Gm535 ra nov 2010 mr

RAILWAYS | HARBOURS | MINING | INTERMODAL | COMMUTER

W W W. R A I LWAYS A N D H A R B O U R S . CO M

For further information, rates and booking details contact Sue KlompTel: +27 72 777 0092 Email: [email protected]

6 – 8 April 2011 EXPO CENTRE – JOHANNESBURG

BOOK YOUR STAND NOW!The importance of efficient railways and harbours for our continent’s future dare not be underestimated. As a supplier you need to be at the Railways and Harbours Exhibition - connect, meet and network.

GM487 R&H2011_Book Stand Ad_Half pg RA.indd 1 2010/08/31 3:40 PM

Paul Roos

Pierre de Wet

CONTRIBUTORSBoon Boonzaaier

Bruno Martin

Dave van der Meulen

Dietmar Fiedel

Eugene Armer

Jacque Wepener

John Batwell

Martin Welzel

Nerina Skuy

Richard Grönstedt

PUBLISHERSPhillippa DeanBarbara Sheat

EDITOR Rollo Dickson

DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto

ADVERTISINGSue Klomp

SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan

Af f i l iated Associat ions & Societ ies

Rai lways Afr ica

Rail Link Communications ccP.O. Box 4794 Randburg 2125Tel: +27 87 940 9278 E-mail: [email protected]: railwaysafricaWebsite: www.railwaysafrica.com

ISSN 1029 - 2756The 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 unless otherwise stated.

The Railways Africa magazine, complete editions of which, for some time now, can be found at www.railwaysafrica.com, has been exceptionally well received in digital format.

So much so that this very successful, popular and completely free service has now been made a permanent arrangement, as of November 2010, with the opportunity to provide more in-depth coverage including rich media content, more images, video and interactive material.

Railways Africa will be printed once a year and released in April at our Railways and Harbours Conference and Exhibition – the next one taking place on 6 to 8 April 2011 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. More information about this event and this special edition can be found on our website.

Digital presentation offers up-to-the-minute dissemination and is without doubt the way of the future: environmentally friendly, cost-efficient – for both reader and publisher – and no carbon footprint either. You can’t get more politically correct than that!

Stay tuned for more and we hope you enjoy the journey with us as Railways Africa evolves over the next few months.

Notwithstanding nearly a month on strike, a fired railway CEO, four nasty derailments on the ore line and the inter-departmental bicker with Prasa, it moved record volumes of coal. Acting group CEO Chris Wells deserves government recognition for this, and the wherewithal to get the rest of the backlog out of his hair.

For almost 20 years, South Africa has been a democratic country. This means we get the government we elect but – unlike some other democratic countries – doesn’t seem to mean we vote it out of power if it bungles home affairs, health, education, policing, broadcasting, SAA and one or two other things. Like electricity – and transport. In his annual report, the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) deplores the “unacceptably high”rate of derailments. Accidents, he points out, cost Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) R576m in the 2008-2009 financial year, and Metrorail R60m – not including indirect costs caused by delays and cancellations.

Average cancellations, incidentally, amount to 10 trains every day (= 3,650 a year) due to accidents and “ security incidents” such as cable theft. The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) commuter system, according to RSR CEO Mosengwa Mofi, is a “major concern”, battling with infrastructure and rolling stock “in a poor state (40% of the fleet more than 37 years old and a third constantly out of service)”.

Battling is the word. It’s a mystery that people still manage to get to work in one piece.

The signalling system, Mofi says, “is at the end of its economic life, with only 14% of the 162 signalling installations not having exceeded their design life.”

This is frightening – you don’t want to even think about the implications. And when you have done nothing for how long – sixteen years? – catching up with the backlog is a formidable business, let alone trying to move forward.

RAILWAYS | HARBOURS | MINING | INTERMODAL | COMMUTER

W W W. R A I LWAY S A N D H A R B O U R S . CO M

For further information, rates and booking details contact Sue KlompTel: +27 72 777 0092 Email: [email protected]

6 – 8 April 2011 EXPO CENTRE – JOHANNESBURG

BOOK YOUR STAND NOW!The importance of efficient railways and harbours for our continent’s future dare not be underestimated. As a supplier you need to be at the Railways and Harbours Exhibition - connect, meet and network.

GM487 R&H2011_Book Stand Ad_Half pg RA.indd 1 2010/08/31 3:40 PM

Comment

Contents

Rail Welding 2

Satellite Tracking 6

Opinion: The Wider World 8

Industry Comment 14

Visit to Bloemfontein 18

Industry News 20

Africa Update 22

SA Rail News 30

Mishaps & Blunders 34

Railway Heritage 46

Train Travel 48

End of the Line 52

Semi-Stationary Welding> Page 2

Prasa vs Transnet> Page 8

First Gautrain Breakdown> Page 30

Zimbabwe Derailment> Page 34

The Long Trek to De Aar> Page 48

“Buckeye” Restored> Page 47

However, however - R900 million is to be spent on signals in terms of a new tender just announced – and not a moment too soon. This country of course has a real problem when it comes to actually getting things done. Plans are made, budgets drawn up, vast sums of money allotted - but not, incredibly, spent. In his late-October, medium-term budget, finance minister Pravin Gordhan talked of most (he did say “most”) provincial health departments failing to spend money allocated to them for the revival of “collapsing hospitals”.

Then there is money earmarked for one or other important purpose that disappears unaccountably along the way. It happens all the time – the Auditor-General’s recurrent “qualified” reports are so repetitive, he must be running out of carbon paper. Which doesn’t go far in explaining why Minister Gordhan wants R6.8bn to increase salaries within government. From the track record in most departments – and municipalities – one would think downward salary adjustments might more accurately reflect the quality of performance. At least the money will get spent – he can be confident of that.

Happily there is some welcome news for hard-pressed local suppliers: the proposed business case for new rolling stock has been approved in principle. Let’s hope the approval translates into reality and someone gets on with it. We can’t be far off a crisis point, one where desperation takes over and ready-made stuff has to be imported - losing us yet more jobs, worsening unemployment and stimulating crime.

At least Transnet improved its results in the six months to 30 September.

Phillippa Dean

November 2010 RAILWAYS AFRICA 1www.railwaysafrica.com

SUMMARYAround the world, stationary welding plants are used to supply high-quality long rails up to 800m in length. These rails are of sufficient quality to ensure ultimate dependability and low maintenance costs. In markets with limited existing infrastructure, the operation of such welding plant is frequently not an economical proposition and yet when building new lines, maximum quality is still of the essence, right from the outset. Vossloh Rail Services (VRS) has therefore developed its semi-stationary welding technique to allow short rails to be welded into long ones close to the construction site. These long rails measure up to 400m in length and are of a very high quality - on a par with that produced by stationary welding plants. Also, this technique simplifies rail logistics and speeds up the rate of rail infrastructure construction. The outcome: fresh possibilities of building new and upgraded lines even in remote areas or desert regions, economically and to the highest possible safety standards.

MOMENTUM FOR THE RAIL MARKETSThe Arabian Gulf nations are busy expanding their rail networks. Over the next twenty years, triple-digit, billion-dollar amounts will go into rail transport. In March 2010, the United Arab Emirates signed a strategic partnership agreement with Deutsche Bahn AG for the planning, construction and operation of a rail system. In November 2009, this same company had been awarded multi-billion dollar contracts for building a passenger and goods rail network in Qatar.

The Mediterranean countries are another region where rail construction is booming. The Sirt-to-Benghazi project involves the construction of a 554km high-speed line along the Mediterranean coast, linking the biggest cities in Libya and set to form part of an international transport axis in North Africa. Rossiiskie Zheleznie Dorogi (RZhD – the Russian State Railway) was awarded this contract.

Also planned is a high-speed line between Tangiers and Casablanca in Morocco, in association with Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF - the French national railway) while Turkey saw the first section of a planned high-speed line between Ankara and Eskisehir commissioned in March 2009. By 2023, this is set to be extended to a total 4,000km.

MOBILE WELDINGJust how economically new rail lines can be operated and maintained is a subject largely decided as early as the construction phase. A major factor is the quality of the rail welding work. The rule is: the more standardised the technique, the higher the quality.

In the industrialised countries, long rails up to 400m in length are normally welded according to a common standard at the stationary rail welding plant from where they are shipped to the construction site. In countries where rail welding plants are rare, shorter rails measuring 18 to 80m each are frequently welded manually into long lengths as the tracks are laid. This has many disadvantages for the customer:

• Short rails directly dispatched from the rolling mill must, for production reasons, be shortened by a metre at each end in order to arrive at an exact horizontal rail geometry. For a rail length of 25m, this means 8% of the steel is scrapped. Added to this, for each welding seam the rails must be precisely positioned in the track - extra work that takes up a lot of time. This method of welding frequently leads to delays across the entire construction project.

SEMI-STATIONARY WELDINGVossloh Rail Services (VRS)

• In the case of mobile welding, the target geometry of the rail cannot be as closely controlled as in stationary welding. This means that the geometric fit at the weld joint suffers and hence the quality of the weld as such. Also, such an uneven weld joint impairs ride comfort and shortens maintenance intervals for the entire permanent way.

• Welding is generally done out of doors and so rain, wind and bad light can obstruct the work and decrease the quality of the weld seams.

For all these challenges, a semi-stationary welding line offers the right solutions. It merges the flexibility of on-site, long-rail production with the high quality standards typical for stationary rail welding plants.

SEMI-STATIONARY WELDINGA semi-stationary welding unit is designed for large construction sites where for reasons of cost efficiency or technology, it is not possible to deliver long welded rails from a stationary welding plant to the construction site.

It allows for short rails from 18m to 120m in length to be welded together close to the construction site to form up to 400m long rails. The result: welded long rails to the highest standards of quality with no construction site obstructions. Quite the contrary, the pace of construction is speeded up thanks to such long-rail production independent of the site location. Moreover, the loaded volumes can be perfectly adapted to site requirements. This even applies to regions not yet linked to the rail system, supplied by road truck shipments.

Furthermore the finished welds may be reworked after cooling off by applying straightening and grinding technologies as known in stationary rail welding plants to reach an exact horizontal rail geometry. This eliminates the necessity to shorten the rails at the ends as described above.

The semi-stationary welding line takes care of the complete process chain: from pulling short rails off their transport units and feeding them into the welder, through aligning and welding them into long welded rails, and finally to reworking the welds. It simplifies site logistics and maximises seam quality, irrespective of rail profile and steel grade.

The welding plant is set up close to the site and has its own power generation unit, allowing it to operate independently.

TWO MODULES FOR ONE SOLUTIONThe semi-stationary welding plant from Vossloh Rail Services has two modules basically, the loading/ transporting and the welding module (see Figure 1).

The first short rail (of rolled steel) is winched (Figure 2) from the transport unit into the loading module which performs all the subsequent feed motions. Once the weld ends of the following rails have been ground for contact (Figure 3), these rails are tied to each other using special straps.

The feed crawler (Figure 4) carries out all the feed operations within the welding plant. With its vertically adjustable rollers it ensures secure fixing and positioning of the rail, at the same time retaining the ability to move it forward or backward. The rail is then pushed into the welding module and afterwards onto the long-rail haulage unit. Special guide mechanisms prevent the long rails from being diverted sideways while being pushed forward.

RAIL WELDING

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The welding module is equipped with an AMS 50/200 Supra Flex from Schlatter (Figure 5). The machine will perform hourly up to eight high-precision, automatic flash-butt welds, the state-of-the art welding method established in stationary welding plants. The rail welding plant is partially roofed and illuminated, and hence the welding work is protected from weather conditions and can also be done at night and still produce maximum quality. Two long rails are welded side by side in alternating sequence; while one is welded, the other is positioned precisely in place.

The work done by the welding module is subject to, and monitored by, electronic process control. Also provided is a bending press for further regular destructive tests. Having passed the modules described, the welded long rails now find themselves on the long-rail haulage unit where they are precision-machined, straightened, ground and have their welding seams inspected for acceptance. Two layers each of twelve long rails are pushed onto these haulage units. For a rail length of 400m, such haulage units will therefore carry up to 9.6km of long rails.

BRITISH REFERENCEThe VRS semi-stationary welding plant was put to and passed the acid test in the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, also referred to as High Speed 1. This is a line connecting St Pancras, London, with the Eurotunnel (and onward to Paris) and is the only high-speed line in Britain operating at up to 300km/h. Because of the high speeds, very high quality long rails were required, particularly regarding the welding metallurgy and geometry. High-speed construction work was also a must. Altogether 320km of long rails were produced. For this purpose, in each case rails 108m long were welded together to a length of 324m in 2001 and 2002. The general contractor for the project was ThyssenKrupp GfT Gleistechnik. VRS built not only the semi-stationary welding plant but also provided the long-rail haulage units.

RAIL WELDING

AUTHORDipl- Ing Andreas Pohlmann (48) is head of production and authorised signatory at Vossloh Rail Services. Following an apprenticeship as a mechanic at Deutsche Bahn and after graduating in mechanical engineering at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences he worked from 1990 to 1992 in production planning at MBB/Deutsche Airbus GmbH. Since 1992 he has been employed at Stahlberg Roensch GmbH & Co KG, which since 1 January 2010, has belonged to the Vossloh Rail Services business unit.

He can be contacted under: Werkstrasse 6, 21218 Seevetal, Phone: (+49-4105) 5853-11, Fax: (+49-4105) 5853-42, Email: [email protected]

Figure 1: Stationary welding plant from Vossloh Rail Services has two modules (from bottom to top), the loading module with the haulage crawler and the welding module.

Figure 2: The first short rail (rolled length) is winched from the transport unit into the loading module (1). The following rails are fastened to each other with the aid of special straps.

Figure 3: Before insertion into the crawler, it is necessary for the rail to be manually ground for contact at both welding ends.

Figure 4: The crawler handles the entire feed movements within the unit. It also ensures secure fixing and positioning of the rail along with the possibility of moving it forward or backward.

Figure 5: The welding module features an AMS 50/200 Supra Flex from Schlatter. The machine will perform hourly up to eight high-precision mechanical flash-butt welds.

