Tuesday 16 May 2017

Ethiopia: Ethio-Djibouti railway commences regular test run

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The Ethio-Djibouti electric railway has started regular test runs from 9 May 2017, according to the Ethiopian Railway Corporation.

Ethiopia and Djibouti had already established a joint company which will manage the 758 km railway line.

The two Chinese firms CCC and CRC were chosen to oversee the 3.4 billion US dollars railway line for the coming six years to give time for local employees to be trained.

The companies will have their head offices in Addis Ababa, and be responsible for the provision of passenger, freight and maintenance services.

According to Dereje Tefrea, communication service head of the corporation, the test run will be conducted in two directions – from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa and from Dire Dawa to Djibouti.

A total of 30 locomotives (15 for passenger and 15 for freight) will be used in the test run, he said.

The passenger trains will conduct the test run at a speed of 60 km/h which will be raised to 120 km/h once it has successfully completed the trial run.

The standard gauge Ethio-Djibouti electrified double-track railway was inaugurated early last October.

(Source: Ethiopian Railways Corporation)

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