a low value (threshold 2 on Figure 2) the effect of too little

Figure 3: Plasser infrastructure measuring car.

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

www.railwaysafrica.com

PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA maintenance will be hardly noticeable at ďŹ rst but the service life will be reduced by the knock-on effect of earlier track defects.

For example, if the track roughness index is set too low before tamping takes place, the roughness will cause higher dynamic loading of the track. This will cause crushing of the ballast, which in turn will result in ďŹ nes in the ballast bed retaining moisture, etc, eventually resulting in damage to the track material.

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7. CONCLUSION The frequency of maintenance interventions will depend predominantly on environmental conditions and the tonnage that passes over the line. Some frequencies may be very short, others long. For example, tamping on a particular line may be required once in every 12 months while ballast cleaning may be required only once in 20 years.

Well maintained maintenance machines have very long life-cycles and it is important that they be utilised to their full capacity, to ensure the lowest possible cost of the machinery. The machines are unique to the 1,067mm gauge used in South Africa. Once purchased, they cannot be used on the more common 1,435mm gauge employed elsewhere. Poor planning by rail operators leads to idle machines and equipment, thereby inating track maintenance costs.

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infrastructure measuring car (Figure 2) is manipulated to produce accurate track condition information. From this, the extent to which the threshold for maintenance intervention is exceeded can be derived, priorities determined and maintenance budgets established.

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Figure 2: Effect of threshold level on track life.

6. TRACK INFORMATION

Various measurement parameters can be used to decide where the threshold for minimum track condition lies, such as the number of workplaces and/or speed restrictions per kilometre. For scientiďŹ c management, the data obtained from the IM2000

It is therefore essential that railway operators have maintenance strategies that suit short (1-year), medium (5-year) and longterm (20-year) maintenance requirements and that are budgeted accordingly. The strategy should seek to extend the useful life of the assets cost-effectively, at the same time ensuring the consistent safety of both stakeholders and passengers. The plan must be formal, approved by top management and regularly updated. It must be transparent and shared with all stakeholders. Suppliers and investors will then be in a position to align their own business strategies with those of the client’s and provide the most costeffective maintenance solutions.

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The fact that maintenance intervention is required before track deteriorates to a point below a minimum threshold implies that the track condition must be determined on a regular basis. Track condition monitoring takes place at various levels; from high-speed, high-technology measurements, to walking the track, to inspections from the footplate or by trolley. Observations by train drivers can be valuable.

Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

9

OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD

PETE THE PUNDIT ruminates on Sell-by dates for rolling stock, riding by the rules, hindsight in Zambia, and predictions for Africa.

ROLLING STOCK – DOES IT HAVE A SELL-BY DATE? Derailments, collisions, trains-on-fire, driver shortcomings, brake problems, faulty doors, whatever - every time someone has a complaint about commuter rail in South Africa, the official response highlights (and often blames) the average age of rolling stock, variously said to be more than thirty or even forty years. Exactly what this implies isn’t spelled out.

Does the figure meaningfully exceed world norms? At what level do things like passenger safety begin to be at risk?

Thirty-nine years? Forty-two? But here’s a thought – Aren’t question-marks about maintenance adequacy more to the point than age?

Good for another innings: 30-year-old South African 5M2A trainsets impressively rebuilt in 10M3 format by Bombardier & Transnet Engineering.

We heard last month that passenger rolling stock in intensive service between Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein in Germany is more than 40 years old. The story didn’t suggest this exceeds a norm or has safety implications; apparently it’s just that in current Western European terms the coaches are “too loud and do not offer enough passenger comfort.”

In any event, AKN Eisenbahn - the company running commuter and freight trains in Hamburg and SchleswigHolstein – has awarded Alstom a contract worth €60 million to supply up-to-the-minute replacement trainsets.

GAUTRAIN RULES, OK? A notice on the Gautrain website, also displayed in all its trains, says explicitly: “The Gauteng Provincial Government. Bombela Operating Company and their shareholders, directors, officers, employees, subcontractors or agents or affiliates in whole or in part, shall not be liable in any way whatsoever for any loss, injury or damage (including but not limited to consequential or special damages or loss of profits) of whatsoever nature, and whether or not caused by the negligence (gross or otherwise).” The text concludes by “releasing” itself from “any duty of care towards passengers”.

South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act, the Sunday Times pointed out recently, prohibits a supplier from limiting or exempting itself from liability for any loss attributable to gross negligence and from having unfair, unreasonable or unjust contract terms, including ones that are “excessively one-sided in favour of any person other than the consumer”.

A 10M3 set near Simon’s Town: water colour by the late Malcolm Bates (seen in the previous photo), an acknowledged authority on South African commuter rolling stock.

“Nevertheless,“ she told the paper, “we are in the process of reviewing our standard business terms and conditions to ensure that they do not contain unfair contract or prohibited terms”.

Her assurance is comforting, but isn’t it a little late? The Consumer Protection Act came into effect in April 2011 - four months before Gautrain first started running trains on its main-line to Pretoria.

‘‘Bit risky playing chess on a Gautrain bus: it’s bound to be against the rules.’’

Asked about this, Bombela customer services manager Christina Blignaut was quoted explaining that similar exemption clauses “had been the norm across industries” before the act was implemented.

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

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OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD

HINDSIGHT: LESSONS FROM THE ZAMBIAN CONCESSION Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) chief executive Benjamin Even, when informed late in 2012 that his company’s concession was being cancelled for non-performance, pointed out indignantly that it had invested more than $US50 million since its appointment in 2003 – considerably more than the contractual obligation. “Our obligation as concessionaries was to operate and improve the infrastructure and hand it back to the government at the end of the concession period in a better condition,” he was quoted saying.

Today, RSZ is loudly blamed for the state of the railway, its infrastructure and rolling stock, and for failure to attract heavy goods traffic off the roads which are breaking up under the strain.

The story is a familiar one in Africa, where state-owned railways suffering from decades of neglect, characterised by chronic under-investment and minimal maintenance, are handed over to concessionaires who are expected to pump in millions and work miracles.

Less than a year down the line - in September 2012 - the new government cancelled RSZ’s 20-year concession. Within 24 hours, Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) managing director Knox Karima was promising an impressive turnaround for the system under state control. In November it was announced that Karima had been “retired in the national interest”, with Professor Clive Chirwa appointed CEO. In late April 2013, the professor’s much publicised grand plans for ZRL ran into all sorts of trouble. Zambian President Michael Sata suddenly sent the railway’s entire board packing and suspended Chirwa on half pay while allegations of corruption are investigated. The auditor-general is also having a go.

Press comment drew attention to the President’s unilateral appointment of Professor Chirwa, disregarding conventional recruiting and interviewing procedures. Commentators suggested that other potential candidates for the position – had they had the opportunity to apply - might have had more impressive experience in running a railway, Chirwa being an aerospace engineering consultant.

Miracles unfortunately take far too long for most politicians. Results are needed quickly, at least before the next election, otherwise the politician (rather than the concession-holder) risks biting the dust.

A change in government during the currency of a concession almost automatically spells trouble – as (it seems) happened in Zambia.

On several occasions in recent years, RSZ CEO Even warned of problems that his company could not solve on its own, In October 2011 he was quoted saying: “The government of Zambia must honour the concession agreement for the sake of the Zambian economy and RSZ employees, and should support our sector with implementation of transport policies which will make the railways more competitive in order to shift traffic from road to rail. These are mainly reflected in the road levy refunds, support towards security and road regulations to be enforced such as weight limitations and toll gates.” RSZ he said faced challenges such as “about $5 million of paid road levy which has never been refunded.” Vandalism too “continued to haunt the company.” Even added: “Our role is to work hard and plan while the government should support us with the right policies.”

PREDICTIONS FOR AFRICA In the words of Bombela Operating Company’s Kelebogile Machaka: “Gautrain’s average weekday ridership in March 2013 (about 48,000) reflects an increase of 60% compared with March 2012 (30,000). She added ominously that the growth in patronage is placing “severe strain” on the system during peak hours, “with passenger demand already approaching levels only predicted in year ten of the concession period.”

Predicted by who, exactly? (or should that be “whom”?) According to a Business Day report on 22 October 2010: “Gautrain management expects 140,000 passengers a day to use the high-speed Gautrain rail service when the final phase is completed in the middle of next year” [ie 2011]. The paper quoted Gautrain Management Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe saying on 21 October that “initial forecasts predicted 77,000 passengers a week would use the first phase between Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport. In the first few months of operation, the average was about 76,000 passengers a week. ‘This is a clear indication that our forecasts were quite accurate. This gives us renewed confidence that 140,000

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

“Guy says his great-great-grandfather’s land was taken from him to build the colonialist railway. Refuses to remove his cows – says his claim to get the land back is sub-judice.”

people would use the system each day when fully operational,’ Mr van der Merwe said.”

From Railways Africa’s correspondent in San Francisco: * “We recently saw an article about the 2011 South African census. * Total population: 52 million * Children under five: 11 million * Mobile phone ownership: 47 million (90% of total population) “Which seems to imply that six million mobile phones are owned by children under five”.

KABWE HUB PLAN FOR ZAMBIAN RECONSTRUCTION Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) managing director Clive Chirwa, currently under suspension, visualised centrally located Kabwe, housing offices and workshops for manufacturing rolling stock, becoming a hub. Around it, his three-year reconstruction project

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OPINION – AND THE WIDER WORLD would take place. Nine groups or modules were to be created, each responsible for reconstructing 100 kilometres of line, with a three-shift schedule covering 24 hours, seven days a week.

PRESS COMMENT ON CHIRWA’S PLANS Seemingly sceptical about Zambian Railways Limited (ZRL) CEO Clive Chirwa’s elaborate plans to turn the system around, the Times of Zambia suggested “the plans would not leave one without a speculative mind on how he hopes to accomplish this entire enormous dream. “ The paper noted the professor’s assertion that revamping the entire railway – and electrifying it – in three years would create 10,000 jobs, mainly for Zambian youth. It was also intended to

Railway Systems of Zambia, whose 20-year concession was cancelled by the government in September 2012, faced huge problems reviving the rundown line it inherited. Photo (2006): Dietmar Fiedel.

look to young Zambian engineers in leading the project. This is a new approach, the Times observed: “Over the years, Zambia has relied much on the technological powerhouse of the Chinese government in major construction projects like roads and even the same Zambia Railways. Now Professor Chirwa feels otherwise.”

The paper applauded the professor’s assurance that all materials required for reconstruction would be locally sourced and manufactured. “It looks like a huge dream” the Times concluded.

“Professor Chirwa seems to have put pen to paper; all that is remaining is implementation.”

