2008-12-10 · Gauteng
GAUTENG Premier Paul Mashatile said yesterday he was satisfied with the progress of the Gautrain after the first two cars arrived in the province from Durban, and test runs are scheduled to begin at the Midrand depot as soon as approval is given by the Railway Safety Regulator.
The R25bn project has been plagued by controversy from the start, with sceptics saying it would not solve the province’s traffic congestion problems. Others expressed doubts as to whether the airport-to-Sandton leg would be be ready in time for 2010.
Fifteen rail cars, measuring 21m and weighing 46 tons, are being manufactured and completed in Derby, shipped to Durban harbour and transported on large flatbed trucks to Gauteng over the next few months, while the remaining 81 train cars are being assembled at the Union Carriage and Wagon Partnership plant in Nigel, Ekurhuleni, using kits supplied by Derby.
The next two rail cars are due to arrive in Durban this week and will make their way to Gauteng, which takes about four days on back roads, according to Gautrain spokeswoman Barbara Jensen.
Mashatile said after a visit to the Nigel plant that he was pleased, not only with the fact that the project was sticking to its deadline but that it had created jobs in the area.
“We are certain we will meet the set deadlines,” he said.
Testing of the trains — a standard four-car train set — on the test track at Gautrain’s Midrand depot is expected to start in late January.
The premier said that all the cars assembled in Nigel would be completed and ready for delivery in April 2010 . The first two cars are expected to be handed over to Mashatile officially in February.
Gauteng motorists were surprised on Friday to find themselves behind the two huge trucks transporting the distinctive gold trains and many took photographs with their cellphones. “The motorists were all good sports and seemed delighted to see the trains,” said Jensen.
The trains were transported to Gauteng on back roads via Howick and Delmas during the day, Jensen said.
“It was the most cost-effective way to transport the trains and the trucks had to be specially built to accommodate the wide gauge trains,” she said.
The Bombardier Electrostar series has been customised to meet South African standards, according to Mashatile.
The body is lightweight aluminium to increase efficiency and reduce maintenance, and the 10 rail cars serving the 15-minute airport route from Sandton to OR Tambo International will have luggage storage areas near the doors and fewer but wider seats.
Altogether the fleet will consist of 96 ElectoStar cars which will be operated as four-car train sets.
The R25bn project has been plagued by controversy from the start, with sceptics saying it would not solve the province’s traffic congestion problems. Others expressed doubts as to whether the airport-to-Sandton leg would be be ready in time for 2010.
Fifteen rail cars, measuring 21m and weighing 46 tons, are being manufactured and completed in Derby, shipped to Durban harbour and transported on large flatbed trucks to Gauteng over the next few months, while the remaining 81 train cars are being assembled at the Union Carriage and Wagon Partnership plant in Nigel, Ekurhuleni, using kits supplied by Derby.
The next two rail cars are due to arrive in Durban this week and will make their way to Gauteng, which takes about four days on back roads, according to Gautrain spokeswoman Barbara Jensen.
Mashatile said after a visit to the Nigel plant that he was pleased, not only with the fact that the project was sticking to its deadline but that it had created jobs in the area.
“We are certain we will meet the set deadlines,” he said.
Testing of the trains — a standard four-car train set — on the test track at Gautrain’s Midrand depot is expected to start in late January.
The premier said that all the cars assembled in Nigel would be completed and ready for delivery in April 2010 . The first two cars are expected to be handed over to Mashatile officially in February.
Gauteng motorists were surprised on Friday to find themselves behind the two huge trucks transporting the distinctive gold trains and many took photographs with their cellphones. “The motorists were all good sports and seemed delighted to see the trains,” said Jensen.
The trains were transported to Gauteng on back roads via Howick and Delmas during the day, Jensen said.
“It was the most cost-effective way to transport the trains and the trucks had to be specially built to accommodate the wide gauge trains,” she said.
The Bombardier Electrostar series has been customised to meet South African standards, according to Mashatile.
The body is lightweight aluminium to increase efficiency and reduce maintenance, and the 10 rail cars serving the 15-minute airport route from Sandton to OR Tambo International will have luggage storage areas near the doors and fewer but wider seats.
Altogether the fleet will consist of 96 ElectoStar cars which will be operated as four-car train sets.
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