'Rail network essential for Africa'

[dArKeR]

An integrated African rail network interconnected with the continent's ports, roads and waterways is essential for Africa's development, South African Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Tuesday.

He was speaking in Midrand at the start of the seventh annual conference on African rail transport.

"The challenge is clearly how to link these river-based transport modes efficiently to road and rail systems," Radebe said.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=vn20040623104045901C177587

What Africa doesn't already have a rail network? With all the White Man influence in Africa. With every country in Africa being a colony of White Men! What the heck did we do when we were there? Only steal them for slaves and steal their resources for personal wealth? Is the rail network part of Bush's 'Commitment to Africa' speech last year?

[Richardo]

1. I imagine the problem is the 'network' part...

I'm sure the colonial powers built rail lines to carry passengers and freight within their respective colonies, all patterned after the diverse and sometimes incompatible rail systems they had at home.

To interconnect, all the rail lines must be the same guage (width) and have compatible signaling and communications protocols. Then there is the systems support needed to trace the movement of each piece of equipment, and the classification yards to assemble trains that are heading to points elsewhere on the continent.

Finally, there has to be infrastructure put in place that reflects the primary lanes for the movement of freight and people across the continent, not just between the cities within each country.

But I'm just guessing - I know nothing about the state of railroad infrastructure in Africa. But based on the following comment, I think I'm on the right track (ha ha.)

An integrated African rail network interconnected with the continent's ports, roads and waterways is essential for Africa's development, South African Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Tuesday.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Africa has some railways

but they may not make many cross border links, and may not connect with all the major ports, roads and waterways. That's what would make it an 'integrated network'.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2121rank.html

Top in Africa (15th in the world) is South Africa, at over 22,000km of rail.

[gottaB]

3. a map of existing rail

http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/curriculum/lm9/stu_five.html

It's mostly orientated towards exploiting natural resources and delivering them to seaports.