Figure 6: After welding, the rails are pushed onto the haulage unit where they are arranged in two tiers each comprising 12 rails. On the haulage unit the welds are straightened and precision-ground before they undergo a final quality inspection.


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Africa is a unique region with many challenges when it comes to the transport of goods. Low network connectivity, limited numbers of skilled personnel, high costs, poor safety and security, and inferior information systems are some of the main issues that affect the transporters of goods.

For many landlocked countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo, road transport is the most important mode of transport for long distance freight, as rail has historically not always been able to meet the logistics demands of the region. The challenges of the rail system critically affect the region, especially for the import and export of goods such as fuel, food and raw materials. African Rail Company (ARC), a Swiss-based company with operational hubs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique and provider of a highly integrated rail-focused supply chain management service, experiences the challenges of operating in the region on a first-hand basis.

As a transporter of fuel in and out of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo through the Mozambican port cities of Maputo and Beira, ARC wanted to find a way to provide more information and accountability to its customers, improve the efficiency of is operation and finally reduce idle times of its rail wagon fleet. According to Dave Beek of ARC, “Railway wagons only make money when they are moving and carrying products.” MISSING EN ROUTE Previously, ARC could not easily track and monitor the location and status of the fuel tankcars once they had left the station and were on route to their destination. Often location information provided by local rail operators of the status of ARC’s wagons was received twenty-four hours later. ARC wanted to find a way to be able to assure their customers that their cargo was arriving on time. They also wanted to know the exact location of their empty wagons so they could quickly get them filled and carrying product again. ARC first began by adding personnel en route, to keep its control centre informed on the whereabouts of each train. However, their only means of communication was via cellular phone networks which - according to Mr Beek – do not cover the lengthy rail lines comprehensively, there being few towns, all widely dispersed.

SATELLITE TRACKING Unhappy with the results achieved using extra personnel, ARC decided to try monitoring vehicles using GPS tracking devices. Having previous experience with satellite tracking, Mr Beek knew that devices commonly employed in road trucking - which send information using the same communication networks used by cellphones - could not provide the reporting capabilities required by ARC. In addition, cellular network connection and roaming fees, which would be incurred every time wagons crossed cellphone network borders, would render typical tracking devices cost-prohibitive to operate. A more cost-effective and specialised solution was required. TRUE SATELLITE TRACKING In early 2010, ARC started a trial project with thirty GPS tracking devices that used satellite communication networks instead of the land-based cellular system. The devices were installed on every other tankcar travelling between Maputo and the interior. All the equipent and web-based software was provided by GlobalTrack, a South African global-based turnkey solution provider for worldwide asset monitoring. For the ARC project, GlobalTrack installed its BAT-340 tracking device that uses satellite communication technology provided by Canadian SkyWave Mobile Communications. The battery-powered equipment is specifically designed for remote asset management and has been used to monitor both fixed and mobile assets where external power is not available.

Each BAT-340 tracking device calculates its position using information from GPS satellites and sends the information to GlobalTrack’s servers through satellites owned by UK-based Inmarsat plc. With an internet connection and a login ID into GlobalTrack’s secure web-based application, WebTrack is able to pinpoint the exact location, speed, and heading of each individual tankcar. In addition to current location information, WebTrack allows ARC staff to review historical data concerning all assets on a computer screen or from reports tailored to specific needs. Reports can be scheduled to be created at pre- defined times and sent to an unlimited list of e-mail addresses, or can be produced at any time as required. Information relating to current location, distances travelled, travelling times, and direction and speed is available around the clock with a couple of mouse clicks.

Based on ARC’s requirements, the GlobalTrack devices were programmed to report their position every six hours, or at any time this information was needed or requested.

SATELLITE TRACKING


SATELLITE TRACKING

If ARC requires the reporting frequencies of the tracking devices to be changed, engineers can quickly reprogramme the units without leaving the office. Physical access to the devices - which may be located anywhere in a very large area – is not necessary. BATTERY-POWERED DEVICE In addition to the global communication capability, low cost and ease of use, one of the best features of the product – says GlobalTrack chief operating officer Hein van Spaendonck - is that it can be installed on unpowered rail wagons and remain in operation for long periods of time. “The BAT-340 has built-in batteries that can last up to thirty-six months without recharging or replacement, based on four messages a day. The low power consumption of our units is essential, because we did not want ARC to be required to change batteries on the tracking units. Also, connecting to external power sources is not possible.” To instal the product, GlobalTrack designed and manufactured special brackets for the tracking devices. The brackets and the device were securely affixed to the top of each tankcar where they provide peak performance and are protected from tampering. According to Mr Beek, by installing GPS tracking devices, ARC is now able to pinpoint the location of their wagons quickly on demand, thereby improving logistics operations meaningfully. ‘They are also able to provide a service to their customers that sets them apart from their competition – the ability to proactively inform each client exactly when their shipment is going to arrive. “One final benefit is that we are able to pinpoint the location of empty tankcars at all times, and get them back on the line transporting product,” Mr Beek explains.

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES The BAT-340 tracking devices are sufficiently powerful to provide a number of additional services for rail companies. With virtual perimeter fences or geofences, owners could be notified when wagons were within 10 kilometres, or any other distance, from rail stations. They would be able to proactively inform customers that their shipments were on the point of arrival. Geofences would also provide the opportunity to calculate how much time wagons spend at rail stations and border crossings – allowing the customer to optimise wagon use by reducing time spent at each of these stops. With the on-board GPS accelerometer, owners could be immediately notified whenever their wagon started and stopped – alerting them to any unusual or unscheduled stops. GUARANTEED RETURN ON INVESTMENT The financial pay-back of the project has been very easy to prove. Hein van Spaendonck estimates that ARC recovered the cost of their initial investment of thirty tracking devices within four months, simply by being able to move the trains more quickly. The increase in customer satisfaction and value are an extra bonus when calculating the return on investment. ARC was so pleased with results from the pilot project that they have agreed to instal another set of BAT-340 tracking devices on their tankcars, and other rail wagons in the near future. Reflecting on the project, Hein van Spaendock says, “There are plenty of opportunities for satellite technology to increase the efficiency and productivity of companies transporting goods in Africa”.

PETE THE PUNDIT on

PRASA vs TRANSNETAND SOME INSTRUCTIVE STORIES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE WIDER WORLD

The unprecedented disagreement between Transnet and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) dominated railway news in the country from mid-August, when all intercity passenger trains ceased running without prior notice. The crisis followed the recent transfer of Shosholoza Meyl – the long-distance main-line service – from Transnet to Prasa. Prasa complained Transnet was not looking after its rolling stock properly; Transnet said Prasa didn’t pay its bills.

The fundamental reason for separating passenger train operation from freight was to have each working – and costed out – independently. It seemed a great idea in theory, removing the opportunity for passenger rail to run in blissful disregard of financial reality, confident that the profitable freight division would pick up and pay the bills. The move proved blissfully over-optimistic, with the proverbial chickens falling over themselves in getting home to roost. (Towards the end of October, it was announced that the problems were being resolved, under direction from the two different cabinet ministers to whom Prasa and Transnet each report. )

Another concept involving the divorcing of different parts of a railway – a very fashionable concept in recent years – sees infrastructure placed under separate management from actual train operation. Here too the theory is good, but theory and practice part company all too often; in the rail arena, many case histories can be quoted that demonstrate this point.

The most adamant opponents of this so-called vertical division of responsibility are the railways of North America, and it is no coincidence that they are privately-owned – and profitable.

It is instructive at this point to recall that the American rail companies discarded passenger operation several decades ago. Rapidly expanding air travel had killed long-distance profitability, leaving two options: either the government came in to subsidise passenger trains or it ran its own. Choosing the latter course, Amtrak was created. The upshot has been a distinctly unhealthy situation, with intercity “expresses” notorious for their unbelievably poor

timekeeping, frequently running two, three or even more hours late.

Amtrak blames the privately-owned companies over whose lines its trains have to run, the popular belief being that the freight trains get priority. Does this sound familiar?

PRIVATE SECTOR FOR ANGOLAN RAILAccording to director of the National Railway Institute Julio Bango, the government of Angola is keen to encourage private sector participation in the country’s “railway business”. Addressing the press in Luanda following a meeting between transport minister Augusto Tomás and the board chairmen of each of the country’s railways, he said the government is open to partnerships with private Angolan and foreign companies wishing to cooperate, provided they comply with requirements.

There is “no exclusivity for state companies,” Bango stressed. Opportunities are open for all willing to intervene in the railways controlled by his institute (NCFA), which is responsible both for certifying equipment in use and the licensing of operators.

The railways represented at the meeting were Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB), Caminhos de ferro de Namibe (CFN) and Caminhos de ferro de Luanda (CFL).

AFRICAN RAILWAY Tom Sutcliffe of the London Independent, reviewing the “odd, endearing” film African Railway shown recently on BBC4, marvelled at the claim that it was filmed, produced and directed by Sean Langan, but who seemed to be doing “catering, transport, costume, sound and local research as well.”

Langan had little joy in the “eerily depopulated headquarters of Tazara [the Tanzania-Zambia Railway] in Dar-es-Salaam”, as he couldn’t find anyone to talk to, such as the resident Chinese advisers. “Chinese expert number one ….. cannily referred the interview request back to Beijing.” He had more success with the Tazara managing director, who explained that “Tazara would one day be the finest railroad in Africa”. Sadly he was not given the opportunity to pursue this admirable aim – “he lost his job two weeks later.” In another office, Langan found “traffic managers tracking their wayward trains with pencil and paper. Having no direct contact with the drivers themselves the only way to find out where the trains were was to ring a station and ask them whether anything had gone past in the last few hours.”

OPINION: THE WIDER WORLD

Shosholoza Meyl – “a pleasant experience”. Photo: Craig Dean of Railways Africa.

Chinese-built Tazara coaches. Photo: Richard Grönstedt.


It is no way to run a railway, Sutcliffe concluded - “millions of dollars of foreign investment having somehow evaporated into the blue African sky”. Along the line itself, Langan discovered that 20 hour delays were routine. “The old colonial model - railways running from the interior to the sea like surgical drains, sucking the commodities out of the country - has been replaced by a new colonial model, in which the same thing happens but the Chinese pay the bills.”

WORLD’S LONGEST RAILWAY TUNNELAfter 14 years of drilling beneath the Swiss Alps, construction workers have broken through in the building of the new Gotthard – a £6 billion, 57km bore which will rate as the world’s longest railway tunnel. Boring machines have been tunnelled through the mountains from two directions: in the north from Erstfeld, near Lake Lucerne, and in the south from Bodio, near Switzerland’s border with Italy. The new tunnel is scheduled to open in December 2017, with trains travelling at 250km/h, shortening travel between Milan and Zurich by an hour. The original 14.4km tunnel near the summit of the spectacular Gotthard Pass, completed in 1882, continues in use.

DELHI AIRPORT LINE MISSES DEADLINEAccording to the Business Standard, Delhi’s showcase new airport express metro line missed its completion deadline and was not ready in time for the Commonwealth Games. The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) asked for clarification regarding certain deficiencies observed following an inspection of the corridor on 27 and 28 September. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)

asked Reliance Infrastructure (R-Infra), the concessionaire responsible for implementation, to urgently comply with the requirements of CMRS. DMRC said the concessionaire has not been able to conduct speed trials on the line. An R-Infra spokesman was quoted saying: “We are closely working with DMRC and other relevant authorities for a safe and early start of the world-class Airport Express.”A later report by The Times of India said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has imposed a fine on concessionaire Delhi Airport Metro Express Pyt Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure, for failing to meet the deadline to start operations on the line by 31 August 2010.

TURKISH LRT STARTS WITH A SPLASHDespite a “massive derailment” and five days of unceasing rain, the 16km Samsun light rail system in Turkey was launched on schedule with a splatter of blood from a sacrificial lamb. The proceedings were slightly marred by demonstrators protesting about the lack of signalled pedestrian crossings. They threw eggs at the first tram. Eight trams set off altogether with about 2,000 people scrambling on board to enjoy a free ride. A ten-minute frequency of free trams was maintained for the rest of the day, with every vehicle crammed to the roof.

QUEENSLAND RAIL SHARE OFFERThe Queensland State Government has officially launched a share offer for the Initial public offering of its 1,067mm gauge railway, QR National. The price range for the share offer will be between A$2.50 and $3.00 a share, with individual investors to pay no more than $2.80 per share. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said QR National is


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expected to be one of the nation’s 50 largest companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. QRN managing director and CEO Lance Hockridge said the company was proud of its 145 year heritage and excited about the opportunities for future growth. “QR National plays a critical role in the Australian economy today and is well positioned for future growth. QR National has invested approximately A$3.4 billion of capital across the operating divisions over the last three fiscal years and had pro forma net assets of approximately A$6.8 billion as of 30 June 2010. This investment is expected to drive the future growth of the company,” Hockridge said.

CHILTERN THE MOST PUNCTUALThe most punctual train operator in the UK in September was Chiltern Railways, according to a report by Network Rail. Ironically, Chiltern is owned by the German national rail system Deutsche Bahn. Running services between Leamington, Warwick, Warwick Parkway and London Marylebone, it was the highest performing train company with 97.3% of trains running on time between 22 August and 18 September. Chiltern Railways trains are categorised as late if they arrive five minutes after the scheduled time. The company is working on a £250 million project to reduce journey times to London by 20%.

TRIAL RUNNING - DUBAI METRO’S GREEN LINEOn 13 October, the Ruler of Dubai - Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum - launched trial running on the Dubai metro’s new Green Line. He travelled from Dubai Healthcare City to the eastern terminus at Etisalat. He was accompanied by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, RTA Chairman & CEO Mattar Al Tayer, senior government officials and the Dubai Metro technical and engineering team.

Tracklaying on the 23km Green Line is now complete, and electro-mechanical equipment installation and station finishing works are progressing well. The Green Line is due to open in August 2011.

A further five stations on the Red Line entered service on 15 October - Jumeirah Lake Towers, Nakheel, Sharag DG, First Gulf Bank and Business Bay. The western section from Ibn Battuta to Jebel Ali with three stations will open later.