AUDITOR-GENERAL ON CONSULTANTS In October 2009, South African minister of finance Pravin Gordhan said government departments must trim consultancy, entertainment, conference and travel expenses. The instruction appears to have been ignored. Early in 2013, the auditor-general slammed government departments for the extent to which they have been using consultants. During the past year, R33.5 billion [billion, not million] was paid to consultants who amongst other things developed media monitoring projects, planted trees, offered basic adult education to police officers and audited staff skills - all tasks that could have been done by public servants in the course of duties for which they are paid salaries. A question-mark hangs over the ability of staff who have been appointed without the necessary skills to perform basic departmentalfunctions.

The Department of Transport was singled out for spending R14.3 million on consultants to manage the October “Transport Month” campaign.

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AFRICA UPDATE

AFRICA UPDATE AFRICA STILL MOST COSTLY FOR FREIGHT TRANSPORT Transporting freight on the continent of Africa is now four times more expensive than in other parts of the world. This assertion was made during a panel discussion at the Breakbulk Africa Congress 2013, held in Cape Town during April. An important underlying reason is the lack of infrastructural development.

It was noted that most African governments lack the funds needed for capital-intensive projects, which means that dependence on private sector investment is inevitable. Unfortunately, a perception that African governments are not prepared to address the situation makes it difficult to convince the private sector to invest. The panel highlighted the deficiency of railway infrastructure in most African countries and the absence of rail linkage across the borders between most countries.

ANGOLA EVENING TRAINS AT LUANDA Caminhos de ferro de Luanda (CFL) has introduced four evening commuter trains. The new service, CFL’s commercial director Isaac Mateus explains, is aimed largely at students who live in Viana and study in the city centre of Luanda. The last trains depart simultaneously at 22:30 from Baia to Bungo and from Bungo to Baia.

Luau station, nearly finished, in May 2013. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.

BOTSWANA BOTSWANA COAL HEADS TO DURBAN According to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) executive manager for international business Nyameka Madikizela, the railway is expected to begin carrying coal from the Morupule Colliery near Palapye in Botswana to Durban during May. In terms of an agreement being signed with Botswana, three 35-wagon trains are to run weekly.

Two of these will be made up of TFR wagons and one using Botswana rolling stock. It is planned to have six trains running per week by August/September 2013. Successful test runs were made during April.

Viaduct at Lengue Gorge. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.

It is intended to use Botswana Railways diesel locomotives as far as Krugersdorp and TFR electric power from there. In the longer term, the line west of Krugersdorp may be relaid to raise the permissible axle loading from 18.5 tons to Transnet’s standard 26 tons, Madikizela says. This would permit the use of TFR’s heavier locos.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT IN LUBUMBASHI

Artist’s impression of station at Luau, Caminhos de ferro de Benguela, 15km from the DRC border. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

The national railways of Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have entered into a tripartite agreement to “harmonise” operations, in order to facilitate “smooth and seamless transport of goods and passengers”. Acting managing director of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) Dr Damas Ndumbaro, Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) managing director Professor Clive Chirwa, and Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC) acting director-general Vincent Tshiongo Ngalula signed the agreement in Lubumbashi.

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AFRICA UPDATE The agreement deďŹ nes how the three railways are to collaborate and interact with each other in the conveying of goods and passengers through each other’s railway network without remarshalling and transshipment. According to a joint communiquĂŠ issued afterwards, they said: “We have come to a mutual understanding on all the technical parameters regarding our respective operations and provided for continuous consultations through regular interchange meetings for the entire period of the agreement.

in the Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC) as part of a leasing package funded by the World Bank. Fitted with 1,000hp EMD 8-645 engines, they will probably be used on shunting and trip work.

“Cargo can now move in either direction and all the way from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri-Mposhi and Lubumbashi and vice versa without necessarily transshipping, remarshalling or complications of any kind.�

COPPER TO DURBAN According to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) executive manager for international business Nyameka Madikizela, it had been hoped to sign an important “North-South Corridor agreementâ€? in February but talks were taking longer than expected. In terms of the intended arrangement, “millions of tonsâ€? of copper mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo (as well as Zambia) will be carried by rail to the port of Durban, a journey the best part of 2,000km. If the Tanzam Railway to Dar es Salaam were able to handle this trafďŹ c, the journey would be some 400km shorter.

EX-QUEENSLAND LOCOS FOR SNCC [Information from Dr J N Middleton]: RRL in South Africa have bought six 62.5 tonne locos built by GM-Clyde 1ib 967-70 for very light axle-load (10.4 ton) rural branchline use in Australia’s Queensland. They are going to SociÊtÊ Nationale des Chemins de fer Congolais (SNCC – the state railway

For main-line use, RRL is supplying ex Queensland 2600 series locos which are being renumbered SNCC 2201 upwards. Photo: Les Bray.

EGYPT THALES WINS CAIRO-ALEXANDRIA SIGNALS UPGRADE According to a “high-ranking sourceâ€? quoted by Egypt’s Daily News, the France-based Thales Group has won a bid to instal electric signalling along the Cairo-Alexandria line at an estimated cost of $US270 million. The Egyptian National Railways Authority (ENR) is to fund the project through a World Bank loan. Another bid is to be invited soon in respect of electric signal installation along the Beni Suef to Assiut line, at an estimated cost of $330m. Director of the ofďŹ ce of the ENR president Magdi Musa is quoted saying that so far some $19.5m has been spent on installing electric signalling.

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www.railwaysafrica.com

Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

15

AFRICA UPDATE KUWAITI HELP FOR EGYPT Kuwait is providing $US100 million in assistance for the developing of Egypt’s railways. According to the Egypt State Information Service, Kuwaiti Ambassador in Cairo Rashid Al Hamad has stressed the depth of “brotherly relations” binding Egypt and Kuwait. He said he expects an increase in the coming months in Kuwaiti investments in Egypt, which stand currently at some E£16.5 billion.

MEDITERRANEAN To Tobruk

Mersa Matruh

Salum

Simila

Port Said Rafah

ISR

Alexandria

n lwa He El Faiyum El Wasta Beni Suef

L

C A I RO

AE

Ferdan Ismailia Railway out of use El Shatt Suez

EL’Alamein

JORDAN

SAUDI ARABIA

Baharia Oasis

which has worked with MetEC previously, is to provide “expert assistance in the production of tracks” for the project, which is being overseen by the Ethiopian Railway Corporation.

Construction of the 1,435mm gauge Addis light railway, which is expected to carry 80,000 passengers an hour, began in January 2012 at an estimated cost of $US475 million. The government announced in mid-April that the project was 25% complete. The three lines comprise a 17.2km route from Defence Forces Hospital to Ayat Village, another of 16.2km from Meskel Square to Kality, and a link from Lideta to Menilik Square. China Railway Group Limited (CREG) holds the contract for tracklaying and MetEC is responsible for supplying the track material and rolling stock. Completion is expected in 2016.

Additional lines to Shiro Meda in the north, Gelan in the south and to Lebu in the south-west, are envisaged at a later stage.

Asyut

ETHIOPIAN NATIONAL RAIL PROJECT

Bur Sataga

D SE

Abu Tarlour

Nag’Hammadi Oena El Korma Luxor El Kharga Isna

RE

L I B YA

EGYPT

A

Aswan Sadd el Ali

The Ethiopian Railway Corporation is overseeing construction of the 4,744km national railway project, which comprises eight corridors criss-crossing the country. The track and rolling stock is to be imported from a Chinese company.

N ASWAN DAM 0

250 km

SU D AN

EGYPTIAN TRAIN SERVICES RESUME Violence erupted throughout Egypt on 9 March, following the release of the Port Said stadium massacre verdict. In Cairo, three protesters were killed in clashes with the police and the police club in Gezira was set on fire, as were the nearby offices of the Egyptian Football Association. Protesters from the Ultras Ahlawy hardcore football fans in Qalubiya stood on the railway in Banha, halting all train movement. Altogether some 31 trains were affected on the Cairo-Alexandria line, but by Sunday morning 10 March, services had returned to normal.

BUSES REPLACE TRAINS IN EGYPT On 8 April, buses substituted for passenger trains in Egypt, where a strike by locomotive drivers brought all services to a standstill.

The staff were protesting a government decision to limit increases in an allowance to 10%. The independent syndicate for train staff announced its “complete solidarity” with the drivers’ demands for better conditions. Rail traffic was operating at about 60% of normal by 10 April. In the East Delta area, full service had resumed, according to the state information service in Cairo, quoting Egyptian National Railways Authority (ENR) head Hussein Zakaria.

He explained that drivers had returned to work after receiving promises of improved pay and working conditions. A committee was being formed to look into wage and bonus restructuring.

ETHIOPIA

Addis Ababa station, Ethiopia. Photo: Dietmar Fiedel.

The existing railway from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to the Red Sea port of Djibouti is currently being replaced with a $US2.8 billion, 1,435mm gauge electrified line by two Chinese concerns.

Turkish and Brazilian companies are to construct other segments of the national network which aims to create a series of key trade routes to neighbouring Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan, as well as Djibouti.

KENYA NEW SYSTEM AT RIFT VALLEY RAILWAYS Rift Valley Railways (RVR) has invested in SAP, which is described as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) tool. SAP ERP consists of several modules, including utilities for marketing and sales, field service, product design and development, production and inventory control, human resources, finance and accounting. SAP ERP collects and combines data from the separate modules to provide the client with enterprise resource planning.

ETHIOPIA: ADDIS LIGHT RAILWAY According to Addis Fortune, published in Addis Ababa, the Metals & Engineering Corporation (MetEC) has completed assembly of a prototype train for the light rail project in the capital. MetEC manufactured the bodywork, the undercarriage and bogies being imported from the Danubian Aircraft Company (DAC), a Hungarian corporation that specialises in “the overhaul and upgrading of helicopters and the manufacture of metallic components”. DAC,

16

Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

RVR’s $US4 million SAP ERP project was funded by the World Bank, supported by Aegis, an india-based company which will train staff, instal and execute the system. Personnel went through intensive training from August 2012 to January 2013, mainly in the areas rolling stock management, quality management, human resource management, finance and accounting, controlling and supply chain management.

www.railwaysafrica.com

AFRICA UPDATE Brandt quotes Tjaronda explaining, “It costs between N$3 and 5 million to rehabilitate one kilometre of line, but the government has been contributing only N$1 million annually for line rehabilitation and maintenance.”

The rolling stock and locomotive fleet is old, Tjaronda pointed out.

“For example, the GE locomotives, which compromise over 85% of the active motive power, average more than 45 years in age.”

MOROCCO

ANGOLA

ANSALDO SIGNALS FOR MOROCCO To Cassinga

A contract to design and supply signalling, telecommunications and a control traffic centre for Morocco’s new 183km high-speed line has been awarded to a consortium comprising Ansaldo STS and Cofely Ineo. Ansaldo STS will cover all phases of signalling implementation from design to integration and commissioning, as well as providing the telecommunication equipment, “next generation” interlocking, track circuits, ERTMS Level 1 & 21-based automatic train control and train protection, also the traffic control centre located in Rabat. Cofely Ineo will provide the wayside equipment as well as power supply and cable networks. Its engineering office will provide all plans required for the installation of “complex and critical systems”. The contract awarded by Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF – the Moroccan state railway), is worth some €120 million. The new high-speed railway connects the cities of Tangiers and Kenitra.

