111-533: Gautrain is an 80-kilometre (50-mile) higher-speed express commuter rail system in Gauteng , South Africa , which links Johannesburg , Pretoria , Kempton Park and O. R. Tambo International Airport . It takes 15 minutes to travel from Sandton to O. R. Tambo International Airport on the Gautrain and 35 minutes from Pretoria station to Park Station in Johannesburg. The Gautrain has 10 stations. Buses, shuttles and midibus services are available to transport passengers to and from all stations excluding
222-880: A train for the rich and called on the government not to proceed with the project. A national parliamentary oversight body, the Transport Portfolio Committee, held public hearings in November 2005 and subsequently advised Cabinet to scrap or postpone the project. However, National Cabinet decided on 7 December 2005 to financially support Gautrain. Critics have questioned ridership estimates, stating that government officials almost always overestimate ridership to gain political approval for projects, and cite numerous international examples where similar projects operate at massive losses or were aborted. However, by October 2010, passenger numbers were in line with previous predictions and growing. Within 100 days of opening
333-558: A Semi-High Speed Train. In 2021, Indian Railways started to upgrade Rajdhani Coaches to Tejas coaches. This replaced its traditional LHB Rajdhani coaches On 15 February 2021, the Agartala Rajdhani Express was upgraded with Tejas livery Sleeper Coaches. On 19 July 2021, the Mumbai Rajdhani Express was upgraded to Tejas class smart coaches. LHB Rajdhani coaches. On 1 September 2021
444-505: A black owned consortium, led by Southern Palace Group in late 2016 and renamed Concor Construction in May 2017. Concor is now independent certified a Level 1 BEE Company . Subsidiary Murray & Roberts RUC, acquired Cementation Africa with effect 1 July 2004. Murray & Roberts sees the mining sector in Africa as one of the areas where it can substantially grow and expand its business over
555-410: A change to the signalling system to account for increased braking distance. Prior to the project, the system comprised a mixture of equipment from pre- WWI mechanical signalling to the remote control systems of the 1980s. In some cases, operators needed to telephone the local operators to manually control the signal boxes. With the new speeds, the signalling needed to be computerized. The project employed
666-708: A class of railcars built by United Goninan , Broadmeadow for Transwa in 2004–05 to replace the WAGR WCA/WCE class railcars on the AvonLink and Prospector services in Australia . They are capable of high-speed operation. In China, higher-speed railways are railways that are not officially categorized as high-speed rail but allow CRH EMUs run on it with speeds up to 200 km/h. Typically these lines are classified as Grade I conventional railways and are used by both passenger and freight services. Note that
777-814: A collection of companies or operating units focused on a particular market segment. Murray & Roberts often participate in large projects together with competitors in the form of joint venture partnerships. Murray & Roberts today directs its activities into the construction economies of Sub Saharan Africa , Europe , Southeast Asia and the Americas . Market sectors include resources, industrial, energy, water and specialised infrastructure market sectors. The Power, Industrial & Water platform operates predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa. Its service offering includes feasibility studies, detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and repairs and maintenance work. The Mining platform's service offering spans
888-666: A full range of mechanical and electrical disciplines. Murray & Roberts participated in the rescue operation of 33 miners who had been trapped underground in the 2010 Copiapó mining accident in the San Jose Mine near the town Copiapó in the north of Chile. Murray & Roberts has a controlling shareholding in two mining contracting companies in Chile; Terracem, which is a specialist raise drilling company, and Cementation Sudamerica, which focused on major vertical shaft and underground mine infrastructure work. Its partner in Chile
999-658: A model of a train common in South East England , was selected for the system. Fifteen cars were manufactured and assembled by Bombardier's Derby Litchurch Lane Works in England, with the remaining cars assembled by the Union Carriage & Wagon in South Africa using structural components made in England. Gautrain has 24 trains, each made up of four cars: 19 trains service the commuter network and five
1110-475: A non-executive chairman in 2000 until he retired in 2003. Brink oversaw a period of acquisition and diversification as Murray & Roberts sought growth at a time when South Africa was politically isolated from the world due to Apartheid sanctions and the domestic construction sector was in decline. The 15-year period between 1980 and 1994 brought significant change to the shareholding and business make-up of Murray & Roberts. In 1984, The Murray Trusts entered
1221-408: A project, would submit cover bids to ensure that those interested in particular bids, won them." By this process the colluding companies were able to rig bids so that they could charge higher prices and ensure that participating colluding companies got bids that were preselected by those companies beforehand and without the government or any other third party knowing. The company was not penalised for
