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PRASA New Rolling Stock Procurement Programme – Gibela rolling stock project, South Africa

29th April 2016

By: Sheila Barradas

Creamer Media Research Coordinator & Senior Deputy Editor

  

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Name and Location
PRASA New Rolling Stock Procurement Programme – Gibela rolling stock project, South Africa.

Client
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

Project Description
The programme involves the acquisition of about 7 200 new rail vehicles by 2034.

The supply programme will be rolled out in two phases, with the first involving the supply of 600 trains comprising 3 600 coaches over a ten-year period.

The rail agency signed a R51-billion contract with Gibela Rail Transport Consortium, comprising Alstom (61%), Ubumbano Rail (30%) and New Africa Rail (9%), in October 2013 to supply the first 600 trains from 2015 to 2025.

Ubumbano Rail comprises several companies that are keen to enter the rail sector as suppliers. The three commercial entities in Ubumbano Rail are Khipunyawo Rail, the Elgin-Identity Rail Corporation and Community Rail.

The consortium will provide PRASA with Alstom’s X’Trapolis Mega train, with each train comprising six cars capable of transporting more than 1 300 passengers. The trains will travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h and could be upgraded to travel 160 km/h.

The first 20 trains and 120 coaches are being manufactured at Alstom’s Lapa facility in São Paulo, Brazil, while a R1-billion 600 000 m2 local manufacturing facility will be built in Dunnottar, Ekurhuleni, to manufacture the balance of the trains.

Gibela will also provide maintenance, spare parts and technical support for PRASA over a 19-year period in terms of a contract worth about R10-billion. Alstom will establish five maintenance depots – two in Gauteng, two in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Eastern Cape – that will provide fault-finding support, reliability engineers, controls and monitoring, and material requirement planning. Gibela will also establish two repair centres in Salt River and Durban.

In support of the programme, PRASA has embarked on a major modernisation programme, which will include depot and station modernisation; a rolling stock refurbishment programme; and perway, bridges, infrastructure and signalling upgrades.

Value
The project forms part of PRASA’s R136-billion rolling stock fleet renewal programme.

Duration
R51-billion.

Latest Developments
PRASA and the Gibela Rail Transportation Consortium have begun open-line testing between Wolmerton and De-Wildt, in Pretoria, on the first test train (TT1) imported from Brazil.

Testing will be completed by the end of September in expectation of commercial operation in October.

Open line testing of the new passenger trains is focused on speed testing, passenger comfort, braking and acceleration and the handling of corners.

“Two trains have already been delivered from Brazil, while the remainder will arrive in the country by the end of the year. The first batch of trains will be running by October,” PRASA spokesperson Victor Dlamini has said.

With years of underinvestment in passenger rail infrastructure, PRASA had to focus on isolating a test and deployment area for the new trains that would not require intensive rehabilitation before the new trains could be deployed, acting PRASA CEO Nathi Khena has noted.

“Ultimately, the Pienaarspoort to Pretoria line was deemed the most appropriate corridor to deploy the first trains,” he has said.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Construction of the Dunnottar factory was initially expected to start in early 2015, but delays in securing the site resulted in work falling behind schedule.

Contact Details for Project Information
PRASA, Moffet Mofokeng, tel +27 12 748 7000 or email momofokeng@prasa.com.
Gibela communications director Pamella Radebe email pamella.radebe@gibela-rail.com.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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