Prasa rubbish reports about train tenders
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has dismissed allegations that its tender process for their new mega trains was flouted.
CEO Lucky Montana, pictured, was responding to weekend media reports headlining a R600 million train blunder, in which it is alleged Prasa had committed what seemed to be the country’s largest and most expensive tender blunder.
The article further alleges that the 70-strong fleet of Afro 4000 locomotives does not meet the country’s rail height requirements.
Prasa dismissed the report, calling it grossly misleading and inaccurate.
Rapport reported that the 13 diesel locomotives already delivered are too high for the long distance routes they were intended for.
It claimed that information from Transnet senior engineers was that Prasa was warned before the locomotives arrived.
Prasa intends using the R3.5 billion locomotives for its long distance Shosholoza Meyl passenger service.
But Montana said the allegations in the article are false, stating the country had purchased the best locomotives in the world and that they were suitable for local rail lines.
According to Prasa’s head of rail division, Mosengwa Mofi, the trains fit all the rail safety requirements and instructions.
“The instruction specifies that the normal height between rail and electrical wire for 3kv and 25kv network is 5.0mm and the minimum is 4.5mm.
“The safety instruction allows for a tolerance of +150mm between the roof of the locomotive and the electrical contact wire. The Afro 4000 locomotives height is 4.1m as opposed to 4.262m as reported.”
He said the gap of 400mm for the Afro 4000 was well above the minimum specifications and therefore conformed to the adopted safety standard in the country’s rail environment.
Mofi said the trains were being tested with success in both the Transnet and Prasa networks to fulfi l a requirement to travel 3 000 fault-free kilometres.
He said the trains are in the testing phase.