MOZAMBIQUE MOZAMBIQUE COAL EXPORTS RESUME

TRANSNAMIB’S FINANCIAL HEADACHES

Tsumeb Grootfontein

Otavi Outjo

Otjiwarongo

Okahandja

Usakos

Kranzberg

WINDHOEK

Swakopmund Walvis Bay

Gobabis Rehoboth

NAMIBIA

Lüderitz

Kolmanskop

OC

Mariental

Seeheim

Keetmanshoop Seeheim North

Bogenfels

EA

Karasburg Nakop

N

In a forthright article, Edgar Brandt of New Era, published in Windhoek, itemised problems facing Namibia’s state railway TransNamib. In terms of this year’s vote in the latest national budget, he writes, the Treasury has allocated N$165 million for rehabilitating the Aus-Luderitz line and N$237.2 million for new rails and ballast for use mainly on rehabilitating the lines from Kranzberg to Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb, and between Windhoek and Walvis Bay. Speed restrictions as low as 15 to 20km/h are in force along some sections of the Tsumeb line and passenger traffic has been halted due to safety concerns. TransNamib Secretary Eugenia Tjaronda listed some of the other problems currently faced.

To Katima Mulilo

Oshivelo

TIC

NAMIBIA

Ondangwa

AT L A N

Following heavy rains in mid-February in Mozambique, serious washaways resulted in an embargo on coal traffic by rail from Moatize, destined via the Sena Line to the port of Beira. The prominent Brazilian Vale mining company said the declaration of force majeure affected the shipment of about 500,000 metric tons of coal. The Sena Line is currently Vale’s only export route to the sea. The line eventually reopened and coal traffic is flowing normally.

Oshikango

Oshakati

B OT S WA N A

RVR selected SAP ERP as part of its five-year turnaround programme.

Other projects include the overhaul of 365 wagons through a KFW grant (149 wagons rehabilitated to date), the overhaul of eight locomotives, replacement of 70km of rail between Mombasa and Nairobi (48km completed to date) and repair of nine major culverts between Busembatia and Jinja in Uganda (almost complete) and rehabilitation of Uganda’s Tororo-Pakwach line.

To Upington

Oranjemund

SOUTH AFRICA N 0

250 km

Modern standards in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), she pointed out, require railways suited to 18.5 ton axle loading. Normally this is attained using 48kg/m rails welded in continuous lengths and supported on well-ballasted concrete sleepers. In Namibia at present, only 1,263km, ie 47% of the total 2,688km route distance, complies with this standard, Tjaronda said.

Of this 1,263 km, 855km were carried out prior to 1988. Since then, TransNamib has only upgraded 100km, but the Namibian government did construct the new railway northern extension (308km) at this standard. Most of the remaining network is restricted to 16.5 ton axle loading, though some sections have loading restrictions as low as 13.5 tons.

www.railwaysafrica.com

GE U20C diesel – former South African class 33. Still the mainstay of the TransNamib fleet, these locos are more than 40 years old.

Photo: John Batwell.

Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

17

AFRICA UPDATE N$62M NAMIBIAN AUS-LÜDERITZ TENDER IN HIGH COURT According to press reports, the firm Profile Investments formed a joint venture, Profile-VAE, with the South African company voestalpine VAE SA. Profile-VAE submitted a tender for upgrading the Aus-Lüderitz railway, including the procuring and delivery of rails. In November 2012, the Namibian transport ministry recommended to the Tender Board that Profile-VAE be awarded the N$62 million contract. Some weeks later, citing irregularities during the procurement process (one of them relating to a conflict of interests), the ministry reversed its view. Late in April, the High Court in Windhoek heard an action brought by Profile Investments owner Veino Nghipondoka against Tender Board chairman Ericah Shafudah and works and transport minister Erkki Nghimtina.

Profile Investments alleges that an official in the ministry of works leaked confidential information to their competitor. Permanent secretary in the ministry Peter Mwatile claimed that the consultant appointed for the project was also the principal agent for D&M, which Profile-VAE SA had subcontracted to do some of the work.

The consultant allegedly designed the tender in such a way that it favoured Profile-VAE. The action continues.

TRANSNAMIB’S N$816,000 PAY-OUT In 2009, TransNamib CEO Titus Haimbili appointed Albertus !Naruseb as general manager of human resources. Haimbili was subsequently accused of “irregularly and improperly” appointing !Naruseb, following claims that other candidates interviewed had been “leapfrogged” and that he and !Naruseb are brothers-in-law.

Haimbili, who denied the allegations, was found “not guilty” by a disciplinary committee.

In May 2011, lawyer Richard Metcalfe, chairing TransNamib disciplinary hearings against !Naruseb, found him guilty on three out of 24 counts of alleged corruption and misuse of a company credit card, including “non-compliance with company policies.” In July 2011, !Naruseb was fired by CEO Haimbili, on instruction by the board.

six months to 20,000 a day with 18 trains. Considering that this is a corridor with an estimated footprint of 2 million passenger trips per day, it is clear that the NRC’s mass transit efforts would yield minimal impact on traffic congestion in the Lagos area as most journeys would still be made by road. Worse is that at [a fare of] N120 or so per trip, it is impossible to ever make a profit and sustain the service in the long run. Images in the media of NRC passengers dangerously clinging to the sides or sitting atop moving trains is reminiscent of the molues [minibuses] that Lagos is phasing out. Should this be what passes for rail transportation in modern day Nigeria in the year of our lord, 2012? In any case, with the Lagos light rail planning to run modern passenger trains on this route, there is really no future for the current NRC mass transit service along this corridor. So why not focus on freight which will generate far more revenues and make the roads safer for passengers?”

“STEAM FILLS KANO STATION” The eminent British weekly The Economist recently reported Nigeria’s reopening of the Lagos-Kano main-line. In a colourful description of the scene, it wrote in vol 406 no 8822 dated 9-15 February 2013: “Brakes let out a deafening screech and steam fills the station as the Lagos-Kano train ends its 30-hour journey….

Hundreds of passengers emerge wearily from brightly painted yellow, green and white carriages. It may be sweaty, crowded and very late… “ “Steam?” asks Railways Africa’s surprised San Francisco correspondent. “What is Nigeria using for motive power if not those nice new GE diesels I read about in Railways Africa? Resurrected steam engines? Or maybe this equatorial nation is using steam to heat its trains - no wonder the passengers are sweaty”.

He adds: “I found a few pictures of Kano Station on Google. It looks as if the tracks are open to the sky, with just some canopies along the platforms. It must be quite difficult to fill that station with steam”.

Namibia’s Office of the Labour Commissioner recently found the manner of !Naruseb’s dismissal “wrong and unjustified by law” and ordered TransNamib to compensate him. Arbitrator Moses Shitaleni ordered TransNamib to pay !Naruseb N$816,000 - equivalent to 12 months’ salary. Shitaleni ruled that for the decision of !Naruseb’s dismissal to have come directly from the board, and not from the recommendations of the chairperson of the disciplinary committee, was unjustified and in his view violated the applicant’s right to a fair hearing.

[Based on press reports]

NIGERIA “NO FUTURE FOR NRC AT LAGOS” Bethlehem Rail Infrastructure Limited managing director Rowland Ataguba, who chairs the Nigerian economic summit group (Nesg) infrastructure policy commission rail work-group and is principal consultant of the Canac-PSO Alliance, commented on the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in a recent letter to the Nigerian press: Rowland Ataguba.

“A further strategic imponderable is the NRC’s insistence on operating the loss-making mass transit service. The NRC recently crowed that it was carrying what is but a paltry 14,000 passengers a day in the Lagos axis which it hopes to increase over the next

18

Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

AIRCON TRAINS FOR NIGERIA Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) managing director Adeseyi Sijuade says air-conditioned trains are to be introduced in Nigeria during 2013. He told the media: “We plan to introduce the new modern air-conditioned coaches. In terms of security there would be no cause for alarm as the corporation would ensure the safety of lives and the property of customers.”

www.railwaysafrica.com

AFRICA UPDATE Talking about the recently rehabilitated main-line from Lagos to Kano, Sijuade said the project had cost N24.3 billion. The 488km Lagos-Jebba section accounted for N12.1 billion, and the 638km from Jebba to Kano, N12. 2 billion”. All this work was completed within budget.

the Tanzania Daily News that informal traders doing business too close to the track in the Buguruni kwa Mnyamani area are putting themselves and train operation in danger. It takes time to stop a moving train, he pointed out, and drivers are not able to wait until people get themselves out of the way.

NIGERIA TRAINING DRIVERS Speaking at the recent Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Permanent-way Training School graduation function in Zaria, administration and human resources director Dr Aminu Gusau told 31 new locomotive drivers: “Do not hesitate to ask questions from those you meet on the job. Learn from them in order to gain practical skills to move the corporation forward.” Gusau described NRC as the “root of civilisation in Nigeria”. The unification of the nation, he was quoted saying, started from the corporation.

Moshi

Bujumbura Kaliua

Singida Muheza

Mpanda

Tanga

Manyoni CENTRAL LINE

Kilosa

ROOF-RIDERS IN NIGERIA Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) managing director Adeseye Sijuade, interviewed recently by This Day’s John Iwori and Sunday Okobi, agreed that overcrowding is a severe problem on commuter trains serving Lagos. Passengers hang onto open doors and travel on carriage roofs. The situation worsened recently, Sijuade explained, following the authorities banning the operation of “Okada” motorcycle transport in the city.

NRC is making every effort to alleviate the problem by renovating unserviceable coaches and returning them to service. More than 200 coaches and wagons resumed service during the past two years.

TANZANIA TANZANIAN SERVICES RESUME In 22 April, Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) resumed commuter train service between Dar es Salaam and Ubungo. The operation was suspended following infrastructural damage caused by heavy rain. According to TRL spokesman Midladjy Maez, fares remain at 400 shillings for adults and 100 shillings for students. He told

$US330 MILLION ON TANZANIAN RAILWAYS The current $US330 million upgrade of Tanzania’s metre-gauge railway includes its conversion to 1,435mm gauge, transport minister Harrison Mwakyembe confirms. The East African quotes him explaining that this is to bring the railway “in line with other networks across central and Southern Africa”. An important objective is the ability to move 35 million tonnes of freight annually to Rwanda, Burundi, parts of Uganda and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The minister says $3.7 million has been

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Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

19

AFRICA UPDATE spent so far in renovating the existing network, which includes an order for rolling stock expected to arrive by June. This includes 274 passenger coaches, 22 locomotives and other items.

