Kenya Railways Corporation has received an additional 17 freight locomotives, six shunting locomotives, 50 flat wagons for containers and four unit cranes, two weeks to the expected launch of the Standard Gauge Railway.

The country has so far received 25 freight locomotives out of the 43 it ordered from a Chinese manufacturer, while 763 wagons out of the 1,620 on order have also been delivered.

KRC said the full order of five passenger and eight shunting locomotive and 40 passenger coaches has been delivered. as well as 763 Wagons out of the 1,620 on order.

“It is expected that freight uptake via SGR will considerably increase rail transport capacity from the port once the operations commence in December 2017, and in accordance with the commitment made in the Mombasa Port Community Charter, signed in June 2014,” Transport PS Paul Maringa said yesterday at the port of Mombasa.

Freight services are scheduled to start once the expansion and modernisation of the Nairobi Inland Container Depot is completed and handling equipment provided and installed.

Kenya Railways will operate the freight trains between Mombasa Port and Nairobi as per the traffic volumes available.

The freight tariffs are being determined and will be published in time for the commencement of the operations.

Source: The Star