Luanda railway company takes delivery of rolling stock

The Angolan government has approved the purchase of 10 railcars to strengthen the passenger rail system in the city of Luanda, according to a statement from the Council of Ministers issued last week.
The statement, which does not mention the amounts involved in the purchase, said “several contracts for the purchase of ten railcars for rail passengers” were approved and the decision was part of the Angolan capital’s transport master plan.
After the meeting, the Minister of Transport said the delivery of the railcars and carriages should happen within 24 months and aimed to “meet demand” for rail transport in Luanda.
Augusto da Silva Tomás noted that these new trains would be used on the rail link to the future Luanda international airport, which is under construction on the outskirts of the city.
In addition to these acquisitions, construction of four flyovers along the railway line in Luanda was also approved as well as specific workshops for rail equipment maintenance.
Railway company Caminhos de Ferro de Luanda (CFL) carries 12,000 passengers on a daily basis on its suburban routes in the capital, according to figures from the board of the Angolan state company.
The reconstruction programme for the Luanda railway system – which crosses the provinces of Luanda, Kwanza Norte and Malanje – began in February 2005, with work carried out by Chinese companies, including the China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation. MDT/Macauhub