Rail transport in Rwanda

There are currently no railway lines in Rwanda, although various plans to construct railways have been proposed, including a proposed line to Tanzania.cite news
url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_7_40/ai_63843747
title=Burundi and Rwanda
publisher=International Railway Journal
date=July, 2000
accessdate=2008-06-01
quote=The governments of Burundi and Rwanda have announced plans to build their first rail lines to link their countries to the rail network in Tanzania, enabling freight services to operate to the port of Dares-Salaam, Tanzania.] cite news
url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKL2658080420080126
title=Tanzinia to build rail link to Rwanda by 2013
publisher=Reuters
date=January 26 2008
accessdate=2008-06-02
quote= [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FlatestCrisis%2FidUKL2658080420080126+&date=2008-06-02 mirror] ]

Burundi / Rwanda rail plans of 2000

In 2000 Burundi and Rwanda announced plans to build a rail line linking their two countries to the Tanzanian rail network, and thus to the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam.

2006 delay

According to the "Rwanda News Agency" the African Development Bank was responsible for a 2006 delay in surveying the route of a rail link from Isaka through Rwanda's capital Kigali to Bujumbura.cite news
url=http://www.rwandagateway.org/article.php3?id_article=2428
title=ADB delaying Isaka-Kigali railway
publisher=Rwanda News Agency
date=31 July 2006
accessdate=2008-06-01
quote=] The initial feasibility study was to cost $2.7 million dollars. According to the "Rwandan News Agency" officials stated the African Development Bank was to have loaned 90% of the cost of the railway, with the remainder paid by Tanzania and Rwanda.

The "Rwanda News Agency" reported that an Indian firm named RITES was expected to take over the contract for the management of the Isaka line.

Chinese survey of 2007

China had played a big role in building the Tanzania's rail network, and in 2007 conducted a survey for extending the network into Rwanda.

2008 plan

On January 26 2008 Rwanda's President announced plans for
Burlington Northern Santa Fe to build a link from Rwanda's capital Kigali to Tanzania's rail network in Isaka Tanzania.cite news
url=http://www.africa-ata.org/ug_hotnews.htm
title=Rwanda -- Tanzania railway 'on track'
publisher=
author=
date=May 2008
accessdate=2008-06-02
quote=] Some reports state the new line would be a narrow gauge, like the rest of Tanzania's rail service. Other reports state that Tanzania has already decided to upgrade its Isaka line to standard gauge, and that the Isaki-Kigali link would also be standard gauge.Yet other reports tat that the Isaka-Rwanda leg would be of standard gauge and that cargo would be transhipped to different rolling stock in Isaka.

According to "Reuters" political unrest in neighboring Kenya has disrupted the reliability of road and rail service through Kenya, and the Rwandan line would allow rail transport to bypass Kenya if rail transport was disrupted there in future.

The proposed plan was projected to be complete by 2013.Projected costs have not yet been announced.

Technical measures to overcome Break of Gauge

On 31 May, 2008, a proposal to link the railways of Egypt (1435mm gauge) and Sudan (1067mm gauge) surfaced, with "Technical measures" to overcome the Break of gauge. What exactly these technical measures are was not revealed, but they presumably could be used on the new line to Kigali. [ [http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2774&Itemid=35 Technical Measures] ]

These measures might include:
* Containerisation
* Bogie exchange
* Variable gauge axles
* Piggy back wagons or trains.
* Transshipment by mechanical means
* Transshipment by hand

See also

* Transport in Rwanda

References

External links

* [http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/rwanda.pdf UN Map]
* [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Af.nsf/luFullMap/BC0EF176D6BCADE385256C0800474100/$File/wfp_safr_rails0702.pdf?OpenElement Railways of southern Africa]
* [http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=33&Itemid=35 Rwanda news items on on "Railways Africa" website]

* Isaka, Tanzania - dry port