raiways africa april 2010

RAILWAYS | HARBOURS | INTERMODAL | COMMUTER | MINING

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

Floorplan NOW OPEN! Call for papers.For further information, rates and booking details contact Phillippa DeanTel: +27 72 340 5621 Email: [email protected]

6 – 8 April 2011EXPO CENTRE – JOHANNESBURG

GM357 R&H 2011 - RAfrica Half pg Ad.indd 1 2010/05/17 10:19:47 AM

CONTRIBUTORSJohn Batwell

Paul Kilfoil

Dave van der Meulen

Jacque Wepener

Eugene Armer

Shall Ford

Richard Grönstedt

Richard Niven

Antonio Teixeira

PUBLISHERSPhillippa DeanBarbara Sheat

EDITOR Rollo Dickson

DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto

ADVERTISINGSue Klomp

SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan

SUBSCRIPTIONSRates for 10 issues per annum (2010)South Africa R464-75 (incl VAT)

Africa R593.35International R1 229.80

(incl. Foreign Exchange)

Send a cheque or money order to: Railways AfricaPO Box 4794RANDBURG 2125RSA

Or send an email to [email protected]

Af f i l iated Associat ions & Societ ies

Railways 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.

Unfortunately, if everybody’s wage were to go up 15%, the cost of living would get hopelessly out of hand. As it is, push up transport costs and you push up the price of everything. What bothers us is that rail’s market share has halved in recent times, with the number of jobs in the industry falling proportionately. The unions may have a case today, but what about tomorrow - and the day after that? Their members may well be earning more but there will be fewer of them. Continue this trend and the railways will price themselves right out of the picture.

Ever wondered why the United States and Switzerland (for example) are streets ahead of South Africa in the economic stakes? It could be that they work harder. Writing in the Johannesburg Sunday Times just a day before the Great South African Railway Strike, Marianne Thamm recalled two or three relevant figures from the 2009 World Competitiveness Yearbook. Published by the International Institute for Management Development’s (IMD) World Competitiveness Centre, it sounds as though it should know what it is talking about.

In terms of the IMD’s statistics, South Africans - Thamm concludes - “are not exactly the most productive people in the world.” The country’s economy ranked 48th out of 57 – barely nine from the bottom of the list. Our closest rivals were Turkey (in 47th place) and Russia (49th). The USA and Switzerland came in at nos 1 and 4 respectively, with Hong Kong and Singapore in between. It is no coincidence that they have outstanding railways - all four of them.

Thamm quotes another figure that goes a long way towards explaining South Africa’s poor showing on IMD’s scorecard: apparently labour disputes in 2009 resulted in “1.5 million working days being lost”.


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

Floorplan NOW OPEN! Call for papers.For further information, rates and booking details contact Phillippa DeanTel: +27 72 340 5621 Email: [email protected]


GM357 R&H 2011 - RAfrica Half pg Ad.indd 1 2010/05/17 10:19:47 AM

Contents

Comment

All About Track 2

Opinion: Pete the Pundit 16

Industry Comment 18

End of the Beginning 20

Africa Update 22

SA Rail News 26

Gautrain Update 28

Mishaps & Blunders 34

Railway Heritage 38

End of the Line 40

Superior Quality Ballast Ensures Extended Track Life > Page 2

Gautrain construction update > Page 28

The Development of Prestressed Concrete Sleepers in South Africa > Page 4

The ‘Gricer’ comes out of Hibernation in Winter> 8

End of the Beginning > Page 20

Rovos Derailment> Page 34

If it isn’t strikes, it’s demonstrations against poor service delivery, notably in the municipal arena, though other departments have little to be proud of – Home Affairs for instance. Health and hospitals are not doing well at all and electricity supply – to put matters bluntly - is shaky.

This year’s big railway strike came barely a month after a local downing of tools for 10 days at Metrorail in Cape Town, during which five coaches were set on fire and signalling was vandalised all over the place, severely disrupting service. What is going to happen when the patience of commuters finally runs out and they start protesting over indifferent – now that’s a kind word - service delivery?

The transport unions based their demands for a 15% pay increase on punitive rises in the cost of living. The official percentage comes nowhere near that, though arguably that Reserve Bank figure defies reality. Speaking at a media conference in Johannesburg, Transnet human resources director Pradeep Maharaj said the group had seen yearly wage increases about 10% higher than inflation for the past seven years, while the company’s productivity had decreased 4%.

Phillippa Dean

April 2010 RAILWAYS AFRICA 1www.railwaysafrica.com

ALL ABOUT TRACK

Superior quality ballast ensures extended track lifeThe type of ballast used in the rail industry has to conform to very clearly defined specifications. It is important that suppliers liaise closely with customers, to ensure that their exact requirements are fully understood and precisely fulfilled.

Having supplied Transnet Freight Rail, Metrorail and numerous private sector customers over many years, AfriSam - a leading supplier of ballast for railway purposes – was chosen to provide ballast for Gautrain. Stability and longevity of both track and ballast come under particular pressure with this project, which is to operate 24 four-coach trainsets at speeds up to 160km/hr for 18 hours a day. Sourcing precisely the right type of ballast was obviously crucial.

High quality 73mm dolomitic and doleritic aggregate for Gautrain ballasting is sourced from Afrisam’s Olifantsfontein and Rooikraal quarries. As a matter of fact, production of ballast at Olifantsfontein was started specifically to meet Gautrain’s special needs. The company’s ferro quarry in north-east Pretoria supplies ballast for general usage to Transnet and other parastatals. In addition, its quarry in Witbank supplies felsite ballast to the national railway.

“Ballast must be able to bear loads properly without breaking down,” explains AfriSam aggregates product technical manager Ray Bonser. “It must be of sufficient depth and closely packed beneath the sleeper, otherwise the sleepers will tend to move up and down as the wheels of the train pass over them, eventually causing the sub- grade to be disturbed.” This effect is particularly severe when concrete, rather than wooden, sleepers are used.

Ballast of the correct depth enhances the stability of the track, protects the sub-grade and resists abrasion and degradation caused by intermittent traffic loads.

MEETING ALL THE SPECIFICATIONS“Ballast must be free-draining,” Bonser continues. “This is measured by minimum percentage (40%) voids. It must be hard, strong, stable, easy to clean, workable, resistant to deformation, easily available and reasonably inexpensive. Angular stones are preferable to rounded ones since they interlock more readily, to inhibit track movement.” It stands to reason that softer materials, such as limestone, are not very suitable since they degrade under load when wet.

“However, fulfilling the correct specifications will be inadequate if the ballast is not properly deposited,” Bonser emphasises. “It must be piled as high as the top of the sleepers, with allowance for a substantial ‘shoulder’ to be placed at their ends. This shoulder - the only thing restraining lateral movement of the track - should be at least 150mm wide.”

Ballast aggregate is laid in its pure state with no additives to support it. Consequently, when supplying ballast to specific requirements, tight control must be exercised to ensure consistency in the quality of the stone. Afrisam uses appropriate screens to monitor the size and consistency of the aggregate.

“Ballast quality must be consistent, meeting stringent test requirements,” Bonser points out. His customers are provided with samples of aggregates for testing, such as grading, to check that the correct distribution of particle sizes is achieved.

Gautrain construction: ballast on the main-line.

RAILWAYS AFRICA April 20102 www.railwaysafrica.com

ALL ABOUT TRACK

Numerous tests are carried out to check different qualities of the aggregate, including the Flakiness Index, the Relative Density Test, the Los Angeles Abrasion Test, the Plasticity Index and the soundness tests.

MAINTENANCEHigh ballast pressures combined with dynamic traffic loads cause frictional wear of the stones, leading to the fracture of individual stones and a resultant loss of stability.

Tamping is one of the methods used to maintain rail lines. Unfortunately it can lead to an increase in the percentage of fine ballast particles (fines). An excess of fines, known as fouling, contributes to ballast degradation, and cleaning these fines becomes vital. Badly fouled ballast results in clogging and a reduced ability to drain properly. Debris is then sucked up from the sub-ballast, causing yet more fouling.

“It is not always necessary to replace all the fouled ballast, nor remove it for cleaning,” Bonser says. “Removing and cleaning ballast from the shoulder is often sufficient, provided that the shoulder ballast is removed to the correct depth.”

This cleaning, however, can be undertaken only a certain number of times before the ballast suffers damage to the extent that it cannot be re-used. When fouled track ballast cannot be corrected by shoulder cleaning, it must be replaced altogether. Thus, regular inspection of the shoulder is important.

Maintenance activities such as replacing sleepers, tamping and ballast cleaning may upset the stability of the shoulder, so after such maintenance, trains should run at reduced speed. Alternatively, machinery must be used to compact the shoulder again.

“The supply, installation and subsequent maintenance of the ballast should be a joint venture between the supplier and its customers,” Bonser stresses. Afrisam draws on decades of in-depth expertise in sourcing, manufacturing and supplying ballast that will promote the safety and stability of rail track over long periods of time without breaking down. As demonstrated in the case of Gautrain, the company is committed to finding specific solutions for its customers’ needs and is justly proud of its reputation for quality assurance and reliability.

Ballast being loaded.

Ballast at the Gautrain Midrand Depot (north end looking south). Ballast being compacted during the mainline construction.


ALL ABOUT TRACK

THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE SLEEPERS IN SOUTH AFRICA One of South Africa’s most successful and innovative civil engineering endeavours has been the development and manufacture of concrete railway sleepers. The product was first introduced to this country’s rail network over 50 years ago. From that time until very recently, one company – Infraset (formerly known as Grinaker Precast) – was responsible for the development and supply of most concrete currently in track. During the past half century, Infraset has pioneered several world-firsts in sleeper development, positioning it as one of the world’s most innovative sleeper producers – probably the leading one.

The replacement of timber sleepers with concrete was inevitable, with concrete in plentiful supply and hardwood a scarce and diminishing resource. The first concrete sleepers were introduced in 1958 when the South African Railways (SAR) placed a trial order for 30,000 Vagneaux twin-block sleepers with Grinaker Precast. The experiment proved successful and during the following year Grinaker secured its first major contract when the SAR ordered 550,000 concrete twin-block sleepers.

International expertise came into the picture in 1962 when Grinaker was granted licences to produce the Swiss Thosti-BBRV prestressed monoblock sleeper and converted its Brakpan factory from twin-block to monoblock sleeper production.

South Africa’s mining industry began using concrete for this purpose in 1966, when sleepers for a 610mm gauge, five-ton axle-load railway were commissioned. Unlike the state-owned rail network, no standardisation exists on mine railways. Over the years, this has meant that one of Infraset’s major challenges has been to cater for the many variations in gauge, axle-load and rail size, to the extent that today the company manufactures 25 different types of sleeper to accommodate the diversity.

Gauges used in South Africa vary from 610mm to 1,435mm and in some instances there are different gauges on the same mine, a situation which necessitated dual-gauge sleepers. Axle loads also vary greatly, from five tons – generally underground – to 30 ton loads on the iron ore railway to Saldanha.

Grinaker’s first international project got off the ground in 1968 when it constructed a factory in Malawi to manufacture 160,000 sleepers for the Lilongwe-Blantyre and Nkaya-Nacala (Mozambique) rail lines. Further international activity saw the spread of licensees in Australia, Brazil, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Durban was chosen for the location for Grinaker’s second South African sleeper factory - built in 1970 to supply material for both open lines and sidings – and it was during the 1970s that concrete became the material of choice for South African sleepers. During this period, the practice of welding rails into continuous lengths was widely implemented

Heavy-haul sleepers were produced from 1973, with 1.7 million being manufactured in a specially built factory at Saldanha Bay for the new 861km heavy-haul export ore line from Sishen. Two years later, Grinaker’s third factory was established, to serve the mines on the Free State goldfields.

A fourth sleeper factory followed in 1981. Located in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, it was commissioned to produce 1.68 million sleepers for the Richards Bay coal line, a process which took five years. During the 1980s, a factory was established at De Aar to meet requirements for sleepers and rail electrification masts in the western half of the country. Two companies were acquired during this period. Durabon, which had factories in Nigel and New Germany, was bought in 1984; and Candac Precast’s Westonaria factory was purchased 1985. The latter produced sleepers for 1:20 and 1:12 turnouts and stacker reclaimer sleepers for the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT).

INFRASET’S KOBUS BURGER: ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

Presenting its biennial Inland Achiever of the Year Award to Kobus Burger, general manager of Infraset Railway Products, the Concrete Society’s inland branch chairman John Sheath said the innovative concrete technology was world-class and deserving of fitting recognition.

The award was made for Burger’s leading role in introducing several new and innovative precast concrete products to South Africa’s rail network. These include seven new products for Gautrain, the Universal/Infrabolt concrete sleeper system, and two innovations for the Saldanha- Sishen ore line – the transition beam sleeper and a new concrete electrification mast and foundation system.

The winner is chosen, Sheath explained, by his contribution to the promotion of the use of concrete, and standards of excellence in its use. Candidates are assessed on the basis of usefulness, practicality, originality, aesthetics, cost-effectiveness and technical innovation.

During the ceremony, which took place at a Concrete Society breakfast at the Protea Hotel:Midrand on 6 November, Burger emphasised that all members of the Infraset team and associate companies played a part in developing the new products and systems.