[Surely conversion to 1,435mm gauge will achieve the opposite of the objective? Neighbouring Zambia, as well as Zimbabwe, Botswana, the DRC, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and South Africa all use 1,067 mm gauge. - Editor: Railways Africa]

its partners CSR QSY and Tazara to resolve any technical challenges related to any of the GE components supplied. The GE team will continue to conduct trial runs for the locomotives. GE will resolve traction motor-related issues on units 3001 and 3006 and also perform trial runs for units 3002 due to pass tests this month [May 2013], and will also investigate the causes of the technical failures on the traction motors and provide a containment solution while continuing to work with QSY and Tazara to test the rest of the units to minimise impact.”

FARES IN TANZANIA New fares applicable to Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) as approved

by Tanzania’s Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) are as follows: First class (25% increase): • Dar es Salaam to Morogoro 21,100/- (was16,852/-) • Dar es Salaam to Dodoma 34,700/- (was 27,788/-) • Dar es Salaam to Tabora 54,800/- (was 43,859/- ).

Third class (44.1% increase): • Dar es Salaam to Morogoro 8,800/- (was 6,138/-) • Dar es Salaam to Dodoma 13,500/- (was 9.374/-) • Dar es Salaam to Tabora 20,400/- (was 14,173/- ).

The Sumatra board has asked TRL to improve its internal revenue control within three months and to improve passenger services. In addition TRL has been requested to adopt a passenger management information system and to simplify ticketing and revenue collection from passengers within a year.

TAZARA PROBLEMS WITH CHINESE LOCOS AT TAZARA

According to a statement issued by GE-Africa media relations manager Thulisile Thuli Phiri, the locomotives were supplied by CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Company Ltd (CSR QSY) in China.

“GE supplied engines for the locomotives and no technical issues were reported on the engines. GE is committed to working with

20

Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

According to Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) public relations head Conrad Simuchile, the board of directors has appointed Ronald Phiri as acting managing director for three months. The three-year contract of previous MD Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika expired in February but was not renewed.

Chairman Dr Muyenga Atanga explains that Phiri, himself a member of the board, has more than 31 years’ service in the mining sector.

Atanga, who is permanent secretary in the ministry of transport, works, supply and communications, said the board “searched extensively” for someone with understanding of the challenges facing Tazara. A longer term appointment would follow the identifying of a suitable candidate in due course.

DODOMA

a yik an ng Ta

Tanzanian minister for transport Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, quoted

by The East African, said a Chinese company won the tender to supply the locomotives. He told the paper: “I have been told about the technical problems, but you need to speak to our technicians and engineers who would be in a better position to explain in detail the technical problems. It appears the engines can’t cope with the Tazara terrain.” The manufacturer is “facing challenges in putting the new locomotives into operation”, Tazara head of public relations Conrad K Simuchile told The East African, adding there is no need “at this stage to be overly concerned because the locomotives are going through a normal trial process after delivery....and they are still fully in the hands of the manufacturer, who has ample time to rectify the defects, if any.”

ACTING MD AT TAZARA

ke La

Reportedly the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) had nine operable locomotives. In terms of the 14th Protocol of Economic and Technical Co-operation signed by the governments of China, Tanzania and Zambia in December 2009, a loan of $US39 million was granted to Tazara. Of this, $24 million was spent on six new 3,000hp diesel-electric locomotives. According to press reports, various technical problems have been experienced with these SDD20 units, delivered by CSR late in 2012. Almost six months later, none is currently in service.

SDD20 3,000hp loco, similar to that supplied by CSR QSY to Tazara in December 2012.

Lake M alawi

Second class (25% increase): • Dar es Salaam to Morogoro 16,600/- (was13,280/-) • Dar es Salaam to Dodoma 26.400/- (was 21,092/-) • Dar es Salaam to Tabora 40,500/- (was 32,605/- ).

Chingola Copperbelt

Kafue River Zambezi River

Cabora Bassa

Lumbo

TAZARA DELIVERS On 24 April, Dar es Salaam’s Tanzania Daily News reported that the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) accomplished the delivery of more than 7,500 metric tonnes of freight in the preceding five days. This followed the resumption of freight and passenger services. both suspended on 10 April when the line was blocked some 64km west of Dar es Salaam. This was caused by the capsizing of a crane sent to recover wagons that went off the line in an earlier derailment.

www.railwaysafrica.com

AFRICA UPDATE

Tazara public relations head Conrad Simuchile said in a statement that 3,624.50 metric tonnes of copper and 2,980.60 metric tonnes of maize comprised the bulk of the cargo delivered to Dar es Salaam. “Other commodities delivered to Mbeya and New Kapiri Mposhi between 17 and 24 April included fuel and sulphur concentrates.”

given of likely timeframes for actual construction. According to the paper, “The challenge is now for the initiators of the multi-million dollar project to move quickly … They should not come up with an excuse of lack of funds because the Zambian Government is ready to support this ambitious project.”

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Luau

Kolwezi

Dilolo

ANGOLA

Senanga

In December 2012, Rift Valley Railways (RVR), the concessionaire managing the Kenya and Uganda railways, engaged Kato contractors, a Uganda-based company, to rehabilitate the 500km Tororo-Pakwach line in northern Uganda at an estimated cost of $US2 million. The first phase of the work has been completed, involving the clearance of bushes, weeding and the removal of anthills According to a recent RVR press statement, “Work on the second phase has commenced, which involves restoration of washed-out areas due to flooding and installation of new culverts which have been successfully fixed at Awoja, with four barrels of 1.2m diameter culverts, back-filling and re-railing the track.”

RVR general manager Mark Rumanyika expects the line to be in operation by the end of August 2013.

SOUTH SUDAN

UGANDA Gulu

DRC

Lira Soroti

Lake Albert

Kasese

Mbale Tororo

Kampala

Lake Edward

KENYA

Monze Choma

Lake Victoria

N 100

CAPRIVI STRIP

BOTSWANA Okavango Delta

Mchinji

LILONGWE

MOZAMBIQUE

Kafue

Cabora Bassa

Tete

Kariba Dam Lake Kariba

ZIMBABWE

Livingstone

HARARE Marondera

Hwange Kwekwe

Mutare Odzi

Gweru

ZIMBABWE RAILWAY PAY CUTS PROPOSED IN ZIMBABWE The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) last paid its staff full wages last May, ie 13 months ago. On 11 April 2013, a memo signed by general manager Air Commodore (retd) Mike Karakadzai proposed that workers be paid between 50 and 75% of their salaries from the end of April, depending on their grades, with the lowest grades getting the lowest percentage. It was envisaged that the lowest paid employee would get “at least $150” every month.

According to the NRZ memo, “the arrangement is designed to enable workers to at least pay rent and other bills”. Press reports suggested the employees were unhappy with the proposal. It dealt only with the future, they pointed out, but not the “massive” salary backlog.

The memo went on: “This suggestion was considered by management as reasonable and meriting development. To this end, management convened a consultative meeting with labour on 2 April 2013, whereat the concept of creating predictability for the payment of a portion of employees’ net salaries with balance being parked as liability was discussed.

“In addition to the concept, management tabled a schedule giving typical payment scenario premised on the distribution of $2,7 million towards the payment of between 50 and 75% of employees’ monthly net salaries (depending on the employee’s grade) on the 30th of every month.”

Malaba

50

RWANDA

LUSAKA Mazabuka

Kazungula

IA NAMIB

Chipata

Kapiri Mposhi Kabwe

Mulobezi

UGANDA PROGRESS ON PAKWACH LINE

Chingola Ndola Kitwe Luanshya

ZAMBIA

Both the Mukuba and Kilimanjaro Express passenger trains are running on time between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.

Pakwach

Lubumbashi

Proposed North-Western Railway

MALAWI

It was the second major disruption suffered by Tazara in three weeks, the paper recalled, the first (during March) due to washaways following “persistent rains and flooding in the mountainous region of Mlimba in Tanzania”.

150 KM

TANZANIA

ZAMBIA ZAMBIA: NORTH-WEST RAILWAY PROJECT PROGRESSES According to the Times of Zambia, “good progress” is being made with the north-western rail project. This envisages a new line running west from Chingola by way of Solwezi to the border with Angola, from where it is to be extended to connect with Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB). This would provide Zambia with a rail link to the Atlantic at Lobito. In all about 700km of new railway is involved. The Times provided no detail of work done to date (presumably this is concerned with planning) and no indication was

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Loco 395, 15th class, heads a 2013 Valentines Day special operated by the National Railways of Zimbabwe. Photo: Chas Rickwood.

Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

21

SA RAIL NEWS

SOUTH AFRICAN

RAIL NEWS BLUE TRAIN UPGRADE South Africa’s prestigious Blue Train has undergone a number of upgrades including refurbishment of the interiors, improved technology and revamped critical safety components. These include the air-cushion suspension and braking systems, as well as the fire and smoke detectors.

Interior work comprised refurbishment of the décor, reupholstering the furniture and recarpeting the entire train. The staff coach has been revamped and fitted with an entertainment system, recognising that on-board personnel are away from home for more than three days every week.

The on-board entertainment system now provides a wider variety of movies and music. Guests can rewind, pause and skip from one movie to the next - an option that was not available previously, when films were automatically programmed.

The driver’s-eye-view camera system, displayed both in guests’ suites and the club car (smoking lounge) has been upgraded and the train is now equipped with wi-fi throughout. New and improved butler mobile phones have been introduced to provide effective communication and easy availability.

At the same time, the exterior of the train has been repainted to ensure a new look and feel.

South Africa’s Blue Train, adjudged the World’s Leading Luxury Train for 2009, 2010 and 2011 at the World Travel Awards, has .been extensively revamped. Dual-voltage class 14E locomotives handle the entire 1,600km journey from Pretoria to Cape Town. Photo: Jacque Wepener.

LOCOS & ROLLING STOCK FROM TRANSNET ENGINEERING At its Koedoespoort (Pretoria) main works, Transnet Engineering (TE - formerly Transnet Rail Engineering), in addition to assembling class 43 diesel-electric locomotives in association with General Electric, is developing a prototype diesel short-haul and shunting loco suited to conditions on the continent, notably on the widely-used 1,067mm gauge. Together with wagons being supplied to neighbouring countries, such as coal mining concerns in Mozambique, the product should boost orders from outside Transnet itself, already totalling some R850 million in the financial year ended March 2013. New contracts from Transnet due for award in the near future include 465 new diesel-electric and 599 dual-voltage electric locos, all to be assembled in partnership with an OEM supplier at TE plants. Similarly, 85 of an order for 95 electric locos from a Chinese

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

manufacturer – dual-voltage, too – are to be assembled by TE, as will a fleet of 3,600 commuter coaches for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in terms of the contract recently signed with the Gibela Rail consortium.

