An expensive new train of thought

High-speed rail links would undoubtedly transform public transport. But, asks Paul Ash, can South Africa afford them?

Eager officials told journalists this week that transport minister Sibusiso Ndebele had signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese railway minister Liu Zhiju to investigate possible co-operation on a number of rail projects in SA.

They include standard-gauge, high-speed railway lines between Gauteng and Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

Transport director-general George Mahlalela said the agreement was part of a planned 20-year programme to improve the country's rail infrastructure, which has suffered from decades of underinvestment.

Mahlalela said the passenger rail network was worn out and urgently needed new rolling stock.

"We are a transport system," he said "and we have to improve (it)."

The proposals fall under the department's National Transport Master Plan (Natmap) and include high-speed rail links from Johannesburg to Durban and another on the 140km commuter corridor from Tshwane north-east to Moloto in Mpumalanga.

There is also an 18-year programme to buy new rolling stock for trains operated by the Passenger Rail Authority of SA (Prasa).

Prasa is in the grip of a financial crisis and is struggling to keep its ordinary passenger trains running.

The department is planning to submit the proposals to the cabinet by the end of September.

Longer-term plans include high-speed rail links from Johannesburg to Cape Town and Musina.

Once the Gautrain project is complete, it will be a key part of the planned Moloto Corridor. Gautrain's rail gauge is 1435mm - the standard in Europe, the US and China - as opposed to the rest of the South African rail system which is 1067mm.

The other proposed high-speed networks will also be stand-alone 1435mm gauge lines and will run separately from the established Transnet Freight Rail network.

The department also plans to establish a Rail Economic Regulator by the end of 2010 to set freight and passenger tariffs.

Mahlalela said the agreement with China was not linked to any particular project.

"It is up to us to define what we want (from the project) or it will be defined for us," he said.

High-speed rail has become a vote-catching exercise around the world. Taking their cue from successful - but costly - Shinkansen "bullet trains" in Japan and France's TGV network, many countries are trying to catch up.

In April last year, US president Barack Obama pledged $8-billion for high-speed rail projects, with another $5-billion on tap to develop up to 10 high-speed corridors.

China has also climbed on board, with its trains running at an average 312km/h on its new Wuhan-Guangzhou route.

Beijing's rail apparatchiks have also proposed building a high-speed railway across 17 countries from China to Europe, with terminals in Berlin and London.

It is no secret that China is hunting for new markets for its railway technology and high-speed rail projects in places like SA will generate plenty of business.

But these projects are notoriously expensive and almost always incur heavy cost overruns.

Mahlalela said the department was hoping to fund the projects without having to go cap in hand to the treasury. China had not pledged any funding at this stage, he added.

According to the leading US industry journal TRAINS, track construction and maintenance is the biggest single item in any railway's capital budget.

Tracklaying is expensive. A rough estimate for building new track for a railway capable of running fast, heavy freight trains is around R3-million to R4-million per kilometre, excluding the cost of the overhead catenary from which electric locomotives draw their power.

A high-speed, electrified railway line, designed to carry trains safely at speeds of up to 350km/h, will cost significantly more.

Gautrain has cost around R25-billion so far - nearly four times the original projected cost of R7-billion - and only the 20km link between Sandton and OR Tambo Airport is operating.

While the earthworks, bridges and tunnelling for the remaining 60km are mostly complete, about 30% of the track is still to be laid, according to the latest update on the Gautrain website.

Lanfranc Situma, the deputy director-general in the transport department, said it was "risky" to compare Gautrain's costs with the proposed long-distance lines.

Gautrain ran through built-up areas and also involved a considerable amount of tunnelling and land acquisition, which had escalated the cost.

"If you take the route that needs tunnels and viaducts, the costs go up," he said.

The new lines would be built, like Gautrain, as public-private partnerships and local companies would be invited to tender, Mahlalela said.

"We have our own procurement regime in SA and we are not going to compromise that regime," he added.