Rail transport in Kenya
Encyclopedia
The former Uganda Railway
, was run by the company East African Railways jointly for the countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya after World War I. Since the dissolution of the EAR corporation in 1977 the national company Kenya Railways Corporation
runs the former Uganda Railway and its branches in Kenya. The most important line in the country runs between the port of Mombasa and Nairobi, where sleeping car accommodation is offered for tourists.
In 2006, the Rift Valley Railways Consortium
led by South Africa
n companies took operating control of the Kenya and Uganda railways as part of a contract lasting at least 25 years. After criticism from the Kenya Railways Corporation, RVR doubled the frequency of service, and also imposed restrictions to reduce derailments on the ageing infrastructure.
RVR run passenger trains within Kenya only, primarily from Nairobi
to Mombasa
but also to local towns such as Kisumu
. Passenger services on these lines are offered on peak periods only. Freight services are the bulk of RVR's operations.
Narrow gauge: 2,778 km gauge
- no railways South Sudan
- no - proposed link to Juba (2005) break-of-gauge
/ Tanzania
- same gauge - maybe defunct Uganda - yes - same gauge -
in Kenya to the world standard of became lively East African Railway Master Plan
:
Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway is a railway system and former railway company linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya.-Origins:...
, was run by the company East African Railways jointly for the countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya after World War I. Since the dissolution of the EAR corporation in 1977 the national company Kenya Railways Corporation
Kenya Railways Corporation
Kenya Railways Corporation , also Kenya Railways is the national railway of Kenya. Established in 1977, KR is a state corporation.- History :...
runs the former Uganda Railway and its branches in Kenya. The most important line in the country runs between the port of Mombasa and Nairobi, where sleeping car accommodation is offered for tourists.
In 2006, the Rift Valley Railways Consortium
Rift Valley Railways Consortium
The Rift Valley Railways Consortium is a consortium that was established to manage the parastatal railways of Kenya and Uganda. The consortium won the bid for private management of the century-old Kenya-Uganda railway in 2005.-History:...
led by South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n companies took operating control of the Kenya and Uganda railways as part of a contract lasting at least 25 years. After criticism from the Kenya Railways Corporation, RVR doubled the frequency of service, and also imposed restrictions to reduce derailments on the ageing infrastructure.
RVR run passenger trains within Kenya only, primarily from Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
to Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
but also to local towns such as Kisumu
Kisumu
Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter...
. Passenger services on these lines are offered on peak periods only. Freight services are the bulk of RVR's operations.
Operational Track
Total: 2778 km (1,726 mi)Narrow gauge: 2,778 km gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
Railway links with adjacent countries
Ethiopia - no - same gauge SomaliaRail transport in Somalia
The only railway in Somalia, the Mogadishu-Villabruzzi Railway, was built by Italy in the 1910s. The track gauge was , a gauge favoured by the Italians in Africa.The railway was dismantled in the 1940s by the British, and never restored.-See also:...
- no railways South Sudan
Rail transport in South Sudan
South Sudan has narrow-gauge, single-track railroads that connect Babonosa with Wau. The line was damaged in the civil war, in which several parts of it were mined; the line was fully rehabilitated with United Nations funds....
- no - proposed link to Juba (2005) break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
/ Tanzania
Rail transport in Tanzania
Rail transport in Tanzania is conducted by two companies:* Tanzania Railways Corporation* TAZARA- Railway links with adjacent countries : Burundi - no - proposed DR Congo - decades ago there was a train ferry between Kigoma and Kalemie, in 2007 there are no ferry links and the DR Congo line to...
- same gauge - maybe defunct Uganda - yes - same gauge -
Specifications
- CouplingsCoupling (railway)A coupling is a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train. The design of the coupler is standard, and is almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if all rolling stock can be coupled together.The equipment that connects the couplings to the...
: Norwegian (meatchopper) - BrakesBrake (railway)Brakes are used on the cars of railway trains to enable deceleration, control acceleration or to keep them standing when parked. While the basic principle is familiar from road vehicle usage, operational features are more complex because of the need to control multiple linked carriages and to be...
: Air brake .
Gauge change
In May 2008, debate about gauge changeGauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
in Kenya to the world standard of became lively East African Railway Master Plan
East African Railway Master Plan
The East African Railway Master Plan is a proposal for rejuvenating existing railways serving Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and extending them initially to Rwanda and Burundi and eventually to South Sudan, Ethiopia and beyond...
:
- AllAfrica
- Daily NationDaily NationThe Daily Nation is a Kenyan independent newspaper. It is the most influential newspaper in Kenya with a daily circulation of about 205,000 copies. The total readership is likely to be higher as each copy is read by a large number of people...
- Newstin
- EuroArabBank
- RailwayNews
- Sudan Tribune
- Minister's Blog
- 98.4 FM
- Africa News Update
See also
- East African Railway Master PlanEast African Railway Master PlanThe East African Railway Master Plan is a proposal for rejuvenating existing railways serving Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and extending them initially to Rwanda and Burundi and eventually to South Sudan, Ethiopia and beyond...
- KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
- Transport in Kenya
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