Tanzania’s Standard Gauge rail
Introduction
The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania (GoT) through the Reli Assets Holding Company (RAHCO), currently rebranded as Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC), is embarking on a major railway revitalization programme in the country through the rehabilitation and construction of new railway line links. The GoT intends to construct a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza via Isaka (1,219 km). This partly follows the African Union (AU) and East African Community (EAC) decision in 2006, which was that all new railway development projects on the continent would be to a standard gauge specification. TRC intends to lay a separate SGR line alongside the existing Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) along the entire length from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, via Isaka.
The implementation of the project is being undertaken in phases. Phase I (Dar es Salaam to Morogoro) and Phase II (Morogoro to Makutopora) have a total length of approximately 541 km. The GoT, through TRC, awarded Yapi Merkezi Insaat VE Sanayi (Yapi Merkezi) to provide design services and actual construction of the SGR. The Project is being implemented under a design and build scenario.
Scope of work
The proposed SGR will require the construction of bridges overpasses, underpasses and culverts. Overpasses and underpasses will be provided where the proposed SGR intersects with existing roads. A flood risk assessment covering the SGR alignment has been conducted to identify and classify river crossings according to size of the catchments. Based on the results of the flood risk assessment, Culverts are provided beneath embankments where natural watercourses occur or where required for drainage beneath the proposed SGR. Bridges will be required where the proposed SGR will cross over significant more large rivers.
Viaducts will also be required where the proposed SGR passes through well established
towns and or cities. Viaducts will allow the proposed SGR to be elevated through towns / cities. Four viaducts are proposed in Dar es Salaam and will vary in length from 102.7 m to 2,156.7 m.
In addition to the above, cattle and pedestrian crossing underpasses will also be constructed. The locations of these facilities have been defined according to the design requirements and stakeholder meetings.
Moreover, the proposed SGR will require support facilities including stations and marshalling yards. The stations along the proposed SGR are to serve as passenger and freight facilities. The marshalling yard will include a maintenance and assembly workshop, tank washing point, shed for shunting locomotive, wheelsets deposit shed and air compressor workshop, living quarters, general office building, canteen, bathroom and other facilities.
Comparison
Item
|
KENYAN SGR (MSA-NBO)
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TANZANIA SGR (DAR-MORO)
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Project cost
|
·
KES 327 billion ($3.804b)(including civil works, facilities,
locomotives and rolling stock)
|
· $2.9b
(USD1.029 Billion excluding the cost of locomotives) |
Start date
|
·
1st October 2014
|
-April 2017
|
Estimated period for construction
|
·
42 months
(commissioned 1st, June, 2017) |
·
To be commissioned NOV 2019
|
Rail length (Msa-Nbi)
|
-
472 km route length
-609.3 km track length |
-205 km route length
|
Stations
|
·
Single Track with 33 crossing stations each
loop line measuring 1.2km long
·
2 big stations at msa, nbi and 5 smaller ones at Mariakani,
Voi, Mtito Andei, Sultan Hamud and Athi River.
|
|
Gauge
|
·
1,435 mm
|
·
1,435 mm
|
Design standard for civil works
|
·
Chinese standards
|
-AREMA
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Minimum horizontal curve radius
|
·
1,200 meters; difficult sections 800 meters
|
· 1,900 meters minimum
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Minimum vertical curve radius
|
·
10,000 meters
|
|
Maximum gradient
|
·
1.2%
|
·
1.2%
|
Passing loops
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·
-
|
·
3-km long at = 30km intervals approximately or at stations (Subject to
capacity assessment and performance
modelling)
|
Alignment
|
·
-
|
·
|
Loading gauge
|
·
Double stack containers and future electrification
|
-Single Stack
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Axel load
|
·
25 tonnes (minimum)
|
·
35 Tonnes Maximum
|
Rail beams type
|
·
Rail-International union of railways (UIC) 60 (60 kg/m)
-Not CWR |
·
UIC 60 CWR rails on concrete sleepers at 60 cm spacing
|
·
|
||
Number of tracks
|
·
Single initially (civil infrastructure prepared for future doubling)
|
·
Single track
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Switches
|
·
Electrically operated
|
|
Power type
|
·
Diesel initially
·
Passenger: 3,300 HP
·
Freight: 5,000 HP
·
Shunting: 2,000 HP
|
·
Electric
·
EMU and Locomotive hauled passenger trains
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No. of locomotives
|
·
56 diesel locomotives. The locomotives shall power 1,620 Freight
Wagons and 40 Passenger Coaches.
|
-3 EMU
- 10 cargo electric locomotives -60 passenger coaches -100 freight wagons and maintenance equipment |
Maintenance locomotives
|
·
-
|
-
|
Freight train
|
·
54 double stack flat wagons carrying 216 twenty feet equivalent units (TEUs)-4,000
tonnes
·
Average speed of 80 KPH
|
·
·
Design speed of 120 KPH
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Passenger train
|
·
capacity of 960 passengers/train
·
Average speed of 120 KPH
|
·
Design speed of 160 KPH
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Signalling and communication
|
·
-
|
-ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) level 2.
|
Other fancy stuff
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·
Maximum safety and comfort for passengers at the stations and inside
the trains.
·
Freight train operated on the
basis of speed, safety and cost effectiveness
·
environmental compatibility particularly within the national parks
where fencing will be provided along with under passages for wild animals
|
·
Animal proof fence to be provided in the open country with
accommodation crossings or elevated sections to suit environment and
wildlife.
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Funding
|
·
The loan from EXIM Bank is USD 3.233 billion (85 %) while the
government of Kenya is to contribute the remaining 15 %.
|
-Funding partly by Tanzania government. 50% borrowed/ 50% domestic. |