To meet an anticipated increase in demand on the Red Line, 22 trains are now deployed during peak hours, running at six-minute intervals, while 16 trains will operate during off–peak hours at eight-minute intervals. Operation has been extended by an hour on Thursdays and Fridays, with trains running until midnight.

LONDON TUBE TRAINS DEVELOP CRACKSThe London Underground system has removed a number of trainsets from service after engineers discovered suspected cracks in certain equipment. According to the London Daily Mail, the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union claims the problems are directly related to “finance-driven changes to maintenance schedules”. The union released pictures of brake blocks which had been worn away though the trains were said to be still in service. The period between brake inspections on tube trains has been extended from 14 to 28 days to save money, the RMT alleges. TfL deny the claims and accuse the union of “scaremongering”.

CHINESE LOAN FOR HS SILK RAILWAYAccording to director-general Süleyman Karaman of Torkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryollari (TCDD – the Turkish State Railway), Turkish and Chinese companies are to jointly construct high-speed lines in Turkey. In terms of an agreement signed between China and Turkey early in October, China is to advance loans for the construction of a “Silk Railway” high-speed line between Edirne and Kars. “We are planning to construct lines for high speed trains between Ankara-İzmir, Ankara-Sivas, Sivas-Erzincan, Erzincan-Trabzon, Sivas-Malatya, Elazığ-Diyarbakir, Eskişehir-Antalya and Konya-Antalya on this line,” Karaman told journalists. “$US45 billion is needed for Turkey’s target to construct 6,000km of high-speed lines and 4,000km of conventional railway till 2023. Within the scope of the agreement signed with China, this country will finance $US28 million of this target.”

UAE TENDERS LAUNCHEDThe Union Railway Company (URC) is inviting expressions of interest for contracts to supply track materials for the United Arab Emirates’ first railway. Four contracts, covering ballast, rail, points and crossings, and sleepers, are being let for the Shah Habshan Railway, a 264km line from the Gulf Coast Port of Ruwais to the Shah sour gas field.

URC requires around 650,000 precast concrete sleepers suitable for a 32.5 tonne axle load, together with 84 sets of points and crossings, 50,000 tonnes of UIC 60 E2 standard-grade rail and 5,000 tonnes of UIC 60 E2 heat-treated grade rail, and 1.5 million tonnes of ballast. All these materials must be delivered between March 2012 and June 2013. Full commercial rail services are planned to start in 2014.

Union Railway says prequalified suppliers should be capable of being nominated for the corresponding design and build packages, which will be awarded in the second quarter of 2011. The deadline for expressions of interest was 31 October 2010, with prequalification documents available for purchase from 1 November.

PHILIPPINES NORTH-RAIL PROJECTThe Philippines government is to renegotiate its multi- million-dollar 80.2km North Rail project contract with China because of “technical and legal problems”. Originally expected to cost $US400 million, with financing from a Chinese loan, the latest estimate is close to $600 million – following redesign to comply with international standards. The project contractor, Chinese National Machinery and Equipment Group, had already received $150 million in


Dubai metro. Map courtesy Railway Gazette International.


advance payments from the Philippine government in respect of a 32km stretch of line. A University of the Philippines study quoted by the Manila Standard said the North Rail project violated the country’s procurement laws because the contract was awarded to the Chinese contractor without public bidding.

MORE DOUBLE-DECKERS FOR ISRAELOn 11 October, Israel Railways’ (ISR) general manager Yitzhak Harel confirmed the award of a $US195m contract to Bombardier Transportation for a further 78 push-pull double-deck coaches. The supplier of ISR’s first generation double-deck vehicles for the expanding suburban routes around Tel Aviv, Bombardier was selected ahead of a rival bid from Finmeccanica of Italy.

The order comprises 10 six-car trainsets, together with a further 18 vehicles to expand the current double-deck sets from five to six coaches. Including one coach with full disabled accessibility, each trainset will provide 800 seats. Deliveries are expected to begin in November 2011 for completion by April 2012.

According to Harel, ISR is concentrating on double-deck rolling stock to accommodate rapidly-growing numbers of passengers, with the strong annual growth seen in recent years showing no sign of abating. Double-decking avoids the need for extensive platform lengthening. Large doorways ensure rapid boarding and alighting.

NEW TRAM SYSTEM FOR JEDDAHThe Saudi city of Jeddah is to build an elevated light rail system worth $US5.6 billion, part of a new mass transit project including 816 buses and a tramway for tourists. This is according to an announcement by Prince Khalid al-Faisal, governor of the Makkah region which includes Jeddah.

The new light rail will complement a high-speed railway currently being planned to link Makkah, Jeddah and Medina. The government is expected to choose between the French and Spanish consortiums who submitted bids for the project.

SIEMENS TO SUPPLY EUROSTARSAccording to the London Financial Times, Siemens have been awarded a $US836 million contract by Channel Tunnel operator Eurostar, despite efforts by the French government to prevent the order. The 10 Velaro trains will be fitted with equipment to handle many of the different electrification and signalling systems on Europe’s railways, thereby allowing Eurostar to run direct services to a wide range of destinations, including Amsterdam and Cologne. The new trains will potentially cut journey times on existing routes between London and Paris and Brussels, and increase passenger capacity from 750 per train to 900. As well as the new order, Eurostar is to undertake a refurbishment programme for its existing 28 trains, to give them the same interior appearance as the new fleet. That work will be carried out by SCNF.

BRAZIL TENDER LAUNCHED Brazilian urban rail company CBTU has launched a $US165 million tender to provide 15 four-coach 3kV DC electric trainsets to operate on the 1,600mm gauge in the Pernambuco state capital Recife. Bids are due on 8

November. The successful tenderer will have 45 months to complete contractual obligations. The new trains are part of scheduled improvements to Recife’s metro system to prepare the city to host the 2014 World Cup.

RAILAMERICA TO OPERATE OTTAWA VALLEY LINERaiLink Canada Ltd, a subsidiary of shortline and regional freight rail operator RailAmerica, has entered into a long term deal with the Canadian Pacific Railway to operate a portion of the Ottawa Valley line in Canada, which primarily transports pulp and paper products. Rail America ended its previous lease with Canadian Pacific over the Ottawa Valley line in December 2009. As part of the termination agreement, the company continued to operate 251km of line between Sudbury and Mattawa in Ontario, and between Mattawa and Temiscaming in Quebec. It agreed to continue working the section for five years, with an option for a further extension.

RailAmerica currently operates 11,680m of track in 27 US states and three Canadian provinces.

NEW CHINA-LAOS LINKConstruction is to start at the end of October on a new railway from southern China to Laos. The 530km line will connect Xishuangbanna city in the southern province of Yunnan to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The project is part of the proposed Trans-Asian railway network, which is expected to pass through 28 countries in Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

EUROPEAN UNION RAIL DIRECTIVESOn 17 September 2010, the European Commission adopted a proposal to provide better rail services for passenger and freight users by: increasing competition on the railway market; strengthening the power of national regulators; and improving the framework for investment in rail. The proposal for a Directive establishing a Single Rail Area is an exercise in legislative simplification and consolidation with the merger of the three directives in force and their successive amendments into one coherent text. It also aims to tackle key problem areas undermining the effective functioning of the railway market. European Commission vice-president responsible for transport Siim Kallas was quoted saying: “Europe is at the forefront of railway technology. We are in the top tier of modern rail networks. But, and it is a big but, Europe needs and deserves better rail services. We need to deliver better quality, better reliability, more choice and more innovation to passengers and freight users. That’s what this package is designed to do. My aim in all of this is more competition in passenger and freight services. That will be good for passengers, good for freight users, good for very high quality rail equipment producers and good for the environment.”

Three key problem areas are addressed in the Directive:

1. Competition issues

The proposed Directive aims to increase competition in the rail market through more transparent market access conditions and providing easier access, for example by:

• requiring improved access (and in certain cases guaranteed access) to rail-related services such as




maintenance facilities, terminals, passenger information and ticketing facilities etc for freight and passenger trains;

• establishing explicit rules on conflicts of interest and discriminatory practices in the rail sector;

• requiring more detailed “network statements” - documents published annually so that potential newcomers can see clearly the characteristics of available infrastructure and conditions for its use.

2. Strengthening regulatory supervision

The proposal strengthens the power of national rail regulators, including proposals for measures such as:

• extending the competence of national regulators to rail-related services. Previously, problems relating to access to rail-related services were not always in the powers of the national regulators.

• requiring the independence of national rail regulators from any other public authority;

• strengthening the powers of the national rail regulators (with in terms of sanctions, audit, appeals procedures and ex-officio investigating powers) and establishing the obligation imposed on these bodies to cooperate with their counterparts on cross-border issues.

3. Strengthening the framework for public and private investment

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The new rules on infrastructure financing and charging aim to develop a harmonised “financial architecture” to encourage investment. Measures proposed include:

• requiring national long-term strategies and multi-annual contractual agreements between the state and infrastructure managers (linking funding to performance, and business plans). The aim is to give market players more predictability on the development of the infrastructure and more incentives to improve their performance;

• requiring more precise and smarter infrastructure charging rules. Better implementation of the charging principles contained in the existing legislation should lead to lower track access charges for rail transport operators in many member states. The new charging rules (with the introduction of noise-related modulation as the rail equivalent to external cost charging for road transport, discounts for interoperability) should also stimulate private investments in greener and interoperable technologies.

Together with this proposal, the commission adopted a Communication presenting its strategy to complete the development of the Single European Railway Area, outlining additional initiatives that the Commission could launch in the next five years. A consultation will take place on this basis. A detailed study on opening the market for domestic passenger traffic is also published.

INDUSTRY COMMENT

DEFINING A USEFUL SYSTEMAs South Africa’s railway rolling stock ages, or exits service prematurely, it is useful to consider from where the next generation might come. The global supply industry is ever obliging, so whatever rolling stock a railway wants and can fund will be forthcoming. However, should it be unaffordable - because the price is inordinately high, or because it might be inherently uncompetitive - then it threatens sustainability and one should revisit the objective.

In general, transport systems require corridors between O-D (origin-destination) pairs, and vehicles to carry their payload. They range from loosely defined air and maritime corridors, to precisely defined railway tracks. The vehicle profile (height and width) stems from its intended purpose and its relation to the infrastructure that supports operations. To facilitate movement, one must also define a guidance and support interface and, of course, propulsion and control systems.

Though trite, it is important to state that humans - and the goods they value - come in a limited range of sizes. Characterising adults by just one dimension, Wikipedia’s 62-country Human Height data reveals a tallest/shortest ratio of 1.20.Track gauges in their respective countries range from 914mm to 1,676mm, a widest/narrowest ratio of 1.83. The prime determinant of passenger coach height is clearly less variable than railway track gauge: countries with narrow gauge railways do not transport dwarfs. Similar reasoning characterises freight - valuable goods typically come in ISO containers, arguably the most standardised item on earth. Operators double up when corridors demand high throughput - double decking for passenger trains, and double stacking for container trains. Doubling up notwithstanding, high-capacity railways require a modest vehicle profile compared to other modes, because they can increase capacity by coupling many vehicles into a train. History has handed down a plethora of diverse railway vehicle profiles around the world. First principles suggest they should all have been the same.

Essentially track comprises rails, sleepers and ballast. The width of the latter is generally similar to vehicle width. Like vehicles, the number of tracks (single, double, sometimes more) drives both capacity and minimum formation width. Allowing space for electrification masts, drainage, maintenance access, communication cabling, and so on - and not forgetting stability of deep cuts and high fills - defines the requisite infrastructure cross-section.

The foregoing groundwork makes it possible to define the cross-section boundary of a railway system without reference to the vehicle-infrastructure interface. This is no surprise: the interface is internal to the system boundary (route and train lengths are simple extrusions of the system cross-section). Why is this definition of use? Because two of rail’s three genetic technologies, which rest on the lateral and vertical components of wheel-rail interaction, originate at this interface. Correctly pitched, the vehicle-infrastructure interface makes rail a formidable competitor. Incorrectly pitched, it renders rail unsustainable. Let us explore the interface further.

PERTINENT INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONSRail’s three genetic technologies: Bearing (ability to carry heavy axle load), Guiding (ability to run at high

speed), and Coupling (ability to couple many vehicles), distinguish it from all other transport modes. They enable rail to service market spaces that other modes challenge with difficulty, namely Heavy Haul, Heavy Intermodal, Very High Speed Intercity, and Heavy Metro. The latter case warrants separate discussion later. Successfully exploiting rail’s inherent competitiveness presupposes high demand corridors in which it can maximise return from expensive, high-performance guideways.

The wider the track gauge, the greater the lateral stability against overturning forces, buckling forces, and cross-level deviations. The Bearing and Guiding genetic technologies therefore approach their maximum potential on standard gauge. Returns on track gauge increments do nevertheless diminish. Thus while broad gauge might be marginally superior to standard gauge, the latter supports sufficient inherent competitiveness.

Now consider railway infrastructure subsystems as a function of track gauge. First, signalling and communication are independent of track gauge. So indeed are all parallel-to-track subsystems, eg drainage, and maintenance roads. Although originally narrower, many current South African railway vehicles are almost as wide as their standard gauge counterparts. Hence, track gauge should not influence track-centre distance and associated electrification and signalling overhead structures, more so considering contemporary clearance requirements for passing trains at high speed, or maintaining one track while running trains on an adjacent one. Second, track gauge might marginally affect some infrastructure subsystems. For example, narrow gauge traction motors are smaller than their standard gauge counterparts, so one might (facetiously) argue that electrification feeders and substations should cost less for the same axle load and adhesion level. Third, for representative axle loads, track gauge directly affects sleeper length, ballast quantity, and formation width, and hence the quantity of earthworks. For standard gauge, these items reputedly raise the cost per kilometre by some 7% compared to narrow gauge. However, when considering the complete picture, expect the overall construction cost premium for standard gauge track to be diluted to less than 7%.

ROLLING STOCK CHALLENGESRolling stock bears the brunt of insufficiently wide track gauge. Like infrastructure, much equipment is gauge independent. However, more than infrastructure, track gauge strongly affects rolling stock cost and performance.