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#17327720067791332-488: A shaft for Codelco's Andina Mine and had already been transferred to the San Jose Mine where drilling would commence. In June 2013, Murray & Roberts agreed to pay R309 million levied by the Competition Commission as one of 15 construction companies fined a total of R1.46 billion for anticompetitive behaviour. The commission found that the company had committed a total of 17 transgressions of
1443-426: A shareholder and voting pool agreement with Sanlam that controlled more than 50% of the issued shares of Murray & Roberts. By 1989, Sanlam had placed its shares into its industrial investment subsidiary Sankorp, which in turn took singular control of the company through the voting pool agreement, influencing board appointments and strategy. Over the period 1990 to 1994, numerous industrial businesses from elsewhere in
1554-581: A smoother ride at higher speeds, the lengths of rail may be welded together to form continuous welded rail (CWR). However, the continuous welded rails are vulnerable to stress due to changes in temperature. In Australia, the track condition before the Regional Fast Rail project could only support trains up to speeds of 130 km/h (80 mph). The tracks are with mixture of wooden and concrete ties. The rail weight varies but with majority being 47 kg/m (95 lb/yd). The track upgrade in
1665-611: A top speed of 110 mph (175 km/h). In 1999, the concept of Regional Fast Rail project was initiated by the Government of Victoria with a goal to provide express higher-speed rail services between four main regional centres of Victoria ( Geelong , Ballarat , Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley ) and Melbourne . The initiative included a key component to upgrade rail infrastructure to have top speeds up to 160 km/h (100 mph). The development phase of initiative
1776-646: A total consideration of R635 million. The acquisition of the TNT business was structured through an acquisition of assets of TNT USA Inc. and a 100% share purchase of TNT Chile Limitada. TNT provides services to the global mining industry (both surface and underground) and design, supply and commission overland conveyors, crushing/conveying systems, mobile stacking systems, including dry stack tailings and heap leach systems, crushing and screening plants and in-pit crushing and conveying systems. TNT also provides process equipment for mining projects. The acquisition of TNT complements
1887-406: A total of 6 routes serving Centurion station, 4 routes serving Midrand station, 3 routes serving Rhodesfield station, 4 routes serving Sandton station, 5 routes serving Hatfield station, 6 routes serving Marlboro station, 2 routes serving Park station, 2 routes serving Pretoria station, and 4 routes serving Rosebank station. The project was announced in 2000 before South Africa won the rights to host
1998-533: A watertight and smooth lining to the 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) diameter tunnel. The first public passenger trip was made on 3 February 2009 by 150 people on a 3 km (1.9 mi) test track at the depot. The first part of the System, between Sandton and O. R Tambo International Airport, opened to the public on 8 June 2010, in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup . The route from Rosebank to Pretoria and Hatfield commenced operations on 2 August 2011, while
2109-462: Is median separators which are installed along the center line of roadways, extending approximately 70 to 100 feet from the crossing, to discourage drivers from running around the crossing gates. More active devices include the four-quadrant gate , which blocks both sides of each traffic lane. Longer gate arms can cover 3/4 of the roadway. Video cameras can also be installed to catch the violators. A signal monitoring system can also be installed to alert
2220-533: Is 80 kilometres (50 miles) long and is connected to other forms of public transport like taxis, buses and the Metrorail public train system. Commuters can also use several Gautrain buses and midibuses to destinations within a 15-kilometre (9.3-mile) radius. Fares on the Johannesburg/Pretoria route vary according to the peak, shoulder peak and off-peak times, depending on the distance. The fare on
2331-486: Is India's first train operated by private operators, IRCTC , a subsidiary of Indian Railways . The Ahmedabad – Mumbai Tejas express, also operated by IRCTC was inaugurated on the 17 January 2020. From 1 September 2021, the train LHB Rajdhani Rakes are replaced with LHB Tejas Sleeper Rakes. This increased the speed of the train to 130 km/h. The train can travel at a top speed of 160 km/h making it
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#17327720067792442-478: Is a local company, Terraservice. One of the company's large diameter raise drilling machines, the Strata 950, was used by Terracem in the rescue operation. Rotary Vertical Drilling System (RVDS) technology, co-developed by Murray & Roberts, was applied to accurately drill a pilot hole to reach the trapped miners, where the hole was to be opened up to 660mm to rescue the miners. The Strata 950 had just completed
