Posted on 01 March 2010 by Railways Africa Editor
In accordance with an agreement signed between the Democratic Republic of §Congo (DRC) and the Kingdom of Belgium in 2007, a four-year urban rail rehabilitation project is being undertaken in the city of Kinshasa at a cost of ?7 million. The population of the metropole, which comprises 24 municipalities, is between seven and eight million. [...] [...more]
Posted on 08 May 2009 by Railways Africa Editor
According to an unconfirmed report reaching us from Lubumbashi, staff employed by Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Congolais (SNCC – the national railway of the Democratic Republic of Congo), who have not been paid for 32 months, recently went on strike. “As a result,” our correspondent writes: “entrepreneurs have started new lorry services which [...] [...more]
Posted on 27 November 2008 by Railways Africa Editor
On 3 November 2008, four diesel-electric locomotives were shipped to the DRC from China’s Dalian port. They are 1,800hp CKD7C models, manufactured by the China Northern Rail Corporation Limited (CNR). Technical specifications follow: Track gauge: 1,067mm Transmission: AC/DC Wheel arrangement Co-Co Axle load: 15.0t Power rating 1,340 kW Design speed: 100 km/h Minimum curve negotiation radius: 80m Length over coupler centres: [...] [...more]
Posted on 04 April 2008 by Railways Africa Editor
Further developments are awaited on the announcement last September (reported in Railways Gazette International) that China is to assist the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the building of a 700km rail extension from Ilebo, northernmost outpost of the country’s main railway system, westwards to the capital Kinshasha. Kinshasha is the eastern terminus of a [...] [...more]
Posted on 30 August 2007 by Railways Africa Editor
During the official visit by South African president Thabo Mbeki to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 21 August, three important cooperation agreements between the two countries were signed, in the areas of transport, health and defence. The signing followed the fourth joint commission meeting of ministers and senior officials representing both countries’ governments [...] [...more]
Posted on 24 August 2007 by Railways Africa Editor
According to an Engineering News report, the Congo-Brazzaville republic is exporting timber from the port of Pointe Noire, reached by conveyance over distances exceeding 1,300 km by river and rail using Chemin de Fer Congo-Ocean CFCO). This traffic last moved some ten years ago, prior to the civil war, following which some of the commodity [...] [...more]
Posted on 17 August 2007 by Railways Africa Editor
Following research into the extent of effort needed to revive railways in the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC), the government’s transport ministry has concluded that it will cost $US600 million to put matters to rights. The new government, appointed after the recent elections, plans to privatise certain state enterprises. Transport Minister Remy Henri Kuseyo, impressed [...] [...more]
Posted on 05 August 2007 by Railways Africa Editor
Shortly before midnight on 1 August, a train in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) derailed near Kakenge in Western Kasai province. It was en route from Ilebo to Kananga, the provincial capital. According to media reports, the train consisted of ten vehicles of which eight derailed, seven overturning and killing between 80 and 100 [...] [...more]
Posted on 12 April 2007 by Railways Africa Editor
According to Engineering News, a South Korean consortium has agreed to build a new 800km railway in the Congo-Brazzaville Republic in return for timber concessions. Gabriel Valere Aime Eteka, cabinet director at the forestry ministry, is quoted saying: “South Koreans from the Malesian-Korea Resource Consortium have agreed to build a railway from Brazzaville to Ouesso [...] [...more]
Posted on 22 March 2007 by Railways Africa Editor
Prominent copper and cobalt mining company Nikanor is reopening mines at Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kolwezi lies 425km from the Angolan border on what is effectively the eastern extension of the Benguela railway from Lobito. Once rehabilitation of this line is complete, it would be the most direct route for exports [...] [...more]
