If Transnet Freight Rail equalised rates on all corridors irrespective of the distances covered, it would attract “huge amounts of cargo …and increased volumes would more than compensate for the rate reduction.” The assertion came from freight forwarders and logistics providers at the recent Transport Forum in Stellenbosch.
Original article [Railways Africa]
Peter Bagshawe reports:
TFR auction #29 closes on Thursday 3 May 2012.
http://www.go-dove.com/event-16547/Transnet-Freight-Rail-Sale-29
“The sale includes 1 locomotive, 18 coaches, 550 wagons (including 42 narrow gauge), containers and sundry other items. Around half the wagons are being sold without bogies (some are being sold ‘without wheels and bogies’ – which rather strangely implies that the wheels from those to be sold just ‘without bogies’ are included in the sale).
“The locomotive is 35-332 at Bloemfontein (Lot 22), derailed and stripped (no engine for instance) and being sold without bogies.
“The coaches comprise 1 service coach (14822) at Coligny (Lot 6), being sold with bogies, and 17 coaches at Bloemfontein (Lot 23), all being sold without bogies (but with wheels?). These are all in the old maroon and grey livery and are mainly E2 second class coaches.
“An interesting item is a shunter wagon (type VLJ13), without bogies (Lot 1). It is situated at Potchefstroom, although lettered as ‘Shunter Wagon Klerksdorp’. From the photographs it looks as if it is in good condition.
“The final wagon lot (Lot 31) is for 42 wagons from the closed Port Shepstone-Harding narrow gauge line. They are situated at Port Shepstone, Izotsha, Izingolweni, Nqabeni, Bongwana and Harding. One wagon is quoted as being at Paddock, but I am pretty certain that this wagon is actually at Harding. This does not seem to cover all surviving ACR wagons, and it is believed that TFR have in fact offered some wagons directly to preservationists (not for free though). The most interesting wagon on the list is one of two fitted with tread-steer trucks. This is 401 (shown incorrectly as 101-A in the Lot details) which derailed near Izotsha in August 1998 and was never recovered. Recently, this wagon suffered from ‘unofficial scrap merchants’, and was cut into pieces. From the photo it can be seen that at least one of the tread-steer axles survives.”
Original article [Railways Africa]
Peter Sinclair:
“Purely by chance, yesterday [27 April] we got the chance to ride the new Franschhoek tram. Having celebrated our granddaughter’s 21st birthday with lunch in the old station, now doing business as a pub/restaurant, we all took a walk to the Franschhoek Wine Cellar where the tram is staged behind security fencing.
“We were just in time to meet David Blythe, the man behind the initiative, who was ready to depart on a test run with wife and another as level crossing flagmen. Our party was promptly invited to go along for the ride, and very impressive it was too.
“The old station is still intact and well looked after, and though the platform area had been sheeted over to increase seating capacity, the façade still maintained the dignified air of the dowager that she is. The face brickwork alone is a work of art, now lost in the mists of time and expedience. We understood that the tram will run from the station, which is good news, and a quick look as we walked up-line to the cellar revealed no obstruction that would be impossible to overcome. The track looks to be in good shape, still apparently intact, and the ride was good. The fact that the line was originally laid on steel sleepers has turned out to be its saviour. A lot of work is still to be done, but progress looks encouraging.
” We went only as far as the oblique crossing of the main road intoFranschhoek, before turning back. Level crossings are obviously going to be treated with great respect, as it will take only one incident of stupidity to scupper the whole enterprise. There are a fair number of major crossings, and a dozen or more farm crossings.”
Original article [Railways Africa]
Coal of Africa Limited plans a R300 million, 22km new rail spur from Makhado (north of the Soutpansberg in the Limpopo River basin) to the nearest Transnet Freight Rail line near Musina. The route reportedly crosses several game farms, which are largely dependent on revenue earned from clients from overseas. Fears have been expressed about potential environmental disturbance – noise, light, dust etc and upsetting animal migration patterns. Coal of Africa intends to relocate as many as possible of 400 indigenous trees, several of them protected, that need to make way for the railway. “Game fences”, as opposed to the conventional five-strand sort, are to be provided, as well as animal underpasses at certain places.
Original article [Railways Africa]
Production at Coal of Africa Limited’s Vele Colliery in South Africa’s Limpopo Province resumed in December 2011. The first test shipment train of approximately 1,500 tonnes of thermal coal from was loaded into rail wagons on 24 April 2012. It travelled to the Matola Terminal in Maputo, Mozambique, for shipment and sale to Asia. An important objective was to determine axle-load capacity of the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) line between Groenbult and Hoedspruit. In its first phase of production, Vele is expected to produce approximately 2.7 million tonnes per annum, yielding approximately 1 million tpa of saleable coking coal.
