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Rail transport is provided in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC), the Société commerciale des transports et des ports (SCTP) (previously Office National des Transports (ONATRA) until 2011), and the Office des Chemins de fer des Ueles (CFU).
 | This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (May 2022) |
The national system is mostly operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo, SNCC. Not all rail lines link up, but they are generally connected by river transport. The rail systems are listed below.[1][2][3]
The following lines have been completely removed and are not listed for future rehabilitation:
A programme of electrification at 25kV AC was undertaken between 1952 and the early 1970s (specific completion date not identified). This covered:
4,772 km (2002), 5,138 km (1995);
narrow gauge:
The above figures are open to interpretation. A detailed list of railway lines, stations, and track distances is available here 'https://www.branchline.uk/jfpdf/zairerlys.pdf'[4]
There are currently two functioning international links:
Proposed Link:
There are boat links to rail lines in these neighbouring countries:
These neighbouring countries have rail systems, but there are no links from the Congo:
These neighbouring countries have no rail systems: Central African Republic, Rwanda and Burundi.
The rail network in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced numerous accidents due to poor maintenance. The death toll is frequently high, partly due to the practice of train surfing. A major accident in August 2007 led to the death of over 100 people at Benaleka, Kasai-Occidental. In April 2014, 48 people were killed and 160 injured when an SNCC train derailed near Katongola, Katanga Province. 33 were killed in a further incident in November 2017 near Lubudi, Lualaba Province.[23] 32 were killed in an accident in Kasai Province in March 2019.[24] In September 2019 at least 50 persons died as a result of a derailment in Tanganyika.[25]
Commencing in 1960, the World Bank has supported transport infrastructure projects in the country. These include:
Railway Project (01) [1979][26]
[abstract] The Societe Nationale des Chemin de Fer Zairois (SNCZ) railway project consists of SNCZ's 1979-1982 investment program and includes essential track rehabilitation, equipment and operational improvements to increase SNCZ's effective capacity to meet traffic demands. The project finances: (a) renewing and upgrading 210 km of track and ballasting another 285 km; (b) 100 ore wagons, 9 shunting locomotives and 12 passenger coaches; (c) spare parts for locomotives and wagons; (d) telecommunications, workshops, data processing and service equipment; (e) extension of Ilebo port facilities; (f) social infrastructure; and (g) middle/senior technical and management staff training and consultant services.
Railway Project (02) [1984][27]
[abstract] The Second Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Zairois (SNCZ) railway project is based on an emergency rehabilitation program prepared by SNCZ and includes: (i) track renewal (about 128 km.); (ii) rehabilitation of about 850 wagons and purchase of another 200; (iii) equipment, materials and spare parts for improved maintenance of track, locomotives and wagons; (iv) consulting services to help strengthen higher management and for studies; (v) equipment and materials for training; (vi) staff training abroad; and (vi) equipment and materials for telecommunications, maintenance of a computer system and replacement of medical equipment. The project also includes technical assistance to the Government for a review of air transport and to help strengthen the studies and planning unit of the Ministry of Transport. The project will help Zaire's processing and export of minerals; transportation of agricultural produce to urban areas and of inputs for agriculture, and facilitate commerce between Zaire's regions.
TRP Project (01) [1989][28]
[abstract] The First Transport Rehabilitation Project supports the government's objectives and strategy for improving the efficiency of the transport sector. The project involves a component for the Office National des Transports (ONATRA) and a component for Societe Nationale des Chemin de Fer Zairois (SNCZ). The objective of the ONATRA component is institutional reform, it will involve : (i) a major reorganization based on a reorientation of ONATRA's goals and strategic role in the transport sector; (ii) an improvement in its financial performance by restructuring its debt and measures to control its costs; and (iii) an improvement in its operating efficiency by rehabilitating infrastructure, replacing obsolete equipment, developing human resources, and improving management. The main objective of the SNCZ component is to restore capacity and improve operational reliability through : (i) improvement in operational efficiency and reduction of financial deficit; (ii) improvement in its operations by a large program to rehabilitate track and rolling stock, equipment and infrastructure; and (iii) clarification of its relationship with the State through a "Contrat-Programme".