John Sheath (left), inland branch chairman of the Concrete Society, presents an award certificate for the society’s Inland Achiever of the Year Award to Kobus Burger, general manager of Infraset Railway Products.


ALL ABOUT TRACK

Production during the nineties included the supply of concrete electrification masts and the development and supply of prestressed concrete retaining elements for RBCT.

CONCRETE MASTSConcrete electrification masts for overhead track equipment (OHTE) were manufactured in small quantities from 1991. In 2001, alternatives to Transnet’s existing foundation design and installation methodology were proposed in a successful tender for the electrification of the 238km Kimberley-De Aar line.

The new design, now Transnet’s standard, features in the current upgrading of the Sishen-Saldanha railway. The inert properties of concrete, which is entirely maintenance-free, are especially appropriate on the section running along the Atlantic coast for some 142km northwards from Saldanha, where sea spray quickly corrodes steel. Delivery of the new masts, which are to carry a supplementary feeder for the overhead traction supply, commenced in May 2009.

Durasafe, the reinforced concrete housing for high-value electrical equipment, was brought to the market in 1998 and during the same year a sleeper plant was supplied and commissioned to produce 150,000 sleepers for the new Bulawayo-Beitbridge railway.

At this time, Infraset developed special low-profile and signal concrete sleepers for use in tunnels during the change-over from steam to electric traction. These had to be produced to the same low-profile dimensions as timber sleepers.

TRANSITION BEAM In 2000, a rail transition beam was developed for the Richards Bay coal line, to smooth the difference in resilience between conventional ballasted track and that supported on concrete inside tunnels. (An imported Japanese product was previously used.) Second-generation transition beams, comprising 12 sleepers fused together in a single unit, were installed at either end of a tunnel near Elands Bay (92km from Saldanha on the line to Sishen) in 2009. These will substantially reduce the extent and frequency of maintenance.

Two additional sleeper factories were established by Infraset in 2001 – one in Tsumeb, Namibia, the other in Kafue, Zambia.

UNIVERSAL/INFRABOLT SLEEPER SYSTEMIn 2002, the first contract was gained to replace timber sleepers on turnouts using the universal concrete sleeper and dowel system. During the same year the company developed a special sleeper suitable for use on 1:7 double-slip crossover points for Metrorail.

Further development on the universal sleeper led to the introduction in 2004 of a new rail fastening system – Infrabolt - an innovation that greatly simplified the installation process. Infraset won three awards for this. In 2006 it gained a national award from the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) and in 2007, the system won the Fulton Award and the Holcim/Construction World awards. Both the universal sleeper and Infrabolt were world-firsts and have been patented.

A transition beam is offloaded for installation at the entrance to the tunnel at Elands Bay near Saldanha, on the ore line from Sishen.


Building the futuregautrain turnout assembly

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The system has enabled Transnet – which formerly assembled completely new turnouts off-site – to instal turnout sleepers in situ using existing rails, saving considerably on both cost and time. The fact that timber sleepers are no longer used represents a direct benefit to the environment. Universal sleepers are being supplied currently for the upgrading of 400 previously timber-sleepered turnouts annually.

During 2005, Infraset assisted Herso SA of Argentina in establishing a factory in Buenos Aires, to manufacture sleepers under licence.

GAUTRAINIn 2007, Infraset – competing with several European companies – was awarded the contract to supply concrete open-line and turnout sleepers for Gautrain, the new high-speed passenger line between Johannesburg and Pretoria. In meeting a number of technical challenges presented by this project – the first 1,435mm gauge railway in South Africa in more than 100 years – the company developed seven new products, including three completely new types of turnout, three new concrete sleepers and a low vibration block.

The time horizon was extremely tight, averaging no more than three months on each project. Together with a high level of technical complexity, this left no room for error or reworking. Despite having to source new moulds

and manufacture to very accurate tolerances and high performance specifications, all delivery deadlines were met.

The Gautrain turnouts include 1:9, 1:12 and 1:18.5 derivatives. The 1:18.5 was constructed with a cant/slope and seven different variants of the low vibration block.

It is especially noteworthy, being rated as one of the world’s most advanced turnouts.

One of over 1,200 prestressed concrete OHTE masts supplied by Infraset for the replacement of rusted steel masts on a ±30km rail link between Mtunzini and Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal.

The 1:18.5 turnout being assembled at VAE Africa in Isando. Developed and built by VAE using the LVT concrete blocks manufactured by Infraset, it is rated as one of the world’s most advanced turnout systems.

A Lennings Rail Services heavy-on-track sleeper replacement machine, the P190, replacing old concrete sleepers with new on the Sishen-Saldanha ore line.

Tel: +001 (450) 424 4112 Fax: +001 (450) 424 4026

730 Cite des Jeunes Saint Lazare PQ J7T 2BS Canada

[email protected] www.railroadbusiness.com

SAL“THE SUPERIOR” LOCOMOTIVE CONTROL UNIT

n The SAL system is applicable to any locomotive produced, such as GE, GM, Alstom, Bombardier and others.

n The Man Machine Interface (MMI) will be programmed to display in ANY language.

n The installation of the system will be adapted and designed specifically to customers requirements.

n Installed and operating successfully in Class 1 Railways on EMD & GE locomotives.

n Eliminates approximately 85% of relays in Electrical Cabinet. (Subject to locomotive manufacturer)

n MU, Control Stand, in engine room located sensors and devices, wiring harnesses are supplied.

n Required transducers and mounting hardware kits supplied.

n Complete system support by phone, web conference or on site by our Engineers.

n 20 years total system support.

n Ancillary hardware exchange within five (5) days.

n Applicable to all Multi-Engine (Gen-set) Locomotive Technologies!!

n The SAL system is the most advanced, complete and cost effective Locomotive Intelligent Monitoring system by Microprocessor and Telemetry through GPRS on the market today!

REAL DIESEL FUEL CONSUMPTION MEASUREMENT

DIGITAL EXCITATION CONTROL (MOTORING AND DYNAMIC BREAK)

COMPLETE POWER CONTROL

* SUBJECT TO LOCOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER

TOTAL LOGIC CONTROL DECREASING NUMBER OF RELAYS UP TO 85%*TELEMETRY THROUGH GPRS

z e i tz e i tFULL PROTECTION FOR DYNAMIC BREAK GRID

AXLE ALTERNATOR

MAN-MACHINE INTERFACE

EVENT RECORDER

SPEED MEASUREMENT AND LIMITING USINGAXLE GENERATOR

COMPLETE INTELLIGENT MONITORING SYSTEM BY MICROPROCESSOR

PROTECTION AND CONTROL OF AUXILIARY EQUIPMENTS (COMPRESSOR, BLOWER, AUXILIAR GENERATOR, ETC)

ADHESION CONTROL AND TRACTION MOTORS PROTECTION

COMPLETE ENGINE PROTECTION THROUGH SPEED, TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE MONITORING

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONWITH OPEN PROTOCOL

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WWW.RAILWAYSANDHARBOURS.COM

ALL ABOUT TRACK


Tel: +001 (450) 424 4112 Fax: +001 (450) 424 4026

730 Cite des Jeunes Saint Lazare PQ J7T 2BS Canada

[email protected] www.railroadbusiness.com

SAL“THE SUPERIOR” LOCOMOTIVE CONTROL UNIT

n The SAL system is applicable to any locomotive produced, such as GE, GM, Alstom, Bombardier and others.

n The Man Machine Interface (MMI) will be programmed to display in ANY language.

n The installation of the system will be adapted and designed specifically to customers requirements.

n Installed and operating successfully in Class 1 Railways on EMD & GE locomotives.

n Eliminates approximately 85% of relays in Electrical Cabinet. (Subject to locomotive manufacturer)

n MU, Control Stand, in engine room located sensors and devices, wiring harnesses are supplied.

n Required transducers and mounting hardware kits supplied.

n Complete system support by phone, web conference or on site by our Engineers.

n 20 years total system support.

n Ancillary hardware exchange within five (5) days.

n Applicable to all Multi-Engine (Gen-set) Locomotive Technologies!!

n The SAL system is the most advanced, complete and cost effective Locomotive Intelligent Monitoring system by Microprocessor and Telemetry through GPRS on the market today!

REAL DIESEL FUEL CONSUMPTION MEASUREMENT

DIGITAL EXCITATION CONTROL (MOTORING AND DYNAMIC BREAK)

COMPLETE POWER CONTROL

* SUBJECT TO LOCOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER

TOTAL LOGIC CONTROL DECREASING NUMBER OF RELAYS UP TO 85%*TELEMETRY THROUGH GPRS

z e i tz e i tFULL PROTECTION FOR DYNAMIC BREAK GRID

AXLE ALTERNATOR

MAN-MACHINE INTERFACE

EVENT RECORDER

SPEED MEASUREMENT AND LIMITING USINGAXLE GENERATOR

COMPLETE INTELLIGENT MONITORING SYSTEM BY MICROPROCESSOR

PROTECTION AND CONTROL OF AUXILIARY EQUIPMENTS (COMPRESSOR, BLOWER, AUXILIAR GENERATOR, ETC)

ADHESION CONTROL AND TRACTION MOTORS PROTECTION

COMPLETE ENGINE PROTECTION THROUGH SPEED, TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE MONITORING

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONWITH OPEN PROTOCOL

GM

291_AP Presslink

GM291 RMR_Zeit Advert_Full Page - ENGLISH.indd 1 2009/10/21 07:04:11 PM

FASTENING DOWN THE RAILSFor a great many years, flat-bottom rails were secured to timber sleepers with dog-spikes: this was the norm across North America. Alternatively rails were held in place by heavy iron or rolled steel base-plates with nut-and-bolt fastenings. Steel sleepers were widely used in Africa, being termite-resistant and virtually maintenance-free. Britain favoured bull-head steel for a long time, supported in cast-iron chairs bolted to the sleepers, and this practice is still evident in much of the UK today.

Several years before World War II, Max Rueping - a German engineer – developed a resilient, “elastic” spike for use with flat-bottom rail. Satisfactory performance tests in Britain were written up in the Railway Gazette of 14 May 1937, and in October the Elastic Rail Spike Company was incorporated in the UK to distribute the product.

The spikes or nut-and-bolt fastenings used to secure flat bottom rail in most countries - on all gauges and types of line - were far from ideal in maintaining correct gauge or other performance characteristics. The ready market for the elastic spike was quickly recognised by Stewart Sanson, a Scottish railway engineer who was appointed manager of the new company. Coining the slogan “export or die”, he initiated a determined and comprehensive marketing campaign.

The initial export drive was aimed at Africa, followed by the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South America and the Far East, and orders for track for testing purposes soon flooded in. After a delay during World War II – when there were restrictions on travel and a shortage of steel to manufacture the fastenings - business forged ahead. In 1946, a plant at Worksop was acquired to manufacture the spike.

In 1947, the Malayan Railways adopted the elastic rail spike as standard - the first overseas railway to do so. In 1949, British Railways began a changeover to flat-bottom rail, specifying the elastic spike as one of two standard fastenings. Bullhead rail supported in the traditional chairs is still to be found on secondary routes in the UK however

By 1958 it was estimated that over 20 million elastic spikes had been produced, with overseas companies set up in Australia, South America and Africa. Angola’s Benguela Railway was a prominent user.

In the 1950s, the growing interest in welded rail and concrete sleepers had Sanson investigating alternative and more appropriate methods of fastening. In 1957, he was shown a new spring-clip fastening developed by Per Pande-Rolfson, a design and standards engineer at the Norwegian State Railways. Sanson immediately recognised this (a hand-forged prototype) as superior to anything else he had seen, and quickly took it up.

Pande-Rolfson’s principle proved to be the solution to many track problems, offering ease of installation, minimal maintenance and prevention of rail creep. By 1966 it had been adopted as standard by British Railways, not only on wooden sleepers, but on concrete as well, using a special malleable cast-iron shoulder cast into the sleeper during manufacture. Overseas, manufacturing plants were set up in Australia and Southern Africa.

Steel sleepers were also successfully designed to accept the Pandrol clip. For instance, the Nigerian Railways used it in a rehabilitation programme, and it proved a boon in Australia’s northern territories. Being virtually maintenance-

free, work was reduced to a minimum in the harsh, hot and arid climatic conditions where there were problems getting staff to work.

By the time Stewart Sanson retired in 1969, the clip had penetrated the Iron Curtain in the form of a test length in Romania, and by the end of 1971 over 67 million “Pandrol” “PR” clips had been produced - a figure that grew to over 350 million by 1986.

Today there are some 1,450 million Pandrol rail fastenings in service.

THE “e” CLIP During the 1970s, the “e” clip was developed. This featured a greater toe load but used less metal, meaning lower cost than the original “PR” clip, despite retaining all the advantages of the original design. It was first installed in South Africa, where it is estimated there are now over 129 million in use, and is to be seen currently in over 110 countries around the world.

A range of installation equipment has been developed for installation of the clips. To suit the varying needs of different railways, both manual (“Panpuller” and “Pansetter”) and mechanical (“Pandriver”) equipment – manufactured in both Britain and Australia – are supplied. These can mechanically instal and extract up to 4 clips simultaneously per sleeper.