DAYLIGHT DURBAN-JBG TRAIN As from 26 April 2013, Shosholoza Meyl introduced a daytime passenger train departing from Johannesburg on Fridays at 07:00, arriving in Durban at 20:30. The return working is on Sundays, leaving Durban at 07:25 and arriving in Johannesburg at 20:30. It has been many years since a scheduled passenger train ran during daylight through the scenic Drakensberg and northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Ashley Peter points out: “Although the intention is to run this train on a weekly basis, unfortunately this will not be possible due to the double-line occupations

Other developments under way include redesign and development of the Blue Train website and reservations facility. An improved GPS system is in the pipeline, to identify the areas traversed and provide text and audio commentary. These additional upgrades are expected to be complete in approximately six months.

which take place on the Natcor line once a month. The train will therefore run three times per month, but not during the weekend when the double-line occupation occurs.”

POSTMASBURG-KAMFERSDAM SIGNALLING UPGRADE A R90 million contract to upgrade the signalling between Kamfersdam (on the main-line north of Kimberley) and Postmasburg, on the line to Sishen and Hotazel, was commenced in September 2011 and completed two months ahead of schedule in October 2012.

The old block system, using copper cabling, had been in operation for close on 50 years. In its place, Actom Signalling installed a modern optic-fibre cable system, with axle-counter equipment incorporating failsafe data transmission (FSDT). The existing CS90 remote control system was

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upgraded to interface the new system with the old interlocking that continues to operate at all stations.

Actom Signalling’s contracts manager Gerrie Coetzer explained: “Among difficulties faced were a very tight schedule for completion of the first half of the project, logistical problems arising from the distance covered (some 200km, of which 86km required trenching), as well as punishing working conditions, with temperatures rising to as much as 40°C at times, and tough trenching conditions in places.”

The contract required completion of 50% of the work within 10 months of commencement. “This part, between Kamfersdam and Koopmansfontein, was extremely fast-track and very challenging, but we completed it on time,” Coetzer said. “The long distances necessitated deployment of three separate complete working teams, each comprising trenching, cable-laying and installation personnel, with two testing teams to serve the three sections.”

A number of “extremely rocky” trenching conditions were encountered, notably at Barkly West, UlcoGhaap and Limeacres.

When the project started, the initial section of line at Kamfersdam was under water, due to flooding from the dam. Occupation here had to be postponed until the end of the contract period.

Despite these setbacks, on completion of the first half of the work, Transnet Capital Projects presented Actom with a 100,000 hours lost-time injury-free award.

Actom (Pty) Ltd, electro-mechanical equipment specialist, is a black empowered company with 42 operating units, 43 production, service and repair facilities, and 36 distribution outlets throughout Southern Africa. Its personnel number about 7,500.

TOYOTA CARS BY TRAIN FOR EXPORT On 15 March, an epic service level agreement was signed between Toyota SA Motors and Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). In terms of this, the first train transporting Toyota cars for export was operated on 3 April from the car terminal at Isipingo to the similar facility at the Port of Durban, the journey taking about 50 minutes. According to Toyota local general manager Gerhard Botha, the concept was first mooted in 2006 and has thus taken almost seven years to implement.

Currently two trains of 12 wagons each with two car racks are running daily Monday to Friday, ie 240 cars in total every week.

To accommodate expected increases in the required capacity, TFR plans to procure additional wagons, sufficient to boost weekly totals to 1,000 cars, ie 200 every weekday.

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SA RAIL NEWS

NEW ZEALAND LOCOS TO SOUTH AFRICA

TFR AUCTION 9 MAY 2013

Four ex-Kiwirail (New Zealand) class DQ 1,500hp Co-Co diesel locos have been sold to an undisclosed buyer in South Africa. Units 6347 and 6382 were seen in a freight train heading north from Wellington, bound for Auckland. They were booked to sail from Auckland on 15 May.

Pewter Bagshawe reports: In the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) auction that ended on 9 May, all rolling stock lots on offer were sold except for Lot 21 (a single SMLJ wagon at Midlandia, Noupoort - for which no bid was received).

This particular wagon also failed to sell at the previous TFR auction which included wagons (Sale 35).

According to a Wikipedia report, 6376 was damaged in a collision, while 6324 “had worn its wheelsets down to the point where they would need to be replaced for the locomotive to continue in regular service”. Presumably these two locos will follow later, though it is not clear whether it is intended to repair them prior to export.

The remaining wagon lots were sold at prices ranging from R795/ton (Lot 4 - a DZJ wagon at Ogies) to R2,509/ton (Lot 7 - 37 wagons at New Brighton, Port Elizabeth). A number of Lots were marked “Price Reduced” on the day of the sale and these went for lower prices (R795 -R1,632/ton).

The four locos were built originally as part of a fleet of 21 classed 1460 for Queensland Rail (QR) in Australia during the mid-sixties, 19 being acquired by the New Zealand operators in 1995. They were supplied for main-line use but were not entirely satisfactory, being relegated eventually to helper duties.

The largest lot, (Lot 9 - 97 wagons at Kimberley) realised R2.58 million (R1,978/ton). In total the wagon sales realised over R13 million.

The friction bogies (Lot 51) realised R77,000 (R1,898/ton).

FOOTNOTE: I recently did an exercise to find out how many wagons have been auctioned for scrap. Since March 2009 to date, TFR have held 40 auction sales through Go-Dove (Lots 1-3: March 2009) and Lots 1-37 (June 2009May 2013). By my calculations, 17,177 wagons and tankcars have been offered for sale in these auctions. However, not all wagons have been sold, and a number have been on offer more than once. I have identified 1,892 such wagons (but suspect there are a number I have missed) and this reduces the total to 15,285. Still quite a large number! -

NEW TFR TRAIN CREW UNIFORM New uniforms for Transnet Freight Rail crews are being issued. The first recipients were ten members of the Coal Business Unit staff at Ermelo. Logistics manager Sizwesamantshali Mtshali handed over the uniforms on 2 May to operations managers Christopher Mzimba, Sipho Scheepers and Muzi Zwane. The existing TFR train crew uniforms are to be phased out steadily.

PINETOWN LINE SIGNALLING Kiwirail (New Zealand) class DQ loco 6324, one of four coming to South Africa. Wikipedia photo.

TRANSNET FACES R79BN PENSION CLAIM According to Rapport, a group of 66,000 pensioners has instituted a civil claim to recover about R79 billion they claim Transnet “plundered” from their pension funds. The claim was instituted in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. According to court papers, the “conspicuously illegal manner” in which the funds were stripped only emerged recently when lawyers acting for the pensioners obtained and analysed the funds’ financial statements.

The funds’ most important assets, acknowledgements of debt worth R7.7bn which generated an annual income of R1.2bn, were apparently “swapped” in early 2001 for MTN shares, known as M-Cell at the time, worth about R1.4bn. “There is no indication that the funds received any income from the M-Cell shares,” one of the lawyers involved in the matter, Leon Kellerman SC, wrote in court papers.

Pensioner Johan Pretorius submitted in an affidavit that the fund was plundered to improve Transnet’s balance sheet, with the knowledge of the former ministers of public works and finance, Jeff Radebe and Trevor Manuel. “About half the pensioners are white and a third black”, according to a Sapa report. “The claim consists of debt of about R17.1bn which the government and Transnet acknowledged was owed to the funds when Transnet was commercialised in 1990, with interest of 12% per year. In addition a loss of R5.4bn is being claimed. It was incurred when the acknowledgements of debt were swapped for shares in 2001.”

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Bellair, Malvern, Northdene and Pinetown are open for trains working using the Van Schoor single-line token system and mechanical semaphore signalling. Sarnia, formerly a trainsworking station, is now just a halt. The Pinetown line is the first earmarked for signalling upgrading in Kwazulu-Natal and should be fully CTC-operated within 18 months - controlled initially from Durban CTC, but moving later (probably in 2016) to a new Metro CTC building at Rossburgh. Optic fibre cabling with redundancy is the chosen method of communication now. There are presently 30 trains a day on this line, but this may well increase if a proposed “clockface” timetable is accepted and introduced.

- News courtesy Ashley Peter

At the historic Bellair station, 13km from Durban, the driver of a Pinetownbound Metrorail set receives the tablet authorising him to enter the 4km single-line section to Malvern. This characterful scene will disappear when CTC arrives. Photo: Editor.

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SA RAIL NEWS

ACTOM AND ALSTOM SIGN TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT Actom, the largest electrical engineering group in Southern Africa, and Alstom Grid, leading overseas provider of engineered solutions and products for smart and conventional power grids, signed a three-year transmission technologies cooperation agreement in Johannesburg on 23 April. Alstom Grid’s commercial vice-president for Southern Europe and Africa Eric Boulot explained: “Alstom and Actom are partners in a number of activities such as signalling, boiler services and Metro coaches in the region and this agreement will reinforce the partnership and cooperation between the two groups.”

Eric Boulot (left) of Alstom Grid and Jack Rowan of ALSTOM T&D shake hands after signing the final agreement formalising the partnership .between the two groups. Looking on are ACTOM’s Group CEO and Chairman Mark Wilson and Group Executive Director Andries Tshabalala.

Actom chairman of transmission & distribution Jack Rowan emphasised that his company’s focus has always been on maximising local content.

Actom manufactures a number of products under licence to its international partners wherever this proves practicable, in addition to developing and manufacturing products of its own.

The agreement encompasses: • A technology agreement that gives Actom access to Alstom Grid’s world-class transmission technologies, equipment and systems.

• A manufacturing agreement enabling Actom to manufacture specific Alstom Grid products, sub-assemblies and components under licence.

• A representation agreement giving Actom exclusive representation rights to promote, sell and support Alstom Grid products in the Southern African region.

The agreement extends an existing partnership that spans nearly half a century. Actom provides a range of support services for

the large installed base of products Alstom has supplied into the Southern African market over many years.

Actom (Pty) Ltd is the largest manufacturer, repairer and distributor of electro-mechanical equipment in Africa, employing about 7,500 people with an annual order intake in excess of R7.5bn. It is a black empowered company with 42 operating units, 43 production, service and repair facilities, and 36 distribution outlets throughout Southern Africa. www.actom.co.za Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure. The group employs 92,000 people in around 100 countries. www.alstom.com

NEW PAINT: GREAT IMPRESSION Stewart Currie reports in the RSSA’s On Track: “Passing the Germiston line I saw 3 x class 34 (090/097/119) in the latest Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) colour scheme being towed by 3 x class 36 diesels. Apparently they had been newly painted and probably overhauled at Bloemfontein Transnet Engineering works and were on their way to Germiston diesel depot for final de-snagging and finishing. In the bright African sun they looked fantastic and something TFR can be really proud of, considering that the locos are over 40 years old.

“The challenge is for TFR to keep the locos in this condition by cleaning them on a regular basis. Regrettably the majority of their locos are in appallingly dirty condition.

One speculates on the effect of this on drivers. How can one be proud of working conditions if the workplace is so disgusting? Running around the country, the trains themselves are the best advert for TFR, but what impression does a train headed by a dirty, oddly-painted locomotive create in the eyes of a potential customer?”

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Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

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SA RAIL NEWS

NORTH-WEST PANORAMA The busy Cape-Johannesburg main-line, caught by Jacque Wepener’s camera on 15 May. Distances shown are from Johannesburg.

