Gautrain Rapid Rail Link, South Africa

Rail transport in the Johannesburg area of South Africa will enter a new era in 2011 with the completion of the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link. The project will equip the massive population centre of the Gauteng area with a rapid transport service, providing a safe, efficient and reliable service to both commuters and airport travellers.

The Gautrain project has been the subject of extensive planning, following feasibility studies in the late 1990s to produce the first plans for a north-south and east-west rail route serving the Gauteng Province. As with many other rapid transit projects, Gautrain is aimed at reducing road congestion and aiding economic development.

The project is being managed as part of the Gauteng Department of Finance and Economic Affairs Public Private Partnership Unit and was initiated by the provincial government. After opening the project to tender, the chosen consortium was Bombela (Bombardier, Bouygues Travaux Publics, South African civil contractor Murray & Roberts and Strategic Partners Group).

The contract is worth US$3.3bn, and includes a 15-year maintenance and operating agreement.

THE PROJECT

There are two main routes on the system. A north-south line from Hatfield to Marlboro and an east-west line from Park station (via Marlboro) to Johannesburg International Airport will be built. The network will be 80km long in total when both Phase 1 and 2 are completed and various journey options become available between key stations.

Phase 1 will include stations at Sandton, Marlboro, Midrand, Rhodesfield and Johannesburg International Airport. Phase 2 will extend the system from Sandton to Rosebank and Park Station – in Johannesburg – and from Midrand to Centurion, Pretoria and Hatfield, completing the 80km network.

Following the awarding of the contract to the Bombela Consortium in September 2006, work was due to begin immediately, with the aim of commercial services starting in 2011.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Ten stations will be built along the route, serving principal commuter areas as well as providing an efficient service to the airport. Park station is located in Johannesburg Park station precinct and will have connections to the airport and northern areas of Gauteng province.

The railway will be laid to standard 1,435mm gauge using continuously welded rail and concrete sleepers. In the tunnels, concrete slab track or sleepers laid into a concrete bed will be used. The rails will be elastically supported throughout to reduce noise and sound levels, even at the maximum 160km/h–180km/h operation.

There will be a triangular junction at Marlboro, with the station located at the south-east point. Trains serving Johannesburg International Airport from the north will be able to bypass Marlboro station, whilst trains travelling east-west, west-east and south-north from Park station to Hatfield will all be able to stop at Marlboro.

Either 3kV DC or 25kV AC overhead will be used for the power supply.

ROLLING STOCK

Bombardier will supply a fleet of 96 Electrostar vehicles, based on the 1,100 already in service in the UK, where they achieve high availability figures. In South Africa, they will be formed into three and four-car sets, and will usually run at up to 160km/h (100mph) with 80 seated and 20 standing passengers. Part of the order will be dedicated to the airport service, with these trains accommodating only seated passengers.

The vehicles will be manufactured at Bombardier's Derby works in the UK, which has recently been tasked with building a new fleet of trains for commuter rail services in the London suburbs. Final assembly will take place in South Africa and the fleet will be based at a purpose built maintenance facility located at Midrand, just north of the junction at Marlboro.

SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS

In-cab signalling is viewed as the best option for the Gautrain. A central control centre will be built for the network and a fail-safe back-up system will be provided in the event of a signalling failure. All lineside equipment will be protected from vandalism, which is the most challenging factor in construction of the new line.

CCTV surveillance will be installed at stations and on-board trains and communication points will be provided at stations for passenger information and safety.

THE FUTURE

The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link is expected to provide at least 380 jobs in the area on opening, and that number is expected to grow to 480 within another ten years.

Gautrain will bring a modern railway route to the area and with its connection to Johannesburg International Airport and stations in densely populated commuter areas, will become an important role in social regeneration.

Alongside the railway operation, the Gautrain network will have bus feeder services to eliminate the need for private car usage to reach stations on the system, contributing to an overall reduction in congestion and pollution.

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