The company has been instrumental in developing many track components with which the clips are used. These include malleable iron and pressed steel shoulders and a variety of insulators - including a heavy duty version for use on North American heavy freight railways.

COMPLETE TRACK SYSTEMBy the beginning of the 1980s, it was appreciated that track needs to be seen as a complete system rather than a collection of individual components. This led to more fundamental research into track and particularly its

ALL ABOUT TRACK

Ian Victor, Managing Director of Pandrol SA (Pty) Limited.


dynamic behaviour in traffic. The laboratory at Worksop was extended and equipped with loading frames and servo-hydraulic, computer-controlled actuators, up to 500kN in capacity. Equipment was provided for dynamic excitation and frequency spectrum analysis, with multi-channel FM tape and recorders, a recording UV oscillograph, a data logging system, and a range of electronic test equipment.

An important development was the resilient rail pad for use on concrete sleepers. This followed extensive testing of a wide range of shapes, sizes and types of elastomeric material, especially to suit track carrying high-speed traffic where special problems arise due to high dynamic forces.

THE FASTCLIPFirst introduced in 1994, the Fastclip is a “switch-on, switch-off” system developed in response to a growing need for fast, low-cost track installation and reduced maintenance cost. Pre-assembled at the sleeper manufacturer’s plant, the clips, complete with toe insulators, are installed in the ‘”parked” position, where they hold the side post insulators and pads in place mechanically. All components are transported to site captive on the sleeper and can be installed by a variety of methods with very high application rates and minimal labour.

The Fastclip FD railway fastening has been developed to support main-line track and traffic conditions where levels of dynamic loading, tractive and thermal forces are not as high as those found on typical high-speed and heavy-haul railways. It offers economic solutions for low-density railway operations on rail sections up to 50kg, speeds up to 120km/h and maximum axle loads of 20 tonnes.

The Double Fastclip (DFC) system has been specifically developed as a non-bolted, resilient base-plated system that delivers substantial maintenance benefits appropriate to high-volume, mass rapid-transit systems where maintenance opportunities are limited and operational disruption costly. The maintenance benefits include visible components (none threaded) for easy inspection and high electrical insulation through two double-insulation layers. An adjustable version is available to accommodate construction tolerances and rail wear.

BASE-PLATES Base-plates, made of cast iron or pressed steel, increase the bearing area and hold the rail to the correct gauge. Coach screws are used to fasten base-plates to wooden sleepers. The part of the cast iron base-plates on which the rail rests is preset at a 1:20 cant, tilting the rail inwards from the vertical.

CHECK-RAILS Check-rails are used on sharp curves to reduce excessive wear on the high leg and help prevent derailments. A system developed in conjunction with Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) for use on concrete sleepers was first installed in 2004 along 2km at Waterval Boven in Mpumalanga. Additional upgrading has been carried out subsequently in the same area.

MINE CLIP Developed specifically for the underground mining industry, the mine clip is delivered on site together with the concrete sleeper in sleeper sets. This eliminates the need for separate bags of clips, pads and insulators, so reducing wastage and inventory levels. Installation can be accomplished quickly and efficiently using an ordinary 4lb hammer. The clip can be inserted in either direction and is reversible if overstressed.

FIST Originating in Sweden, the Fist rail fastening system comprises a spring steel clip, rail pad and insulated retaining pin. It is used extensively on Southern African surface rail lines, notably in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia, and also in South America and Australia. The largest project in the Southern African region was the 861km Orex (Sishen-Saldanha) heavy-haul line. The Pandrol company acquired the Fist manufacturing facilities in 1997.

ALL ABOUT TRACK


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During the construction of the Richards Bay coal line, specially designed trolleys equipped with scissors-type elevating platforms were imported to assist with the construction of the overhead structure – see Figure 5. However, these were not deployed for maintenance work, once the line was completed.

Since the early 1990s, a number of different machines have been supplied to the railways. The equipment fitted ranged from electrical or pneumatic tools to high-pressure washing equipment for cleaning insulators. Other features included AC power supply, lighting, cranes, air supply, mobile earthing points, storage space and a rake of other facilities to make overhead equipment maintenance more efficient, reliable and safe.

One aspect of overhead maintenance that received little attention in South Africa was the mechanised installation and/or replacement of the actual contact wire.

However, some depots did contrive home-made equipment to assist with this. Though rudimentary in character like the other makeshift trolleys, much ingenuity was evident and deserves credit. The principal disadvantage was the need for motive power to move the unit along the line. Allocating a locomotive for this purpose – especially when these were in short supply - was an inefficient and costly business.

Until comparatively recently, relatively low wear on contact wires and the infrequency of new construction (or even line upgrading) did not justify the acquisition of specialised equipment. The current phenomenon of cable theft has changed this situation dramatically. The stealing of contact wire has become endemic in South Africa and hardly an evening passes without an incident occurring. It is conservatively estimated that around 80km of contact and/or catenary wire is stolen annually at present, at a

Mechanised Installation of Overhead Contact Wire

Maintenance of the overhead electrical structure is probably one of the most tedious of all rail-related procedures. Though means to mechanise this work was developed in Europe as long ago as 1981, in South Africa it remained labour-intensive (see Figure 1) until as recently as the early 1990s. This was when Plasserail supplied Spoornet’s first mechanised on-track overhead maintenance machine – see Figure 2.

At different times, local maintenance depots did put together on-track trolleys equipped with platforms for easy access to the overhead structure – see Figures 3 and 4. These achieved their purpose with varying degrees of success, but were in the main rudimentary, generally unreliable and lacking features really suited to the job in hand.

The first mechanised track maintenance machine to arrive in South Africa was a tamping machine supplied by Plasser & Theurer in 1957. Plasser Railway Machinery (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, trading as Plasserail, was established two years later as a partner of Plasser & Theurer, a relationship which still exists today. Recently however, Plasserail changed its registered name to Plasser South Africa (Pty) Ltd, to bring it in line with the other Plasser & Theurer partners across the world.

Figure 1:Traditional overhead equipment maintenance depended largely on the conventional ladder.

Figures 3 and 4: Trolleys and other vehicles converted by railway depots for use in overhead maintenance.

Figure 2: The first on-track overhead maintenance machine - MOM002, which worked in East London in the early 1990s.

Figure 5: Trolley with scissors platform used during construction of the coal line.

ALL ABOUT TRACK


where traffic is heavy, in particular Gauteng, where the incidence is highest. The whole of the greater Gauteng area can in fact be serviced with just two or three contact wire machines, their first cost quickly justified by their efficiency and rapid installation time.

Many different models of contact wire installation machines are available today. An example ideally suited to South African circumstances is the Plasser & Theurer CEM 100.121. It has the following main features:

(i) A hydraulically powered storage drum holder; and

(ii) Four friction winch reels (two in pairs) which are electronically controlled to unwind the contact wire at the final operating tension. Three of the four friction winch reels have a separate drive system. The actual wire tension is measured on one reel, using a wire resistance strain gauge.

(iii) A telescopic lifting mast with guiding roller head which lifts the cable to the final height of the installation.

(iv) The storage drum, friction winch reels and telescopic lifting mast, collectively referred to as the winch unit, is mounted to a slewing and tilting table which provides the lateral reach for the contact wire to instate the stagger.

(v) An auxiliary cable winch is provided to feed the contact wire through the friction winch reels and to pull it toward the attachment points on the mast pole at the beginning of the process.

(vi) An elevating work platform with operating controls provides access to the overhead structure for attaching the contact wire to the mast poles and to hang temporary suspension wires to keep the contact wire in position. To reach the mast pole, the elevating platform can be swung freely in both directions.

(vii) A driver’s cab at one end provides seating for all the staff, the driving and operating controls and the central on-board computer which controls all systems.

WORKING METHOD:

Once the full drum of contact wire is in place in the drum holder, the auxiliary cable winch is used to reel the wire through the four friction winch reels and through the rollers of the telescopic lifting mast.

The new contact wire can now be spliced with the end of the existing contact wire or the auxiliary cable winch can again be used to pull the contact wire towards the mast pole where it can be affixed to the tensioning device. The telescopic mast is extended to find the required height of the contact wire.

The target data such as the desired contact wire tension is entered into the central computer using an interactive monitor with touch screen.

The actual contact wire tension is measured at the one reel with the strain gauge and compared with the desired

rate of more than two thefts each night, i.e 700 per year. Replacing the contact wire is laborious and dangerous, being carried out most often using ladders and frequently in the dark. The resultant delays to rail traffic are invariably lengthy and extremely disruptive.

Over the years, a number of different contact wire installation machines have been developed, all of which greatly improved the efficiency and safety of the task. The fact that Plasser & Theurer machines instal the wire at its final required tension is a significant advantage, meaning that the work can be completed safely and in a far shorter time than by other means. In Europe, the installation of overhead wires by the latest Plasser & Theurer machine has enabled track occupation times to be cut by as much as 80%, even though mechanised methods were already in use.

There are disadvantages, however. An obvious problem occurs on long stretches of single line, notably in outlying country areas, where machines are unable to negotiate around trains stuck in the section. On the other hand, identified “hotspots” for cable theft occur mainly in places

Figure 7: MOM018, a smaller but very versatile machine with many features helping to make overhead maintenance efficient and safe.

Figure 6: MOM008, one of two identical machines working on the coal line, equipped with two raised platforms.

ALL ABOUT TRACK


tension. The central computer will produce a hydraulic pressure correction on the individual drive systems of the three friction winch reels. This enables a very sensitive controlled build-up of the wire tension from reel to reel in an adjustment range from 3kN to 30kN for the final wire tension. The set target value and the measured actual value can be monitored continuously on the computer screen in the cabin. All the values can be stored as a record of the work performed.

The most critical period for causing over or under tensioning of the contact wire is when the machine starts moving. This could lead to damage to the contact wire or even wire breakage. The CEM 100.121 therefore has an electronically controlled starting sequence which is automatically initiated when the machine operator selects forward motion for the machine. With the machine’s brakes still engaged, the hydraulic pressure in the drives of the friction winches begins to build up until the required wire tension force is reached. At this point, the machine’s brakes as well as the brakes of the friction winches are released automatically.

The combined assembly of storage drum holder, friction winch reels and lifting mast on the winch table enables synchronous slewing movements for the installation of the contact wire stagger. This rules out any bending or twisting of the wire.

As the machine moves forward at a constant speed, staff on the elevating work platform can attach the temporary suspension wires to keep the contact wire in position.

Once the machine reaches the end of the span, the contact wire can be attached to the tensioning device. A simple, self-propelled elevating platform is required to follow close behind the installation machine to attach the droppers (suspension wires for the contact wire) behind the machine. Once the installation is complete, the line can be opened at normal operating speed.

Figure 8: Overhead maintenance and installation train with fold-down safety rails. Figure 9: Rudimentary drum holder with friction braking system.

(iv)(iii)

(iv)(iii)

( i)(vi)(vi)

(i)(i)(ii)

( )(ii)(vii) (ii)(vii)

(v)(v)

Figure 10 : Main features of the CEM 100.121.

Winch for reeling out the contact wireWinch for reeling out the contact wire

Figure 11: Reeling of the contact wire around the friction winches.

Figure 12: T Plasser & Theurer CEM 100.121 Overhead wire installation machine.

ALL ABOUT TRACK


Committed to our clients’ success

20 Lautre Rd, Stormill, Roodepoort PO Box 103 Maraisburg, 1700Tel: (011) 761-2400Fax: (011) 474-3582Email: [email protected]

• Track Renewal

• Rail Planing

• Rail Welding

• Ballast Profiling

• Track Construction

• Turnout Replacements

• Formation Rehabilitation

• Track Condition Evaluation and Analysis

• Track Condition Measuring and Recording

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CD448 Plasserail - RAadv.indd 1 2/9/09 1:25:33 PM

OPINION

PETE THE PUNDIT muses overNDEBELE’S 3HR EXPRESS TO DURBAN There’s nothing like an overseas jaunt for giving one expensive ideas. South African transport minister Sibusiso Ndebele, returning recently from China - where high-speed trains are the rage - lost no time deciding he wants one too. He has in mind a Johannesburg-Durban express that will take three hours instead of twelve. At a media briefing ahead of his budget vote in parliament on 13 April, he promised to ask cabinet approval for a feasibility study.

This must have the best news the consulting world has heard since Gautrain. Now Gautrain is costing a healthy R25 billion for 80km. Johannesburg to Durban is roughly nine times longer, but chances are it will cost a great deal more billions than R25 x 9. For starters, in addition to passengers, it is going to have to carry freight, whose current time-scale is counted in days rather than hours. In the main, container trains are involved, and the biggest current impediment to volume, quick turn-round and viability is not the narrow gauge but restricted clearance at the top.

In America, the railways are able to double-stack their container trains because few main-lines have overhead wires to get in the way. Agreed, tunnels here and there were a problem, but the engineers got round that by raising the ceilings, or lowering the track. And it’s true that India manages double-stacked containers on electrified lines.

Their masts are that much higher than usual (a bonus that probably puts the wires out or reach of vandals) and the pantographs are like giant tentacles, clawing up into the sky.