Ideally, research and development costs should be spread over high production volumes. Suppliers therefore tend to reuse existing standard gauge designs for other track gauges, and only adapt them where unavoidable. Most standard gauge equipment adapts readily to broad gauge by means of longer axles and wider bogies. Even the widest gauge, India’s 1,676mm, is only 17% wider than standard gauge. This means that R&D for standard gauge, which represents 61% of all world trackage, 64% of tons lifted, and 50% of passenger journeys, can also serve broad gauge - which represents 23% of all trackage, 26% of tons, and 20% of journeys. Together, they represent 84% of all trackage, 91% of tons, and 70% of journeys.

A Railway Systems Perspective on Rolling StockDave van der Meulen, managing member, Railway Corporate Strategy CC


Specialist manufacturers of parts and sub-assemblies for locomotives, coaches and wagons. Processes include laser cutting, bending, forging and the fabrication of carbon and stainless steel alloys.

ROLLING STOCK EQUIPMENT BUSINESS


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INDUSTRY COMMENT

Narrow gauge (914-1,067mm) railways, which represent 16% of world trackage, lift merely 9% of tons. Interestingly, they convey 30% of world passenger journeys. However, of that, Japan carries 70%: The remaining narrow gauge railways carry only 9% of world journeys, the same share as freight. They are self-evidently less productive than standard or broad gauge railways, and unable to procure R&D to raise their competitiveness.

Whatever the track gauge, trailing rail vehicles all use similar running gear and underframe components, such as couplers, brake actuators, brake discs, control valves, drawgear, foundation rigging, pneumatic equipment, slack adjusters, wheels, and more. Track gauge therefore only affects relatively low-cost structural items, namely axles, bogie bolsters and frames, and brake beams. For coaches, air conditioning, catering facilities, door mechanisms, lighting, pneumatics, seating, toilets and more, are independent of track gauge, as is the body shell, which is specified for crashworthiness and ride comfort. Standard gauge can offer greater length, width and height, while the cost of essential items is spread over more passengers, yielding a lower cost per passenger. Similarly, for wagons, body plating must resist abrasion, corrosion and penetration, so its thickness is independent of track gauge. Standard gauge load/tare ratio is substantially higher, so the cost per payload ton is proportionately lower. The abovementioned essential components weigh the same and cost the same, whatever the track gauge. Therefore, narrow gauge railways pay for standard gauge performance, but do not get it. For locomotives, please refer to the September/October article in this series.

Heavy metro is the only application that bears careful thought regarding standard gauge. Its prime requirements, namely high throughput capacity, are characterised by single-deck vehicles, short station dwell-times, relatively low speed, and high acceleration and retardation. A high proportion of axles driven by relatively small traction motors supports the latter requirement. Narrow gauge can competently support low-speed, single-deck vehicles with small traction motors. Standard gauge’s essential advantage is its competitive supply market, an important consideration for greenfields projects. However, for incremental expansion of existing operations, the cost of changing gauge is likely to outweigh the benefit of more competitive rolling stock pricing.

WHAT ABOUT PERFORMANCE VERSUS COST? While standard gauge track may cost marginally more than narrow gauge, standard gauge performance is higher by the ratio of track gauge, namely 1,435mm/1,067mm = 1.34 or more. Consider the following parameters, presented as the ratio standard gauge attribute/narrow gauge attribute: Heavy haul axle load, 40 tonnes/30 tonnes = 1.33; centre of gravity height, 2,438mm (8 feet)/1,800mm = 1.35; coal wagon load/tare, 5.86/4.15 = 1.41; heavy haul traction motor tractive effort, 118kN/78kN = 1.51; high-speed traction motor power, 1,600kW/1,000kW = 1.60; and maximum permissible speed, 380km/h/130km/h = 2.92.

A premium of 7% or less on infrastructure seems trivial in relation to the higher rolling stock performance achieved.

CONCLUDING REMARKS South Africa finds itself in the unenviable situation that, while railway user requirements are essentially independent of track gauge, but progressive technical solutions are found on standard gauge, its legacy vehicle-infrastructure interface has rendered much of its railway system uncompetitive at best, and unsustainable at worst. This situation is the long-term outcome of the absolute necessity of the utmost economy in the construction of colonial railways (Parliamentary Select Committee 1873). In the domestic market, it has shifted an inordinate portion of the national transport task to competitors such as private cars, taxis and trucks, which solutions are sub-optimum in market spaces where railways should be fully exploiting the strengths of their genetic technologies. In the export market, it has shifted market share to c ompetitor countries. The explicit short-term objectives of a colonial power, who built its own high-performance railways to standard gauge, have now become diametrically opposed to the long-term objectives of a developing country.

As globalisation reduces the number of railway suppliers, and competition among them drives performance up and costs down, how long will it be tenable to continue to burden South Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa, with railways and rolling stock predicated on precepts long past their sell-by date? Narrow gauge railways no longer benefit from active R&D at the vehicle-infrastructure interface. At less than 10% of world traffic, they have become marginalised, beholden to high-cost batch production for their rolling stock requirements, rather than to low-cost standard gauge series production. It is now time for stakeholders to realistically and seriously firm up on the role they want railways to play in South Africa, and then align their endeavours around achieving that objective.

COMPELLING INSIGHT FROM ORIGINAL RESEARCH

www.railcorpstrat.com

Though many South African locomotives running on 1,067mm gauge are superior in size, power and performance to those running on a number of 1,435mm gauge lines in the world, there are inherent limitations in perpetuating dependence on non-standard norms. This 25kV 50Hz AC example, a Co-Co of class 11E rated at 5,800hp, heads long coal trains on the heavy-haul line to Richards Bay. The first of these impressive units entered service in 1985.


The Wepeners recently paid a visit to the Free State capital. Jacque reports:

“The guys from Sandstone were busy at the motive power depot on the narrow-gauge locos in the shed, but we missed seeing Lucas Nel. Not much has changed steam-wise (1,067mm gauge) since our last visit. All the locos are still there, secure and locked up. Even the scrapped ones are still as we saw them last year.

“On the diesel side however, the rows of serviceable locos have disappeared while the lines of unserviceable and scrapped locos have grown. At this rate, TFR is soon going to run out of locos ...

“Blue class 35 no 224 appears to have been destroyed. Looks like either a head-on or a rear-end at speed. Hope the crew managed to jump... On the scrap line we saw orange ST 34 697 ‘LOG Tracao’ (previously in South America) , orange 35 282, SAR maroon 35 471, orange 37 xxx, blue 35 301 and other blue 35s in various states of disrepair.

“Idling away in front of this sad lot was RRL 33 02 (looking very smart), so they now have two 33s. Remember these numbers as they might be seen again in a different livery somewhere near you quite soon... Plenty of steam-heater cars are also here on the scrap line, mostly in blue, one orange and a distance further, all on its own, a gulf red steam car stands rusting. A red and grey baggage van ‘Breakdown Train De Aar’ is also staged here. Further down, two diesel hulks are being reclaimed by nature.

“In the Shosholoza Meyl part of the loco, purple 34 102 & 34 108 were to be seen. Another two purple class 34s were standing in the shed. Here too are several blue steam cars awaiting their fate as the passenger trains get less and the generator cars take over. Three class 34s were shunted for refuelling. Orange 36 068 was idling away at the other end of the loco.”

[Forty years ago, locomotives came in or were despatched here every five minutes around the clock. Altogether 179 were allocated to this shed, which supplied power for more than 300 daily train arrivals and departures. – Editor]

VISIT TO BLOEMFONTEIN

SEEN AT BLOEMFONTEIN

Photos: Jacque Wepener.


Specialists and leading supplier of maintenance, repair, upgrade and manufacturing services in Southern Africa for AC, DC and diesel-electric units.

LOCOMOTIVE BUSINESS


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INDUSTRY NEWS

The company Portquip Africa was recently tasked with the replacement and welding of 30kg/m rail on a container gantry crane operated by Douala Terminals International in the port of Douala, Cameroon.

This was a challenging task as the rail in question was situated over 35m above the ground, with the boom of the gantry overhanging the quay wall by 30m. The existing rails were severely cracked and had proved impossible to repair due to the difficult access. Thermit welding of the new rails was selected to ensure a maintenance-free track. After considering the safety and technical risks associated with welding the 9m rail sections on a narrow platform on situ, it was decided to Thermit-weld the new rail sections on the ground and then lift four completed lengths, averaging 35m, on to the boom and bridge girder.

The rails were raised using a rope and pulley system, ingeniously attached to the crane spreader which provided the lifting force. Slinging points were up to 17 metres apart on the rails, which amply demonstrated the strength of the Thermit weld in bending. Portquip Africa was highly satisfied with the quality of the training of their personnel as well as the quality of

Port of Douala Gantry Crane Rail Change

Booyco Engineering reports an increased demand for its 24V DC ventilation unit. Developed for use in locomotive cabs, this functional equipment provides an alternative to air-conditioning systems where there are budgetary and space constraints.

Engineered for simple installation and ease of use, the unit is designed to be flush-mounted on the roof, and swivelled out when in operation. This allows it to be stowed away when not in use and is an advantage given the confined space in most locomotive cabs.

The ventilation unit has three speeds and an air-flow capacity which ranges from 410m3 per hour to 550m3, at low and high speeds respectively. The unit is compact, features a robust housing and is locally manufactured by Booyco Engineering.

DEMAND FOR FUNCTIONAL COOLING UNIT

Booyco Engineering’s compact 24V DC ventilation unit

the product supplied by Thermitrex. The project was completed safely and within budget and afforded Portquip Africa the confidence to undertake similar projects in the future. Quoting project manager Matthys Wessels: “Although each crane is different and may require different rigging techniques, this has convinced us that Thermit welding in a controlled environment is the best technical solution when changing container crane rails”.

6 – 8 April 2011EXPO CENTRE – JOHANNESBURG

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strange mix of English, Portuguese and Chinese signage inside the carriages which are nonetheless clean and modern with functioning toilets and a restaurant car. There will be three different passenger classes on the Luanda to Malanje service: ‘Primeira’, with reclining leather seats with individual television sets; ‘Expresso’ with comfortable chairs arranged in fours around tables and communal televisions; and ‘Tramway’ the cheapest option fitted out with benches to maximise passenger numbers.

“Ticket prices are yet to be announced but a CFL official told the BBC he hoped the standard fare would be less than the current price of a coach from Luanda to Malanje, which is 2,500 kwanzas ($26). The CFL is the first of three train lines to come back into full service and by the end of 2012, Angola hopes to have all three fully operational again.

“The Caminho de Ferro de Benguela (CFB) is the longest railway in Africa, stretching 1,344km from the port city of Lobito on the Atlantic coast to the small town of Luau, on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is a small stretch of track in use between Lobito and Cubal in Huambo province but the plan is to extend passenger services to Huambo city by early 2011.

“In the very south of the country the Caminho de Ferro de Moçamedes (CFM) which goes from Namibe on the coast, through Lubango in Huila to Menongue in Kuando Kubango, is also being renovated by a Chinese company.”

ANGOLA: HUAMBO SECURITY GUARANTEEAngolan national police commissioner Paulo de Almeida has guaranteed security along the Benguela Railway, aimed – he explained during a visit to Huambo - at preventing disorder. The line from the coast to the DRC, with rehabilitation nearly complete, is due to reopen in 2011.

AFRICA UPDATE

ANGOLAANGOLA’S LUANDA RAILWAY IS BACK From a BBC report by Louise Redvers:

“After decades out of use, Angola’s war-shattered railways are coming back to life with new trains, tracks and stations.The first section to open fully will be the 424km Luanda to Malanje route, taking people and freight from the capital up into Angola’s agriculture-rich central north-eastern region. Already operating a peak-hour 30km commuter service between central Luanda and its eastern suburbs, the trains will soon be running the full length of the railway, linking previously isolated rural communities with provincial capitals.

“The fleet of diesel locomotives serving the Caminho de Ferro de Luanda (CFL) are proudly painted in the Angolan colours of red, black and yellow with a national flag attached to the door of the driver’s cab. There are 16 new stations along the line, all painted in bright pinks and oranges and some with glass and steel fronts. They cut a stark contrast to their bullet-marked colonial predecessors which stand often just metres away from the new structures, as a crumbling memory of Angola’s war-torn past.

“Rehabilitation of the line began in 2005 and has reportedly cost $US350m. The track was laid by the China Railway Construction Company which also built the stations, importing most of its own labour to live in tented camps along the side of the railway. One Chinese site manager told the BBC that the work has been ready for over a year but delays in payments from the Angolan government has slowed down the handover. Angola recently admitted it had fallen into nearly $7bn of debt with foreign construction companies but has now started making repayments.

“Vice minister of transport Jose Joao Kuvingua however, denied that there had been any delay with the railway’s rehabilitation and said the deadline for the line to re-open to passengers was, and still is, the end of December 2010. Speaking to journalists invited on a trial run of the train from Luanda all the way to Malanje, he said the restoration project would bring huge benefit to the communities living along the route.

“As the train pulled into each station and stopped to allow the vice minister and CFL officials to inspect the tracks and stations, people gathered at the platform’s edge with a warm welcome.

“In N’Daladtando, the capital of Kwanza Norte province, scores of children ran up behind the train chanting ‘comboio’ (Portuguese for train), while their parents discussed the benefits of the railway. ‘It’s going to be much safer to travel by train than by minibus-taxi,’ Joao Domingos, 36, a labourer said. There are too many accidents on the roads but the train will offer us an alternative.’

“For many, the return of the train serves as a reminder that Angola’s long civil war is finally over. Like the track and stations, the locomotives are also Chinese and there is a

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Sabha, in the centre of the country. Outside Tripoli, a sleek model train sits on newly constructed tracks. Inside, in first class, white sofas line the cabin. Business class has shiny blue chairs arranged around tables.

The government says the completed network will employ more than 1,000 Libyan technicians. One of these is Shukri al-Arab, who studied electrical engineering in Yugoslavia.

