"Urgent" Egyptian rail plan

[John Ashworth]

“URGENT” EGYPTIAN RAIL PLAN

On November 27, 2012 Railways Africa

According to the Egyptian state information service in Cairo, the government has announced an “all-out” plan to develop the country’s railways authority.

Minister of cooperation and international planning Ashraf El-Arabi was quoted saying that measures are under way to develop and renovate the railway and the operational system over the next seven months. Special attention is to be paid to level crossing signage. The envisaged programme involves renovating 14 locomotives and 116 passenger coaches, as well as the acquisition of 85 air-conditioned coaches. “A TCT surveillance system is to replace the traditional telephone system used currently”. Completion of the work is scheduled for 30 June 2013.