We need to go that way too, but there’s one other small thing to bear in mind. It’s called topography, and to tell the truth that gets pretty formidable, the nearer you get to Durbs. Fact is, a three-hour, high-speed line would probably wind up in tunnel for much of the final 500km – from the Drakensberg onwards, say. As it happens, a great deal of the present line is in tunnel, but the bits outside twist and turn, putting paid to any thoughts of speed.

Well, 15km of the Gautrain route is in tunnel, so let’s work on something about 30 times longer. Rough calculations look like coming in around R869 billion for the lot, all-in. To put R869 billion in perspective, the latest official figure for the country’s backlog in road maintenance is R75 billion and we haven’t been able to find even a fraction of that.

So here we are, back at square one – and the bottom line is: a three-hour train to Durban is a great but very costly idea.

Here’s another: let’s get China to pay for it. Isn’t that what the rest of Africa does?

Profile: 600km of the existing Durban-Johannesburg main-line. There are 27 tunnels, the longest 6km.

Double-stack container train in the USA (No overhead wires).

Super-tall masts, and loco with high-reach pantograph, permitting double-stack container trains under the high wire. Photo: Indian Railways.

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

WHAT IS PERMANENT WAY?As railway people and some external stakeholders well know, the term permanent way refers to the design, construction and maintenance of every type of rail track. In the early days, the permanent way was indeed almost the sum total of railway infrastructure. Except for limited earthworks, light axle-load railways came to be laid on the right-of-way as is. Imposing viaducts, such as those of Gautrain, and long tunnels, only came later. For many railway people, and several key stakeholders, the term permanent way has also connoted longevity. Indeed, in much of Africa, permanent way dating from the late 19th/early 20th centuries still underpins current networks. The writer also recognises significant additions in the interim, most notably the Tazara Railway from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, a few mineral export railways, South Africa’s heavy-haul export railways (Sishen-Saldanha for iron ore and Ermelo-Richards Bay for coal) and expansion and new works in standard-gauge North Africa.

COLONIAL STANDARDSColonial powers built railways to substantially lower technical standards than those prevailing in their home countries, reputedly to minimise costs. Their reasoning was very likely true in a short-sighted sense, but it is difficult not to attribute the largely unenviable state of Africa’s present transport network to the accumulated cost of foregone opportunities, and to the discounted cost of future remediation, associated with colonial railway standards. Although some railway routes have been substantially upgraded by easing gradients, widening curves, doubling track, and electrification, many remain as built, and narrow track gauge and associated light axle-load, low speed, and restricted vehicle profile, have compromised the competitiveness of the countries they serve in global economic competition among nations. Thus while colonial railways may have served their intended purpose, by global standards of economic contribution, their legacy now leaves much to be desired.

While there has been some progress over the years, there has also been concurrent decline. A dipstick measure of sustainability is the number of new locomotives routinely acquired to replace those that can no longer support continuously rising commercial demands. Africa has not fared well by this measure, and new locomotives have become a comparative rarity. Declining activity on railway lines themselves has reflected this. In South Africa, branch line traffic declined first, in the 1980s. Next, high-value general freight shifted to road, in the 1990s. Ultimately, heavy bulk commodities started shifting to road in side-tipper interlinks, in the 2000s. Similarly, legacy passenger rail also appears unsustainable. The shift to road has of course caused intolerable congestion, diminished safety, and problematic maintenance, on the road network. Recently, Jeremy Cronin, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Transport, asserted that the rail freight system is fraught with serious performance challenges. Few would dispute that assertion.

KEY QUESTIONSWhile many factors have driven the present outcome, and this short piece does not set out to address them, thoughtful observers must question the permanence of the permanent way. While the global railway renaissance has produced an abundance of goods and services to support robustly competitive railways, from an African perspective most of

them would seem to be beyond reach. One plausible response would be to question whether the permanent way, or even the railway as many people know it, is indeed permanent. Some explanation will add insight. Note that landforms on the African continent are similar to those on most other continents - predominantly rugged coastal belts with generally easy interiors, the latter being interspersed here and there by sizeable mountain and river systems.

In serving their colonial objectives, many of Africa’s railways came to be built from a port to a hinterland. To this day, many of them remain stand-alone systems, without hinterland network linkages to other systems. By contrast, railways in renaissance look toward opportunities stretching to continental or global horizons, to exploit the increasing economic returns that associate with large-scale networks (think internet for a topical illustration). Unfortunately, most of Africa’s stand-alone railways cannot confidently aspire to extensive networking.

A related challenge is that non-networked African railways must traverse proportionately more rugged terrain than those on continents that have developed intra-continental networks: Therefore, they typically feature proportionately more steep gradients and tight curves. Road transport, which emerged later in the 20th century, is less sensitive to gradient and curvature: It was therefore able to exploit more direct routes which, together with vehicles less long-lived but closer to state-of-the-art than railway rolling stock, in time developed a substantial competitive advantage over colonial-standard railways.

Along the way to establishing what would eventually become a worthy national road network, father Andrew and son Thomas Bain built many masterpiece South African mountain passes - admired relics that nowadays contribute little to the economy other than as tourist attractions. From those tortuous beginnings, administrators progressively upgraded the road network, until eventually they built motorways on heavily trafficked routes in countries such as Algeria, Morocco, and South Africa.

By contrast, much of the original rail network remained unimproved. A little known nugget is that Thomas Bain built the railway line through the Nuwe Kloof near Tulbagh in the Western Cape, between 1873 and 1874. While his mountain passes have long been superseded, Thomas

How permanent is Permanent Way?Dave van der Meulen, managing member, Railway Corporate Strategy CC

Rockfall on the permanent way in Eritrea. Photo: Richard Grönstedt.


INDUSTRY COMMENT

Bain’s Nuwe Kloof route is still a key element of what some think of as the “underutilised” Gauteng-Cape Town rail route. Reflecting on the development disparity between rail and road, it is evident that the rail route is no more underutilised than Thomas Bain’s mountain passes of the same era. While the road system has developed in sync with the demands of commerce, much of the rail system has become obsolete. To return to the Nuwe Kloof, while the railway line still follows the original alignment, the road was first widened, later replaced by a new alignment on the opposite bank of the river, then largely displaced by the Du Toits Kloof pass, and ultimately relegated to local traffic by the Huguenot tunnel.

A PROGNOSISThree of the four naturally competitive railway applications that underpin the global railway renaissance (heavy-haul, double-stacking, and high-speed intercity) require standard gauge to achieve their full potential. The fourth, urban rail, can make do on narrow gauge, although it undoubtedly benefits from the rolling stock standardisation advantages of standard gauge. Can existing railway infrastructure in Africa support a renaissance? Evidently not yet, but what needs to change?

For permanent way, a fundamental question is how far can one extend the life of existing assets, and at what time should one migrate to new infrastructure built to contemporary standards? Further investment in the maintenance, and possibly even upgrading, of existing permanent way may be justifiable at the margin. However, from a long-term perspective, one should not expect an obsolete, unsustainable railway network to support the level of economic growth that underpins the ascent of vigorously competitive nations.

Consider first a cluster that can potentially rise to the stature of the G7, the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). There is no African country among them. The Next 11 cluster includes two African countries. However, although South Africa shares many economic indicators with the Next 11, it is not among them. One key differentiator of the Next 11 is economic growth. Their 2009 economic

growth in descending percentage order is Bangladesh 5.7%, Egypt 4.5%, Indonesia 4.4%, Vietnam 4.4%, Nigeria 3.8%, Pakistan 2.7%, Iran 2.6%, Philippines 1.6%, South Korea -0.8%, Turkey -5.8%, and Mexico -7.1%. Many countries in these clusters have considered revitalising their railways, including Egypt and Nigeria, and some have actually commenced doing so. The challenge for South Africa, with negative growth in 2009, and several other countries in Africa, is self-evident.

Kenya has sprung an interesting African surprise that many will watch carefully. Its government has requested proposals to design a new standard gauge line from Mombasa via Nairobi to Malaba. The existing metre-gauge railway can no longer support the economic growth it anticipates, and the time has come to update infrastructure to good global standards. Time will of course tell whether the project proves viable, but it does represent the first step of recognising colonial railway constraints and breaking free from them.

CONCLUSIONIt would appear that permanent way in Africa might be less permanent than some have believed it to be. As railways strive to maintain their infrastructure, the time has come concurrently to think of a future railway network that could be very different from the status quo. Narrow-gauge axle-load, speed, and lateral- and vertical clearance, no longer cut it in aggressive competition from other transport modes. It may be workable to recycle or upgrade some legacy infrastructure to contemporary requirements. More likely, routes that address contemporary and future logistics and mobility challenges could follow different or revised alignments, and even make different network connections. Some existing lines, and possibly many existing lines, could disappear altogether. Several are indeed already well on their way to disappearing.

This piece will not address what might or should be. Suffice it at this time to submit that railways in Africa need to find or create the watershed that will launch them into a sustainable dispensation. Without joining the global railway renaissance, railways in Africa face a bleak future. The writer argues that even questioning the permanence of the permanent way will be part of that due process.

AFRICA UPDATE

TRL director general Narasimhaswami Jayaram said that two goods trains comprising 23 wagons would be conveying various commodities including cement from the Tanga Cement Company.

TAZARATAZARA TARIFFS UPPEDNew fares applicable on the Tanzania-Zambia Railway came into effect on 1 July. Ticket prices on ordinary passenger trains as well as the Tazara Express went up 20% while parcels and luggage rates rose 30%. Travellers from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia now pay Tsh72,600 ($US72) in first class on the Tazara Express, up from Tsh60,500 ($US60).

To Makambako (Iringa) from Dar-es-Salaam now costs Tsh29,000 ($US29) instead of Tsh24,200 ($US24). To Rujewa (Mbeya) the fare is now Tsh29,900 ($US29) instead of Tsh24,900 ($US24).

Tazara managing director Clement Subulwa Mwiya points out that the company’s policy is to adjust tariffs annually. High operational costs are being experienced, notably in the wage bill and the continually rising cost of diesel. Tazara is upgrading its facilities at a cost of $US10 million, he says, and 18 locomotives are being rehabilitated currently

UGANDAMAIN-LINE AT JINJA REOPENSThe main-line to Kampala from Kenya, closed near Jinja on 14 May following the collapse of an embankment due to a blocked culvert, was reopened to traffic on 16 June. During the four weeks that the line remained inoperable, freight was offloaded at Iganga and taken forward by road. According to Rift Valley Railways (RVR) project manager Glenn Kleyn, quoted by New Vision (published in Kampala) a new three-metre diameter galvanised iron culvert has been installed, to provide adequate outlet for stormwater to drain into Lake Victoria, about a kilometre downstream.

Kleyn said the repair work was being done at mile 323. In addition, the company is investigating a structure at mile 289 towards Busembatia.

“It (mile 289) is not in any immediate danger but we are investigating and drawing up designs,” he told the paper.

UGANDA RATES INCREASERift Valley Railways (RVR) has increased freight rates between Mombasa and Kampala from $US80 per tonne to $110. Former managing director Roy Puffet explained in July: “The tariff adjustment was driven by continued upward costs of energy, petroleum products and steel. The price of diesel has gone up by 24% in the last eight months and there is double digit inflation as well as dollar revaluation”.

RVR commercial manager in Kampala, Geoffrey Tindimwebwa says the rates will still be lower than those charged by road freight hauliers. “Our rates have been steady since last October before the fuel prices rose and the price of steel spiralled,” he points out, whereas the truckers raise rates every time the fuel price changes. “Also, we have had a negative result from the weakening dollar as most of our rates are in that currency. It has been losing value, while the prices of our inputs have been going up.”

ZAMBIARSZ TAKEN TO TASKIn an editorial, The Times of Zambia takes Rail Systems of Zambia (RSZ), the concessionaire running Zambian Railways, to task for buying “brand new motor vehicles worth $US1.4 million”, while apparently falling short in service delivery. “While the company has every right to purchase vehicles for operations, we feel their priorities are misplaced,” the paper writes.

“Gone are the days,” it laments, “when the railway network was the most reliable mode of transport in Zambia. “It was so reliable and cheap, that the rail line was Zambia’s favourite mode of transport, offloading goods and passengers in remote areas where roads were inaccessible.

“The failure by RSZ to provide safety and reliability has forced many Zambians to abandon rail transport in preference for the faster and more reliable road transport. It was hoped that when Zambia Railways was concessioned to RSZ, things would change for the better.”

[RSZ inherited a sorely run-down system which is taking a great deal of time and money to put right. The rosy past of railways in the country dates back to the days when it was called Northern Rhodesia – but nobody will want to remember that. – editor]

Thermitrex (Pty) LtdTel: +27 (0)11 914 2540

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ZIMBABWENEW NRZ SERVICEThe National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has introduced a new weekly passenger service to Chicualacuala, 500km south-east of Bulawayo on the line to Maputo. The existing Wednesday train to Chiredzi has been rescheduled to leave Bulawayo at 14:00 on Wednesday instead of 21:00. Arriving at 04:00 on Thursday, it returns at 05:00 to Mbizi junction, and continues from there to Chicualacuala. Following a 14:00 departure, it runs back to Bulawayo, arriving on Friday morning. The Chiredzi-Bulawayo service retains its former timing on other days of the week.

4 - 6 March 2009Cape Town

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A Shosholoza Meyl express in the Nuwe Kloof near Tulbagh in February 2010, hauled by two class 6E1 locomotives. Photo: Eugene Armer.