NIGERIANIGERIA TO DIVERT CHINESE LOANThe Federal Government of Nigeria wants to divert the $US500m loan secured from the Chinese government to finance the Kano-Abuja railway project. Instead, according to a letter to the Chinese ambassador from minister of finance Dr Olusegun Aganga, the government wishes to use the money to finance the National Public Security Community System Project. The letter said: “As indicated during the meeting with Mr Lei, the National Public Security Community System Project has been designed to address security challenges which are sine qua non for the socio-economic development of the country”.

The Daily Trust recalls: “The Kano-Abuja railway project was negotiated by the late President Umar Musa Yar’adua with the Chinese government in 2008 during his visit to China. The project is part of the portion of Lagos-Kano railway project proposed by the [previous] Olusegun Obasanjo administration but reviewed by the late Yar’adua.”

A source told Daily Trust that Mr Aganga wrote the letter without consulting the ministry of transport under which the project was initiated. He said the minister of transport, Yusuf Suleiman, was at the council meeting last Wednesday [15 September] to challenge the directive but the issue was not entertained. The decision by the late President Yar’adua to put off the Lagos-Abuja railway project was based on abuse of due process in the agreement. ‘The loan was negotiated on condition that the Nigeria government will pay the count part funding of $70.5 within three years and the China Eximbank will provide $470 million as contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).”

“Source said the Nigerian government paid the first count part fund in 2009 but it did not affair (sic) in the 2010 budget.‘The failure by government to make provision of the count part funding in this year’s budget indicated that already it was planned to stop the project,” the source said.

“Dr Aganga’s letter read, the source said: ‘the minister is yet to travel for the negotiation due to some undisclosed reasons.’”

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

EGYPTCAIRO METRO COACH ORDEREgypt’s national authority for tunnels has awarded a consortium of Mitsubishi, rolling stock manufacturer Kinki Sharyo and electric equipment supplier Toshiba a contract worth around ¥18 billion to supply 88 passenger coaches to the Cairo metro system in 2012-13.

HIGH-SPEED LINE The Egyptian government is considering building a high-speed railway between Alexandria and Cairo (208km) and also a new 77km line linking Cairo to Tenth of Ramadan City. The projects would be financed through issuing bonds secured by state assets. Egypt changed its laws in December to allow utilities and other quasi-government organisations to issue bonds directly.

LIBYALIBYA’S NEW RAILWAYLibya is the only country in North Africa without a railway. “I believe a railway that links the Arab nation from Egypt until it reaches Morocco is more important than water supplies to a city or a region,” Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi said in a 1993 speech.

Construction began in 2008 on lines running east to west along the country’s Mediterranean coast and south to

AFRICA UPDATE

Martin Welzel photographed former South African 32 050 in Lubumbashi nearly 20 years ago. The class 32 locos were GE type U18C 1-Co-Co-1 units rated at 1,975hp. They entered service originally between 1959 and 1961.


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It is reported that “final touches” are being made on feasibility and route studies for the proposed railway from Isaka in Tanzania to Kigali in Rwanda. The estimated cost stands at between $US3 and 4 billion. Extensions to Bujumbura in Burundi and the Eastern DRC are foreseen as coming later. The existing metre-gauge railway from Dar-es-Salaam is to be rebuilt on 1,435mm gauge as a parallel project.

At a “final preparatory review meeting” in Dar in October, financial commitments already given by friendly countries and development partners were to be assessed to ensure enough capital has been raised to proceed with tendering, which will be followed by the selection of contractors and actual construction.

[It is still not clear how entirely new rolling stock is to be funded and procured, both for the new line as well as the 1,100km regauged Tanzanian Central route. – Editor: Railways Africa.]

SUDANRUSSIA TO BUILD SUDAN-KENYA RAILWAYAccording to a reliable source: “A conference between the New Sudan Foundation, ThyssenKrupp GfT Gleistechnik, Ayr Logistics Ltd and MosMetrostroy has concluded with a comprehensive agreement to commence construction of the proposed railroad from Juba, which will eventually connect the Southern Sudan with the Indian Ocean seaports of Mombasa and Lamu in Kenya.

“Since the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement between the regime in Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in January 2005, the new Sudan Foundation, chaired by Dr Costello Garang Ring Lual, has pursued this ambitious infrastructure project to link the Southern Sudan with her neighbours Uganda and Kenya. ThyssenKrupp GfT Gleistechnik, seeing the huge potential for rail traffic across Eastern Africa, backed the vision of Dr Costello and Ayr Logistics Limited, then came on board to raise the massive financing, thought to be the in the region of at least $US3 billion.

“Sources from Berlin confirmed that with the required venture capital now fully underwritten and available, the parties came together for a formal meeting in the German capital to put pen to paper. Added information was also provided that Russia’s MosMetrostroy has been selected as the major contractor, having extensive experience in building and rehabilitating railroads across the vast stretches of Russia. They, too, will financially back the project.

“ In a related development, it was also learned that the New Sudan Foundation, alongside the building of the railroad, will also develop complementary projects like access roads, depots, freight terminals, power stations, and hotels, among others, along the railroad in Southern Sudan, bringing much needed extra infrastructure to the Southern Sudanese region. As previously reported, the Southern Sudanese population will vote in a referendum in early January next year, where they are expected to vote for independence from the North to become Africa’s youngest nation.

TANZANIAMTWARA RAILWAY PLANDuring the years that followed World War II, the British colonial government initiated a so-called Groundnut Scheme to stimulate the economy in the south-east of what was then Tanganyika. A railway was built inland from the small port of Mtwara, about 35km north of the border with Mozambique. It extended around 190km westwards to Nachingwea, with a 40km branch south to Masasi.

AFRICA UPDATE

PORT HARCOURT MONORAILWork has begun on the Port Harcourt monorail project. N11 billion has already been released as part of the Rivers state government’s equity for the construction of the system which is being built under a public private partnership arrangement. The monorail will be the first of its kind in West Africa.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Governor Amaechi’s media adviser and publicist David Iyofor stated that the monorail will provide mass transport within the Port Harcourt metropolis, decongest the roads in the city, provide a competitive mass transport solution to the city and create job opportunities.

The project has a projected cost of $US318 million, with an equity division of 20% to the Rivers state government and 80% to TSI Holdings Ltd.

The first phase of 19.5km is expected to be completed two years from the day of its foundation-laying ceremony performed by President Goodluck Jonathan during his official visit to Rivers State in May. The proposed routes for the first phase are “Aggrey Road through Station Road- Azikiwe Road and Aba Road to Water Lines Junction.”

“It is intended to use the electrically driven Intamin P30 Monorail Train, designed and most suitable for commuter services in cities as seen in some parts of Europe,” Iyofor said.

FIRST CLASS IN NIGERIAThe Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has introduced first class coaches on trains running in Lagos. According to NRC managing director Adeseyi Sijuwade: “The introduction of these coaches will go a long mileage in correcting the impression that the train is an exclusive means of transportation for the poor. It will also reduce the number of vehicles on the road as more vehicles owners will embrace the train service which is as good, safe and pocket-friendly as other means of transportation, while they park their cars at home.” NRC is undertaking a total modernisation of its infrastructure. It has resumed train services in Kano and hopes to do the same in other cities such as Port Harcourt, Jos, Enugu and Maiduguri.

RWANDARWANDA RAIL PLANS ON TRACK

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AFRICA UPDATE

In the words of a recent press report quoting a local resident, “residents of Mtwara and Lindi regions are suffering from a government decision made after independence to uproot a railway line built by colonialists from Nachingwea to Mtwara harbour. It is now history that the southern regions had a railway line. We are using it to show our grandchildren the route that the railway line passed through.”

Aspirant political office-bearers are currently promising to press for the building of a new railway to Mtwara, to facilitate imports and to export iron ore from Ruvuma and coal from Mchuchuma. The plan would boost development in the region and enhance economic activities.

TANZANIA & ZAMBIALET’S INVEST IN RAIL – TAZARA

There is urgent need to invest in railway infrastructure to complement the road network, Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) managing director Akashabatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika told Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of diplomatic missions in Zambia during their recent visit to rail facilities in Kapiri-Mposhi and Mkushi. A reliable railway, he suggested, is the only means for a country to attain optimum economic development.

Tazara’s average annual freight figures, Mbikusita-Lewanika explained, averaged around 600,000 metric tonnes at one time but these had dropped to only 300,000. The company had faced “some challenges” in recent years “because of dynamism in local, regional and global economies and the politics and philosophies that evolved with time.” Economic activity, notably in the mining sector, is growing rapidly, he said, and rail infrastructure requires improvement to accommodate this. Management is determined and confident of turning Tazara around “through focused innovation.”

SADC’s diplomatic chairman Salomon Witbooi (who is the Namibian High Commissioner to Zambia), travelled by train with the other diplomats from Kapiri Mposhi to Mkushi.

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Signals Chinese style on the Tanzania-Zambia Railway. Photo: Richard Grönstedt.


AFRICA UPDATE

Other envoys included South African High Commissioner to Zambia Moses Chikane, Zimbabwean High Commissioner to Zambia Lovemore Mazemo, Botswana High Commission representative Tebelelo Bareki and the Tanzanian High Commission’s Samuel Munatta.

ZIMBABWENRZ TO LAY OFF THOUSANDSThe National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is contemplating reducing its workforce from 9,000 employees to “at least” 5,000, general manager Air Commodore (retd) Mike Karakadzai told stakeholders at the annual consultative workshop in Gweru on 7 October.

“As a parastatal, we acknowledge that the volume of the human resource base does not tally with the business we are handling at the moment and there is really need to right size our human resource base,” The Chronicle quoted him saying. Management is talking with stakeholders “to find the best way forward”. He said the issue of staffing is sensitive and has to be handled with care.

Karakadzai said the parastatal is working on a number of programmes aimed at improving efficiency. “Our thrust as an organisation is to try and increase the volume of business we are handling while at the same time improving on our efficiency. This will cut on costs and create a bigger cake that can sustain the existing work force,” he said.

There are indicators from the business perspective that the economy is improving,” Karakadzai continued, “ and as NRZ we want to take advantage of this positive development to increase both our passenger and freight volumes.”

Meanwhile, says The Chronicle, “NRZ is reportedly facing a critical shortage of wagons at a time when there is a

very high demand for wagons from businesses that are either exporting or importing goods through rail. Air Commodore Karakadzai said out of a total of 9,000 wagons, only 3,600 were working, causing serious deficit challenges. He said the parastatal needed about 5,600 for it to satisfy demand. ‘The wagons we have cannot cope with demand hence this consultative meeting with our stakeholders to try and find how best to address the problem,’ he said.”

There is high demand for wagons from businesses that export ferrochrome and other products. According to Karakadzai, “There has been a sharp increase in mining activity within the country and products such as ferrochrome are being exported through Maputo and Beira by rail. There is also an increase in imports such as fertilizer.”

Among issues raised by stakeholders at the workshop was the theft of goods in transit and NZR promised to improve security.

Steam trains remain popular with both the local public and tourists in Zimbabwe (NRZ). Photo: Geoff Cooke.

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


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SA RAIL NEWS

SHOSHOLOZA MEYL: THE MINISTERS INTERVENE The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), being a division of the national Department of Transport, means it is the responsibility of public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan. Transnet on the other hand reports to transport minister Sbu Ndebele. On 22 October, both ministers jointly called a high-level meeting with acting Transnet CEO Chris Wells and Prasa CEO Lucky Montana.

After the meeting, minister Ndebele said the differences between Prasa and Transnet had been “ironed out.” The two, he added, “are working on a plan to ensure that Shosholoza Meyl is back on track as soon as possible.”

Following the recent transfer of the long-distance passenger train service Shosholoza Meyl from Transnet to Prasa, it was intended that Transnet would continue to maintain the rolling stock and locomotives. But Montana, who stopped all intercity operations abruptly in mid-August, complained about the quality and price of Transnet’s service. Indignantly denying the alleged shortcomings, Transnet said the “real issue” was a sum of R1.3 billion owed to it by Prasa.

UNIONS CONDEMN TRANSNET-PRASA DISPUTE

Some long-distance train services suspended by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) in August are still not running, the United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) told Sapa on 17 October. “In a few short weeks South Africa has been plunged from its World Cup euphoria to a country without an intercity rail service,” Utatu general secretary Chris de Vos said in a statement. “With only a 10% main-line service now running, thousands of passengers must rely on alternative, more expensive transport.” He blamed government for the problems “crippling” the country’s rail system.

“Prasa announced in August it would suspend its Shosholoza Meyl long-distance service and blamed Transnet for the problem. Transnet accused Prasa of non-payment of around R1.3bn for maintenance work performed, while Prasa’s CEO Lucky Montana accused Transnet of charging too much and doing a “lousy job” in maintaining their locomotives.

‘We have said everything we’ve needed to say,’ Transnet spokesman Mboniso Sigonyela told Sapa on 17 October. In a statement posted on Transnet’s website in August it said Prasa had discontinued its long-distance passenger train services without consulting Transnet. ‘This was for reasons that were within Prasa’s operational control and despite numerous attempts by Transnet to warn Prasa of the impending impact on service delivery,’ the statement said. ‘it should be noted that the company [Transnet] has

set out constructive ways, including specific proposals, to assist Prasa deal with some of its difficulties.’

“De Vos said President Jacob Zuma needed to step in to resolve the problem. ‘[Zuma’s] inertia is creating fertile ground for the rail executives that have placed their own interests and egos ahead of the national need.’ Utatu said Prasa and main-line rail travel was ‘imploding’ and key rail services and jobs were disappearing. De Vos said the continued deadlock would make it more difficult to normalise the situation as staff lost their operating licences after a specific period. Fifteen train drivers had already resigned, he said. The union said the only ‘sign of hope’ was the call by the portfolio committee on public enterprise’s chairman Vytjie Mentor for government to intervene.

“Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) shared Utatu’s views and concerns and had written to Zuma calling for his intervention. Fedusa general secretary, Dennis George said: ‘We, as a nation, should become more serious about bringing to boot managers of parastatals who neglect the public services they are paid to provide.’ Prasa was not immediately available for comment,” the Sapa report concluded.

