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Rail Transport and Infrastructure
Expected decline in safety related rail incidents
By: Darren Parker 12th June 2020 The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) expects that an analysis of railway safety incidents in April and May will reveal a declining trend in some categories of operational occurrence since some railway operations were suspended during levels 4 and 5 of the Covid-19 national lockdown. As legislated,... →
Rail needs innovative risk-sharing structures
By: Darren Parker 12th June 2020 African railway owners and operators should consider linking freight and passenger rail services as a way of diversifying the risks and rewards that have become evident in these systems on the back of the Covid-19 crisis, says Development Bank of Southern Africa transport, logistics and bulk... →
SHOULDERING THE LOAD While passenger rail suffered losses, freight rail enjoyed increased demand throughout the Covid-19 lockdown
Gautrain takes a knock to protect customer base
By: Darren Parker 12th June 2020 Gautrain rapid-rail network operator Bombela Concession Company has maintained or, in some cases, increased Gautrain operational capacity despite low passenger numbers. “While maintaining or even increasing capacity at a time when demand has reduced goes against commercial logic, it makes perfect... →
OLI South Africa
12th June 2020 Making business simpler for customers, while going global with a first-class product, has successfully established industrial vibration technology company OLI as the world’s top-selling supplier of electric external moto-vibrators. OLI products are distributed throughout Southern Africa by its... →
Metric Automotive Engineering
12th June 2020 Metric Automotive Engineering is positioned as a world-class diesel engine component remanufacturer. Well-known in the mining, quarrying, earthworks, construction and railway sectors for its ability to remanufacture diesel engine components to original equipment manufacturer specifications, and... →
Companies sign MoU for rail development on the continent
By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 6th March 2020 Multilateral development finance bank African Export-Import Bank and local railway services company Thelo DB signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop, finance and operate railway projects in Africa. Thelo DB is an incorporated partnership between Thelo Ventures and Germany-based... →
GREATER COLLABRATION Thelo DB and African Export-Import Bank will collaborate to support the modernisation of Africa’s railways
South African rail manufacturing sector needs to reinvent itself
By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 6th March 2020 Despite South Africa’s having a strong presence on the railway scene – claiming almost 30% of the continent’s kilometres and more than 60% of its rail freight – the country’s rail manufacturing sector has not leveraged this position to lead in the manufacturing of rolling stock on the continent,... →
CONTINENTAL BENEFITS Through the AfCFTA, the benefits for South Africa and its African peers will be easier distribution, new export markets and new business opportunities
Need for change to address challenges in rail sector
By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 6th March 2020 Despite the local rail industry in South Africa constituting a sizeable and critical portion of the economy, and being well developed, compared with the rest of Africa, the rail infrastructure is not properly maintained, says rail equipment manufacturer Evorail GM Daniel Tchengoue. “The biggest... →
Regulator plans to increase safety awareness
By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 6th March 2020 Owing to various safety-related challenges that the South African rail industry has faced in the past year, the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) plans to increase its safety awareness activities to mitigate the risk of operational occurrences. According to the ‘State of Safety’ report 2018/19, a... →
Longest Production Train in the World
11th July 2019 In an unprecedented move, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) successfully ran a 375 wagon manganese train. The testing of the train took place on Wednesday, 05 September 2018 over a distance of around 861 km, from Sishen to Saldanha. The test train is four (4) kilometres long and will be a production... →
South Africans to prepare ‘smart heavy haul industry’ roadmap
3rd July 2019 The South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA) hosted a three-day technical workshop in Johannesburg in late 2018 as part of preparations for the 2019 International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) conference to be held in Narvik, Norway, from June 10 to 14. Ten countries are a part of the IHHA... →
Defining the heavy-haul railway of the future
26th June 2019 Heavy-haul railways are under constant pressure to optimise operational efficiency, a factor that has led the sector to spearhead many new technologies. Michael Roney, special advisor to the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA), explains in this article, originally published in the... →
Transnet Freight Rail Breakthrough Technologies
19th June 2019 In a context of increasing competition, growing demand and tighter management of operational and capital costs, freight railways are constantly looking for ways to increase efficiency by boosting throughput and cutting costs. Below are several breakthrough technologies that have been developed... →
Technology integration crucial
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 14th June 2019 Digital technology solutions provider Etion Digitise CE Koketso Seripe is set to deliver a presentation at the Africa Rail exhibition and conference, which will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Gauteng, on June 19 and 20. Seripe will deliver his presentation, titled ‘A seamless... →
Event will address challenges facing African rail industries
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 14th June 2019 Several challenges face Africa’s rail industries, and global events company Terrapinn will host the twenty-second annual Africa Rail exhibition and conference, which aims to tackle these challenges. Terrapinn business development manager Athena Maharaj tells Engineering News that there is a... →
Government departments need to align to revive industry – RRA
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 14th June 2019 There is no alignment in terms of the objectives of the local rail industry, and the country lacks a united vision, says the Railroad Association of South Africa (RRA) CEO Mesela Nhlapo. Currently, the visions of the different government departments are not aligning, which leads to policies being... →
Heavy Haul Game Changer 
12th June 2019 International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) chairperson Brian Monakali, who is also acting Rail Network GM at South Africa’s Transnet Freight Rail, believes collaboration is the key to ensuring that global heavy haul operators mitigate the risks associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution... →
Collaboration, safety awareness to mitigate railway fatalities
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 8th March 2019 The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) hopes to collaborate with all stakeholders that have direct or indirect interactions with rail systems to mitigate fatalities associated with railways. These stakeholders include the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the South African Police Service... →
Event aims to contribute to development of African rail