Permanent way in Africa.Photo: Richard Grönstedt.


TRANSNET RAIL ENGINEERING

End of the beginningThe final locomotive of the 50 “as-new” class 39-200 series has rolled off the production-line floor. The partnership between Transnet Rail Engineering (TRE) and Electromotive Diesel (EMD) of the USA completed all fifty units in only 12 months. This is a tremendous feat as TRE has not built a complete new locomotive in over 20 years.

The objective was to provide a quick solution for injecting new blood into an ageing fleet. The locos are to be used in the Mpumalanga area and on the north-south link through Swaziland to Richards Bay. At a “closing-of-the-line” ceremony on 12 March, TRE chief executive Richard Vallihu said that 40 Class 39 locomotives are already operating between Komatipoort and Richards Bay, hauling phosphate and magnetite.

The 39-200 series boasts many technical improvements over the existing class 37. The most impressive part of the whole project, however, was – as Vallihu puts it – “Building the class 39-200 has catapulted TRE’s capabilities and capacity far beyond that which we imagined.” He goes on: “With the

transfer of skills and technology, our competencies have been elevated and continually sharpened. Our modernised facilities and methods of operating are up there with the world’s best – thanks to our solid partnership with EMD.”

Loco 39 203 took a record four months to build – and this included the laying out of the factory during this time. “At the peak of production you produced ten locomotives in a single month, I’d say that, at that rate, it probably puts the factory in the top ten of any factory anywhere in the world,” EMD President John Hamilton told the people of TRE.

In his address at the ceremony, Transnet acting group chief executive Chris Wells said: “We have this vision of TRE being a centre of excellence of locomotives – just as it is for wagons and just as it is for coaches.

“We have a vision of this being the first in a long line in the production of locomotives, hopefully satisfying all Transnet’s future needs, and we have visions beyond that – of being a supplier of locomotives into Africa.”


TRANSNET RAIL ENGINEERING


• A Marshall Plan type revitalising of the East African railways should be underpinned by a core team that includes ministers responsible for infrastructure and finance. Other representation should include the East African Community (EAC) secretary-general’s office, the East African Business Council (EABC) chairman, the World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

• The EAC secretariat was directed to draft and share the terms of reference and working modalities of the core team by the end of April 2010, and member countries were called on to resolve all issues with current railway concessions within one year, in order to lay a firm ground for long-term railway planning.

• Member governments to prioritise EAC rail projects, focussing attention on existing railways at regional level (plus extensions into Burundi and Rwanda), with emphasis on connectivity, ie the linking of all EAC states and neighbouring countries to the ports of Mombasa and Dar-es-Salaam.

• Member states to develop detailed designs and “bankable” projects for the prioritised network by 2011 “with clear determination of rail gauge” and to conclude the regional policy and legal framework for the proposed public-private partnership (PPP) for railway development by August 2010.

• The secretariat to draft terms of reference for preparatory studies and to share the drafts with the World Bank, ADB, JICA and the EU by the end of April 2010 “with some focus on how to leverage private sources”.

• An EAC railways regulatory authority to be established, to coordinate among other things policy, investment, development and competition issues in the sub-sector, by June 2011.

• A project implementation unit to be established at the EAC secretariat, dedicated to rail project development and implementation. The secretariat to develop a proposed structure for the project implementation unit and to share this with partner states and development partners by the end of April 2010.

• A railways infrastructure development fund to be established, “informed by the existing road development funds in the region and the revitalisation of the erstwhile East African Community railway training schools as facilities to jointly build railways expertise and HR capacity.”

Addressing the conference, Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete said that $US20 billion is needed for upgrading the existing rail network. Although the five member states may not be able to raise the funds, they should demonstrate

AFRICA UPDATE

ALGERIAALGIERS TRAMWAYThe new Algiers tramway linking Fusillés Avenue (Hussein Dey) to Bordj El Kiffan is to be ready by the end of 2010, transport minister Amar Tou has announced. The 23km project, running from the centre of the city eastwards to Dergana, is to be capable of carrying 185,000 passengers a day.

ANGOLAANGOLA’S NAMIBE (MOÇAMEDES) RAILWAYRehabilitation and modernisation of Caminhos de ferro Namibe (CFN) is proceeding well, says Kuando Kubango province governor Eusébio de Brito. When completed, the project will contribute to the development of southern Angola and adjoining SADC countries, he said. It will facilitate the transport of commodities from the port of Namibe to the provinces of Kuando-Kubango and Huila “as well as to countries like Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe”.

[The CFN line terminates at Menongue, 756km to the east of the port. There’s still a good 1,250km to go before reaching the railway in Zambia. As for Zimbabwe, one might as well aim for Madagascar (or the moon). – Editor]

DRC-CONGODRC CONGO: KINSHASAIn accordance with an agreement signed between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Belgium in 2007, a €7 million, four-year urban rail rehabilitation project is to go ahead in Kinshasa. The population of the 24-municipality metropole is almost eight million and some six million travel to work each day. Areas to be served include Kintambo, Ndolo, Limete, Lemba, Kasangulu, Gombe, Ndjili and Masina.

EAST AFRICAEAST AFRICAN CONFERENCEThe two-day regional East African railway conference in mid-March adopted a number of resolutions and recommendations:

• EAC member states should put in place sufficient funds to be invested in rehabilitating the current East African railway system in the short term while concurrently preparing for the eventual construction of a standard gauge network.

Container train on the Matadi-Kinshasa line.


makes you a bit land-locked and also a bit vulnerable to hostage-taking, should relations turn sour. Which route will it be? If the cheaper route is chosen, then Guinea could split the saving with the joint venture and spend its share ($x00m) on, say, upgrading its existing railway(s) and linking them to the new line.”

LIBYAFIRST 14KM OF LINE IN LIBYARossiiskie Zheleznie Dorogi (RZhD – the Russian State Railway), has completed the first 14km of the new €2.2 billion railway being built eastwards along Libya’s Mediterranean coast, expected to take four years. In all, a total of 3,500 local and Russian workers are to help with construction. Initially trains are to run at 160km/h, but the double track alignment makes provision for electrification, to permit speeds of 250km/h eventually. The project includes the building of 1,000 structures, including 30 rail and 23 road bridges, and six major and 24 minor stations.

KENYARIFT VALLEY SORTED OUTAccording to a statement released by Rift Valley Railways (RVR) on 23 March, shareholder agreement has been reached on the way forward. The Kenya-based TransCentury together with Ambience Ventures, a subsidiary of Cairo-based Citadel Capital, will jointly invest $US250 million to revitalise the Kenya-Uganda metre-gauge rail concession, and are to “facilitate” the development of a standard gauge line linking Kampala to Mombasa.

The restructuring will see Citadel Capital holding 51% of RVR, Trans-Century with 34% and a Ugandan investor with 15%. Other existing minor players evidently fall out of the picture, as will South Africa-based Sheltam, the original lead investor and major shareholder in RVR.

MOROCCOFRENCH LOAN FOR CASABLANCA TRAMWAYFrance has signed a financing protocol for a €225 million loan to fund the rolling stock of the Casablanca tramway. The agreement includes a donation amounting to 42% of the loan which is destined for rolling stock supply and maintenance. French state secretary for foreign trade Anne-Marie Idrac has reaffirmed her country’s commitment to promoting projects in Morocco, notably tramways in Rabat and Casablanca, and the high-speed train.

MOZAMBIQUEMOATIZE MINESBrazil’s prominent Vale corporation is pushing ahead with a $US1.3 billion project to develop the Moatize coal mine in Mozambique and expects to start production of coking coal for export late in 2011. During phase one, all exports are to be handled through the port of Beira but in subsequent phases it is expected that the harbour at Nacala will need to play an important role.

to development partners that they have commitment and determination to revive the rail network. A figure of $900 billion was mentioned as the likely cost of an entirely new rail network.

According to Tanzanian minister for infrastructure development Dr Shukuru Kawambwa, only 10% of East African freight moves by rail at present. Revival of the railway network, he said, would translate into huge savings in fuel, resulting in a reduction in emissions and road traffic congestion.

GHANAGHANA TO INVEST $US2BN IN RAILAccording to Ghanaian deputy minister for transport Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, more than $2 billion is to be injected into the country’s rail system. A project to improve the movement of goods and people along the Accra-Koforidua-Kumasi line is expected to commence during 2010. The government, she said, is determined to seek the active participation of investors in the rail sector. The involvement of foreign investors could transform unprofitable operations into a viable commercial enterprise, offering prompt and quality services to commuters. She appealed to squatters to relocate more than 30 metres from rail lines, since their presence close to the railway “can scare away investors from investing in the sector”.

GUINEANEW MINE RAILWAY IN GUINEA?It has been announced that BHPB and a Chinese company have formed a joint venture to mine a large deposit of iron ore at Simandou in Guinea.

Shall Ford comments:“There are several possible railway routes to the coast. One goes entirely through Guinean territory but would have to climb through more than one significant mountain range 500m above sea level inside Guinea, and these lines would perhaps be 700km long. A shorter and much cheaper route would run though neighbouring Liberia, using mostly an existing line about 250km long through plains that are generally flat. Of course, going through adjacent country

AFRICA UPDATE

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Existing and proposed railways in the southern part of East Africa.

Photo: Antonio Teixeira.


Director-general of railways in the semi-autonomous south’s transport ministry Nhial Bol told Reuters that the feasibility of extending the line from Wåw to northern Uganda through Juba and two other southern towns is to be investigated.

SWAZILANDRAIL TOURISM IN SWAZILANDIn a recent interview, Swaziland Railway (SR) chief executive Gideon Mahlalela told a reporter that the number of tourists who prefer travelling by train “grows by the day”, which augurs well for the growth of the industry. The railway has partnered with two privately-owned South Africa-based organisations, Rovos Rail and Shongololo, in “offering an exciting travel alternative to tourists in the region.”

On 8 April, 77 tourists arrived at Mpaka station in Swaziland aboard the Shongololo Southern Cross. On 9 April, 46 golfers passing through en route to Ezulwini were welcomed to the country by Mahlalela. On 9 and 10 April taken together, 123 tourists arrived by rail.

TANZANIACABINET APPROVES TRL TAKEOVER The cabinet has authorised the government to take over the Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) company from Rail India Technical and Economic Services Ltd (Rites), ie cancelling the 25-year concession signed barely three years ago. According to a statement, “The joint venture with Rites has failed to make any mark in efforts to improve rail services, with the foreign management spinning from one crisis to another.” Rites will now seek to sell its 51% stake in TRL that it purchased in 2007. The government held the balance.

Chief secretary Philemon Luhanjo says new strategies are to be put in place to revamp TRL and “prepare it for a second privatisation to another strategic partner.”

AFRICA UPDATE

Capacity of the 575km railway from Beira to Moatize, recently rehabilitated, is estimated at between 6mt and 8mt of coal annually. This falls a long way short of Vale’s long term requirements – and there are also other potential coal producers in the Moatize region. Rail access to Nacala, to be gained by constructing a new rail connection to Malawi (from where an existing line – which will require upgrading - runs to the port), will be needed in about five years’ time, Vale says.

NAMIBIARAILS ACROSS NAMIBIAFrom an article in “New Era”, published in Windhoek:

“Rail was the predominant carrier of freight in Namibia for most of the 20th century until the 1980s,” when road transport was favoured in the liberalising of commercial regulation. “Rail tonnage started to decline from 3.7 million tonnes per annum in 1982 to a mere 1.4mta in 1999. Thereafter, a recovery to just over two million was achieved in 2005. Passenger numbers started to climb from a very low 45,000 in 1994 to 153,500 in 2000. There was, however, a decline in passengers since 2000, and a projected passenger figure for 2010 is only 63,000.” There are numerous reasons for this: Poor timekeeping by trains, largely due to mechanical failures, the emergence of long-distance midi-buses whose comfort, speed and flexibility are attractive to passengers, and the cancellation of services between Walvis Bay and Tsumeb due to the “dodgy track conditions.”

Except for some Chinese additions to the fleet since 2007, most locomotives are more than 42 years old. TransNamib’s current refurbishment programme covers only 18 locomotives, ie 26% of the fleet. “The wagon fleet also dates back more than 40 years, and similarly lacks newer technologies such as self-steering bogies and heavier axles.”

NIGERIALAGOS LRT CONTRACT AWARDEDThe Lagos state government has awarded a contract for the first phase of its Blue Line light rail project to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). It is reported that some N8.05 billion, representing 70% of the contract sum, has been paid to the company already, to design and build the 27km line from Okokomaiko to Marina.

SUDANSUDAN’S NORTH-SOUTH RAILWAY RESTOREDThe 446km railway linking Babanusa in central Sudan to Wåw in the south has been reopened – the first time it has operated since the civil war started. Two-thirds of the rehabilitation cost ($US46 million) was met by the Sudanese government and the rest by international donors, including the World Bank-administered multi-donor trust fund (MDTF). The line was opened originally in the 1960s.

TransNamib container train.