MINISTER HINTS AT PRIVATE HELP FPR PASSENGER RAILIn a written reply to a parliamentary question from Mannie de Freitas of the Democratic Alliance, transport minister Sibusisu Ndebele said an amount of “about” R1.3 billion which Transnet says it is owed has been the focus of major engagement by the two parties for several months.” Prasa had proposed the appointment of a mediator to “sort out” the issue, with “serious concern” being raised about Transnet taking months to substantiate its claims. The issue arose from the moving of passenger rail entities – in particular Shosholoza Meyl – out of Transnet and their consolidation into Prasa. Meanwhile, Prasa CEO Lucky Montana has emphasised the entity’s precarious financial situation repeatedly, warning that intercity services will suffer total collapse in the near future if drastic measures to improve financial support are not forthcoming.

FREE RIDES ON GAUTRAIN BUSESOctober is officially “transport month” in South Africa. On 20 October, when “car-free” day was celebrated, everyone was encouraged to leave private cars at home and use public transport instead. All rides on Gautrain buses were free on 20 October, with no limit on the number of journeys taken.

FIRST GAUTRAIN BREAKDOWN

Gautrain was forced to break its own curious rule – no passengers carried between Rhodesfield and the airport – when its futuristic trains went on the blink west of Rhodesfield in the afternoon peak on 20 October. Buses filled in for trains along the section Sandton-Marlboro-

South African Rail News

Uneasy bedfellows: purple Prasa loco and orange Transnet loco hauling a Shosholoza Meyl train on TFR track. Photo: Eugene Armer.

According to an I-Net Bridge report, the minister agreed in his reply to de Freitas that there is a role for the private sector in funding rail passenger transport.


“Then a packed four-coach Germiston shuttle pulled in at 17:28, 21 minutes late. How these 1,000-plus people managed to continue their journeys to Naledi and Vereeniging will remain unanswered for now.

“For those of us who watch commuter trains regularly, this was a typical ‘day at the office’, but my friend was aghast. He made three points. First, from now on he won’t be surprised when commuters set trains on fire. Second, if four trains can run on time, why can’t the other 26 or so? Third, if this is the way we run our railway, let’s forget about high-speed trains”.

[New Canada, 11.8km south-west of Johannesburg’s Park station, is the junction of four important lines, all quadruple track. - Editor]

THALES SUPPLIED TO GAUTRAIN According to a Johannesburg Sunday Times report: “Thales South Africa, previously known as Thint, held a media briefing at the recent African Aerospace and Defence Show in Cape Town to publicise its air-traffic control, border surveillance and other IT products. Chief executive Christian Lamoureux and vice-president for Africa Cedric Costes said recent contracts included the Gautrain ticketing system.”

The paper’s Anton Ferreira recalled that Thint had previously been charged with alleged arms deal bribes offered to Jacob Zuma. “The charges were dropped at the same time as those against Zuma.

“Asked after the briefing if the publicity had harmed the company’s reputation, Lamoureux said he and Costes had been appointed after the charges were withdrawn. ‘We understand this has been judged and the case is now closed, so we do not see that as an active issue,’ he said. ‘We do not believe that in the mind of our clients this has importance.’

“Costes said Thales had its own strict anti-corruption code barring the payment of bribes. ‘We lose markets, of course, because of our rules, but that’s how it is.’ Other companies exhibiting at the arms show echoed the refrain. In February defence company BAE Systems, which won contracts in SA’s arms deal, agreed to pay nearly $450 million in penalties to settle US and British charges related to a long-running bribery scandal.”

A Sunday Times reader commented: “The single largest export from Europe, UK and USA to Africa has been bribery and corruption.” Some of the other comments are unprintable here.

TFR REPORTS RECORD COAL FIGS Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has reported record coal deliveries in the second quarter of the financial year. It shipped 17.7mt of coal by rail to Richards Bay Coal Terminal in the three months ended 30 September 2010, an increase of 16% compared to the same period in 2009, and expects improved performance in the next three months.

Transnet said it delivered 5.7mt to the terminal by rail in both July and August, and e 6.2mt in September. The group says it is confident of further improved performance in the

Rhodesfield, where passengers changed into trains for the final 2km. This was Gautrain’s first breakdown since service commenced in June. A power outage lasting some two hours was blamed for the problem.

“LEANER” SHOSHOLOZA MEYL SERVICE From News24, 18 October:“The Shosholoza Meyl is running a ‘leaner’ train service supplemented by City to City and Translux buses, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) said on Monday [18 October]. Spokesperson Nana Zenani said in a statement:‘(There is) a total of 56 trains (sleeper coaches and economy trains), which is over 50% of the planned services, with further plans to ramp-up the service during the high-peak period,’

“Zenani said the new train services ran from Johannesburg to Durban, East London, Komatipoort and Cape Town and from East London to Cape Town. The services from Johannesburg to Durban, East London and Komatipoort would run every day except for Saturdays, she said. There would be four trips per week on alternate days from East London and Cape Town.

“There was also a weekly economy service from Johannesburg to Cape Town, running on alternative days [sic] and a premier class service running twice a week, Zenani said.”

NEW CANADA REPORT Dr Vaughan Mostert reporting on sar-L:“Wednesday 13 October: Armed with the latest (reduced) timetables from the Metro website, we sat [at New Canada station] from 16:30 to 18:20, after which it became too dark to make out some of the train numbers. During this period, a total of 23 trains (14 to Naledi, 7 to Vereeniging, and 2 to Oberholzer) are supposed to come past. Plus two from Germiston that terminate at New Canada. New Canada used to be South Africa’s Clapham Junction but with only 23 trains in 110 minutes, even with most of them crowded, it is clear things are going the wrong way.

“We got off to a good start, though - 9830 to Dube was spot on time at 16:49 but packed to the rafters. After that, things went downhill. Later we were to know why 9830 was so full - 9404 and 9410 that were supposed to come through before 16:30 were running 54 and 41 minutes late respectively and only came through after 17:00. Neither was particularly full, either. Then there was a 29-minute gap on the Naledi line between 17:21 and 17:50, because 9430 and 9480 failed to show up at all. The first Business Express was on time, though and the second was nine minutes late at 17:47 (neither stop at New Canada).

“Meanwhile a 12-coach set arrived unscheduled at 16:52 from the Langlaagte direction, stone empty. It stood in Platform 1 until 17h:05 and then proceeded towards Crown, still empty.

SA RAIL NEWS

TRANSNET TO ISSUE BONDTransnet is planning a $1 billion bond issue, acting chief executive Chris Wells told the press in Durban during October.

“If this is the way we run our railway, let’s forget about high-speed trains.”

GAUTRAIN IS LIKE THE UNDERGROUND“Finally went on the Gautrain...it was awesome. My boyfriend Justin’s parents live in Kempton so we took the Gautrain to Rhodesfield station. They picked us up and we had a braai with them. We then got dropped off at the station and went back to Sandton. It looks fantastic...its like being in London on the Underground. It was also surprising that there were so many locals using it to get from Kempton to Sandton for a day of shopping. -from joburgtourguide.blogspot.com


SA RAIL NEWS

(Oct-Dec) quarter and of “growing the business to reach the long-term plan of delivering 81 million tonnes per annum to RBCT.” TFR’s coal deliveries to the RBCT totalled 62mt in the 2010 financial year ended 31 March 2010.

GAUTRAIN – BUT GOVT SAYS IT HAS NO MONEY“Recent weeks have not been easy for Thobile Ntola, president of Cosatu’s teacher union, Sadtu. Nothing has tested his leadership more since his election in 2008 than the 20-day public service strike and its aftermath. He dealt in turn with strike violence, pressure from his ANC comrades to find a solution to the wage impasse and angry delegates at last week’s chaotic Sadtu conference, who booed senior ANC leaders. ‘A strike is not always the right mechanism. For us, strike action is always the last option. But in this case the employer pushed us too far. There is a view among workers that what the government budgets for is often not a priority. Members failed to understand why government budgeted millions of rand to pay for the Gautrain, for instance.

How do you explain all this to workers who are still struggling to make ends meet?’ Ntola asked.”

– From an article by Matuma Letsoalo in the Mail & Guardian

KEI RAILThe future does not look promising for the ambitious Kei Rail rehabilitation carried out by the Eastern Cape government. The province is reportedly in unenviable financial straits, with little prospect of finding money to continue subsidising the costly running of trains to Mthatha. Priorities like education are going to have to take precedence. Zine George, writing in the Sunday Times, observes “The province with one of the worst matric pass rates must slash education spending or it will be crippled and in the red to the tune of nearly R2 billion within six months.”

The Mthatha trains ran only to and from Amabele, connecting there with buses to East London (76km). Though located on the main-line from East London to the interior, Amabele junction offered no connection with intercity passenger trains, whose operation at present, in any event,

is at best uncertain. The reinstated branch trains were intended to offer alternative transport to minibus taxis but the running time of 10 hours is about twice that on the road.

George continues: “Thousands of pupils and parents are affected by this dilemma in the Eastern Cape, where schooling takes place in appalling conditions, under trees and in mud-brick classrooms…..The province was the country’s second-worst performer last year with only 51.1% of its matriculants passing.

“And now the true extent of the crisis is revealed in a report on a provincial treasury investigation of the department’s finances. The 15-member investigation team reported that when this financial year ended on 31 March next year the department would be R1.9 billion in the red, although education was allocated R22-billion, or about 46% of the province’s R48 billion budget.

“The report recommended freezing infrastructure programmes. There are 395 ‘unsafe’ schools in the province, including mud structures, which will cost an estimated R2.5 billion to replace.”

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Kei Rail: is the money running out?


MISHAPS & BLUNDERS

SIX KILLED IN BANGLADESH ACCIDENTSix people were killed and at least 50 injured when the Drutajan Express ran into a crowd of political activists on a crossing at Soidabad in the north western Sirajganj district. An angry mob set fire to the train after the accident and severely beat up the driver and crossing guard. Communication minister Syed Abul Hossain said senior railway officers are investigating, but he could not understand why a rally had been called on the line. According to the Hindustan Times, the activists alleged that the government deliberately tried to disrupt the rally by ramming supporters with the train and asked the people to “get prepared to oust the government”.

ZIMBABWE DERAILMENTTwo people including the driver died and four were seriously injured on 14 October when a goods train bound for Beitbridge came off the track in a truly spectacular accident near Bushtick, 58km south of Bulawayo. Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Tafanana Dzirutwe said the train derailed and landed on its left side, though the pictures suggest it was a little more complicated than that. Those trapped in the wreckage were rescued by Bulawayo City Council’s fire department.

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.

Note the loco chassis to the right of this photo, with the cab detached and little sign of the rest of the superstructure.


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PASSENGER DERAILMENT – EAST LONDONA passenger train derailed on 15 October between the Southernwood and East London stations. According to spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam, there were no injuries. Both tracks were blocked and all passenger service was cancelled, passengers being advised to make alternative arrangements.

AMTRAK BREAKDOWNOne of the fundamental drawbacks of the railway is the unavoidable seizing up of traffic if one train breaks down: the operator cannot simply drive around the obstruction. The problem is at its worst in large urban areas, where one incident can result in successive delays to hundreds if not thousands of commuters. A good example was the breakdown of an electrically-hauled Amtrak train in the morning peak south of Manhattan on 19 October. The intensive New Jersey commuter service into New York’s Penn station was badly disrupted until the disabled set could be removed.

On the previous day, a downed power wire in South Brunswick delayed trains headed for New York City for more than five hours.

TORNADO DERAILS 28 WAGONSTwo tornadoes touched ground at Bellemont, west of Flagstaff in the northern region of Arizona, early on 6 October. An eastbound container train was hit, derailing 28 wagons. Several semi-trailer trucks were blown across highways and dozens of homes sustained damage, though no casualties or injuries were reported.

FLOODS HIT RAIL IN NORTH CAROLINAFlooding that followed Tropical Storm Nicole in Eastern North Carolina was caused by record rainfall in several areas. The North Carolina Railroad Company NCRC), which

owns and manages the 507km line from Morehead City to Charlotte, carrying 60 freight trains and eight passenger trains daily, suffered three washaways between Dover and Havelock in Craven County, but within 36 hours trains were moving again. “Our priority is to keep freight moving and rail customers happy,” said Scott Saylor, NCRR President. “The tracks were repaired promptly and Norfolk Southern [the principal rail operator in the region] really came through for NCRC and the businesses and military installations that depend on our line.”

BOULDER DERAILS TRAIN On 10 October, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train hit boulders on the track about 37km south of Wishram, Washington state, derailing the leading locomotive. About 90 litres of fuel were spilled. Most of the 81 wagons were empty but in any event none left the line. No injuries were reported. The train was northbound towards the Columbia Gorge, en route to Pasco, Washington.

TRAIN HALTED FOR FUEL LEAKAn Amtrak passenger train to Milwaukee which left Chicago early on the morning of 30 September was stopped at Sturtevant station due to the locomotive leaking fuel.

The local fire department was called as a precautionary measure and charter buses arranged to take the passengers further.

LETABA COLLISION

At the end of July, a freak collision previously reported in this column occurred near Tzaneen in Limpopo province. A train headed by diesel loco 34 235 was waiting at Orangedene siding (3km east of Letaba) where citrus produce had been loaded. It could not proceed due to repairs taking place on the track ahead.

When the driver of the track maintenance vehicle reported that work had been completed, Polokwane control radioed

MISHAPS & BLUNDERS

Tornado damage at Bellemont, Arizona.

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The Scaw Metals Group (Scaw) is an international group, manufacturing a diverse range of steel products. Its principaloperations are located in South Africa, South America, Canada and Australia. Smaller operations are in Namibia,Zimbabwe and Zambia. Scaw’s specialist castings for the railroad industry include bogies used in freight cars,locomotives and passenger cars. Other products manufactured include:

Freight car castings:• Side Frames • Bolsters• Yokes • Cast steel monobloc wheels• Draw-gear components• Centre plates

Cast steel frames for locomotives:• Steerable locomotive frames• Mounting for electrical parking brakes and brakehangers• Traction motor end shields and suspension tubes in cast

steel, manufactured to customer requirements

Passenger car castings:• High speed, high stability radial axle bogies for motored

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including the fitting of bushings and wear plates• Integrally cast brake hanger brackets and mounting

for auxiliary equipment

Scaw has produced castings for the railroad industry since 1921and is a technological leader in this field and has participated in thedevelopment of unique designs such as the cast adaptor sub-frameassembly used in the “Scheffel” radial axle truck.