2553-699: Is a semi high-speed rail project inaugurated in 2023. Trains, called Namo Bharat trains , can reach speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour. Murray %26 Roberts Murray & Roberts Holdings Ltd. is a South African -based engineering and mining contractor. It is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange . The Group delivers its capabilities into three global primary market sectors the resources, industrial, energy, water and specialised infrastructure market sectors. The company offers civil, mechanical, electrical, mining and process engineering; and management of concession operations. In addition to
2664-412: Is also less expensive to maintain, as it is more tolerant of track imperfections than Cape Gauge. The 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) allows for travel at Gautrain's required speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). The overhead line voltage is 25 kV 50 Hz AC as is standard in many countries. Although increased flexibility could be obtained by keeping
2775-438: Is an example of deliberately reduced speeds). Identifiers starting with S indicates metropolitan services using CRH rolling stock and have a different fare system to the national one. Their maximum speed is 160 km/h. Note: The start and end station in the following lists accounts only CRH services. * denotes some section of this line doesn't have 160 km/h CRH services. (including Second track ) This section lists
2886-860: Is based on the British Rail designed High Speed Train and entered service in April 1982. It came to fruition in January 1978 when the Public Transport Commission invited tenders for 25 high-speed railcars similar to the Prospector railcars delivered by Comeng to the Western Australian Government Railways in 1971. Comeng's proposal for a train based on the InterCity 125 was announced as
2997-566: Is compatible with higher-speed rail operation. They are both transponder -based and GPS -based PTC systems currently in use in the United States. By a mandate, a significant portion of the railroads in the United States will be covered by PTC by the end of 2015. To support trains that run regularly at higher speeds, the rails need to be reliable. Most freight tracks have wooden ties which cause rails to become slightly misaligned over time due to wood rot, splitting and spike -pull (where
3108-627: Is implemented as a public–private partnership (PPP) in terms of Treasury Regulation 16 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) is the public partner and the primary promoter of the Project. The Concessionaire is the Bombela Concession Company (Pty) Ltd, which holds a 19½-year concession for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of
3219-409: Is the jargon used to describe inter-city passenger rail services that have top speeds of more than conventional rail but are not high enough to be called high-speed rail services. The term is also used by planners to identify the incremental rail improvements to increase train speeds and reduce travel time as alternatives to larger efforts to create or expand the high-speed rail networks. Though
3330-810: Is the first leg of the link between Marlboro and Soweto, with stations at Cosmo City, Little Falls, Randburg, and Sandton. In August 2024, the Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced an R120 billion expansion of the network to extend service to Soweto , Mamelodi , Atteridgeville , Lanseria , and Springs . For 150 mph (241 km/h) or more in the US, see High-speed rail in the United States Higher-speed rail Higher-speed rail ( HrSR ), also known as high-performance rail , higher-performance rail , semi-high-speed rail or almost-high-speed rail ,
3441-400: Is the safety of grade crossings (also known as level crossings , flat level crossings , non- grade-separated crossings) which limits how fast trains can go. FRA regulations set speed limits for tracks with grade crossings as follows: Level crossings are generally the most dangerous part of the railway network with a large number of fatal incidents occurring at a grade crossing. In Europe,
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3552-480: The 2010 FIFA World Cup . The Gauteng Department of Transport obtained environmental authorisation and conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for this purpose. The authorisation was granted on 25 April 2004. On 7 December 2005, the South African government gave the go-ahead for the project, expected to cost more than 24 billion Rand . In February 2006, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced
3663-524: The Rajendra Nagar Patna Rajdhani Express was upgraded to Tejas rakes. This increased the speed of the train to 130 km/h. The train can travel at a top speed of 160 km/h. In 2019, Vande Bharat Express , also known as Train 18 , was inaugurated. This is an Indian higher-speed rail intercity electric multiple unit . It was designed and built by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Perambur , Chennai under
3774-573: The Solid State Interlocking with the newly laid fiber-optic communication between the components to use three computer systems to control the signals. When the output of one computer differs from the other two, the system will fail that computer and continue the signal operations as long as the outputs from the other two computers are consistent. The project deployed the Train Protection & Warning System which allows