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AFRICA UPDATE

“The Cabinet resolution was not unexpected,” The Citizen (published in Dar-es-Salaam) comments, “as it had become apparent that the Rites journey had stuck in a quagmire to make any serious business from the railways collapsed 648km infrastructure and incessant workers’ strikes. The struggling venture failed to attract billions of dollars in loans from the World Bank and IMF, to fund its operations as expected. Rites had indicated that it would invest $US283 million in the venture but it failed to qualify even for a start up capital of $40 million from the International Finance Corporation. “

TUNISIAJAPANESE LOAN FOR TUNISIAN ELECTRIFICATIONTunisia has won a $US50 million loan from Japan to finance railway electrification. According to a Reuters report, “The project aims at improving transport conditions between Tunis centre and its southern suburbs”.

UGANDAREVIVING UGANDA’S PAKWACH LINE

Canarail vice-president Don Gillstrom, whose Montreal consulting company carried out a feasibility study of Uganda’s 503km metre-gauge Tororo-Pakwach line in late 2009, says “complete restoration” would cost an estimated Shs1.5 trillion (about $US750 million). The route has been

out of use since 1997, when persisting insurgent activity caused damage and made operation impossible.

Canarail suggested three alternative approaches - full upgrading – with freight trains running at 120km/h and passenger trains at 160 - partial upgrading (costing Shs700 billion) and minimum rehabilitation (Shs90 billion). The extent of upgrading implemented could be expected to produce proportionate improvement in the country’s economic growth. Funding would need to be sourced from the government, the private sector or private-public partnerships. Private sector investors, Gillstrom warned, would expect a guaranteed 25% return.

Freight traffic targeted comprises mainly oil transport from the West Nile region to the port of Mombasa in Kenya, and the export of cash crops from the northern region, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Southern Sudan.

ZAMBIAZAMBIAN GOVT PRAISES RSZZambian Central Province permanent secretary Denny Lumbama, officiating at the graduation of 25 Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) artisan trainees following a six-month internship programme at various colleges in Zambia, commended the continued efforts by RSZ, especially since a neighbouring country was facing problems with a rail concession and failure to pay employees’ salaries.

RSZ chief executive Benjamin Even said RSZ had managed to sustain its operations and fulfil all its obligations to its employees and the government for six years, without asking for any assistance. The internship, he explained, is part of an on-going policy for the workforce, thereby making them a valuable asset to the company and the nation and the providers of quality services. He thanked the government for providing training facilities at various colleges in Zambia that directly benefit RSZ. This he said, is a good example of public private partnership (PPP).

ZIMBABWENEW COACHES FOR NRZCSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Company Ltd, a subsidiary of China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation (CSR), is to supply 29 passenger coaches to the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), with delivery to begin in June 2010. Six types of vehicle are to include: “special express hard-seat coach, special express cushioned-seat coach, special express semi-cushioned berth sleeper, special express bar-coach, luggage and power generating combination coach and commuter car”.

Tunisian container train. Photo: Richard Grönstedt.

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“We left at about 21:00, shortly before the end of the second match. Outside the stadium, marshals were directing people to the free buses but we elected to walk back to the station along the new, brick-paved “fan walk” - it was a balmy evening and very pleasant. There was plenty of visible security all along the route through Green Point and the city centre.

“The station was fairly deserted at that hour but security guards were patrolling and there were a smattering of fellow football spectators. Ticket checking at the barriers was thorough. Security guards moved all “MetroPlus” passengers into one coach of the 10M3 eight-coach set and all “Metro” passengers onto another; these guards stayed on the train all the way. We arrived home at about 23:00, tired but exhilarated after a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and evening.

“There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the 2010 World Cup events in Cape Town will be superbly run:- Cape Town’s new stadium is magnificent, easily up there

with the very best in the world; - The public transport arrangements were perfectly

adequate;- Security was tight, with no suggestion of criminal activity

in the stadium, on the buses, on the train in either direction or on the walk back to the city centre after dark;

- Vuvuzelas make a LOT of noise; good earplugs are a must!

- I can’t wait for the first match in Cape Town - I’ll be there.”

WESTERN CAPE METRORAIL STRIKEWestern Cape members of the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) went on strike for two weeks at the end of March, accusing Metrorail of reneging on an undertaking to pay end-of-year bonuses to employees recently appointed to the permanent staff. In mid-April, Western Cape regional manager Stephen Ngobeni was summarily fired. Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana was quoted saying he got “the shock of his life” when union leaders showed him a letter in which Ngobeni made an offer to pay bonuses. Regional managers had no authority to offer bonuses, as these would have to be paid out nationally. In a subsequent statement, Prasa blamed the conduct of Ngobeni and his regional executive committee for actions that “ultimately led to the strike”. Montana said 497 letters of dismissal to strikers would be withdrawn, though proceedings against those suspected of vandalism and sabotage would continue. In view of Ngobeni’s “total misrepresentation”, Prasa’s lawyers had been instructed to abandon a claim against the union for strike-related damages.

During the strike, a number of passenger coaches were set on fire, as well as the ticket office at Khayelitsha, and multi-core signal cables were vandalised across the peninsula, resulting in delays to trains on several lines. Other press reports quoted regional manager Ngobeni saying the cost of damage, estimated as high as “R40 or R50 million”, would be charged to the union.

In an unrelated matter, former chief executive of Metrorail Sisa Mtwa was also dismissed.

TRANSNET FREIGHT RAIL ACTING CEOTau Morwe continues as acting chief executive of South Africa’s Transnet Freight Rail, following the suspension of Siyabonga Gama since September 2009.

South African Rail News

SA RAIL NEWS

SUCCESSFUL WORLD CUP TRIAL RUNThe third and last trial run (before handover to FIFA) at the newly-completed Green Point stadium in Cape Town took place on Saturday 10 April 2010. Floodlights, full spectator capacity - up to 68.000 - and the public transport system was put to the test. Paul Kilfoil sums up his impressions:

“Having ascertained that four special late trains would be departing from Cape Town between 21:10 and 22:30, we left Fish Hoek, 30km south of the city, on train 0148 at 14:20. Shortly after 15:00 we strolled from the main station to Hertzog Boulevard near the civic centre, where a large crowd was boarding buses, and were soon on our way.

“Green Point - a distance of less than 2km away - and the area around the stadium have been transformed. The first security check was airport-style for weapons (and food! - no one is permitted to take refreshments in with them, though beer, burgers and hot dogs are sold inside). So we – and many others – hurriedly polished off our sandwiches and cold drinks. At the second checkpoint our tickets were quickly scanned by barcode readers which released a turnstile.

“A long, gradually-stepped slope leads up to the stadium itself, an immense egg-shaped structure that dominates the Green Point skyline. Inside, everything is open and spacious, with wide walkways and excellent signage. The pitch itself is wide, with grass extending for some distance on each touchline and behind the goalposts; despite this we always felt quite close to the action. Security guards were stationed around the entire perimeter.

“At the half-time breaks, and also between the two matches, the times of the last special trains to Stellenbosch, Wellington, Strand, Simon’s Town, the Cape Flats, Kapteinsklip and Khayelitsha were shown on the two giant screens at either end.

On the train to the stadium.

Cape Town station: impressive renovations nearly finished.

Inside the new Green Point stadium.


SA RAIL NEWS

PARK STATION TO ROSEBANK PARK STATION At the end of February 2010, the station roof and concourse slabs as well as the platforms were all substantially complete. Internal brickwork and plastering is well advanced at both concourse and platform levels. Good progress is being made with wall tiling, together with mechanical and electrical (M&E) installations, including the escalators.

Four of the six levels of deck slabs have been cast at the parkade structure.

Reinstatement of Wolmarans Street is complete; the road was reopened to traffic on 16 January 2010. Earthworks for reinstatement of Smit Street have commenced.

All tunnel excavation - a total length of approximately 15.5km from Park Station to Marlboro Portal - was completed in September 2009. Civil works and tracklaying within the tunnels between the portal and Sandton Station are complete and installation of associated electrical and mechanical infrastructure is well advanced. Within the remaining tunnel section to Park Station, civil works continue, including final lining, invert slabs, cable duct installation and walkways, together with the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment. Tracklaying southwards from Sandton Station will commence shortly.

The underground works include the construction of seven emergency access shafts at intervals along the single-track rail tunnel between Park Station and Sandton. These shafts will provide access by emergency services personnel to the tunnels below. At the bottom of some shafts, safe havens are being constructed where passengers can detrain and gather in the event of an emergency. Work is still in progress at each of these shafts.

Emergency shaft E1 (Hillbrow): Excavation and shaft lining at shaft E1 (80 metres deep) has been completed. Work in the safe haven and technical rooms located at the bottom of the shaft continues, and work on foundations for the surface head-house structure have commenced.

Emergency shaft E2 (the Wilds, Houghton): Excavation of the shaft to its final depth of approximately 50 metres is complete, as is the 236 metre adit (cross passage). Construction works continue in the safe haven and technical rooms at the bottom of the shaft.

Emergency shaft E3 (Riviera): Shaft construction and the head-house structure on the surface are complete and M&E installations are in progress.

Being a shallow shaft with direct access to the surface, there is no safe haven necessary at the bottom.

Emergency shaft E4 (Houghton): Shaft construction and the head-house structure on the surface are complete and M&E installations are in progress. Being a shallow shaft, 16m deep, with direct access to the surface, there is no safe haven necessary at the bottom.

ROSEBANK STATION

Backfilling over the station-top slab and the adjacent cut- and-cover at the northern end is in progress. Reinstatement of Oxford Road above the station structure will follow in the next few months. Platform structures, brickwork and plastering are all substantially complete, with painting and plumbing at both platform and concourse levels well advanced. Wall tiling continues within the station. Elevators have been positioned within the station box and M&E installations are in progress.

At the parkade structure on the corner of Oxford Road and Baker Street, columns and beams are being cast for the first floor of the parking deck.

ROSEBANK-SANDTON-MARLBOROEmergency shafts E5 (Dunkeld, Rosebank), E6 (Illovo) and E7 (Rivonia Road, Sandton): Construction is in progress on the technical rooms at the bottom of these shafts, and also on the safe haven at the foot of Shaft E5.

SANDTON STATION

GAUTRAIN RAPID RAIL LINK

GAUTRAIN CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS


At 45 metres (15 storeys) below ground level, Sandton station is Gautrain’s deepest. Station construction work is well advanced in the cavern section between the south and north shafts, as well as within the shafts themselves. This includes construction of the various platforms, technical and operational rooms, together with the escalator and lift shafts and stairways located within the shafts. M&E installations are in progress and escalators linking the station entrance to the underground platforms have been installed. Tracklaying within the station is complete and tiling of platforms is in progress.

Erection of the structural steelwork frame that is to form the station entrance structure on the corner of Rivonia Road and West Street is in hand.

Construction continues on the adjacent multi-level parkade structure.

Civil works, tracklaying and associated electrical & mechanical railway infrastructure works within the tunnels between Marlboro Portal and Sandton Station are complete.

Though diesel-powered construction trains have been operating in this section of the tunnel for some time, a noteworthy milestone was the energising of the lines to Sandton on 26 February 2010. Since then, Gautrain Electrostar trainsets have been test running between the airport and Sandton on a regular basis.

MUSHROOM FARM PARKThe temporary shaft at Mushroom Farm Park was provided to give access for tunnel construction in both north and south directions. All work carried out from this shaft has been completed and site establishment facilities have been removed. Backfilling of the shaft has been completed, and the community park reinstated, landscaped and upgraded.

MARLBORO PORTALApart from final finishing and some landscaping, work in this area is complete.

MARLBORO PORTAL EASTWARDSViaducts 1A and 11 crossing the Jukskei River and Far East Bank Drive are both complete, including track and catenary. Between Marlboro Portal and the N3, the various culverts, retaining walls, the three bridges over Zinnia Drive and final layerworks are all complete, including track and catenary. Construction and rail-related installations in this area are substantially complete, apart from some finishing work and landscaping.

MARLBORO STATION

At Marlboro Station, internal finishes (including floor and wall tiling and painting, as well as glazing of the external walls of the concourse and over-platform links) and curtain wall glazing are well advanced. Concrete and brickwork, painting, structural steel, roof cladding and platform parapets are all complete. Internal finishes are well advanced, and tiling of the platforms continues. The electronic display boards are being tested, and ticket vending machines installed. Track is in position through the station and installation of associated railway equipment continues.

Work is continuing at the bus terminal, including kerb laying on the parking deck, as well as construction of the boundary around the station site.

Construction and backfilling has been completed on a series of underpasses where the two pairs of railway tunnels cross beneath the N3 highway alongside the Marlboro Drive bridge - just to the north of Marlboro station, both carriageways of the N3 have been reinstated to their original positions. Reinstatement of temporary access ramps, closure of the additional bridge span and landscaping remain to be completed.

MARLBORO-DEPOT-MIDRANDViaduct 2 over the Modderfontein Spruit and two adjacent bridges over the future Frankenwald and Maxwell Roads are complete, together with the erection of noise barriers along this section. Track and overhead electrification is operational on all three structures.

Midrand DepotThe administration buildings for both train and bus depots are finished and the installation of equipment for the




operations control centre in the train depot administration building has been completed. This will manage signalling, telecommunications, automatic fare collection, traction power and overhead distribution, cctv cameras and maintenance, using high technology systems. The train maintenance workshops, including electrical and mechanical installations, are all complete, as are other depot facilities, including the washbay for cleaning the trains, sand-filling equipment, stabling platforms, track lighting and entry gates.

