PROBLEMS FACING ECOWAS
Posted on 09 October 2009 by Railways Africa Editor
In the realm of rail, Ecowas, the Economic Community of West African States, lists three main objectives for the region:
- extension of railways to countries lacking thereof;
- interconnection of previously separate railways;
- standardisation of gauge, brakes, couplings, and other parameters.
When some of the realities are examined, the task appears formidable. Leaving aside fundamentals like coupler standardisation, the gauge situation is daunting:
Gauges:
- Benin 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in)
________________________________________
- Côte d’Ivoire 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in)
- Burkina Faso 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in)
________________________________________
- Gambia (nil)
- Ghana 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
- Guinea-Bissau (nil)
- Liberia 1,435 mm (4 ft 81⁄2 in); 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
- Niger (nil)
- Nigeria 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in); 1,435 mm (4 ft 81⁄2 in)
________________________________________
- Senegal 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in)
- Mali 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in)
________________________________________
- Sierra Leone 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
- Togo 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in) (suspended)
- Guinea 1,000 mm (3 ft 33⁄8 in); 1,435 mm (4 ft 81⁄2 in)
________________________________________
In summary, the railways of West Africa comprise:
- 1,000 mm gauge (3 ft 33⁄8 in) 4,472 km (42.7%)
- 1,067 mm gauge (3 ft 6 in) 4,593 km (43.9%)
- 1,435 mm gauge (4 ft 81⁄2 in) 1,409 km (13.5%0
[ The figures, by Wikipedia, have not been cross-checked. – editor
Related posts:
- MALI-CÔTE D’IVOIRE
- PROPOSED ECOWAS RAILWAY
- METRORAIL PROBLEMS: JOHANNESBURG
- DARJEELING-HIMALAYA PROBLEMS
- TANZANIA ADMITS PROBLEMS