3885-564: The definitions of high-speed rail , the definition varies by country. The term has been used by government agencies, government officials, transportation planners, academia, the rail industry, and the media, but sometimes with overlaps in the speed definitions. Some countries with an established definition of higher-speed rail include: In Canada, the assumption about grade crossing is that operating higher-speed rail services between 160 and 200 km/h (99 and 124 mph) would require "improved levels of protection in acceptable areas". In
3996-678: The FRA establishes classification of track quality which regulates the speed limits of trains with Class 5, Class 6, Class 7 and Class 8 for top speeds of 90 mph (145 km/h), 110 mph (175 km/h), 125 mph (200 km/h) and 160 mph (255 km/h), respectively. The FRA also regulates passenger train design and safety standards to ensure trains that operate at speeds of 80 mph (130 km/h) up to 125 mph (200 km/h) comply with its Tier I standard and trains that operate at speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h) comply with its Tier II standard. Another limitation
4107-540: The FRA limits train speeds to 110 mph (175 km/h) without an "impenetrable barrier" at each crossing. Even with that top speed, the grade crossings must have adequate means to prevent collisions. Another option is grade separation , but it could be cost-prohibitive and the planners may opt for at-grade crossing improvements instead. The safety improvements at crossings can be done using combination of techniques. This includes passive devices such as upgraded signage and pavement markings. Another low-cost passive device
4218-562: The Gauteng provincial government in 2003 indicated that the project would do little to relieve traffic on the over-used Ben Schoeman Highway (one of the major motivations for the project), as traffic volumes would be higher when the Gautrain was completed and operating at full capacity in 2010. Leftist political groupings like the SACP and labour movements like COSATU branded the Gautrain as
4329-491: The Gautrain Bus Link for a rail user varies from R9 during peak and R2 during off-peak times; for the midibuses, the fare is a standard R10 per trip. The method of payment on Gautrain buses uses the same personalized electronic ticket as for train travel, requiring a minimum balance of R20.00 for boarding a bus. To board the midibuses, tickets are bought at the midibus counter at the station. Special discounts apply on
4440-688: The Gautrain. BCC is responsible in terms of the Concession Agreement (CA) for the design, build and part-finance of the Gautrain. The concession also includes the operations of the Gautrain and the Concessionaire is responsible for delivering all the services as defined in the CA to specified levels of performance. These include the services related to the train and buses, safety, stations, revenue collection, marketing and passenger communication. The Concessionaire also takes responsibility for
4551-651: The Group's history was strongly characterised by the lead up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the infrastructure investment programme launched by the South African Government to replace ageing infrastructure and prepare South Africa for the largest international event ever hosted on the African continent. It was also a time of global expansion as demand for mining, energy and transport infrastructure increased. At Murray & Roberts Operation Platforms can be
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4662-525: The Indian government's Make in India initiative over a span of 18 months. The unit cost of the first rake was given as ₹ 1 billion (US$ 12 million), though the unit cost is expected to go down with subsequent production. At the original price, it is estimated to be 40% cheaper than a similar train imported from Europe. The train was launched on 15 February 2019, from Delhi to Varanasi . The service
4773-431: The O. R. Tambo International Airport Station. The Gautrain is mainly aimed at providing and optimising an integrated, innovative public transport system that enables and promotes the long-term sustainable economic growth of Gauteng . It is also part of a broader vision to industrialise and modernise the region, including a commitment towards creating and sustaining an integrated culture of public transport use. The Gautrain
4884-760: The OR Tambo International Airport upgrade. Rosebank and Johannesburg Park stations were designed by Atkins – Urban Edge architects joint venture. A cash-free ticketing system and the use of reloadable smart cards, the Gautrain Card makes travelling on the Gautrain quick and convenient. Passengers can buy their Gautrain Cards at any Gautrain Station as well as approved service outlets. Europay , Mastercard and Visa contactless cards are also usable on Gautrain. The Bombardier Electrostar ,
4995-528: The Power, Industrial & Water platform acquired OptiPower Projects, whose capabilities are largely in the construction of MV and HV power lines, construction of MV and HV substations and construction of overhead and underground fibre optic networks, for a consideration of R38 million. On 1 May 2019, Cementation Americas, which forms part of the Underground Mining platform, acquired 100% of TNT for
5106-522: The Sankorp stable were sold into Murray & Roberts, paid for through the issue of new shares. By 1995 Sanlam had reduced its shareholding below 35%, a new executive leadership was in place and euphoria around South Africa's new democracy including the promise offered by the Reconstruction and Development Programme . Five contracting activities had reduced to less than 30% of group business with