When class 6E1 locos are rebuilt as 18E, the driving position at no 2 end is removed. Bloemhof scene (331km).

Forest of masts and catenary at Makwassie, 278km.

Blue Train stopped by signal near Leeubos, 243km.

Weighbridge test wagons at Leeudoringstad, 253km.

Southbound CAR wagons leaving Grasslands, 319km, after crossing a northbound ore consist behind four 10E locos. (Note that last loco’s pantographs are down.)

Interesting detail of shroud between Blue Train coaches.

GAUTRAIN PUNCTUALITY Writing about Gautrain on 8 April, the Johannesburg Star’s Anna Cox said: “in terms of punctuality and customer satisfaction, it beats the London tube - its UK counterpart - by far.” Cox attributed the assertion to “what Bombela, the train’s operating company, discovered during a study conducted between August 2011 and March 2012”. Several papers picked up the story. Beeld quoted Bombela spokesperson Kelebogile Machaka claiming that 98.6% of Gautrain’s departures and arrivals are within three minutes of scheduled time (“which is above the contractual target of 90%”).

By comparison, she said, quoting “a quarterly report by the UK rail network, 91.3% of British trains depart and arrive on time”. This statistic, she pointed out, was based on trains arriving or departing within five minutes of the schedule.

[Comment: The local newspaper stories are comparing Gautrain’s 80km of less-than-three years-old, new-from-scratch, mainly aboveground railway (running brand-new rolling stock) with the London

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

“Tube” - a 400km, largely underground system whose infrastructure ranges in age from 150 years to the present, with rolling stock in intensive use for many more hours daily than is the case with Gautrain (till 01:00, compare Gautrain 20:30.)

The actual stats quoted refer to all UK trains; it’s not clear where the reference to the London Tube originated. The comparative figures supplied by Bombela made no mention of the London “Tube” (Underground) and did not suggest it was Gautrain’s “counterpart”.

In any event, the only fair comparison with the performance of all Britain’s trains would be that of all South Africa’s trains – whose punctuality is dismal. In fact, monthly UK punctuality records are available and if one wanted to be selective,,might take one train operator, National Express c2c, at random. During May 2011, 97.5% of c2c’s trains ran to time “for the fourth month in a row”. It still isn’t a fair comparison with Gautrain, because the c2c system – and its trains - are nowhere near as new. - Editor: Railways Africa.]

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Act safely at level crossings

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.

CANADIAN TRACKS BLOCKADED

TRAINS RUN NON-STOP THROUGH PORT SAID

Participants in Canada’s “Idle No More” grassroots movement stage almost daily protests against the government’s Bill C-45, which they say violates treaty rights and weakens environmental laws.

Via Rail passenger trains between Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal were disrupted on three occasions between 30 December and midJanuary by demonstrators who blockaded the tracks, sometimes for as long as six hours.

Unprecedented violence on 26 January in Port Said, Egypt’s fifth largest city, was so extreme that long-distance trains ran through without stopping, to avoid being caught in the trouble. More than 350 people were reported hurt, including 150 police. The demonstrations followed the imposing of 21 death sentences in the aftermath of 74 people dying in the course of chaos that erupted at a soccer stadium in the city during February 2012.

CRASH IN EGYPT KILLS 19

In Cairo, police teargas penetrated into the underground railway, causing great discomfort to travellers.

In the early hours of 15 January, a military train carrying young recruits to an army camp derailed in the Giza neighbourhood of Badrashinthe, a suburb of Cairo. At least 19 people were reported dead and 107 injured, according to the health ministry. The train was travelling from Upper Egypt to Cairo. In the city of Alexandria, police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds protesting at the lack of train safety in the country. The demonstrators clashed with passengers and attempted to prevent trains from leaving the main station in the city.

MEDITERRANEAN To Tobruk

Mersa Matruh

Salum

Simila

Port Said Rafah

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Alexandria

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El Faiyum El Wasta Beni Suef

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Ferdan Ismailia Railway out of use El Shatt Suez

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EL’Alamein

JORDAN

SAUDI ARABIA

Baharia Oasis

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Abu Tarlour

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Bur Sataga Nag’Hammadi Oena El Korma Luxor El Kharga Isna

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Aswan Sadd el Ali

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From Bruno Martin, 25 January: “After a prolonged dry spell and heatwave, now the entire east coast of Queensland is being lashed by torrential rain from extropical cyclone ‘Oswald’ that formed over the Gulf of Carpentaria last weekend. The railway between Townsville and Cairns has been cut by floodwaters, and so has the Bruce Highway in several places.

“All northbound and southbound Sunlander & Tilt Train services from Brisbane to Cairns have been cancelled until further notice and no alternative road transport is available. Today’s Spirit of the Outback service terminates at Rockhampton with no alternative road transport available to Longreach. Brisbane-Rockhampton (electric) Tilt Train service has been cancelled until further notice and no alternative road transport is available.

“More than 400mm of rain has been dumped on the Rockhampton region in a 24-hour period, with heavy rainfall expected to hit southeast Queensland by Saturday.

Asyut

EGYPT

FLOODS DISRUPT QUEENSLAND TRAINS

250 km

“Bureau of Metrology senior forecaster Brett Harrison said 469mm of rain has been recorded south of Rockhampton since 09:00 Thursday and this amount is the heaviest across the state. A further 300mm of water fell at Samuel Hill north of Rockhampton, with Rockhampton recording 292mm of rain and Yeppoon copping 289mm. Rainfall in the south-east over the next four days is expected to range from 100mm to 300mm.

SU D AN

FOUR DEAD IN EGYPT CROSSING SMASH Four people were reported dead on 16 January in a collision between a train and a taxi. According to the Middle East News Agency, the movement of trains in Upper Egypt was disrupted for some time.

Eye-witnesses were quoted saying the taxi driver managed to exit the vehicle before it was hit.

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“The rain flushed out the odd north Queensland local, including two crocodiles seen walking on roads in Ingham.”

AMTRAK HALTED: LARGE BIRD SUSPECTED On 26 January, an Amtrak passenger train was delayed almost an hour near the Cornwells Heights station in Pennsylvania after an unidentified large object struck the locomotive. Not knowing what they had hit, the crew took time assessing the unit for possible

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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS damage (none was found), eventually concluding they must have collided with a large bird, which had flown away. No injuries were reported on board the train.

EVACUATION FOLLOWS DERAILMENT IN COLFAX On 20 January, a 139-wagon freight train from Oakland (across the bay from San Francisco) bound for Chicago derailed five vehicles in the town of Colfax, California. Although these remained upright, a substance leaking from one led to the authorities evacuating about 100 homes and businesses in the area, in case something hazardous was involved. Fortunately it was established from the consist’s manifest that a saltwater preservative solution was leaking and the evacuation order was reversed. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Freight trains in both directions were delayed. Passengers on Amtrak’s westbound California Zephyr were taken off at Roseville and taken forward by bus. Union Pacific crews worked until late clearing the tracks, all of which were blocked, eventually restoring normal service the following day.

EXPRESS DELIVERY! In mid-January, a cleaner employed by a sub-contractor to Stockholm train operating company Arriva (a Deutsche Bahn subsidiary) reportedly helped herself to a four-coach train in the depot and drove it nearly 2km to a station. Here the train ran through the buffers at the end of a dead-end and crashed into the first floor of a three-storey apartment block. The woman, said to be in her twenties, reportedly sustained serious injury and was flown to hospital. There were three families in the building at the time but none were hurt.

Subsequent reports retracted earlier suggestions that the woman was responsible for the bizarre accident, saying that investigations were concentrating on shortcomings in operating practices.

The local press quoted prosecutor Pär Andersson explaining that, “after searching her home, and speaking with relatives as well as emergency workers in contact with the woman after the crash, investigators concluded there was no longer any reason to believe she intentionally drove off in the train.

Andersson added the investigation revealed a number of ‘unfortunate circumstances’ that allowed the woman to put the train in motion.” Bizarre Stockholm train accident.

LONDON’S VICTORIA STATION EVACUATED Train services in and out of Victoria, a major London terminus, were disrupted on 17 January when fire broke out on an incoming Gatwick Express set. For a brief period the entire station was evacuated, an unprecedented occurrence.

FIRE DUSRUPTS CT METRORAIL Four coaches on fire (and burned out) in a Metrorail emu commuter set at Woodstock, one station from the main Cape Town terminal, badly disrupted afternoon peak-hour services on 22 January, necessitating buses being brought in to move stranded passengers. Four commuters were injured in the incident and taken to Groote Schuur Hospital.

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COACHES ON FIRE IN GAUTENG During the evening of 22 January, two coaches in an incoming Metrorail commuter train from the south-west were set alight at Croesus, south of Langlaagte in Gauteng. A motor coach and trailer were involved. Preliminary investigations, according to spokesman Lawrence Venkile, “suggest that arson may have been the root cause.”

Metrorail’s Mosenngwa Mofi was quoted saying: “We reiterate cabinet’s call that no one should resort to any form of violence against people or property as a form of striking or protests.”

Metrorail said it suspected that arson attacks on four trains in Gauteng in the same week were connected to strike action that started on 21 January, On 13 March, three coaches in a Metrorail train were set on fire at Mlamlankunzi station in Orlando East, Soweto.

TWO TRAINS SET ALIGHT IN DURBAN On 31 January, two Metrorail commuter trains were set alight at Durban’s KwaMnyandu station. Officials told the press they estimated the damage at R40 million. Sapa quoted Metrorail’s Thandi Mkhize explaining that one of the trains was on its way to Umlazi; the other had departed from Umlazi for Durban. According to Mkhize, “agitated commuters” set the trains on fire because they were delayed. This was due to cable theft at Duffs Road and points being vandalised at KwaMnyandu in the early hours.

Buses sent to assist passengers were stoned, Mkhize said, but this was stopped by police.

HEAD-ON IN VIENNA Train operations were being authorised manually at Vienna on 21 January while technicians were working on the points. During this time – the morning rush hour - two opposing trains, both consisting of S45 commuter sets, were somehow routed onto the same track, resulting in a head-on collision. In all 41 people were listed as injured, five of them seriously including one of the drivers. Air ambulances were called in, and some passengers had to be extricated with the Head-on in Vienna. help of cranes. Sarah Nettel of Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB – Austria’s state railway) was quoted saying that human error had not been ruled out as a possible cause.

27 HURT IN EAST LONDON STATION COLLISION At 13:45 on 7 February, 29 people were reported injured when a train entering the main station at East London was incorrectly routed onto a platform line already occupied by a train with passengers due to depart at 14:00. Metrorail regional manager Richard Walker was quoted saying that 27 passengers and two members of staff were taken to hospital for assessment. The 14:00 train eventually pulled out from East London 75 minutes late.

Other scheduled passenger train services were delayed during most of the rest of the day.

