Posted on 01 July 2010 by Railways Africa Editor
On 29 June, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a grant of $US255 million towards a project “to improve transport connectivity to support national economic integration; restore the financial and operational viability of Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (National Railway Company of DRC); implement a sector-wide governance plan; and strengthen [...] [...more]
Posted on 01 July 2010 by Railways Africa Editor
According to a BBC report, “at least” 76 people lost their lives on 21 June about 60km east of Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo-Brazzaville when a train derailed. A figure of 450 was given in respect of passengers injured and taken to hospital. Chemin de Fer Congo-Ocean (CFCO) said the accident happened en [...] [...more]
Posted on 03 May 2010 by Railways Africa Editor
It is reported that another ex-Transnet class 35 diesel-electric locomotive has been shipped to Congo-Brazzaville for use on the Chemin de fer Congo-Océan (CFCO). This class was acquired by the South African Railways in five batches between 1972 and 1978. Three of these comprised 1,600hp GT18MC units from GM; the others were 1,650hp U15C models [...] [...more]
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 [...] [...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]