DRC Multi-modal Transport [2010][29]
DRC Multi-modal Transport Additional Funding [2013][30]
[abstract] The objectives of the Multi-Modal Transport Project for Congo are: (i) to improve transport connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) so as to support national economic integration, (ii) to restore societe nationale des chemins de fer du congo financial and operational viability and (iii) to implement sector wide governance plan and strengthen transport State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) operational performance. These objectives were consistent with Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (GDRC's) transport sector reform goals which are to promote the consolidation of macroeconomic stability and economic growth through the rehabilitation of key transport infrastructure and improved governance; this, in turn, is expected to improve the provision of social services and reduce vulnerability of the poor. This project includes four components: the first component is Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC) recovery plan, this component promotes the reform of SNCC management and operations through; the second component is operational performance strengthening and improved governance of the transport sector; the third component is international trade procedures simplification, this component includes the development of an international trade procedures simplification strategy and the associated action plan, including provision of materials, equipment and basic infrastructure investments on a pilot basis; and the last fourth component is project management, this component provides for the funding of the project management entity.
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On 3 November 2008, four diesel-electric locomotives were supplied to the DRC from China. These are 1,800 hp Co-Co locomotives, model CKD7C, built by the CRN Dalian.[31]
An alternative source gives these as "four diesel-electric locomotives were shipped to Congo (K) in Dalian seaport. There are two types of locomotive including 1,000 Hp CKD5 and 1,800 Hp CKD7C"[32]
The DRC Multi-modal Transport Project [2010, 2013] [World Bank, see above] resulted in the procurement of 38 new diesel-electric locomotives. 20 of these were funded directly by the government of DRC. These were supplied by CNR of China. It is understood that they comprised:
Exact details have proved difficult to confirm.
"17 June 2015
The National Railway Company of Congo (SNCC) has just received, Tuesday, June 16, two new locomotives in Sakania in Katanga. They are part of eighteen locomotives allocated by the World Bank's multimodal project to the SNCC.
These new locomotives with engines made in the United States were assembled in China. They will be put into circulation for the first time in the DRC. Each unit cost US $ 1.7 million, SNCC sources say. They were towed from Durban in South Africa.
Two other locomotives are already present in the Zambian town of Ndola.
According to a source close to the Agence Congolaise de Presse, eight locomotives are parked at the Port of Durban, awaiting departure formalities for DR Congo.
The chronogram drawn provides for the arrival of all the machines in June, their reception in July and operation next August, it should be remembered.
All these locomotives are part of eighteen ordered by the World Bank as part of the multimodal transport project, PTM in May 2014. The latter is also working to rehabilitate and renew the railway.
With funding from the DRC government, a batch of 20 new locomotives out of the 38 ordered in the Republic of China will be delivered to SNCC by the last quarter of the current year.
Adding to the eighteen from the World Bank, the SNCC will therefore have to acquire a total of thirty-eight locomotives at the end of 2015. This will boost the morale of the agents who hope that the acquisition of these machines will herald a new era within their group. institution. However, the World Bank, which contributes in particular to the rehabilitation of infrastructure, believes that these acquisitions will not completely solve the problems of this company.
The last acquisition of new locomotives by the Société nationale de chemin de fer du Congo (SNCC) dates from 1974 and 1976 respectively for diesel and electric machines."[33]
[translated from the source]
A number of refurbished locomotives have also been supplied to SNCC and SCTP in recent years.
June 2011: Two re-gauged CKD Praha Class 742 diesel locos gifted to SCTP by Belgium.[citation needed]
May 2014: Two refurbished locomotives delivered to SCTP, with a third to follow.[34]
July 2018: Two refurbished locomotives delivered to SCTP, reference to a total of 17 'new' locomotives within six months.[35]
July 2019: Four Grindrod locomotives, retrieved from Sierra Leone, delivered to SCTP.[36]
February 2020: One 'new' locomotive, donated by Japan, delivered to SCTP.[37]
December 2023: Seven cars of an ex-JR Hokkaido Kiha 183 trainset were delivered to the port of Matadi for use by Office National des Transports.[38]
March 2024: Five locomotives (out of an order for 10) were handed over to SNCC. They are further deliveries of type CKD8C4.[39]
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