Iron!
Iron is a key component of railway construction. The Central African Republic has significant reserves of iron ore, which, to date, have not been exploited.
That will change.
London-based businessman Saifee Durbar will span Africa, from Cameroon to Sudan, with a railway. It will go through the Central African Republic and make use of the nation’s vast mineral resources. Saif Durbar says the railway will enhance Africa’s self sufficiency and establish its role in global commerce-something started with the construction of the Suez Canal.
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IRON RAILS OR STEEL RAILS
Strictly speaking, railway rails are now made of steel, not iron, and very high quality steel at that. Only a few steel mills are needed worldwide to make all the steel needed for making rails, clips, and reinforcing of the concrete sleepers.
Presumably TransAfricaRail intends to sell the raw materials in exchange for rails and clips, rather than make the rails themselves! The concrete and concrete sleepers can be made locally, using some imported components.
20 August 2009 BF
Belfrayden
August 20, 2009
SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS
Railways need sleepers to hold the rails the correct distance apart (railgauge), and to spread the heavy weight of the trains evenly over the ground. Sleepers can be made of several materials, including timber, steel and concrete.
Concrete is made from cement which is made locally in Africa in about half of the countries. Cement plants have to be large to achieve economies of scale, say 100,000 tonnes per year, so a single cement factory may serve a whole country.
A South African company has invented (re-invented if you ask Isambard Kingdom Brunel) a track with longitudinal sleepers. This system may use more concrete (which can be made locally) and less high quality steel (which might not be so easy to make locally). TMT is claimed to be better where there are sanddrifts which are a problem in parts of Africa.
TransAfricaRail should keep an eye out for where there are cement works and for where the raw materials for cement are found.
21 August 2009 BF
See Wikipedia “Cement in Africa”; “Tubular Modular Track”
Belfrayden
August 21, 2009