The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has received the second test train (TT2), as well as a Public Display Train Coach (PDTC) from Gibela.
This followed the delivery of the first test train (TT1) in December last year.
The Gibela consortium, in which French multinational Alstom has a stake, will supply 600 trains to PRASA up to 2027 in a R51-billion contract. The first 20 trains were being manufactured at an Alstom plant in Brazil, with the remainder to be assembled in South Africa.
Transport Minister Dipuo Peters was expected to officiate at the sod-turning of the R1-billion manufacturing plant, in Dunnottar, Ekurhuleni, on Friday.
The TT2 was a six-coach train. The first three coaches would be empty, with exposed electrical panels and no passenger comforts, while the remaining three coaches would be fitted with passenger comforts in a similar fashion to the expected final passenger train.
The differences in the trains would mark the second phase of testing by PRASA and Gibela, which would include upgraded tests from lessons learned from TT1.
From the first three coaches, the testing teams would compare their findings from TT1 and investigate how the changes and adjustments affected the specified customer comforts and functionality of the train as per PRASA’s specifications.
The PDTC would, meanwhile, allow the public to see what the final trains would look like.
“On behalf of the PRASA board, we are satisfied with the consistent delivery against our set targets. We are especially pleased with the arrival of the PDTC, as it will allow ordinary members of the public and our passengers to experience the future of passenger rail trains and the successful investment by PRASA into our new rolling stock,” PRASA chairperson Popo Molefe said.
TT2 would not be released as a commercial train but would remain a test train, while the findings from the tests would ensure that all final train manufacturing specifications complied with the changes recommended by the testing teams.
The PDTC would remain a showcase train and would be moved around PRASA’s main train stations.