UP COAL TRAIN DERAILS 41 WAGONS At about 01:00 on 3 February, a Union Pacific coal train headed for St Louis was involved in a serious derailment at a point south-

Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS east of Fairbury, Nebraska. Nobody was injured, but no less than 41 wagons left the track, resulting in a lengthy and time-consuming clean-up operation.

METRORAIL: KALAFONG REAR-ENDER INJURES 300 More than 300 people were reported hurt on 31 January when Metrorail commuter train 9017 ran into the rear of stationary train 9009 between Cordelfos and Kalafong stations, shortly after 07:00. One passenger and the driver of train 9017 were badly injured and eight others were said to be in serious condition. Both trains were heading to Saulsville in the west of Pretoria.

At a media briefing at the Kalafong station, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) operations chief executive Mosenngwa Mofi said the theft of two cables had been reported just after midnight. The signalling system was affected and at the time of the accident, trains were moving under manual direction.

Responding to suggestions that the driver of train 9017 was responsible for the collision, Metrorail said this was a highly experienced employee with 36 years’ service who had received several awards relating to train safety and bravery, the most recent on 17 November 2012.The outcome of the Board of Inquiry should not be pre-empted, Metrorail said.

An investigation at federal level followed an incident in Chicago on 6 February when a peak-hour commuter train ran “at express speed” from Union station with one of the passenger doors open.

Officials said a build-up of ice, apparently caused by a faulty heater thermostat, was the cause of the door failing to close.

DEEP SNOW CLOSES LINES IN NEW YORK

Kalafong collision.

Photo: Netcare 911.

BROKEN RAIL CAUSED 8-WAGON DERAILMENT According to findings by the US Federal Department of Transportation, a broken rail caused the 2 February derailment of eight out of 105 wagons in a Hamlet-Wilmington freight train at Bladenboro, North Carolina, USA. Most of the wagons were empty but one that came off the track was carrying anhydrous ammonia, a toxic gas used as an ingredient in fertiliser. This resulted in the evacuation of 300 homes that were downwind of the accident. The speed limit at the site of the derailment was 78km/h and according to the report the train was travelling at 70km/h. The total cost of damage included $467,569 for equipment and $100,000 for structural repairs.

INDIAN STATION STAMPEDE: 36 DEAD A station massively overcrowded with Hindu pilgrims on 10 February degenerated into a stampede situation in which at least 36 people lost their lives, and 30 were taken to hospital in Allahabad. One of the dead was a girl of eight; 27 were women, according to reports, mainly elderly. Sunday was the busiest day of the world’s reputedly largest religious event at which some 30 million washed away their sins in the sacred Ganges river.

BRISBANE CRASH BLAMED ON FALLING LEAVES At 09:38 on 31 January 2013, a six-coach Queensland Rail (QR) commuter train ran through a dead-end road at Cleveland station, overran the buffers and demolished part of the recently refurbished station building. The train crew and 13 passengers sustained minor injuries, 10 being admitted to hospital. Damage was caused to the leading coach as well as some 300 metres of overhead traction wire and its supports.

Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

OPEN TRAIN DOOR PERTURBS CHICAGO OFFICIALS

Concern over the incident recalls an accident in 1995, when violinist Rachel Barton was caught in the door of a moving train and dragged, resulting in the loss of part of a leg. A jury awarded her $29 million in damages.

The line remained closed for several days, with buses substituting for the train service.

30

The official report on investigations into the incident says “leaves on the rails” probably caused wheelslip when the brakes were applied. The driver, with 20 years’ experience behind him, did all he could to stop the train, but “poor adhesion to the track” caused the train to slide, then mount the stopblock and crash into the gentlemen’s toilets. Gale force winds during 25 and 26 January had brought branches down onto the overhead wires and track, creating “a thick layer of leaf litter on the rails” which resulted in the line being closed for four days.

On Friday evening 8 February, New York’s Metro-North Railroad suspended train service on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines because of the accelerating severity of a massive storm, as well as heavy projected snowfall accumulations. Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan closed down after the last trains arrived at approximately midnight.

CN MAIN-LINE CLOSED BY DERAILMENT On the morning of 9 February, eight wagons derailed in a Canadian National (CN) freight train near the Jubilee Overpass in Winnipeg, shortly after departing from the yard in Fort Rouge. Six vehicles fell onto their sides but the other two remained upright. However, a number of steel beams fell from one of the wagons that stayed on the track. Fortunately no hazardous goods were involved and no injuries were reported. Traffic on the CN main-line was halted temporarily while breakdown crews cleared the track.

“SIX-INCH” RAIL GAP NEAR SELBY, UK The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) in Britain has launched a comprehensive investigation into track conditions on the East Coast Main-Line near Hambleton, where express trains routinely operate at 200km/h. This follows the 1 February release by the RMT rail union of a photo showing “six inches of rail missing at Hambleton South junction near Selby” which the press described as “an accident waiting to happen”. The union submitted a similar photo in December 2012, showing a similar problem at nearby Colton Junction.

According to press reports, “RMT believes that due to renewals and staffing cuts, an initial crack had crumbled away to a six-inch gap in the rail head over a period of two weeks in a mirror image of the incident at Colton Junction, leaving trains, passengers and staff at risk of a serious and potentially lethal incident.”

Gap in a rail at Colton Junction.

ARREST AFTER BNSF TRAIN DISABLED On Friday 9 February, police in Hamburg, Iowa, arrested a Missouri man suspected of disabling a train of the Burlington Northern Santa

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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS Fe Railroad (BNSF) at about 04:00. Alleged to have entered the locomotive’s engine compartment, he was arrested on suspicion of trespassing, and detained in the Fremont County Jail, with further charges pending. The train was reportedly stationary near the intersection of Main and Washington Streets in Hamburg. BNSF employees said the 27-year-old had boarded the train before arrival and caused the damage.

CONTAINER TRAIN DERAILS LOCO & 17 WAGONS On 7 February, a westbound Canadian National (CN) freight derailed the locomotive and 17 flatcars carrying containers about 5km west of Biggar, Saskatchewan, about 95km west of Saskatoon.

All remained upright when they went off the track, but traffic on the main-line was shut down until the rolling stock was cleared. No injuries were reported. The cargo was said to comprise “household goods”; nothing hazardous.

MOZAMBIQUE: FLOODS DISRUPT RAIL IN NAMPULA On 1 February, the Nachicuva River in Northern Mozambique burst its banks at Monapo, resulting in a crater about 70 metres long and 35 metres deep, with the railway hanging in mid-air after the earthworks were washed away. All traffic on the Nampula line was suspended indefinitely. According to one estimate, the line may be out of action for as much as three weeks.

DERAILMENT CLOSES MAPUTO-SA MAIN-LINE A serious goods train derailment involving ten wagons near Tenga on the Maputo-South Africa main-line in mid-February resulted in total closure of the route to all traffic. The accident weakened the structure of a bridge. Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique

(CFM – the state railway & harbours) instructed the contractor to concentrate on “the essential aspects” of repair work so that trains could run again, leaving “secondary repairs” till later. There would be a “provisional reconstruction” of the damaged bridge, allowing trains to cross, and a “definitive rebuilding” afterwards.

Under normal circumstances, the line is used by seven freight and two passenger trains daily. Every month, some 30 trainloads of minerals travel the route from South Africa to the port of Maputo.

Arrangements to use the line through Swaziland as an alternative route were under consideration at the time Notiçias (published in Maputo) reported the incident.

Coal of Africa (CoAL) issued force majeure notices to its customers following the derailment, when Transnet attempts to establish alternative routes to the Matola port were proving unsuccessful.

CoAL told shareholders it would implement measures at all its operations to mitigate the commercial and operational impact of the force majeure, and noted that production at its Mooiplaats and Woestalleen operations would continue until stockpile capacity was exhausted.

CONCRETE FALLING FROM RAILWAY BRIDGE There is a problem at an elderly railway bridge crossing 273rd West Avenue in the city of Bristow, Oklahoma. Residents duck their heads when driving underneath because from time to time, large lumps of concrete fall off into the roadway. The bridge is owned by the Oklahoma Department of Transport which leases the structure to a “shortline” railway company - the Watco Companies Stillwater Central Railroad - whose responsibility it is to ensure the bridge

SPECIALIZING IN THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY >> >> SURTEES RAIL GROUP HEAD OFFICE P.O Box 40178 Cleveland 2022 Republic of South Africa 93 Whitworth Road Heriotdale, Johannesburg Gauteng Republic of South Africa Tel: +27 11 626-3516 Fax: +27 11 626-1171/28 sales@surtees.co.za www.africanrail.co.za

OPERATIONS & WORKSHOP No1 Frikkie Meyer Road Pretoria West Gauteng Republic of South Africa Tel: +27 12 380-0540 Fax: +27 12 380-0556 francoisb@surtees.co.za

>> >> >> >> >>

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.

MISHAPS & BLUNDERS remains in good repair. The company recently inspected the bridge and it appears there is steel beneath the concrete which should prevent chunks falling off – but a further assessment is to be carried out.

POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS LANDSLIP AT DONCASTER Train service between Doncaster, Goole and Scunthorpe in the UK was halted for “at least two months” by a spectacular landslip near Doncaster on 11 February. The tracks were left “twisted and buckled like a scene from a disaster movie,” according to press Twisted tracks at Doncaster landslip. reports. The site is that of an extensive tip Photo: RAIB adjoining a large colliery whose engineering consultants are “monitoring the situation closely” before attempting remedial work. Stainforth Town Council Mayor Arlene Abbott was quoted saying the municipality has been trying “for years” to get the size of the tip reduced. Britain’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating.

DEATH & INJURY ON USA RAILWAYS More people are killed trespassing on the railway in the United States than in level crossing collisions. Vehicle-train collisions and injuries at level crossings decreased 5.1% to 1,953 in 2012 but rail trespassing deaths and injuries increased 7.5% to 442 - the highest level since 2008. States with the most crossing collisions last year were Texas, California, Illinois, Indiana and Georgia. States with the most pedestrian-train casualties (deaths and injuries combined) were California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Florida.

DERAILMENT COST TRANSNAMIB N$65 MILLION According to TransNamib acting CEO Eugenia Tjaronda, the derailment during December 2012 behind Dune 7 near Walvis Bay cost the parastatal more than N$65 million. The two locomotives – both write-offs - were removed soon afterwards but the 17 wagons that came off the track (all loaded with manganese) were still lying at the entrance to the Dune 7 recreational area, popular with tourists, until recently.

On 5 May, a number of loaded ore wagons derailed on the Sishen-Saldanha line near Moravia, spilling their loads and ripping up a lengthy section of track.

BNSF UNVEILS LANDSLIDE ACTION PLAN

“Signalman says it wasn’t a flag, it was a handkerchief he was waving to his girlfriend. The drivers all thought it meant they could pass the next signal at danger”.