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 8th March 2019 Global events company Terrapinn will host the twenty-second annual Africa Rail exhibition and conference to contribute to the development of the rail sector across Africa, says Terrapin business development manager Athena Maharaj. She tells Engineering News that there will be a big focus on... →
Rail safety important for future of public transport
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 8th March 2019 Rail should ensure that it is a public-transport mode of choice by considering the importance of delivering a service to commuters which is available, punctual and safe, says Gautrain Management Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe. “Public transport in South Africa is a mode of force – people don’t use... →
Modernisation improves railway travel experience
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 8th March 2019 Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is making huge strides to modernise its passenger railway to improve the experience of passengers. “Not only are we starting to receive delivery of the modern trainsets but the implementation of the infrastructure programme is also under way, which... →
DEVELOPMENTS The new signalling system will create an environment for in-cab signalling and levels of automatic train protection
Investments in infrastructure projects set to improve rail industry
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 8th March 2019 The future of rail infrastructure in South Africa is bright and bold as government has set an ambitious target to have the fifth largest railway network globally, says multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm WSP Africa Infrastructure and Transportation division director Vishaal Lutchman.... →
Company offers efficient bulk handling solutions
1st June 2018 Niche market container products supplier Specialised Container Agencies (SCA) has developed an intermodal side tipper bin that provides efficient bulk handling rail solutions, encouraging greater use of rail wagon container haulage. “SCA’s intermodal tipper bins ensure quick, safe and cost... →
Event to inspire industry to think differently – organisers
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 1st June 2018 Global events company Terrapinn will host the twenty-first annual Africa Rail exhibition and conference at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Gauteng, on June 12 and 13, which it believes will encourage the African railway industry to innovate and think differently. Africa Rail is the meeting... →
Politics suppressing rail infrastructure build in Africa
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 1st June 2018 Election cycles and governance have an inherently negative impact on rail infrastructure planning and the construction thereof in Africa, says multidisciplinary engineering consultancy WSP Africa transport and infrastructure director Vishaal Lutchman. He adds that many African countries have... →
Rail operator to occupy its rail services hub this month
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 1st June 2018 Locomotive and rail operator Traxtion Sheltam plans to move into its rail services hub in Rosslyn, Pretoria, later this month, says CEO James Holley. The company started this project last year owing to its requiring a hub to service its own fleet of locomotives, wagons and cabooses. →
Safety issues must be addressed – law firm
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 1st June 2018 Safety is a massive problem in the rail industry in South Africa and it must be dealt with, says global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright director and head of rail David Kapelus. Ageing infrastructure and unlawful activity contribute to the country’s rail safety problems, with significant problems... →
TUMULTUOUS TRACKS In April, a vehicle and train collided at a level-crossing in the Western Cape when the vehicle apparently attempted to cross the railway tracks when it was not safe to do so
Technology uptake to solve industry challenges
By: Jessica Oosthuizen 1st June 2018 Although there has been some progress in establishing continuous connectivity in the form of WiFi networks on railway systems in South Africa, political issues have limited the uptake of technologies in the rail industry, says access network infrastructure provider Ruckus Networks sub-Saharan... →
Clamping tool can mitigate rail cable theft
By: Melissa Zisengwe 9th March 2018 Industrial equipment supplier Banding and Identification Solutions South Africa (Band-It) states that rail operators can mitigate rail power cable theft, which is rife across South Africa, by using its UL4000-C Ultra-Lok cable clamping tool. →
Shunting locomotive company introduces upgraded Unilok
By: Melissa Zisengwe 9th March 2018 Rail logistics company African Railway Systems and Consultants has introduced the South African rail market to the new upgrade of the Unilok shunting locomotives. →
Standard rail network can foster intercountry trade
By: Melissa Zisengwe 9th March 2018 Linking African countries with a standard rail network will assist in growing inter-country trade and, subsequently, foster Africa’s economic growth, says engineering consultancy WSP Africa Group. →
Update on multimodal project progress set for next year
By: Donald Makhafola 15th December 2017 In the first quarter of next year, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is set to provide further update on the Moloto rail corridor expansion project which aims to link Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo to ensure that passenger rail is the backbone of an integrated multi-modal... →
Plans on track for rapid rail network extensions in Gauteng
By: Donald Makhafola 15th December 2017 The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is hopeful that the National Treasury will approve the much-awaited Treasury Approval 1 (TA1) for the planned extension of a rapid rail network, following the submission of the feasibility study early this year. “We . . . handed in the documents to the... →
Mega engineering projects could boost SA economy
By: Donald Makhafola 15th December 2017 As South Africa is embarking on a mega railway infrastructure development that will take an estimated 20 years to complete, transportation systems developer Futran Group of Companies director Andries Louw says such projects should be used as an anchor to re-establish the culture of mega... →
Legislation, regulation to ensure rail success
By: Donald Makhafola 15th December 2017 Industry related forum Transport Forum custodian Harry van Huyssteen believes that the major rail infrastructure projects in South Africa could be better implemented if there was improved regulation and legislation. →
Connectivity – the next step for rail
By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd June 2017 With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), it has become a necessity for commuters to be connected, and it is also essential for increased operational efficiency in railway networks. This connectivity can be achieved through WiFi networks, which are heading towards being a prominent... →
Bearings company continues international market expansion
By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd June 2017 With 50% of its products exported from South Africa, specialised polymer manufacturer Vesconite Bearings continues to reinforce its presence in international markets as companies abroad maintain interest in its product offering. →
Digital technology influences rail industry positively
By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd June 2017 Rail infrastructure in South Africa is trending towards smart digital technologies that will influence the industry positively, says consulting engineers company Aurecon. “The integrated three-dimensional (3D) designs used particularly in South Africa are being used to plan and model rail... →
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