Economy

More SGR locomotives arrive in Kenya

wagons

Port workers witness the offloading of a cabin wagon at the Port of Mombasa, March 21, 2017. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NMG

The next batch of three passenger locomotives that will run on the Standard Gauge Railway line have arrived in the country.

The engines and rolling stock consisting of eight passenger coaches and 120 open-top wagons arrived at the Port of Mombasa from China over the weekend (March 17).

Kenya Railways received the first batch of the locomotives and rolling stock in January and the second, third and fourth batches in February.

To date, Kenya has received eight freight haulage heavy duty locomotives for mainline use out of the expected 43.

In the country already also, are two shunting locomotives out of the eight on order and 330 wagons out of the 1,620 ordered.

According to Kenya Railways, the passenger locomotives and wagons have all been delivered as expected; five passenger locomotives and forty passenger coaches.

Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Maina said the locomotives and rolling stock delivered earlier have been inspected and are currently being subjected to comprehensive static and dynamic tests in order to ensure they are in good condition before they are accepted and commissioned.

Maiden journey

Testing commenced early this month and the passenger train successfully completed its maiden test journey to Mombasa from Nairobi on March 8.
Mr Maina said operations will feature freight and passenger train services, with the passenger operating two types of trains.

The Intercity passenger train will offer an express service between the two main destinations of Mombasa and Nairobi stopping only at Mtito Andei to allow passage of the passenger train going in the same or opposite direction.

The second category of trains is the "County train" which will make a stop at each of the seven intermediate stations at Mariakani, Miaseny, Voi, Mtito Andei, Kibwezi, Emali and Athi River on its way to either destination to allow residents of the said areas access train transport services.

He clarified that passenger trains will be given priority on the line with freight trains stopping at the crossing stations to enable passenger trains to pass — a common practice all over the world.

“The locomotives will provide a vital service to the nation and help address the growing congestion on the roads in the country,” he said.

It is expected that the SGR operations will stimulate economic activity especially in the areas traversed by the line.
“Given that Kenya’s economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the region, the SGR line will add a lot of value to the transport and logistics scene by increasing mobility, reducing congestion at the Port and on roads and removing major inefficiencies in movement of both people and freight,” he said.

The Mombasa to Nairobi section of the Standard Gauge Railway network, which was the first phase of the construction of the track, is complete and awaits commissioning by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Construction to extend the line to Malaba, first with construction on the Nairobi to Naivasha section, is set to commence later this year.