PRASA’s Progress And Innovation In Train Systems And Signalling: An Interview With Athanacious Makgamatha
On April 23, at a celebratory event marking the 200th trainset and the re-signalling of the Southern Line in Cape Town, Athanacious Makgamatha, General Manager: SAD Signals and Telecoms, shared insights into the latest advancements in South Africa’s passenger rail systems with Railways Africa Magazine, discussing ongoing progress and future plans.
In respect of the Southern Line, Makgamatha highlighted the complete recovery of the signalling system from Cape Town to Simonstown, enabling reduced intervals between trains. “We are able to run at 20 minutes headways,” he noted, indicating the significant improvement in frequency and flexibility in train scheduling. Interestingly enough, the system can get down to two and a half minutes headway; however, only achievable once the line is fully recovered.
To accommodate the increased frequency and considering 31 of the 40 lines have been recovered, more trains will certainly be needed. When asked about the timeline for the complete integration of the signalling systems, Makgamatha provided some insight. “We have just closed the tender for the recovery of Western Cape, and we’ll be finalising the procurement soon. This means that all the five main corridors we have in Western Cape will be fully recovered in 18 months,” he explained.
Concurrently, in Gauteng, five work packages are being implemented and are also expected to conclude within the same timeframe. In KZN, while interim works are currently underway, a comprehensive re-signalling programme is being rolled out to enhance signalling, telecommunications, redundancy and train control across the country.
In response to what has been done in the past year to accelerate the restoration and modernisation of the rail systems, Makgamatha detailed the proactive steps undertaken by PRASA. “In the meantime, we are not just folding our arms. We are looking at the quick wins to recover the signalling systems where vandalism has happened on small areas or small elements,” he said. Their ability to quickly restore service and run trains without manual authorisation has been a key strategy in rapidly improving the railway service.
He gave concrete examples of their progress, such as in Gauteng, where they’ve managed to reconnect the corridor between Pretoria and Saulsville with the Mabopane corridor in under ten months. In KZN, the focus has been on making the most of the existing signalling system, repairing cables, and enabling the running of trains without manual authorisation. “So that’s an effort that we are amplifying our safety while we are busy now remodelling our full network in KZN. Similarly with Western Cape, this particular corridor that we are now working on was fully recovered by the internal teams.”
Makgamatha proudly acknowledged the skill and capability of the internal teams. These internal efforts have not only expedited the recovery process but also enhanced the overall safety of the rail network while comprehensive remodelling efforts are underway.
In asking how the skill and capability of the internal teams has been developed, Makgamatha explained that over time and through the capital programmes they have produced training materials and focused on practical, on-the-job training. This holistic approach has enabled teams to become adept and capable.
Addressing the persistent issues of vandalism and theft on the tracks, Makgamatha shared the proactive measures PRASA has implemented to combat these challenges. “We have a number of improvements. It’s a moving target,” he conceded, acknowledging the constant struggle against thieves. A key strategy has been to upgrade the security of critical components. “We’ve intensified the enclosures of what we call the elements on the points machines,” he explained. By adding extra protection covers to these elements, beyond the standard lockable lids, they have made it significantly more difficult for theft to occur. Despite the ingenuity of thieves, these measures have started to prove effective. In Gauteng, for example, they have further reinforced the infrastructure with what they call the axle counter enclosures. “We have now added an engineering solution like concretizing that to make sure that it’s not tampered with,” Makgamatha detailed.
Looking to the future, PRASA is setting its sights on advanced technology detection systems that provide early warnings, allowing for quicker responses to any incidents of tampering. These systems will be supported by the deployment of a National Digital Radio Network that utilises 4G technology, facilitating the Internet of Things (IoT). This tech-forward approach means more connected systems and improved feedback to control rooms for better monitoring.
The adoption of new technology leads well into the status regarding the upcoming changes in the Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R), specifically regarding the updates to the signalling system and the future transition to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) as a replacement for GSM-R.
Makgamatha clarified that PRASA is in the process of a significant upgrade. “We have procured the services of a consortium to upgrade our GSM-R system from 2G generation technology to a 4G technology,” he informed. The overarching goal is to eventually move towards 5G through this 4G upgrade, in line with the global migration plan away from the soon-to-be-obsolete GSM-R technology.
The current focus is on restoring the GSM-R system as a first phase, creating redundancy with 4G technology. “When that 4G technology has been coupled with GSM-R, we will upgrade everything to 4G,” Makgamatha said, outlining the phased approach. Beyond 2030, the transition to 5G is expected to be more straightforward, essentially a software update, noting that the equipment they are putting in is 5G compatible.