Scaw manufactures castings under licence to various licensors, butis an open foundry with the capability to undertake work accordingto individual customer requirements. The company has producedthousands of sets of steel castings for freight cars for both the localand export markets. These include side frames and bolsters thathave been approved by the Association of American Railroads foruse on North American railroads.

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permission for the train to depart. It appears that the maintenance truck had not been removed from the track, as the train struck it with some force, resulting in the death of four workers. Two others sustained serious injury and were hospitalised.

The crew of the train were not hurt.

WINDS & DOWNED TREES DISLOCATE TRAINSOn 30 September, high winds brought down trees causing lengthy delays to commuters in the Boston area of Massachusetts. A branch that hit high-tension lines in Hyde Park was a major problem. “It actually was hanging there for a while burning and then it fell to the ground, taking one of the wires with it, “ Boston fire deputy chief Joseph Fleming told the press. “About 12” Acela [high-speed] and north-east regional Amtrak trains were either cancelled or delayed, and “several dozen” commuter trains ran up to an hour late.

CONTAINER TRAIN DERAILSA Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train derailed on 14 October in Great Falls, Montana. Sixteen empty container flat wagons left the track, some toppling onto their sides.

RAIL SCRAP SOLD FOR $14,000On 5 August, USA police were told of material worth $14,000 being stolen from the North Coast Railroad company between the night of 28 July and the following morning. On 9 August, a second theft from the same property was reported. Access to the locked premises has been gained by driving a vehicle over a grass and sand berm at the adjacent premises of Ossipee Aggregates.

The Berwick Iron and Metal company produced receipts for the police showing that Corey M Poitras, 19, had turned in 2,680 pounds of steel on 29 July. Documentation at American Used Auto Parts indicated that Caitlin Hanrahan, 18, of the same address had produced 1,460 pounds of material on 9 August.

Both individuals were arrested and charged with stealing steel, iron and other metal materials and selling them as scrap. A search of Poitras’ vehicle uncovered additional receipts showing he turned in 1,541 pounds of material for $175.75, 660 pounds for $64.82 and 700 pounds for $68.50. Poitras already faced an earlier charge of trespassing on railway property.

CAR LANDS ON LINEAn elderly West Terre Haute (Indiana) couple was taken to hospital following what press reports described as a “single-vehicle accident” on the Interstate 70 highway. On 16 September, in the middle of the afternoon, “a 2000 Lincoln Continental driven by Marjorie Fields, 82, West Terre Haute, failed to slow down for traffic backed up at a construction

zone. The vehicle swerved toward the median and spilled down the embankment, between the guard-rail and cables, coming to rest near the railroad tracks east of Canal Road. Fields and her passenger, William, 83, were transported to hospital complaining of pains through their bodies. Both were wearing seat belts.”

FALLING SPIKESCSX Transportation officials hope that “better housekeeping” by their maintenance crews will eliminate the recent problem of heavy metal spikes falling from a bridge on downtown Cincinnati’s western riverfront. Spikes and large screws have been reported falling during routine maintenance on the bridge across the Ohio River “throughout the summer”.

According to CSX spokeswoman Carla Groleau, “when trains pass over the span, the vibrations can cause the items to fall.” Press reports told of “about three dozen metal railroad spikes and screws, each about six inches long and weighing several pounds” falling from the bridge, posing a “potentially serious threat to motorists or pedestrians passing beneath the span.” In March, inspectors rated the bridge’s overall condition as poor. They were not certain whether the objects had been left behind by maintenance workers or had worked themselves loose over time – a possibility that the railway discounted.

LOCOMOTIVE ON FIRERail traffic was halted for eight hours on 8 September when a locomotive hauling coal alongside the James River in Goochland County, Virginia, caught fire. Personnel from five counties fought the blaze but no injuries were reported. Mechanical failure is suspected as the cause. The CSX Transportation company estimated the cost of damage at $3 million.

LOCO & 21 OFF

In an early morning derailment on 13 October, a locomotive and 21 wagons left the track at Marche, a small community between Oak Grove and Maumelle in Arkansas. The Union Pacific train from North Little Rock was headed to North Platte, Nebraska. Three level crossings were blocked and “miles” of track were reported damaged, but no injuries were reported and there were no spillages.

BIG RIG IN NEAR MISS WITH TRAINOn 14 September, the driver of a “big rig” pulling a flatbed trailer loaded with green plastic pipes applied his brakes and steered right when he saw a train approaching a crossing in Churchill, Nevada. He had failed to slow down,

MISHAPS & BLUNDERS

Railways Africa / / /www.railwaysafrica.com

Coirey Poitras.

Caitlin Hanrahan.

Photo: Maumelle Monitor.


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despite warning flashlights and lowered barriers. His truck hit a section of guardrail and then a high pole assembly carrying warning lights. He managed to stop the vehicle before striking the westbound Amtrak passenger train. Pieces of debris struck the train, but no one was injured in the accident. The driver was cited for failing to use due care. The coaches suffered minor damage but the truck was less fortunate and had to be towed from the scene,

BLACK SMOKE IN SPOKANEOn 1 September, railway employees working with a high intensity cutting torch set fire to sleepers impregnated with creosote at Spokane in Washington state, creating a huge pall of black smoke visible all over the city. Flames leapt seven metres into the air, with firefighters from several fire stations responding. No one was hurt but the smoke was toxic and it blasted into the air for an hour.

METRO NORTH SUSPENDED DUE TO FIREOn 20 September, all service on the busy Metro North commuter line into Manhattan was suspended due to a fire beneath the bridge over the Harlem River, reportedly due to the explosion of a transformer adjacent to the track. The wooden pilings provided to protect against damage from boat traffic caught fire. Massive dislocation of passenger traffic ensued and the line was not reopened until inspectors were satisfied that the bridge structure had not been affected.

TRACK STOLEN FROM MINIATURE LINEMiniature railway track in the South Kitsap Community Park, Washington state, was damaged by vandals during late September and parts from some 12 metres of track were stolen. A representative of the Kitsap Live Steamers’ model railroad club said it would cost about $600 to repair the track.

[Kitsap County, population 231,969 in 2000, was named after Chief Kitsap of the Squamish tribe. With water covering 30% of the land area, it was originally known as Slaughter County. – Wikipedia.

PAARL CROSSING COLLISIONA woman who died when her car collided with a train at a level crossing in Paarl on 25 October appeared to have ignored all the warning signs prior to the accident, Western Cape transport MEC Robin Carlisle told the press. “It is extremely disappointing that some motorists continue to take risks by attempting to outrun trains when approaching level crossings,” Carlisle said in a statement.

“People need to realise there is no way they can outpace a train approaching a level crossing. They need to be patient to let the train pass and not take risks that put their lives and those of train passengers in danger.”

The woman, in her thirties, was on her way to work on Simonsvlei Road just before 08:00. According to emergency services spokesperson Kerry Davids, rescue personnel arrived on the scene at 08:02 and took nearly thirty minutes to extricate the body which was trapped in the smashed car.

MAN UP POLE DISRUPTS TRAINSAmtrak and South Eastern Philadelphia Transit Authority (Septa) regional lines through North Philadelphia were suspended for several hours on 25 October because of a man stuck 40 feet up a pole next to the tracks. The local fire department attended and removed the man, who was taken by paramedics to Temple University Hospital with electrical injuries.

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RAILWAY HERITAGE

Preservation is a vital part of the pictureby John Batwell

UMGENI STEAM RAILWAY, KWAZULU NATALEfforts to have the Dübs A no 134 (ex-NGR no 88) ready for the 150 years of railways celebrations proved impossible owing to limited resources and the extent of the work required. Initial attempts to celebrate the 150 years on 26 June itself were not successful with Durban City Council totally absorbed in World Cup matters. No 134’s boiler has been removed and placed on a DZ wagon to facilitate retubing. The cab and coal bunker have been outsourced for repair.

Umgeni has been caretaking the North British Locomotive Preservation Group’s Dübs A no 133 at Mason’s Mill. Gearbulk gave the group provisional shipping dates of 10–15 November. This is subject to a suitable vessel being available but all being well, the locomotive should arrive at Woking around the middle of December.

REEFSTEAMERS, GERMISTONOn 28 August, class 15F no 3046 was in use on the Magaliesburg section, now carrying the name “Janine”, after one of the regular footplate member’s daughter.

ROVOS RAIL, CAPITAL PARKThis operator runs its night dinner trains nowadays in the Tshwane environs using class 25NC 4-8-4 no 3533. The return of aged class 5E1 electric units to working order continues.

FRIENDS OF THE RAIL, PRETORIAFour of the Friends’ firemen have passed out latterly as drivers and have been putting in their hours over the months as trainees on the road.

SANDSTONE HERITAGE TRUST, FREE STATEEx-Angolan O & K locomotive no 12493 was due to have her steam test during October 2010. She is destined to travel to the Feldbahn museum in Frankfurt, Germany. The big shed at Ficksburg has gone to the farm and the Cape gauge locos and rolling stock that were based at Ficksburg are now headed for Kommandonek siding, which is under guard. Sandstone’s class 19D 4-8-2 locomotive no 2654 was to be steamed to assist with the relocation of the 1,067mm gauge collection.

SANRASM, KRUGERSDORPSome twenty-five locomotives and miscellaneous coaching stock have been identified as priority rescue items from the museum’s north and south sites. By October, 610mm gauge class NGG11 no 52, built in 1919 and the oldest

Garratt in South Africa, had been relocated to Sandstone’s Bloemfontein workshops. It is anticipated that the loco will be restored to working order over the next 18 months. An agreement with Sandstone is envisaged, in terms of which it will be seen by the public operating on their farm system. The moving of the loco in no way compromises Sanrasm’s ownership. The 1879-built former Natal Government Railways (NGR) Kitson tank locomotive no 13 is seen as “a must” for return to service in the light of its age and national monument status. The cutting up of the Chamdor dump (see July-August edition) reportedly generated the organisation some R1 million. Sanrasm’s executive is now largely a brand-new body.

NORTH BRITISH 15F MOVES INTO SCOTTISH MUSEUMNorth British-built class 15F no 3007 is now safely under wraps at the new Riverside Museum in Glasgow. The locomotive was moved into the new building during September. This took four days because the track panels needed to be placed and heavy rain hampered proceedings. Complex protection measures had to be maintained, because the final surface coat on the locomotive is a micro-crystalline wax that must not be exposed to water or heavy dust. So it was wrapped, then a complicated aluminium frame was constructed on the low loader, and another cover placed over that. The covers are to remain for the time being, In fact this protection is still on it in the new museum, to prevent any damage to the surface finish.

ZIMBABWEAN INDUSTRIAL LOCO PRESERVED IN CALIFORNIAOrenstein & Koppel 0-4-0T no 12708 of 1935, named “Buckeye”, has been magnificently restored in the USA by Peter Nott. The loco, which saw varied industrial narrow gauge service before ending up at the recreational Gwelo & District Light Railway in Zimbabwe’s Midlands in the sixties, has an all-new welded steel boiler, re-bored cylinders and valve seats, new tyres, extensive sheet metal work. Her condition now is far superior to that when she first left the factory, but every effort was made to retain her original appearance. A major deviation was the addition of a steam-driven compressor suitable for air-braked trains as well as a USA-style bell to satisfy the locals.

ANGOLAN STEAM CUT-UPThe steam dump at Catete on the Caminhos de ferro de Luanda (CFL) system has undergone a big cut-up. It was reported in October that a 150 class Henschel, a 2xx class Whitworth, a 500 class Beyer-Peacock Garratt and a 550 class Krupp Garratt were “blue-crossed” and one hopes

Railways Africa / / /www.railwaysafrica.com


RAILWAY HERITAGE

that these representatives may be spared torching for possible preservation at Muceques (where a 250 class Jung locomotive has already been accounted for). A shanty town next to what remains of the dump at Catete is obviously a major potential threat, similar to the Chamdor debacle in Gauteng, South Africa (see July-August and September-October editions of Railways Africa).

Nathan Berelowitz, one of Friends of The Rail’s four new trainee drivers, at the controls of Rovos Rail’s class 25NC no 3533 on a Tshwane dinner run.

Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0T no 12708 of 1935, named “Buckeye”, has been magnificently restored in the USA. Photo: P Nott.

Reefsteamers’ latest restoration, class 15F 4-8-2 no 3046, is now called “Janine”. Photo: A McCarthy.

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It had been a hellish hot day, travelling through Southern South West Africa. Many a life had been saved aboard our 16-coach train from Keetmanshoop by the dripping canvas water bags strung outside the train. These provided cool water at least, compared to the luke-warm slush in the glass receptacles in the train’s corridors. The cool water tasted of canvas but nobody cared.

In the Hendrie twin diner, the shutters were drawn, awaiting the trooping in for afternoon tea (by the brave or foolish) and cold drinks by most. There was barely enough ice left to offer everyone a chunk or two in their drinks. Heaven!

ON THE FOOTPLATESMeanwhile the four men up front on the footplates stoked, sweated and drove the two class 19Ds, swinging into curve after sandy curve as we neared Upington on the Orange River. Everybody on that train was longing for the evening town and its shaded platform where legs could be stretched again and perhaps a cooling breeze from the river would dry the perspiration and lift our spirits.

We had something cool to drink in the saloon where the late afternoon sun slatted through the wooden shutters, its beams sliding over the interior as the train twisted and turned. The windows were dropped as far as they would go and every now and then we heard the locomotives working on a gradient while the smell of train smoke wafted in, unwelcome for some, but manna for us. Then it was back down swaying corridors to our compartment, the railway odours of hot varnish and soft leather accompanying us.

We lifted the teak folding table: first the heavy side flaps, then the foot with oval mirror, clicking the whole contraption into its wall lock. Now the stainless steel basin lid was opened, to be fastened by means of a leather strap with eyelet. Then luke-warm, almost hot water was pumped from the tanks by depressing the little oval thumb-tap. Just the sound of water gurgling into the basin refreshed us. The distinctive smell of soot and steel and Lux toilet soap filled the air as we washed our hands and doused our faces. A few dabs with the red and white, SAR-inscribed hand towel completed the ritual.

