Development Of A Continental Case Study For Low-Cost Rail Track Maintenance
In the world of railways, practical capacity is the key to success. Balancing theoretical capacity with reliability is essential to determine the functional capacity of a railway system.
According to Van der Merwe, a renowned expert in the field, the application of rail genetic technologies is driving competitive rail market spaces. He emphasises the significance of identifying rail market spaces based on speed and axle load bearing. As these factors increase, the requirements and applications of the railway system change. On the one hand, there is a heavy haul with slower speeds; on the other hand, there are higher-speed applications. One important aspect of railway profitability is achieving a self-funding threshold. Van der Merwe points out that when a railway system reaches 10 million tons per route kilometre, it becomes self-funding.
Comparatively, countries like Canada and the United States perform better in self-funding, while South Africa is just above the threshold. Profitability plays a crucial role in the sustainability and growth of railways. Van der Merwe states that successful railways typically generate around 60% gross profit, enabling them to cover operational costs, invest in infrastructure, and expand their businesses. Africa, however, needs to improve in this regard due to lower traffic density. To illustrate this, Van der Merwe presented the correlation between the operating ratio and traffic density, measured in a million net tonne-kilometres per route kilometre. He explained that moving one million tons annually on rail would require a 50% subsidy.
The target is to reach 10 million tons per annum, as demonstrated by the Abuja Itkakpe PFS project, which is working hard to get to this mark. Comparatively, the Canadian National Railway represents the best-practice self-funding railway. To thrive in the rail industry, Africa must increase traffic density and improve profitability. Van der Merwe stresses the importance of modernising railways on the continent, mainly by adopting standard gauge tracks. He highlights that historically, the required traffic in colonial areas exceeded 5 million tons per annum, while South Africa reached around 90 million tons per annum.
However, current networks, such as TFR, have experienced a decline in performance. Analysing modernised railways, Van der Merwe identifies the Gautrain system in South Africa as an example of excellent service. In contrast, Nigeria’s East, Central, and West corridors lack service excellence, and network quality hovers around 50%. Similarly, the Addis Ababa to Djibouti route exhibits better quality, with 1.5 daily trains, but service levels are at only 40%.
The Mombasa Naivasha line, designed for 10 million tons, falls short with around 5 million tons of actual traffic. Van der Merwe said the Nacala Corridor was an exceptional case, where vertical integration and increased volumes have led to profits. However, he underlines the need for new solutions to address railways’ engineering challenges in Africa. An unconventional engineering paradigm involving the use of a ballastless continuous support track, known as a tubular modular track, was highlighted by Van der Merwe. “This technology, developed in South Africa, offers significant advantages over traditional ballast tracks.
The tubular modular track requires lower maintenance costs, has a longer lifespan, and reduces capital expenses. However, adopting rich country-developed technologies has created cost challenges in African regions lacking adequate traffic to offset the expenses.”
Van der Merwe concluded by stating that a new solution was necessary to overcome the traffic generation problem and ensure the future success of African railways. The continent’s railways can become more competitive globally with genetic technologies and innovative approaches.
Jaap Van Der Merwe, a Rail + Port Project Promoter & Developer – spoke at the Transport Forum SIG, 8 June 2023 hosted by SAAFF – on the topic: “The Logistics Network: Understanding Shared Infrastructure, Shared Responsibility and Shared Maintenance.”