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
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