Focus on rail freight network

INTERNATIONAL freight rail industry giants will be in the city to discuss the future state of the heavy haul rail network in Africa.

Today, about 1 000 engineers and professionals from 25 countries will be gathering at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the freight and rail conference. This is the first such conference to be held in the country in 20 years.

Some of the key discussions that industry experts will be tackling include the future of freight rail, inter-trade challenges and new ways of creating funding for infrastructure projects.

Brian Monakali, who holds senior executive positions in the international and SA Heavy Haul Association, said rail research and development in the country were being headed by Transnet.

“While inroads have been made by different institutions, we need to focus on research, innovation and technology to help rail networks take their rightful place in facilitating intra-African trade,” he said.

Transnet already has a proven record in innovations by operating the world’s longest production train that reaches up to 4km per train length, with axle loads of 30 tons, Monakali said.

Countries that have successfully mastered the power of rail, such as the US, have shown the benefits that can be derived from co-ordinated research, development and testing the ecosystem, he said.

“The heavy haul principles of running longer trains can be used to promote rail interconnectivity between countries on the continent and are a lower-cost alternative to upgrading roll-stock axle loads or building new heavy haul lines,” Monakali said.

He added that rail companies could also cut costs with a strict maintenance standards and conditions monitoring system.

“The best way to achieve our goal would be to create a forum and platform that manages and co-ordinates the intellectual property of African rail technology.

“Its role would be to align institutional knowledge and create uniform rail technology situations while identifying gaps in the African rail landscape, with Transnet as the heavy haul operator at the forefront,” he said. – Staff Reporter