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Following the rehabilitation of the railway by the Federal Government 30 years after it was abandoned, the Nigerian Railway Corporation resorted to the refurbishment of old rolling stocks to return to tracks.
The locomotives and coaches were vestiges of colonial rail infrastructure. And so, despite their efforts, the rolling stocks simply fell short of the expectations of modern train users. The trains were far behind in terms of technological innovations in modern rail transportation.
The implication was that despite the noble efforts, the use of archaic rolling stocks meant that technical hitches became unavoidable, resulting in untold suffering by commuters.
A Lagos to Kano journey which ordinarily should last 24 hours, lasts for 35 hours and sometimes, 40 hours. In addition, due to the nature of the trains and overcrowding resulting from limited rolling stocks, the trains could not help but be brazenly unhygienic and so patronage had to be limited to certain class of people.
In a bid to address this challenge, management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, recently acquired two sets of modern trains, Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) and six 68-seater coaches. Vanguard investigations revealed that each set of the DMU is made up of three cars and one motor car at each end.
The DMU is powered by two sets of 1200 HP Cummins Diesel Engine and one 166HP Cummins Generator for auxiliary power. The trailer cars are fully automated with electronic centrally controlled doors, and a passenger information system comprising cameras, LED Information Display and loudspeakers.
They are also equipped with roof-top integral air-conditioning system which produces effective cooling in all cabins. They are also designed for a maximum speed of 100km/hr with an air brake system and carrier-type couplers.
The corporation said it invested about N4.1 billion in the acquisition of the train sets.
NRC Managing Director, Engr. Adeseyi Sijuade described the investment as a major milestone in the corporation's strategic quest for modern rail transportation in the country.
He also disclosed that five of such coaches are expected by August this year and would be used to flag off the first segment of the Eastern line, running from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
However, industry analysts fear that at the speed with which events are unfolding, the corporation may soon be overwhelmed and relapse to inefficiency which characterised the railway will become inevitable.
Their argument boils down to the fact that without a conscious effort to maintain the infrastructure, the investment would have amounted to nothing; as fleeting investment always meant that little room is left for sustainability. These fears are not unfounded. Over the years, investments in the rail sector have been bereft of any sustainability plans.
The implication is the poor technical skills which results in poor maintenance of rolling stocks. These further lead to poor service delivery, leaving a situation that makes it obvious that although the corporation desires huge investments, they are not entirely prepared for the business of rail transportation.
The locomotives and coaches were vestiges of colonial rail infrastructure. And so, despite their efforts, the rolling stocks simply fell short of the expectations of modern train users. The trains were far behind in terms of technological innovations in modern rail transportation.
The implication was that despite the noble efforts, the use of archaic rolling stocks meant that technical hitches became unavoidable, resulting in untold suffering by commuters.
A Lagos to Kano journey which ordinarily should last 24 hours, lasts for 35 hours and sometimes, 40 hours. In addition, due to the nature of the trains and overcrowding resulting from limited rolling stocks, the trains could not help but be brazenly unhygienic and so patronage had to be limited to certain class of people.
In a bid to address this challenge, management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, recently acquired two sets of modern trains, Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) and six 68-seater coaches. Vanguard investigations revealed that each set of the DMU is made up of three cars and one motor car at each end.
The DMU is powered by two sets of 1200 HP Cummins Diesel Engine and one 166HP Cummins Generator for auxiliary power. The trailer cars are fully automated with electronic centrally controlled doors, and a passenger information system comprising cameras, LED Information Display and loudspeakers.
They are also equipped with roof-top integral air-conditioning system which produces effective cooling in all cabins. They are also designed for a maximum speed of 100km/hr with an air brake system and carrier-type couplers.
The corporation said it invested about N4.1 billion in the acquisition of the train sets.
NRC Managing Director, Engr. Adeseyi Sijuade described the investment as a major milestone in the corporation's strategic quest for modern rail transportation in the country.
He also disclosed that five of such coaches are expected by August this year and would be used to flag off the first segment of the Eastern line, running from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
However, industry analysts fear that at the speed with which events are unfolding, the corporation may soon be overwhelmed and relapse to inefficiency which characterised the railway will become inevitable.
Their argument boils down to the fact that without a conscious effort to maintain the infrastructure, the investment would have amounted to nothing; as fleeting investment always meant that little room is left for sustainability. These fears are not unfounded. Over the years, investments in the rail sector have been bereft of any sustainability plans.
The implication is the poor technical skills which results in poor maintenance of rolling stocks. These further lead to poor service delivery, leaving a situation that makes it obvious that although the corporation desires huge investments, they are not entirely prepared for the business of rail transportation.