Original article [Railways Africa]
The board of trustees at the Kenya Railways Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme insists that property sold was transparently managed and represented value for money. The trustees care take assets valued at more than Sh20 billion. According to the Retirements Benefits Authority (RBA), quoted by The Nation, disposal of estates by the scheme to pay retirees is “shrouded in controversy” and “threatens to halt their monthly payments that amount to about Sh56 million. Scheme chair Ms Beryl says due process was followed throughout. She claims that RBA inspectors did not give trustees adequate time to prepare for the inspection or produce documents in response to issues raised, and complains that the inspectors took only two days drawing up their report. Al the necessary documentation is now available, she says.
Original article [Railways Africa]
The inaugural African Railways Summit is to take place in Johannesburg on 18 and 19 September. According to the organisers, it “will concentrate on rail strategies for the African continent. Case studies, panel discussions and networking opportunities with experts and industry leaders will give delegates a platform to interact, learn and collect business intelligence and strategic insight … The African Rail Summit has engaging sessions designed to provide a holistic purview on the rail developments in the region”.
[The annual Africa Rail conference, covering an identical agenda, takes place late in June. With not a single other conference on African railways scheduled in the months July and August, prospective delegates are sure to be getting impatient by the time September comes around - Editor: Railways Africa]
Original article [Railways Africa]
The executive committee at the South African National Rail and Steam Museum (Sanrasm) is asking opinions on what to do with class GO Garratt 2586.
Geoff Pethick explains:
“The 25-strong GO class of Beyer Garratts was built by Henschel of Germany in 1954 and were a slightly lighter version of the more numerous GMA Garratts. This was achieved largely by the use of a smaller boiler and cylinders.
“The locomotives, numbered 2572 to 2596, were displaced from service by diesel locomotives and in 1977 were staged at the bridge yard in De Aar, supposedly as part of a strategic reserve of locos. In the mid 1980s it became clear that they would never work again and with preservation in mind Peter Odell and John Gilberthorpe, both steam loco drivers at Kimberley, inspected them and pronounced 2586 in the best condition, having seen little use since its last overhaul. This loco was obtained by Sanrasm and saved from a scrap dealer engaged in cutting up locos.
“It has languished in the local vicinity, gradually being stripped of boiler fittings and other valuable non-ferrous and ferrous parts until it has been reduced to little more than a hulk.
“However, a recent visit by a Sanrasm representative revealed that the mechanical parts of both power bogies are virtually intact and show little signs of wear and could certainly be of future use. Sanrasm is concentrating on the core collection and lacks the resources to restore such a locomotive and also wishes to clear its assets from various places around the country where such items are standing.
“Initially it was thought that 2586 would be scrapped shortly but the Sanrasm Exco has decided to ask for proposals from interested parties which might like to save it. There is a six-month deadline for these proposals to be formulated and submitted and should cover acquisition, movement and restoration plans, there being no point in moving it from one site to another only for it to just stand and deteriorate further.
“It is standing on track which is not connected to the main Transnet network. There is some doubt about whether the roller bearings on the driving axles are still serviceable, it being likely that the lubricating grease will have turned solid and deteriorated in the thirty -plus years it’s been sitting at De Aar, so Transnet may be unwilling for it to be hauled on the main-line. There are no facilities in the vicinity and there is no security or fencing to be seen. The area is between the local township and the town so is a busy area where safety cannot be guaranteed.
“It’s worth remembering that this locomotive is not unique, Transnet Foundation restored no. 2576 to working order some years ago, and it still forms part of their collection.”
For more recently taken photographs and further information contact
Geoff Pethick 082 852 8246 or geoffp@netactive.co.za
Original article [Railways Africa]
Following two years out of action, Kimberley’s historic electric tram – a popular tourist attraction – is running again. Disruption to the service resulted from the closing of Bultfontein Road due to subsidence but the time has been well spent as major refurbishment took place during the tram’s downtime. This is the only operational electric tram in South Africa. The run to the Kimberley “Big Hole” mine viewing area is not lengthy but the experience – at R10 per trip – is well worth the effort.
Original article [Railways Africa]
Five fuel cell locomotives are under construction as demonstrators for use underground at Anglo American Platinum Ltd’s Dishaba mine, Railway Gazette International reports. “Lead contractor Vehicle Projects Inc is undertaking engineering design, fabrication and testing of the fuel cell power plant in the USA. Completed units will be delivered to Trident South Africa for installation on 10t New Era mine locomotives, with integration and testing to be supported by local firm Battery Electric. The locomotives will feature a hybrid fuel cell power pack with proton-exchange membrane stacks and lithium-ion batteries. Continuous net power rating of the fuel cell is 17kW and, acting in combination with the traction battery, the maximum net power is 45kW for approximately 10 minutes, the company says. The complete traction module, comprising fuel cells, batteries, hydride storage, colling systems and power electronics occupies a space of 1m³. Each locomotive will have 0.3m³ of reversible metal-hydride storage, which will provide ‘dense and safe storage’ for 3.5kg of hydrogen, enough to produce 50kWh. In 2009 Vehicle Projects and BNSF produced a fuel cell-powered shunting locomotive for testing in the USA and in 2002 the company developed what it says was the first fuel cell mining locomotive for Placer Dome in Canada.”
Original article [Railways Africa]