5217-514: The South African Competition Act. In November 2013 it was reported that Murray & Roberts was pursuing former company executives implicated in anticompetitive behaviour. The Competition Commission found that Murray & Roberts, along with another 14 South African construction companies, had "an agreement in terms of which firms which were not interested in the projects or winning the tenders, or were not allocated to
5328-624: The United States, railroad tracks are largely used for freight with at-grade crossings . Passenger trains in many corridors run on shared tracks with freight trains . Most trains are limited to top speeds of 79 mph (127 km/h) unless they are equipped with an automatic cab signal , automatic train stop , automatic train control or positive train control system approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). In developing higher-speed rail services, one of those safety systems must be used. Additionally,
5439-780: The above limitations, many regional transportation planners focus on rail improvements to have the top speeds up to 110 mph (175 km/h) when proposing a new higher-speed rail service. In countries where there had been rail improvement projects in the later part of the 20th century and into the 2000s, there are inter-city rail services with comparable speed ranges of higher-speed rail, but they are not specifically called "higher-speed rail". Below are some examples of such services that are still in operation. Some commuter rail services that cover shorter distances may achieve similar speeds but they are not typically called as higher-speed rail. Some examples are: There are many types of trains that can support higher-speed rail operation. Usually,
5550-678: The airport link; the latter consists of forward rail cars especially adapted for the airport link; with storage area for luggage and more luxurious seating. On 8 July 2008, the first train was handed over to the Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa in a ceremony in Derby. The last was delivered in December 2010. There were plans for the acquisition of additional trains. In 2019, Gautrain investigated purchasing some second-hand Electrostars from England. The project entailed
5661-1166: The allocation of R7.1 billion from the National Fiscus for Gautrain. On 16 February 2006 then Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa announced that the Gauteng Province had reached commercial close with the Bombela Consortium, the preferred bidder and that negotiations to reach financial close commenced. In 2006 the Province signed a 20‑year PPP contract with the Bombela Concession Company, which included Murray & Roberts , empowerment organisation Strategic Partners Group, Bombardier Transportation , Bouygues , and various minority shareholders. Construction started on 28 September 2006, and investors, developers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs are starting new ventures such as office blocks, shopping malls, entertainment, and residential developments along Gautrain's network. The demand for land as well as property prices in these areas increased dramatically. The rail system
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#17327720067795772-511: The balance of direct project costs. Loan funding will constitute a large part of these amounts but the financing costs involved have not been stated. The sunk costs for the project will be more than R20 billion. In March 2008, Jeremy Cronin , chairman of the National Assembly 's transport portfolio committee and deputy secretary-general of the SACP , complained that the cost had quietly crept up to R35 billion. Cronin has long opposed
5883-469: The construction work that could potentially disrupt the train services. The followings are some strategies used by regional transportation planners and rail track owners for their rail improvement projects in order to start the higher-speed rail services. In Victoria , Australia, the increased top speeds from 130 to 160 km/h (80 to 100 mph) in the Regional Fast Rail project required
5994-484: The crews when the crossing equipment has malfunctioned. In Norway, grade crossing speed are not permitted to exceed 160 km/h (100 mph). In areas where there is frequent interference between freight and passenger trains due to congestion which causes the passenger trains to slow down, more extensive improvements may be needed. Certain segments of the line in congested areas may need to be rerouted. New track may need to be laid to avoid many curves which slow down
6105-450: The criticism is that money is being spent on the rich at the expense of the poor. Critics contend that it does not serve any of the townships of Gauteng where the transport problem is severe and where the majority of the people live. However, supporters maintain that the train was never meant to be an alternative to mass public transport; instead, it was intended to reduce pressure on Johannesburg's overloaded highway system. Figures released by
6216-617: The definition of higher-speed rail varies from country to country, most countries refer to rail services operating at speeds up to 200 km/h (125 mph). The concept is usually viewed as stemming from efforts to upgrade a legacy railway line to high speed railway standards (speeds in excess of 250 km/h or 155 mph), but usually falling short on the intended speeds. The faster speeds are achieved through various means including new rolling stock such as tilting trains, upgrades to tracks including shallower curves, electrification, in-cab signalling, and less frequent halts/stops. As with