By this time the sun was dipping towards the west and the scrubby bush of the Northern Cape was already beginning to throw long shadows. In the distance, lower down in the

tumbled rock formations of the Orange River basin, the first silver roofs of Upington beckoned, glinting. Now it was downhill for our enginemen and home with a cool bath waiting and supper prepared: supper richly deserved after perhaps a drink or two. We cantered through the sparse little industrial area, seeing the greenery that the river produced, contrasting so with the harsh browns of the Kalahari veld. As the station drew nearer we saw columns of black smoke rising and that old, familiar sense of excitement on entering a steam town with its shed and shunting trains swept over us again. Like seeing a good and trustworthy old friend again.

UPINGTONOur train slid slowly into Upington’s platform with the familiar ringing of the wheeltapper’s hammer, long cool shadows thrown by giant bluegums covering the station area. The platform was packed with people. As we rolled past there were shouts of greeting from some and from our train too, waving and many smiles. How I miss that sense of arriving in the heart of a town - so grandly and so personally! No impersonal luggage carousel to stand and wait by, no isolated room to arrive in, with weary, anonymous air travellers. No long drag afterwards from airport to home. The station belonged to the town and its people and was its heart and soul as well as its connection to the outside world.

On a summer platform at Upington there were sweet melons (spanspek) and water melons for sale. They were piled in neat heaps near the station building and a roaring trade ensued. Meanwhile, coal smoke drifted from the kitchen car’s chimney as dinner was prepared. It was another treat to look forward to as we crunched our way along the platform, enjoying the sociability. Many acquaintances were further strengthened on these long journeys where friendships were struck. South Westers (Namibians today) and people of the Northern Cape are naturally hospitable and easily trusting folk, so it was a jolly experience travelling on these trains. The dining saloon, which was the social gathering place, rang to the sound of fun and laughter.

PLATFORM STROLLWe walked to the northern end of the platform where it was quieter and listened as a train carrying locomotive coal for South West whistled and then struggled to get going, the two 19Ds slipping and hissing at first before they took control of their heavy load. Then we wended

The long trek to De AarPierre de Wet recalls a thirsty journey from Windhoek, 60 years agoPart 1 - Upington at sunset

TRAIN TRAVEL

GE U20C locos (former SAR class 33) at Keetmanshoop today. Photo: Jacque Wepener.

Upington station in 2003. Photo: Jacque Wepener.


Just then there came a whistle, different from our previous engines and from the direction of the sheds we saw the tank of a torpedo tender appear as it backed down onto our train, Just a single 19D to take us all the way to Prieska where a De Aar loco would be waiting for us. Another venerable 19D and its midnight crew. Perhaps not a happy midnight crew but being professionals, they would do their job and get our 17 coaches to De Aar safely. De Aar - a railway paradise in the middle of a vast Karoo plain with its all-steam shed and the massive presence of its big main-line steam, so contrasting with our long-branch-line locomotion.

But the 19Ds were not to be sniffed at. They had proved themselves over and over as being capable of hauling very heavy loads - massive loads in fact for a relatively small locomotive. I loved them for their looks and for their feats of haulage as well as for their belonging, as it were, to our countryside. Far away places, tucked away places - away from city life, serving farmers in outlying districts and isolated towns in underpopulated corners. They belonged to the savanna and Karooid veld of Southern Africa.

So now we looked upon the polished lines of the 19 instead of the dull cladding of a 7. Everything seemed to glisten and sparkle. The cab, the boiler, the engine numberplate, even the tender with its shiny wet smear where the tank had overflowed. She had received loving attention and the two enginemen on her footplate were proud of her. They looked dapper in their fresh blue overalls, the driver with the regulation SAR driver’s cap while the fireman sported a jaunty black beret. They looked happy. They weren’t tired, the evening air drifting up from the river was cool and they had full “kosblikke” (chow boxes) each polished to a high gloss, the driver’s copper-plated while the fireman’s had been chromed. Besides all this they were about to take out the “passenger” - still a prestige job back in the ‘50s.

Time to do some stoking. The spade rang, metal on metal as coal was scooped and laid carefully over a roaring fire. With the blower on, a murky brown-black column of smoke came roaring out of her chimney. The engine seemed to spring to life, its boiler humming and then a short while later the safety valve exploded as a column of steam shot into the evening sky. We heard the five-minute bell being rung. The driver leaned out of the cab looking for the station master with his flag. There was an intense sense of imminent departure and the lackadaisical attitude of a few minutes ago was replaced by urgency. We turned and hurried back to our compartment where we stuck our heads out of the window to enjoy our departure from this important stop. Our water tanks were full, the corridor water containers replenished, the kitchen car full to the brim with food and drink.

TIME TO GOTime for departure! The bell was rung once more and there followed a long, plaintive whistle from our single 19D. People on the train and on the platform waved, shouting goodbyes, and then they started drifting as our driver took his train smoothly away. We swished past the platform end and then past the sheds where a mass of black locomotion stood steaming, the shed tucked in under smoky bluegums and dull yard lights. Into the long, sweeping curve taking us onto the Orange River bridge, whistling long and urgently for the level crossing ahead and then the thumping rumble as we ran onto the red steel bridge.

Across the river, far away, lightning flickered, promising some relief from the heat and then we heard the gong sounding in the corridor for first sitting. That meant us and

our way to where it was all happening - the front end of our train.

Meanwhile, the kitchen car was being replenished with large chunks of ice being taken on board as well as drinks. It was a thirsty train this on its long, hot journey. We noticed the tables all laid with their white table cloths and silverware and the uniformed staff moving back and forth preparing for first sitting. There was a bit of shouting going on - probably the chief steward giving voice, making sure that everything was shipshape.

CHANGING ENGINESOur two Karasburg 19Ds, shimmering with heat and with their exhausted crews looking relieved, unbuttoned just as we arrived. With their boilers singing, they trundled away to take the sharp curve to the sheds just a little farther on. Our fresh loco was still not to be seen but on the line next to us stood a class 7 with its Pyle headlight glowing dimly. It had a balcony coach attached. We studied its ancient shape, the round spectacle cab windows, the long chimney and towering dome and the narrow, Spartan cab. To the crew working it that day, it was business as usual. Not for an instant in those days would the realisation that they were driving a Victorian museum-piece have entered their minds. For that matter, as a youngster, neither did that thought enter mine. Old it was certainly, but unique? No. Not then. Steam in all its guises was still too common on the SAR.

As if awakening for the first time, the 7 wheezed, spluttered

and coughed as the driver opened the regulator and then with soft, uneven beats it rolled with its charge backwards, stopped about 75 metres away, stood thinking there for a while as the points were changed and then propelled forward onto the platform line to attach the coach with a light thump. Vacuum pipes gasped and then once more we were entertained to its presence, the whine of its generator, a close-up of its cab with electric bulb aglow. Nothing was polished. Her brasswork was dull and grimy and her grey-blackness matt.

The yard lights were already beginning to reflect off the train as the fireman scraped coals together and fed the tiny firebox. The cab came alight and the coal tender turned orange. We watched as black smoke funnelled upwards from the tall chimney, dimming the arc light overhead. Then with a piercing whistle that made us jump, she pulled away and rumbled backwards to enter the shunting yards once again and a night of shunting, talking, drinking tea, eating sandwiches and catching the odd nap.

TRAIN TRAVEL

Retired class 7 4-8-0 at Upington. Photo: Guy Hausler (from Tracks across the veld).


so we slid our compartment door closed as our 19D worked mightily to haul us up the incline away from the river and our chef waited to treat us to his repast.

A class 33 diesel comes off the 1.067km Orange River bridge at Upington – a photo taken some 25 years after Pierre’s journey.

Sunrise over the Orange River at Upington. Photo: Hennie Heymans (from Tracks across the veld).

Karasburg to Upington. Map by Bruno Martin (from Tracks across the veld).

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TRAIN TRAVEL

Sales and rentals of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock.Repair/reconditioning of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock in our Pretoria West based workshop and on site.Repair/reconditioning of all locomotive and other rolling stock equipment (engines, bogies, turbo chargers, air and vacuum brake valves and auxiliaries, compressors and exhausters, couplers and draft gears etc.)Service exchange components for most major items on present day locomotives, which include traction motors, bogies, power packs, expressors and main generators etc.A full range of spare parts for locomotives and rail wagons, most of which are available off the shelf.Sales and rentals of electrical, mechanical and air jacking systems for the lifting of locomotives and rail wagons etc, on site.Operation and control of entire rail systems ranging from the maintenance of customers own locomotives and rolling stock to the control and transport of their products and the maintenance of their railway tracks and switch/signalling systems.

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OPERATIONS & WORKSHOP

No1 Frikkie Meyer RoadPretoria WestGautengRepublic of South Africa

Tel: +27 12 307-7251Fax: +27 12 [email protected]

HEAD OFFICE

P.O Box 40178Cleveland2022Republic of South Africa

93 Whitworth RoadHeriotdale, JohannesburgGautengRepublic of South Africa

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

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no mention is made of that. Steam in Action has been driving the process and many journalists, particularly those overseas who have recognised what is actually happening on the ground have mentioned the need to support Steam in Action because this battle is far from over. Voorbaai looms on the horizon.

As far as Sandstone is concerned I am a bit disappointed that you make no mention of the work that is being done. You probably don’t read Gert Jubileus’ weekly reports but you can view the latest one at:http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/railway-heritage/2ft-narrow-gauge/1751-steam-rails. I agree that much of this activity is trivial but it is positive and it is ongoing. – Wilfred E Mole - Sandstone Estates (Pty) Ltd

[Mr Mole appears to have said it all; sorry we caused him dismay. Heritage-page writer Batwell records that “some 25 locomotives and miscellaneous coaching stock have been identified as priority rescue items from the museum’s north and south sites by the group Steam In Action (SIA). The cutting up of the Chamdor dump driven by SIA reportedly generated the organisation some R1 million.” - Editor]

END OF THE LINE

CORRESPONDENCETHE 150TH – A POSTSCRIPT [Last year, to commemorate South Africa’s very first public train (Durban, 26 June 1860), the KZN Railway History Society and others approached the municipality with proposals. They suggested that KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize might welcome guests including national minister of transport Sbu Ndebele to a ceremony at Durban’s main station on 26 June. Other names put forward as important participants were mayor Obed Mlaba, Passenger Rail Agency of SA group CEO Lucky Montana and Metrorail regional manager Dumi Dube.

Due to Soccer World Cup goings on in the month of June, the functions were put forward to Heritage Day, 24 September.]

Dear editorIn the light of Phillippa’s comments [RA June page 1], it might interest you to know that trying to finalise the actual event on Heritage Day 24 September was a nightmare, with the folk invited and listed in her second paragraph failing to respond and in fact not one of them participated. We inserted names in cardboard on the two ceramic tile plaques. Tiles with the actual names are being arranged presently. We were very pleased with those who did take the trouble to come and I give you them for the sake of historical accuracy:

Head of international and governance relations in the Ethekwini municipality Eric Apelgren acted as master-of-ceremonies and Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo opened the proceedings. This was appropriate, as 2010 also marks the arrival of the first Indians in Durban. On Durban Station, Passenger Rail Agency of S A (Prasa) executive manager strategy and support Paul Zikhali and the deputy mayor unveiled the plaque commemorating the centenary of the unified rail system of South Africa, The plaque commemorating 150 years of the first railway at the old Point station was unveiled by Paul Zikhali and Ricky Bhikraj, port manager-Durban (Transnet National Ports Authority). – Michael Cottrell - convenor, Railway History

Society, Railway Society of Southern Africa (KZN branch).

S A NATIONAL RAILWAY AND STEAM MUSEUM (SANRASM) Dear editor [letter shortened]I was absolutely astonished to receive a copy of the July/August 2010 Railways Africa in the mail. I don’t know if it has been stuck in the post office or whether it has just gone out. Under Railway Heritage, I was totally astonished by what you said. You comment on the Chamdor disaster but make no reference to the work being done to try and save the items at the Randfontein site. Your comments that money has been donated for the repainting of NGG13 no 58 implies that everything is fine and things are proceeding as normal. The fact is that locomotive is badly threatened like all the rest and I am not sure if it was the intention to paint it before or after before thieves removed the axle boxes.

You also talk about Open Days which have been held. I can find no evidence of any Open Days. Have you been there? It looks like a scene from Hiroshima the day after the [atom] bomb landed.

An awful lot of good people have put their best foot forward here to try and save what is left but

Sandstone Heritage Trust collecting a 91-year-old class NGG11 Garratt at Sanrasm’s Randfontein site, for restoration at Bloemfontein. Photo: Mike Dyke and RSSA’s On Track.

Ballad to a 4-8-2Oom Stoffel van Zijl van Breda

Was a driver assigned to De Aar.But an engine named Susie

(A regular floosie)Made sure he’d not get very far.

Stilll, he shined her and polished her bright.In the town she was reckoned a sight.

Stoffel gave her her headBut then Susie saw red

For the rails had been nicked in the night.

ANOTHER CENTENARYSouth Africa wasn’t the only country celebrating railway longevity this year and issuing special commemorative stamps. On 28 September, the Hong Kong post office released a set of six stamps to mark the centenary of the first railway service connecting the island city and the mainland at Lo Wu, which commenced operation in 1910.

The special stamps feature different types of trains in use, both past and present: steam, diesel, electric, Mass Transit Railway (MTR) passenger train, Kowloon-Guangzhou through train and airport express. A noteworthy $20 “sheetlet” was also produced, using a sophisticated printing technique kmown as the lenticular process. This creates an illusion of movement in the featured steam train when the stamp is tilted.

A gift set comprising a souvenir sheet and model was also available for sale at post offices, based on locomotive no 51, one of the first two diesel locos in the territory and now a permanent exhibit at the Hong Kong Railway Museum. The set proved popular with philatelists, rail fans and the general public.

Information about this special stamp issue and philatelic products can be obtained from Hongkong Post’s website at www.hongkongpost.com.


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