KENYAN TRAIN DERAILS NEAR VOI On 2 March, all rail traffic through Voi, 164km from Mombasa on the main-line to Nairobi, was halted for some six hours following the derailing of a Magoda Soda freight train. The cause was suspected to be a problem with the track. Press representatives looking for details quoted a police department spokesman saying he was not aware of the accident, though reportedly it occurred “only a few metres from the Voi police divisional headquarters”.

PEACOCK ENCOUNTER INJURES CREWMAN India’s Deccan Herald reported recently that a passenger train travelling from Madurai to Shencottah was delayed more than an hour after a peacock entered the driver’s cab and ”attacked” the assistant engineman. Officials said the train was moving at about 80km/h near Thiruthangal in the district of Virudhunagar when the “low-flying” peacock broke the windscreen, entered the cab and clawed at the crewman, who was slightly hurt and admitted to hospital at Rajapalayam. The bird was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) had 200 reported landslides in the Pacific North-west since October 2012, specifically in the section between Everett and Seattle. Improvements costing $16 million are to be carried out at the six “most risky and problematic locations”, along a 13km stretch between Mukilteo and Everett.

Company spokesman Guy Melonas told the press that debris is to be shifted from the top of slopes, and additional catchment walls built in the area. Drainage systems will be improved at the same time. When it becomes necessary to close the line and cancel the operation of passenger trains, journeys on the replacement buses add as much 90 minutes to commuter travelling.

DERAILMENT AT NAIROBI Suburban passenger train service into Nairobi from Kibera, Gatekwera and Kikuyu was suspended on 18 March following a derailment at Kibera outside the city. Commuters were advised to use alternative transport until regular rail operation could be restored. Press reports said the process of removing the derailed train had taken longer than expected “owing to technicalities”.

METRORAIL HICCUPS A massive power failure at the end of February stranded Metrorail trains and knocked out signalling throughout the length of the Cape Town-Simon’s Town suburban line. Press photos showed commuters who had detrained walking along the track (it looked like Plumstead), with a stationary 10M3 set in the background.

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MISHAPS & BLUNDERS DRILLING INTO A LONDON TUNNEL HALTS TRAINS Early in March, the driver of a train from London’s Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire saw muddy water pouring into the tunnel near Old Street station, a section used by two million city workers annually. He reported the incident and all rail services were stopped.

Network Rail sent an operations manager in a special, empty trainset to investigate. Approaching Old Street, the men on board spotted Augur drilling bits in the tunnel near Old Street. Photo: RAIB. two large metallic objects that had apparently fallen from a hole in the roof of the tunnel, one of which was in contact with the live conductor rail. These were later identified as sections of an auger (drill) that had penetrated the tunnel lining before falling onto the track. Each section measured approximately two metres in length and was 0.35 metres in diameter. Immediate checks revealed that the augering operation was associated with construction activity on land about 13 metres above the top of the tunnel. The line remained closed until investigations into the incident were completed and repairs carried out. Britain’s Rail Accidents Investigation Branch (RAIB) is to issue a full report in due course.

The number of derailments countrywide went down by 11% to 798, but those at TFR cost the operator R53.5 million in 2011/12 (2010/2011: R25.4 million). Rail collisions however cost TFR R620,000 in 2011/12 (2010/2011: R3 million).

The cost of collisions at Prasa however totalled R61 million during 2011/12 (2010/2011: R24.4 million), nearly treble. Level crossing incidents also cost Prasa three times more - around R600,000. A year ago, the figure was R200,000.

Fatalities associated with railways totalled 425 in 2011/2012 (2010/2011: 487). Most incidents involved pedestrians being struck by trains.

Theft and vandalism including cable theft cost TFR R19.2 million in 2011/2012, and Prasa R9.1 million. Fires on trains cost TFR R7.11 million and Prasa R126 million.

SENA LINE CLOSED Lengthy and very costly stoppage in the movement of export coal hit Mozambique’s Moatize mines on 12 February. This resulted from the closure of the Sena line to the port of Beira following washaways after heavy rain. Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique (CFM – the state railway & harbours) plans to deviate the initial portion of the route to a higher level eventually (it is prone to flooding), but not in the near future.

HAZARDOUS TANKCARS DERAIL The Sena line is the only effective route currently for exports from Moatize, as the use of road trucks is wholly impractical over more than 500km of poor infrastructure. Vale and Rio Tinto, the main producers, are mining far more coal than can be moved under normal conditions. The floods have made matters that much worse.

Ba Cabora

MALAWI

ZIMBABWE

Nacala Monapo

Cuamba

ssa Dam

Nkaya

Entre Lagos

Nampula

Lumbo

Blantyre

Moatize

Za Tete m be si R ive r

Chiromo Mocuba

Morrumbala

Mutarara Vila de Sena Caia

Quelimane

Inhamitanga

Marromeu

Indian Ocean

Manica

SOUTH AFRICAN RAIL ACCIDENT STATS

Mutare

0 Dondo

150

300

450 Km

Beira

To Bulawayo

SOUTH AFRICA Inhambane

na

Komatipoort Moamba Boane

e kw

a rci

Ga

To Johannesburg

Cho

no

ba gu

ssa

Un

Re

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MOZAMBIQUE

Lilongwe

To Harare

TFR attributed most of the lessened expense to a decrease in the number of collisions at level crossings. The bill here went down from R816.3 million in 2010/11 to R148.1 million in 2011/12 – the lowest in four years.

Lichinga

Chipata

Butyraldehyde is said to be highly flammable, harmful if swallowed or brought in contact with skin. It can cause serious eye irritation and is harmful to aquatic life. Warnings by the authorities point out that the vapour - being heavier than air - may travel along the ground, so that “distant ignition is possible.” If mixed with air, it can be explosive”.

Manager for safety analysis Kenny Makgati of the South African Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) told the annual rail safety conference in Johannesburg that “occurrences” during the 2011/12 financial year cost the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) R203.2 million – 65% more than the corresponding period 12 months earlier. By comparison, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) reported a 65% drop over the same period. This meant that TFR paid out R228.6 million – a significant improvement over the R942.2 million debited in 2010/11.

Lake Malawi

TANZANIA ZAMBIA

America’s national Route 5 Highway was closed on 22 February near West Springfield in Massachusetts following the derailing of two tankcars on the adjoining railway. One of the vehicles contained butyraldehyde, “a colourless, odourless and flammable chemical used in the manufacturing of plastic products”. The other was empty, “but still had enough residual materials inside to warrant concern.” West Springfield authorities ordered the evacuation of several homes in the immediate vicinity of the accident and 14 people were accommodated in an emergency shelter at the West Springfield Middle School. Once the tankcars were placed back on the track, a locomotive had to be sent in from Springfield (to the east) as track damage to the west of the derailment precluded rescue operations on that side.

Marao Chicome

Inharrime

Manjacaze Xin av Xai - Xai an e nh ica MAPUTO Ma

Goba

SWAZILAND

Issue 3 // 2013 Railways Africa

33

END OF THE LINE

CORRESP NDENCE ORIGIN OF THE WORD COCOPAN In response to the note about cocopans (see page 12) which was included on www. railwaysafrica.com some weeks ago, we received the following: SECOND OPINION Apparently the “Zulu origin” stems from the Collins English dictionary. I have a second opinion on this one - in my blog entry for Kimberley’s Olive, this explanation is given: One of the mining tipcarts (also “tramcar”) which was used to transport concentrates holding diamonds. Locally in South Africa these are known as “cocopans” - a word probably coming by folk etymology from the Afrikaans words “koek” (cake) + “pan”(pan).

This information stems from America’s authoritative source: Merriam-Webster’s third new international dictionary (This 3rd edition [2661pages!], first published in 1961), reads: Koek and pan have their roots deep in the Dutch (“MD”) and German (“OHG”) languages.

Note that around the year 1900, the Afrikaans word would have been “koekepan”, which is very close to “cocopan” to the ear. A Dutch dictionary (Beknopt Nederlands Woordeboek voor Zuid-Afrika) published in 1908 does list the word “koekepan” - as a pan for baking pancakes. No mention yet of mining tip-carts.

Personally for me, the “cake pan” version is more plausible - it is unlikely that the Zulu language had a word for “short truck” Originally they only used oxen sleighs, and only saw wheels after contact with western civilisation. Their “ngkumbana” (Ku+ban sounds like Koe+pan) more likely stems from “koekpan” as well! After diamonds were discovered at Kimberley and gold on the Reef and Baberton, large numbers of Afrikaans-speaking people went to work on the diggings - it is very likely that there they would have coined the word “koek(e)pan” for the tip-carts - which then found its way as “cocopan” into the English vocabulary.

As an anticlimax, the Afrikaans HAT (Handbook of the Afrikaans Language) also supports the Zulu origin for the Afrikaans word “koekepan”. I still prefer the Webster explanation which has been around for 50 and more years -the HAT (now in its 5th edition) was first published in 1965 - not sure if it originally offered information about koekepan.

THE RAILWAY HOTEL Alone in a sea of khaki scrub.

It didn’t look like much from a distance.

A silver roof glinting in the setting sun Amongst a grove of bluegums, Stately wardens of the Karoo, And home to owl, kestrel, dove, And noisy hadedas.

Providers of cool summer shade, Golden pollen for the bees, Wood for our fires, Timber for our homes, And soothing winter liniment.

This antipodean interloper, Stood proud on the line, In the yard at the back, Of the wonderful Railway Hotel.

As we drew nearer, our white dust, A haze o’er the veld, The sun sank behind a black horizon, Turning scrub and road mauve and dunn, And gum trees to inky darkness, And silver roofs grey without sun.

We saw a turning windmill, Its fishtail flicking, while the wind sought Refuge for the night.

In the fading warmth of day, We saw cars and bakkies drawn up Side by side, And people danced and sang, To the jerking beat of a boereorkes, While a faraway whistle floated sweetly, On the evening air.

A steam whistle, faint yet urgent, Along the distant track, Where coloured signals split the rails, Like scissor blades opening, then closing.

A locomotive black and looming, Of jutting banjo mien, Howled through our tiny world, rocking, Its men on easy cushions green, With wind on their arms, and their hair.

Running hot with no smoke from her chimney, No steam to be seen, anywhere, Except a feather of steam o’er her boiler, Flying white as a pennant fair, And the shimmering heat waves rising, Of her sound and her presence aware.

She hurried through, rocking and moaning, In dusky, metallic splendour, And we heard and we felt her pass by, That train with a big condenser But out farther, Pounding ‘neath the Great Karoo sky, On the spreading landscape, far beyond Like a parasol darkened and punctured, The tiny inn, By pinpricks of stars floating by, Far across the tumbled scrubland, Past that wonderful place in our memories, Black smoke moved, drawing a charcoal line, That place we all knew so well, Smudged darkly through the spreading That place that is never forgotten, Panorama.

The wonderful Railway Hotel.

Pulling up on crunchy gravel, WWith a stoep light shining brightly,

- Pierre de Wet

– Piet Conradie

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Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2013

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