6327-493: The deliberately reduced scenarios mentioned in "train identifiers" section above. Since 1997, ongoing construction to upgrade and built higher-speed lines capable of speeds of up to 200 km/h (120 mph) is conducted. The P.A.Th.E. Plan ( Patras - Athens - Thessaloniki - Evzonoi ), as it is called aims at reduced journey times between Greece's main cities (Athens, Thessaloniki and Patra) as well as an improved rail connection between Greece and North Macedonia . Currently, only
6438-402: The design of the system as a whole. Midrand, Centurion and Pretoria stations was designed by Terry Farrell of England. Each platform is 160 metres in length. Marlboro, Rhodesfield and OR Tambo International Airport Station's internal fit-out and platform envelope were designed by Jaco Groenewald and GAJV team. The OR Tambo International Airport Station envelope was designed by Izi Martinez during
6549-578: The development of new depot facilities and the upgrading of the existing Gautrain signaling system. The additional train project was expected to have a significant and positive socio-economic impact in the Province as the Gauteng Provincial Government said it would insist on at least 65 percent local content by the successful bidder. The plans were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have not been revived since then. Much of
6660-549: The diesel-electric counterpart. The fuel consumption, locomotive maintenance costs and track wear of all all-electric locomotives are also lower. Furthermore, electric traction makes the operator more independent of oil price fluctuations and imports, as electricity can be generated from domestic resources or renewable energy. This was a major consideration in the electrification of the German Democratic Republic network , as lignite (and therefore electricity)
6771-476: The direction of O. R. Tambo International Airport, the commuter and airport passenger flows are separated in different cars. At Rhodesfield station, doors of airport labelled cars are not opening, while doors of commuter cars are not accessible at the airport station. The Gautrain system features an extensive network of feeder buses. Some routes are served but regular full-sized buses while others are served by so-called midibuses which are van-like vehicles. There are
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#17327720067796882-521: The engineering and construction services of Cementation Americas and the Underground Mining platform. In October 2021, Murray & Roberts acquired J.J. White Incorporated for US$ 28,25 million. JJ White, founded in 1920, is a private, fourth-generation multi-trade engineering and contracting business, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. JJ White specializes in industrial maintenance and related construction services that covers
6993-619: The estimated 62,000 daily riders require a capacity unfeasible by BRT. These matters were never submitted to a public debate as the project was designed and launched within the confines of the Gauteng Government bureaucracy. The project is the largest and costliest transport infrastructure project ever proposed by the provincial government but was never discussed in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature or submitted to any significant public debate before it
7104-464: The first phase of the system for the public, 1 million passengers were recorded. As of February 2013, passenger volume was around 40,000 per day by train and 12,000 by bus. This is lower than expected in terms of passenger numbers, but this is partially offset by a longer average trip length (50 km vs the expected 30 km). Peak volumes are higher than expected, though, which can be addressed by adding more coaches during peak times, and reducing
7215-423: The headway between trains from 12 to 10 minutes ahead of the intended 2015 schedule. Tolling on Gauteng highways is also expected to lead to higher passenger numbers. Critics pointed out that the project would use the majority of available national and provincial transport funds in a context where massive amounts were needed to deal with widespread traffic congestion and commuter transport problems nationally and in
7326-454: The higher superelevation, will require track modification to have transition spirals to and from those curves to be longer. Old turnouts may need replacement to allow trains to run through the turnouts at higher speeds. In the United States, some old turnouts have speed limit of 20 mph (30 km/h). Even with newer turnouts (rated #20), the diverging speed limit is still at 45 mph (70 km/h) which would significantly slow down
7437-425: The higher-speed train passing through those sections. High-speed turnouts (rated #32.7) are capable of handling maximum diverging speeds of 80 mph (130 km/h). In order to minimize the downtime to upgrade tracks, a track renewal train (TRT) can automate much of the process, replacing rails, ties, and ballast at the rate of 2 miles per day. In the United States, a TRT is used by Union Pacific Railroad on
