Category: Rail

Launch of the African Association of Urban Transport Authorities (AAUTA) in Abidjan

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  The Greater Abidjan Urban Mobility Authority (AMUGA), in collaboration with the Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP, an international partnership administered by the World Bank) organized the founding General Assembly of the African Association of Urban Transport Authorities (AAUTA) from 21 to 22 February 2023 at the Noom Hotel in Abidjan.   This meeting organized to address the challenges of African citizens in urban transport and mobility, in the face of rapidly increasing rates of urbanization and motorization of the continent, was attended by more than 40 leaders of the sector from…

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Kinshasa’s mass transit system to be rebuilt by Africa Finance Corporation and Trans Connexion Congo

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Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the leading infrastructure solutions provider on the continent, has entered into a joint development agreement with Trans Connexion Congo (TCC), to jointly develop a mass transit system covering a linear route of 300km of railroad in Kinshasa, Africa’s most populous city, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.   The development of this urban train is to be executed in four phases, with the first phase being a 25km rail connection from the central station of Kinshasa to the city’s N’Djili International Airport. Implementation will involve…

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Uganda: Inadequate funds slowing Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Project

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The Ministry of Works and Transport has attributed slow progress in the implementation of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project to inadequate funds.   This, according to the ministry, has affected pre-construction activities such as land acquisition and compensation of Project-Affected-Persons (PAPs) at the first phase of the Malaba-Kampala SGR project. This was revealed during a meeting between Works Ministry officials led by the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala and the Committee on Physical Infrastructure chaired by Hon. Robert Kasolo (over the SGR project on Thursday, 09…

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Transnet Issues RFP to return long-standing Locomotives to Service to meet Customer Demand

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In a further effort to normalise freight operations in South Africa, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has issued an open competitive tender inviting eligible original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to step in to rehabilitate the non-operational Chinese-manufactured locomotives awaiting critical spare parts. This follows on the impasse with the CRRC E-Loco Supply, the Chinese stateowned supplier of locomotives. CRRC is unwilling to engage with the relevant authorities in South Africa to normalise its operations in the country. Details on the matter of the CRRC has been widely published. TFR has published the…

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Premier Alan Winde Welcomes Partial Resumption of Eerste River-Bellville Train Service

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Premier Alan Winde cautiously welcomes Metrorail’s partial resumption of the train service between Eerste River and Bellville in Cape Town this morning. The service has been suspended since the Covid-19 national state of disaster was implemented in 2020. According to Metrorail, services would have resumed in December 2022 but were delayed due to “environmental issues”. Today’s reintroduction of the service will see the train depart from Bellville station, stopping at Kuils River, Blackheath, Meltonrose, and Eerste River stations. The Premier said, “While this much-needed train service is good news for…

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Agreement signed between Botswana Railways (BR) and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ)

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Botswana Railways (BR) and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) recently signed an agreement to improve the efficiency of services offered by both administrations. Signed at Plumtree station in Zimbabwe, the agreement will allow Botswana Railways locomotives to travel through Plumtree to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe National Railways locomotives to Francistown. Prior to the agreement, Botswana Railways and Zimbabwe National Railways locomotives would turn around at Plumtree, causing delays and inefficiencies in the delivery of freight. With the signing of this agreement, not only will the delays be reduced, but…

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Ghana Easing urban traffic: Kumasi to get electric rail system

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The first electric light rail transportation, also known as the Tram System, is to be launched in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital. The project, which forms part of the government’s effort to ease traffic congestion, particularly in urban centres, will be fully financed by the Czech Government at a total cost of about 180m Euros. A feasibility study has already been completed and the report handed over to the Ministry of Railway Development in September 2020, but the project had to be delayed because of the 2020 electioneering. A consortium…

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Sitarail receives its new tamper to maintain the railway between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso

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(Press release Bolloré – 19 august 2022) On 19 August 2022, SITARAIL took delivery at the Port of Abidjan of a new tamping-levelling-lining machine worth 2 billion CFA francs (more than €3 million), for maintenance on the railway between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. Presented at the recent International Exhibition for Track Technology (IAF) in Münster, Germany, this innovation is essential for positioning rails correctly and detecting infrastructure failures in order to restore the best possible track parameters. Designed by Austrian company Plasser & Theurer, the world leader in railway…

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South Africa and Botswana join forces to improve trade between the two countries through rail freights  

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 Transnet Freight Rail (South Africa) will collaborate with Botswana Rail to upgrade 126 km of rail between Swartruggens, in South Africa’s North West Province, and Mafikeng, on the border with Botswana, according to a statement from the South African company.      The announcement, which follows a high-level trade roundtable between the two countries, aims to boost trade between the two countries, including giving landlocked Botswana, easier access to the South African ports of Richards Bay and Durban for export markets.      ” This will be funded jointly by…

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Kenya : President Kenyatta Commissions Kisumu Railway Station

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The restoration of the rail transport in Kisumu will not only lower the cost of ferrying goods along the line but also stimulate the growth of industries President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday commissioned the Kisumu Railway Station, expressing optimism that the rail transport will boost Kisumu’s status as an economic hub in the western region. President Kenyatta pointed out that the restoration of the rail transport in Kisumu will not only lower the cost of ferrying goods along the line but also stimulate the growth of industries that will create…

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