Construction is in progress on the bus maintenance depot, located in the area previously occupied by the precast yard (now dismantled). Construction of the workshop, canteen, vehicle wash facility, fuel bay and apron slabs is in hand, together with refurbishment of the bus administration building - previously used as site offices for the precast yard.

TracklayingThe laying of stabling sidings at the depot, including overhead electrification and all associated railway installations, such as the signalling system, is complete, energised and operational. Main-line tracklaying and ballasting, together with catenary installation, is proceeding northwards from the depot, using specialised, highly mechanised equipment. Rails are welded into 216 metre lengths and transported on specially equipped wagons. Once placed in position on concrete sleepers, they are welded together to form a continuous rail. Tracklaying is complete from Sandton Station to Dale Road in Midrand on the north-south line. It has been energised electrically and is fully operational. Tracklaying from Dale Road northwards commenced late in 2009. By the end of February 2010, tracklaying had progressed to the vicinity of the Olifantsfontein Road Bridge, to the north of Midrand Station.

Rolling stock assembly and testingFollowing a specialised construction and assembly process at Bombardier Transportation’s facility in Derby, UK, Gautrain’s first shipment of two completed rail coaches arrived in Durban on 29 November 2008. After further deliveries, testing of the first complete four-car trainset began during February 2009. The first 15 coaches, together with body shells and major components for the rest of the fleet, were manufactured in Derby, and all have been despatched to South Africa. Following a successful skills transfer programme, local technicians are working on the assembly of the remaining 81 coaches at the Union Carriage and Wagon Partnership in Nigel. By the end of February 2010, 50 vehicles had been delivered to the Gautrain depot.

Dynamic testing of trains has been under way during the past year on the approximately 7km from behind Linbro Park to Midrand, which has served as a test track. Test running was extended recently to Sandton station, as well as on the entire airport branch.

MIDRAND-CENTURION-PRETORIAVIADUCT 3North of the depot, Viaduct 3 over Allandale Road and the adjacent bridge over the future K60 road are both complete, as are all other bridges, construction works and railway installations up to Dale Road in Midrand, with only minor finishing works outstanding.

MIDRAND STATION

At Midrand station, roof cladding to the platforms and over the concourse is complete. Interior tiling and finishing works, together with M&E installations, are well advanced.

Platforms are substantially complete and platform tiling is to commence shortly. Interior tiling and finishing works continue, together with M&E installations. Platforms are substantially complete and tracklaying is in progress.

The upper car parking area has been surfaced and carport structures are being placed in position. Earthworks continue on the lower level bus terminal area, where canopy and walkway structural steelwork erection is well advanced. Layerworks on the new section of Grand Central Boulevard, which forms the access road into the station, will commence shortly.

From Midrand Station to the Technopark area at Centurion, civil works are approaching completion. Fencing, landscaping and finishing work continues. Catenary masts have been erected along most of this section and tracklaying reached the vicinity of the Olifantsfontein Road Bridge by the end of February.

VIADUCT 4 Viaduct 4, which crosses Rietspruit and Olifantsfontein Road South, is complete.

CENTURION AREAVIADUCT 5 OVER THE N1 & BEN SCHOEMAN Viaduct 5 carries the elevated line through Centurion, forming the link between the balanced cantilever viaducts crossing the N1 highway at John Vorster interchange in the south and the Ben Schoeman highway at the Jean Avenue interchange in the north. It supports the elevated Centurion station platforms, located approximately midway along its length. The deck spans of this viaduct comprise precast concrete segments, erected using purpose-built steel launching girders and then stressed together to form the deck spans.

At the end of February, eight spans remain to be completed at the northern end. Erection of segments at the remaining spans of Viaduct 5c are continuing, to link it to the balanced cantilever viaduct over Jean Avenue.

Construction of the in-situ balanced cantilever deck sections at both the John Vorster and Jean Avenue Viaducts is progressing steadily.

Construction of supporting piers and abutments at both the John Vorster and Jean Avenue balanced cantilever viaducts is complete.

CENTURION STATION

The elevated Centurion station platforms are located on Viaduct 5, immediately adjacent and parallel to West Street. The concourse buildings and parking area are at


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See us at Hall 2.2, Stand 12121. - 24. September 2010 / Berlin

Buildings and platforms at Pretoria station are substantially complete, with work on the associated technical and operational facilities in progress. Internal finishing work continues, while curtain wall framing and glazing are approaching completion. Parking area construction continues in the area formerly occupied by the McCarthy building, which has been demolished. Refurbishing of the coach washing shed has begun. This structure, which has historic significance, has been incorporated in the station design.

PRETORIA-HATFIELDVIADUCT 7The deck to the section that will carry the Gautrain lines across Nelson Mandela Boulevard is well advanced and parapet erection is in progress. Pier and trestle beam construction continues on the remaining sections of this “Y-shaped” structure that crosses above the existing Metrorail tracks, together with placing of the M-beams for the bridge decks.

Between Gautrain’s Pretoria and Hatfield stations, a number of road bridges crossing the existing Metrorail railway have been lengthened, to accommodate the new tracks which will run parallel. These include bridges at Ridge Road, Grosvenor Road, Cilliers Street, Bourke Street, Walker Street, Walton Jameson Avenue, and Lynnwood Road. Finishing work continues on some of these. Extensive lateral support work in the cuttings, together with the earthworks and construction of retaining structures necessary to widen the existing embankments, are in hand.

HATFIELD STATION

At Hatfield, lateral support and excavation of the southern embankment is complete, and construction of the station itself is in progress. The concourse slab extending over both the existing Metrorail tracks and the future Gautrain lines has been completed. Erection of structural steelwork for the concourse building to be located on top of this slab has commenced. All eight levels of the parkade structure have been cast, precast parapet erection is well advanced and the adjacent lift shaft is approaching completion. M&E works within the parkade structure are in progress. At the Grosvenor Street bridge, deck construction continues. Construction of management facilities within the bus terminus area has commenced.

MARLBORO-AIRPORTCivil construction work is complete along the whole of this section which includes eleven bridges, three viaducts and a number of other structures, including the platforms for a future station at Modderfontein. Remaining work is limited to final finishing and landscaping in some places.


ground level. The viaduct piers and deck spans on which the station platforms are being constructed have been completed.

The station building works, including platform access stairway and lift shaft construction are substantially complete. Platform and concourse roof cladding is complete, as is erection of curtain wall framing to the concourse area.

Glazing of the West Street façade has commenced. Within the concourse, M&E installations and finishing trades are in progress, with floor tiling well advanced and wall tiling in hand. Earthworks and layer works continue in the parking and bus terminus areas.

VIADUCT 6 OVER EEUFEES ROADAt Viaduct 6, piling at the southern abutment is finished and four of the six deck spans are in position.

SALVOKOP AND PRETORIA Near Salvokop at the approach to Pretoria, construction of the cut-and-cover structure crossing beneath the Ben Schoeman highway is complete.

PRETORIA STATION


of the glazed facades. Work on the parking area continues, while construction of the stormwater attenuation pond is finished. Tracklaying and overhead catenary provision are complete and operational.

Bus shelter structures are approaching completion and carport structural steelwork is being erected.

Foundation construction and columns for a new Metrorail station, immediately adjacent to the Gautrain facility, is in progress and track has been laid. This will provide commuters with a convenient transfer link between the Gautrain and Metrorail systems.

O R TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT STATIONThe platform structures, structural steel platform canopies and roof cladding are complete, including the installation of tinted glass closure screens. Construction proceeds on three sets of emergency access stairways at the ends of the platforms. Finishing work within the station concourse shell is substantially complete, as are electrical and mechanical installations. Platform tiling is to commence shortly. The public address system, ticket vending machines and fare gates have been installed and are being tested.

Track through the station as well as overhead electrification is complete, and trainset test running has begun.

VIADUCTS 13 & 14 Viaduct 13 over Centenary Way in Modderfontein and Viaduct 14 over Zuurfontein Road are both finished, with trackwork and catenary in place on both, and operational.

By the end of January 2010, twin-track lines were in place along the entire length of the east-west route from behind Linbro Park to the airport station. Electrification was complete and operational.

VIADUCT 15 & RHODESFIELD STATION At 1.5km, Viaduct 15 – now complete - is the longest on the east-west line. It supports both the Rhodesfield and airport station platforms and carries the double track over the R21/R24 road network. Tracklaying and overhead catenary provision are complete and operational.

The Rhodesfield station platforms are elevated, located approximately one third of the way along Viaduct 15, directly above the existing Metrorail lines running between Isando and Kempton Park.

The Rhodesfield station entrance, concourse and parking area are at ground level on the eastern side of the existing railway. The track slab, platform structure and platform roof are complete, including cladding. Concourse building works and platform accessways are substantially complete, and escalators have been positioned. Internal finishes are well advanced and technical equipment and M&E installations continue. Platform tiling is in hand, as well as installation


Railways Africa / / /www.railwaysafrica.com


[In a statement, the Rail Safety Regulator said an “improvement directive” was being issued to Transnet and Rovos. Handbrakes had not been applied on at least six coaches at Centurion, as required by standing regulations, nor had scotches been placed under the wheels. – Editor]

VACUUM BRAKES: A PERSPECTIVERichard Niven, an experienced ex-SAR footplateman, who now drives high-speed passenger trains in Scotland, contributed this observation:

“In Kimberley, when a vacuum-braked passenger train arrived behind electric or diesel it was always commonplace to attach the steam loco onto the train and apply the loco brakes. The fireman would then walk along the side of the coaches and pull the ‘strings’ to release the brakes on each coach. The reason for this is that the electrics/diesels would build the vacuum in the coach vacuum chambers up too high and so making it hard for the steam locomotive (which worked vacuum at 21 inches) to get the load on the move. The vacuum in the chambers was higher than in the train pipe which resulted in dragging brakes.”

HOW VACUUM BRAKES WORKFrom Wikipedia: “The automatic vacuum brake consists of a continuous pipe -- the train pipe -- running throughout the length of the train. In normal running a partial vacuum is maintained in the train pipe, and the brakes are released. When air is admitted to the train pipe, the air pressure acts against pistons in cylinders on each vehicle. A vacuum is sustained on the other face of the pistons, so that a net force is applied. A mechanical linkage transmits this force to brake shoes which act by friction on the treads of the wheels.

“Release valves are provided on the brake cylinders; when operated, usually by manually pulling a cord near the cylinder, air is admitted to the upper part of the brake cylinder on that vehicle. This is necessary to release the brake on a vehicle that has been uncoupled from a train and now requires to be moved without having a brake connection to another locomotive, for example if it is to be shunted.

“Today’s largest operators of trains equipped with vacuum brakes are the railways of India and South Africa. Most African railways [also] use the vacuum brake. Other operators of vacuum brakes are narrow gauge railways in Central Europe, the largest of which is the Rhaetian Railway [in Switzerland, which features adhesion working over grades as steep as 1:14].”

DIAMOND EXPRESS DERAILSOn 17 April, the locomotive and first coach of Shosholoza Meyl’s Kimberley-Johannesburg Diamond Express derailed over facing points near Randfontein at about 05:00.

MISHAPS & BLUNDERS

ROVOS DERAILMENTA standard feature on northbound Rovos Rail luxury trains is the replacing of electric traction with steam at Centurion. At approximately 10:30 on 21 April, a general signal failure delayed the attachment of the steam loco for some 45 minutes. During this time the train started to move.

In the course of nearly 9km on a continuous downgrade, it picked up speed, eventually derailing and blocking all main-lines at the eastern approach to Pretoria station. Some of the 19 coaches piled on top of each other; 15 were irreparably damaged, including timber-bodied dining cars 148 Pafuri (built 1911) and 220 Kei (1936). This was the first fatal accident involving a Rovos Rail train in the 21 years of the company’s existence.

Tragically, there were three fatalities, all members of the train staff. One was pregnant and apparently miscarried in the accident. Most of the 55 passengers were foreign tourists, mainly American, and there were some 30 staff members. Several passengers were hurt seriously. Ambulances had difficulty reaching the hospitals, because of roads blocked by some 6,000 protesting taxi drivers.

Extensive dislocation was caused to Metrorail operations for a number of days, with buses replacing trains to and from Centurion. Freight trains and long-distance Shosholoza Meyl services from Johannesburg to Limpopo and Komatipoort were rerouted via Sentrarand – as was the scheduled Rovos southbound train to Cape Town on 23 April. A northbound Rovos excursion to Victoria Falls left Pretoria on schedule on 22 April.

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.


Cnr. Furnace & Diesel Roads, 1600 | PO Box 5, Isando, 1600 | Tel: +27 (0)11 392 5061 | Fax: +27 (0)11 392 5179Email: [email protected] | www.pandrol.com

CD230 Pandrol_RA_adv.indd 1 2010/05/17 07:40:04 PM

MISHAPS & BLUNDERS

According to the government information service Buanews, a number of passengers were “left stranded”(though buses were arranged) but no injuries were reported. According to a statement by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), “inspectors will be investigating the condition of the relevant signalling equipment and track infrastructure as well as the associated operating procedures and train handling. The RSR follows a rigorous protocol in investigating occurrences to ensure that all possible factors are considered in determining the root cause of, and contributory factors to an accident.”

