Gautrain News

Here is the latest on the Gautrain:

GAUTRAIN CELEBRATES HOMECOMING OF GAUTRAIN
"Our golden train is now finally where she belongs. And although Gautrain's physical home is in Gauteng, her real home is in the hearts and minds of all South Africans," said Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile.
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VIEW GAUTRAIN'S JOURNEY HOME
Having spent several months in an icy workshop in the United Kingdom, there could be no better homecoming for Gautrain than the hot African sun warming her golden body.
View her journey here

GAUTRAIN DEPOT AND WORKSHOP
The Gautrain Depot in Midrand is in a central location in relation to the operation of the system and is the operational hub of the system. All train movements will be controlled from the Operations Control Centre housed at the depot and the entire train fleet will also be stabled and maintained there. The bus operations control centre as well as stabling and maintenance facilities for the buses will also be housed there.
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TESTING AND COMMISSIONING
Before entering into commercial service, each Gautrain train-set will be subjected to a long and rigorous testing and commissioning process. This process entails progressively more onerous tests on all systems and sub-systems from brakes and power, to air-conditioning and communications. In total, each train-set will complete approximately 3000km on the test-track before being certified for operations.
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SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
Gautain's signalling solution comprises Bombardier's CITYFLO 250 system which is a fixed block signalling system based on ‘distance to go' principles with vital information being transmitted to the onboard automatic train protection (ATP) system from balises in the track. The ATP supervises the driver and train movements.
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ELECTROSTAR NOISE
Gautrain will comply with international best practice in respect of noise and vibration emissions. Design noise levels both inside and outside the train (assuming good quality track) will be compliant with the relevant European standards regulating noise and vibration emissions by rail vehicles.
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Gautrain cars in Nigel

Image: Gautrain

A modern white carriage with gold and blue stripes fitted with windows, side panels, floors and doors is what the first locally manufactured rail car for the Guatrain looks like.

Gauteng MEC for Public Transport, Ignatius Jacobs on Tuesday took a tour of the assembly plant in Nigel where the Gautrain's rail cars are being assembled.

The Gautrain will consist of 96 rail cars of which 15 are being manufactured at Bombardier Transportation's world-class facility in Derby.

The remaining 81 rail cars are being assembled at the Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) Partnership Workshop in terms of the Gautrain's socio-economic goals to develop local skills, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

UCW Managing Director, Palello Lebaka said the assembly process involved the preparation of the floor and under frame, followed by the build up of the car until four cars were completed. He said when linked together, the four cars form a single train, adding that upon completion each individual car will undergo extensive static testing to prove all systems are operating satisfactorily.

"The cars will then be joined into four-car units and again statically tested. Once all sytems are proven, the four-car trains then will begin dynamic quality and safety testing at the Gautrain depot near Midrand," he said.

Mr Lebaka said these include 3 000km completed on the test track at the depot to accumulate significant fault-free miles running before eventually being accepted for service.

It is expected that the first cars will begin testing at the Gautrain depot in Midrand in the first quarter of next year.

The local Nigel assembly runs concurrently with the assembly process in Derby. Custom branded in Gautrain's distinctive golden colour, the four first-car train set was proudly handed over to former Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa at Bombardier's Derby assembly plant in the United Kingdom on 8 July 2008.

Mr Jacobs said he wants to bear witness to the changing of the face of public transport in Gauteng if not the country as well as the imparting of world class skills in the transport sector, involving world renowned rail manufacturers and the people of our country who previously had no access to such advanced skills.

Gautrain's Chief Executive Officer, Jack van der Merwe said the first flat pack arrived at the UCW Partnership workshop on 2 September.

"The remainder of the 81 flat packs will be shipped to South Africa in the next few months," he said. - BuaNews

More on the Gautrain:

• Click here to view the hand-over video
• Click here to view the Gautrain assembly video
• Click here for GautrainContact Numbers
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• Connect to the on-line Trip Planning Tool

Transport month is here!

Copyright: winjohn

Today marks the start of Transport Month.

To celebrate the launch Transport Minister Jeff Radebe spoke about the Gautrain and its impact on commuters traveling between Johannesburg and Pretoria, this route has over 300 000 vehicles on it per day (of which my green car happen to be one), growing at an estimated 7 percent per annum!

• Gautrain will save 585 000 vehicle km per day
• Lower traffic congestion will result in travel cost savings of all vehicles in Gauteng of 3 cents per km
• Total accident cost savings will be R475 million per annum
• Gautrain will save R3.8 billion per year in vehicle operating costs by the year 2030
• Gautrain will save R7.1 billion per annum in time costs for passengers travelling in this corridor by 2030

The City of Cape Town is also celebrating with various initiatives:

• Park-and-Ride facility in the Helderberg area which will be in operation by mid-October. It will offer commuters safe parking with easy access to the new express bus service that will be introduced by Golden Arrow Bus Services on the existing route to Cape Town.
• This service in conjunction with the dedicated Bus and Minibus Taxi (BMT) Lane, will significantly reduce traffic volumes on the N2 Highway with the hope that people from the Helderberg will make use of the service.
• The newly completed Claremont Public Transport interchange and boulevard will also officially open later this month.
• In an effort to highlight the city's commitment to the use of non-motorised transport, the city will further host a bicycle ride in Goodwood.
• Officials will hand out protective weekly and monthly ticket key ring holders to commuters to publicise the 24 hour toll free transport Call Centre.
• The Roads Traffic Management Corporation will organise the second International Accident and Reconstruction Conference at the Grand West Entertainment Centre from 27 to 30 October

In KZN, things are happening as well:

• The theme for the month is: Transport Infrastructure - creating a lasting legacy 2010 and beyond and will be used to showcase transport infrastructure readiness in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
• Transport month approach will further advance government's commitment to improve public transport systems as our legacy for 2010 and beyond.