Day 3 | Conference Feedback
Posted on 06. Mar, 2009, in Railway Conference
Mervyn Panzera - Railway Safety Regulator
Appropriately, Day Three of the conference started with safety, Mervyn Panzera, advisor to the Rail Safety Regulator took delegates through a brief overview of changes to the Rail Safety Act. Among the changes to the Act, which still has to be passed, the Rail Safety Regulator will have the power to impose penalties.
The process of the strengthening of the steel used to make rail track has to be balance between hardness and ductility. Dr Norbert Frank, from voestalpine explained that these factors have influences on cost and safety. Voestalpine has, through extensive R&D, developed rails that have greatly extended lifespans.
David Anglin, Bombardier
Bombardier’s David Anglin discussed issues surrounding the growth of public commuter transport. He emphasised that public transport is of even greater importance in South Africa, where many people have to travel very long distances to work. Global trends in the manufacture and marketing of commuter trains are for technology transfer to destination countries and for local partnerships. He accentuated the need to build commuter transport capacity now in partnership with local companies.
In spite of his busy schedule, Gautrain CEO Jack van der Merwe updated delegates on the progress of the Rapid Rail Link. Jack confirmed what anyone who lives in Johannesburg can see; that the project is making rapid progress. He emphasised that the project will not exceed its current budget, and that the project will be finished on time.
After tea, Hishaam Emeran, Senior Manager, Strategic Network Planning, of the South African Rail Commuter Corporation explained the company’s turn-around strategy that will see the accelerated recovery of rail commuter transport. The SARCC, which will soon be renamed PRASA, has laid out a phased plan. This includes major recapitalisation, that will see recovery being effected through to the year 2020. A notable SARCC success has been the introduction of its Business Express services.
Jacques Moncorgé, a regional manager for Corys Training and Engineering Support Systems, a French company, spoke on the work in training it is carrying out for Transnet. The company’s core activity is the provision of training simulators for train drivers and well as for operators in the power generation industry.
John Morgan, Engineering Manager, Gautrain: Province Support Team spoke about the decisions involved in choosing either standard or metre (narrow) gauge. Rail operators ignore globalisation at their peril, explained Morgan. Cape and metre gauge are both termed narrow gauge, which is about 17% of the rail gauge used in the world. It is interesting that when the South African railway authorities opted for Cape gauge, the idea was the narrow gauge would allow the trains to go around tighter corners, which is not the case. Morgan questions whether narrow gauge rail will remain competitive.
It is good to have choice, and a new locomotive manufacturer is always a point of interest. John Tooke Vice President of National Railways Equipment Company. Founded in 1980, this company produces two types of locomotives, one purely for freight and the other a multi-purpose traction unit. What is interesting is that the company produces a multiple genset locomotive. Use of this locomotive with its three Cummins QSK 19 power units, has shown dramatically reduced fuel costs, very low emission standards, and lower than average maintenance costs. While this locomotive is new to South Africa, it is widely used elsewhere in the world.