LANDSLIDE CAUSES FATAL DERAILMENTOn 12 April, a landslide apparently caused by a burst irrigation pipe derailed a train near Bolzano in northern Italy. “At least” six people lost their lives, according to the Reuters account quoting Sky Italia television, and 25 were hurt - five seriously.

ARSON & VANDALISM DURING CT STRIKE

DURBAN ‘SKYCAR” STRANDS PASSENGERSThe “skycar”, a funicular that climbs an arch more than 100m high and 350m across at Durban’s new R3.1 billion Moses Mabhida stadium, has broken down several times since its launch in November. After passengers stranded recently had to endure “an arduous and terrifying climb” down the structure which has no handrails, The Mercury reported that evacuation safety measures, promised by authorities after the previous breakdown, had not been implemented.

“The car carries about 25 people to the top of the arch every 10 minutes, at a cost of R50 per adult and R25 per child under 12. Unlike tourist attractions in other countries - such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia - where people have to be of certain ages and are required to declare medical conditions, take breathalyser tests and sign forms agreeing to abide by the rules of the venue before being allowed to goup, in Durban visitors can hop aboard with no questions asked.”

Despite Swiss experts being flown out to help rectify problems, the skycar was out of action again at the time

of writing. Failure to secure spare parts from Europe was blamed on the volcano in Iceland.

DARN TRAIN GOT IN HER WAYOn 20 February, a Ford Explorer driven by a 19-year-old hit the last vehicle of an Amtrak passenger train at a crossing in Albion, Michigan. Despite bad damage to the front of her car, she continued on her way until stopped by police, who arrested her for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. The train stopped after the accident but was not damaged and proceeded on its journey once investigations were completed.

One reader of the paper where this was reported commented: “She probably thought it wasn’t an accident - she hit the train because it didn’t get out of her way fast enough.”

Another wrote: “Darn train ran right out in front of her.”

TFR CANCELS 1,300 TRAINS EVERY MONTHAlthough the 22,307 employees of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) are supposed to operate some 22,800 trains monthly, about 1,300 of these are cancelled for various reasons. These include planning disruptions, theft and sabotage, power failures; network, rolling stock and personnel problems, and inclement weather. About 73,000 wagons are operated over a network covering 20,500 route km.

TFR is budgeting to spend R500 million on security in 2010/11, compared to less than R250m spent in 2004/5. The number of security guards in service is to rise to over 3,100. Five years ago, only 1,000 were employed.

According to Acting TFR CEO Tau Morwe, cable theft is a “chronic problem”, making up about 70% of the incidents of theft and vandalism. Altogether, a total of 1,506 incidents were recorded in the financial year 2009/10. Every month, more than 20km of copper cable is stolen, probably by “criminal syndicates”. In an endeavour to combat this, Morwe says, greater emphasis is to be placed on “intelligence gathering” and working in conjunction with communities near theft “hot-spots”.

LANDSLIDE DERAILS KURANDA TOURIST TRAINA tourist train carrying 200 passengers on the scenic Kuranda line in Australia’s Queensland derailed following a serious mudslide near Redlynch, 16km from its starting point at Cairns. Five people, including a two-year-old boy, were reported hurt. One locomotive came off the track but remained upright. The second loco took the rest of the train back to Cairns. The line runs through the Barron Gorge National Park rainforest.

Railways Africa / / /www.railwaysafrica.com

Burned out Metrorail coaches at Cape Town(See page 26 ).

Photo courtesy RSSA Reef Newsletter

Cable theft is a “chronic problem” – acting TFR CEO Tau Morwe


Transnet Rail EngineeringSpecialists in maintenance, repair, upgrade, conversion and manufacture of rolling stock, components and rail support services.

Tel: +27 (0)12 391 1304 Fax: +27 (0)12 391 1371 Email: [email protected]

TRE_loco_adv.indd 1 2008/05/30 08:23:01 PM

RAILWAY HERITAGE

The ‘Gricer’ comes out of hibernation in winter John Batwell examines an unusual breed of international tourist.....

A singular species of human being will soon be coming out of annual hiding and jumping on aircraft headed for Southern Africa’s forthcoming winter steam safari tours. I have been there, with this special breed of globetrotter - the “gricer”. He - or she, let me tell you, in case you assume a total male-bonding brigade - rides or chases (by car or even motor-bike) steam-hauled trains around the scenic parts of South Africa and neighbouring Zimbabwe. The gricer is a wonderful, almost onomatopoeic, title for this remarkable tourist who endures dust, grime and grit in order to get “the shot of the day”.

The colourful term gricer derives from all the alliterative associations one can imagine for grubby steam locomotives. And what on earth is “the shot of the day?” Mixing with the motley of characters after dusk, I quickly discovered it’s that proud-as-punch recollection in the dining car pub of capturing a great steam mood-shot.

The gricing steam train enthusiast does nothing for the word “sartorial”. Whether male or female, I noticed, they tend to be strangely dressed. Despite the African climate, even in winter the overseas visitor invariably brings his anorak trademark from home. With his in-your-face disposition, the enthusiast is readily distinguishable by his impressive range of technical jargon – notably regarding the merits or demerits of different locomotive types. He or she customarily wears a cap representing some or other rail tour or far-away railway club or society.

They are certainly fussy people when it comes to pursuing the hobby. On a day-to-day basis, climatic conditions must be exactly right throughout the tour. One can almost hear a group prayer asking that the morning won’t dawn dull and overcast. A clear sky with sunrise at just the right moment is crucial, a “smoke-out” unthinkable. A “smoke-out” is when the wind blows the exhaust down over the locomotive at the critical moment of hitting the shutter. Remember, every excited gricer wants to lay claim to bagging “the shot of the day” that night!

Other frustrations of this tourist sport - and it has its athletic demands, let me tell you, by way of climbing hillocks, jumping streams, manoeuvring barbed wire fences - include

the natural elements playing tricks. There is the sudden, in-your-face thunderstorm, or clouds mocking you from above. Little is more frustrating than the locomotive and front of the train in perfect sunlight but the rest in shadow. It is just as bad to have the front of the train poorly lit and the back in brilliant sunlight. However, I am told there is nothing quite as evocative as a strip of soft light or glint along engine and train. But Heaven forbid the train crew should be a little tardy in lining up the acceleration of their charge past the photographers, with a sudden cloud moving in and ruining the optimum light conditions of a moment before. In Southern Africa, snow is a big plus and the Eastern Free State mountains can be very obliging.

Gricers may not be able to master and control the weather, but certainly they can alter the flora! Besides being strangled by camera and binoculars’ straps, the true enthusiast comes armed with grass cutters, pangas and a small ladder. Tall grass and bushes obscuring the locomotive’s wheels are unthinkable. Topography and man-made structures can be a bonus – a hill, embankment or road-over-rail bridge all lend themselves to getting away from the too-conventional lineside photograph or video footage.

The real purist puts his camera to bed between about 11:00 and 15:00 when the sun is too high, the light a tad harsh and locomotive wheels almost indistinguishable in the shadow. The well-heeled gricer might settle instead for a helicopter-ride, to carry out some aerial photography. There is incomparable opportunity for this at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, a steam train parked on the famous bridge the cherry on the top.

The gregarious, esoteric gricers see out the last hours of the day reminiscing like excited children over the day’s highlights, expounding on the merits and demerits of this shot and that, and outdoing each other in showing off incredibly detailed knowledge about the various types of motive power seen. Eventually it is bed-time and an exhausted party - including myself - hits the pillows in anticipation of even greater master shots the next day!

Gricers getting ready lineside to bag another great steam shot – hopefully! Photo: T. Staats

One of UK operator Geoff Cooke’s tour parties at Sandstone Estates, Eastern Free State. Photo: G. Cooke

The sight that brings the Gricers back to South Africa again and again – big steam locos on 1,067mm gauge track. Photo: N. Newport


SCAW METALSGROUP

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Tel: +27 11 842-9303 • Fax: +27 11 842-9710Website: www.scaw.co.za

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

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

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

steel, manufactured to customer requirements

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

and unmotored passenger vehicles• Self steering bogies• Fully machined frames ready for assembly into bogies,

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

for auxiliary equipment

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

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

Scaw supplies globally and also offers nationwide distributionin South Africa through its strategically located branchesthroughout the country.

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CORRESPONDENCETHOSE GAUGESDear editorI did enjoy your February article on the proposed rail gauge change. It is fascinating how politicians want to change history to suit politics, forgetting that written history cannot be changed.

Let them look at Japan where the old metro & freight network is 1,067mm [same as South Africa] and the high-speed passenger intercity lines are standard gauge. The same will happen here. The Gautrain (a dedicated commuter/intercity line) is standard gauge while the rest of the system can work quite happily on Cape gauge. A container can get by rail from Durban to Johannesburg in 12 hours after a 10-day sea journey. To reduce the 12 hours to 6 hours would be insignificant in the overall door- to-door journey time.

However, there will be a time when it will be more viable to have a fast Johannesburg-Durban passenger rail connection on standard gauge. It would need a journey time of 3 hours to compete with air. But one day, when a barrel of oil costs $1,000 and the country is serious about its carbon emissions, it will become viable. More articles like that please - Stewart Currie (Johannesburg).

PS It is the first I have heard that Cape gauge was named after that Norwegian engineer. Can you give a reference for this?

[See Bruno Martin’s comprehensive article in Railways Africa issue 6-2004. - Editor]

A RUSSIAN VISITOR TO KNYSNA

Dear editorI represent the Russian railway magazine Zheleznodorozhny Transport (The railway transport). In December 2009, I visited the South African Republic and had a chance to see Knysna railway station which is out of operation now. It would be interesting to our readers to know about the history of this line, the reasons for it being out of operation and its future prospects. Can you share the information? - Boris S. Itskovich, executive secretary

[ We sent Boris the six pages from Boon Boonzaaier’s “Tracks across the veld” which tell the whole George-Knysna story. Copies of this 349-page masterpiece, incidentally, are still available in South Africa at R350 (postage included) from JNC Boonzaaier [email protected] . Absa Bela Bela branch 334447, account no 130-156-976. See our review on page 51 of issue 4-2008. – Editor]

NRZ INCLUDED IN COMMERCIALISATION PLANDear editorThese parastatals can really be cash cows for the governments if competently run. I recommend that they be run by people with PhDs in the relevant disciplines. There is no need for interviews because the most qualified should run these entities. Interviews create opportunities for nepotism and favouritism which makes these entities a drain on the fiscus. I am told in Saudi Arabia people don’t pay tax as government gets all its funding from well-run government companies. I am sure we can achieve this if we rid ourselves of the cancer of

nepotism and favouritism which is now regarded as normal in Africa. - Tendai Munyanduri

SCENIC EASTERN FREE STATE LINEDear editorIf the line between Bethlehem and Bloemfontein via Modderpoort can be made safe for the Trans-Orange, why can it not be done for tourist trains? I am sure the tourist train operators will be prepared to pay extra for running a train all the way from Bethlehem to Bloemfontein (via Modderpoort) or the other way round through one of the most scenic areas in our country. If I am correct, tourist trains are only allowed to run part of the way from either side. - Willie de Beer

NRZ BUYING COACHES FROM CHINADear editorDoes this mean Morewear Zimbabwe and Zeco have failed to supply NRZ with home-grown coaches? Nearby South Africa would have kindly donated refurbished coaches. Back in 1997, Morewear and Union Carriage of South Africa did NRZ proud by supplying state-of-the-art passenger coaches dubbed “blue coaches”. Are we saying these do not measure up to this proposed purchase? The FIFA 2010 World Cup has seen South Africa introduce the Gauteng Rapid Rail Project with its stylish, modern Bombardier trainsets. This is the way forward - but for NRZ, I give up.- Samuel Mudehwe

TO THE PUBLISHER - ANOTHER 50 COPIES, PLEASE!Dear PhillippaThis to congratulate you on the magnificent magazineyou have distributed this month (March 2010). Please may we ask for 50 copies for distribution amongst our clientele - we would truly appreciate that. - Erna Dunlop, secretary, Flint Construction (on behalf of the managing director).

[We don’t usually print pats on the back, but couldn’t resist this! – Editor.]

CONCRETE: FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH

The track is the heart of the railwayWithout it lines cannot exist:

Twin ribbons of steel cross the landscape,Disappearing as trails in the mist.

Traditionally sleepers were timber;Rails spiked down, or bolted in place.

Now concrete’s the rule of the moment,Even points use cement as a base.

Steel standards that march across countryAre giving way too, to this stuff.

Incomparably rustless by nature,Its unbeatably lasting - and tough.

Ingredients are pretty straightforward, What with ballast and sleepers and rails;

Yet there’s always some room for improvement. For examples, see Infraset’s tales.

At tunnels, where transition’s a problem, They’ve excelled themselves coming to grips.Other challenging problems they’ve beaten

Are sleepers beneath double-slips.



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

Floorplan NOW OPEN! Call for papers.

For further information, rates and booking details contact Phillippa DeanTel: +27 72 340 5621 Email: [email protected]


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raiways africa april 2010

Documents

south africa page

beginning page

south africa r464

africa update

winter page

south africans thamm

south africas poor

outstanding railways