BOTSWANA-NAMIBIA FEASIBILITY STUDY
Posted on 16 October 2009 by Railways Africa Editor
A pre-feasibility study for the proposed new Trans-Kalahari railway from Botswana to the Namibian coast has begun, after three years of preliminary planning. Expected to take twelve months, the work is being funded by a N$3.4m ($US463,000) grant from the World Bank and N$329,000 ($US44,744) each from the two countries.
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COPPER/SILVER DEPOSIT ON ROUTE OF BOTSWANA-NAMIBIA RAIL.
A very large copper-silver deposit is being outlineds near Ghanzi or about 10km from the route of the Botswana-Namibia coal railway, which would provide some bonus traffic for the line. See Afican Business magazine.
SF 13 Feb 2010
An announcment in the “Namibia Economist” about the Botswana-Walvis Bay rail link poses the question of choice of gauge, 1067mm or 1435mm. As always, this is not an easy question to answer.
As a heavy duty line is involved, the track ought to be strong enough for the heaviest and fastest traffic. This means coal traffic with say 25t axleloads. For possible double stack containers, standard gauge might be a bit more stable and allow slightly higher speeds, though how much faster it is not known.
The Botswana to Walvis Bay line is in an area of southern Africa where cape gauge is widespread and almost universal so introducing a different gauge would be a disadvantage, unless the Walvis Bay line is intended to connect with standard gauge proposals in say Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.
The newspaper article fails to mention gauge convertable, dual gauge addable or dual gauge from the start, all three of which would keep the gauge issue open for future resolution at relatively modest costs in the short term.
See: http://www.economist.com.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20329:railway-line-to-transport-botswana-namibia-coal-on-the-cards&catid=533:special-focus&Itemid=55
SF 14 Nov 2009
This a good development for the region.In fact for Botswana Railways this was long overdue.This will boost both economies and an alternative sea route.However the same railway corridor can be married to Bulawayo Francistown line.