7548-435: The length of track. When straight routes are not possible, reducing the number of curves and lowering the degree of curvature would result in higher achievable speeds on those curves. An example is the elimination of three consecutive reverse curves in favor of one larger curve. Raising superelevation may be considered for sharp curves which significantly limit speed. The higher speeds on those modified curves, together with
7659-417: The limit is often 160 km/h (100 mph) over grade crossings. In Sweden there is a special rule permitting 200 km/h (125 mph) if there are barriers and automatic detection of road vehicles standing on the track. In Russia 250 km/h (155 mph) is permitted over grade crossings. The United Kingdom has railway lines of 200 km/h (125 mph) which still use grade crossings. With
7770-487: The long term. The complementary nature of the two companies was important, with the merger giving Murray & Roberts Cementation an estimated 60% market share of the hard rock underground mining construction and contracting sectors in Southern Africa. Established in 1919, Clough is an Australian-based engineering, construction and asset support contractor providing full project life cycle solutions primarily to
7881-433: The major contributors being cement, tyres and transport. In June 2000, management aimed to transform Murray & Roberts fundamentally over a five-year period to 30 June 2005 by expanding the company into emerging markets. Over the decade from 2000 to 2010, Murray & Roberts experienced significant growth: the project order book increased exponentially to R42 billion and revenues quadrupled to R32 billion. This period in
7992-500: The majority of high-speed lines are also called "passenger-only"( Chinese : 客运专线 ) lines. Inside mainland China this word invokes a sense of higher-speed rail but the wording usage is inconsistent. Identifiers starting with G indicates at least part of the train's route operates at a maximum 300 km/h or above (this is a characteristic of the line rather than the precise maximum speed of this exact train) and not running at deliberately reduced speed on any section. Other sections of
8103-469: The management and maintenance of all the System assets. It does so following international good practices and its corporate governance regime. It is a private, ring-fenced company with three shareholders : The Gautrain system officially features three lines in operation. In practice, two of the three line actually represent the same infrastructure and vehicles: on the East/West line, while travelling in
8214-827: The many buildings, Murray & Roberts has been involved in the construction of the Gautrain railroad, the Medupi Power Station , and the Cape Town Stadium . Murray & Roberts was established in 1902 as an emerging house builder in the Cape Colony . For its first 75 years, the company developed under the leadership of its founding families. Douglas Murray inherited Murray & Stewart from his father John in 1928 and co-founded The Roberts Construction Co. in 1934 with his friend and colleague Douglas Roberts. They were later joined by Andrew Roberts, and
8325-424: The modernized lines of Domokos – Thessaloniki , Athens Airport – Kiato , and Thessaloniki – Strymonas are in operation at maximum speeds of 160 km/h (99 mph). The Gatimaan Express was India's first semi-high speed train. In October 2014, the railways applied for safety certificate from Commission of Railway Safety to start the service. In June 2015, the train was officially announced. The train
8436-413: The more expensive international standard gauge of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge . According to the Gautrain planning and implementation study, this is done for several reasons, including that a broader gauge is safer and more comfortable for passengers. The rolling stock is also easier, quicker and less expensive to obtain than Cape gauge rolling stock, and
8547-512: The parking areas. Motorists can travel to the stations and leave their cars at the safe parking bays that are next to the train stations. Parking at the stations costs R24 a day for a rail user, however, if a passenger does not remove their vehicle within an hour after arriving at the station, they will be charged R100. Car rental offices are also planned at the stations. Ten stations are in operation: Various South African and international engineering disciplines and engineering firms collaborated in
8658-486: The platform has broadened its market focus to include resources (metals & minerals) and specialist infrastructure markets (historically serviced), which mitigates the impact of market cyclicality. Christiani & Nielsen started operations in South Africa as a subsidiary of the international civil engineering contractors of the same name, whereupon it became a member of the Murray & Roberts group in 1971. Concor
8769-596: The power plants. Substations are required for each of the 40-mile (64 km) lengths to reduce severe voltage losses. There is also a need to consider the required amount of power supply and new power plants may be required. For locomotives, new electric locomotives are needed or existing diesel-electric locomotives can be retrofitted into all-electric locomotives, but it is a complicated task. These factors cause electrification to have high initial investment costs. The advantages of all-electric locomotives are that they provide quieter, cleaner and more reliable operations than
8880-622: The premature death of Des Baker earlier that year, Bill Bramwell became executive chairman. