Derailed locomotive still lies next to rail tracks

TRAIN enthusiast Hardy Wilson was shocked when a birding trip in the Northern Cape revealed that a locomotive and carriages that derailed two months ago in the Kimberley area are still lying beside the tracks.

The locomotive is reportedly one of the Spanishmanufactured Afro 4000 diesel locomotives purchased for R600 million by former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) chief executive Lucky Montana, who was fired in July. The trains were deemed unsuitable for South Africa’s railway infrastructure.

The locomotive and carriage will be removed only early next month, according to Prasa spokesman Victor Dlamini.

“Two months is ludicrous,” said Hardy, convener of the Railway History Society in Durban.

“It should be cleared after one or two weeks.”

Security guards at the scene chased him away as he tried to take photographs of the wreck.

The Shosholoza Meyl intercity train, which derailed on August 18, was carrying passengers from Joburg to Cape Town. It had been speeding while moving from the mainline to a newly constructed line, according to the preliminary investigation report by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR).

It found that the accident was a result of “over-speeding on a temporarily speed restricted section” – 81km/h in a 30km/ h zone between Modderrivier and Heuningneskloof stations.

The preliminary report found that Transnet Freight Rail failed to communicate with Prasa, which runs the Shosholoza Meyl, about the speed restriction.

As a result, the section manager failed to communicate with the train driver about the speed restriction.

Prasa’s Dlamini said this week that the removal of the rolling stock could take place only next month, because the line had to be shut down during recovery.

“The first week of November offers the first window of opportunity to undertake recovery and removal.”

He added a joint board of inquiry between the track operator and train operator had been set up.

It was expected that its work would be completed by the end of next month.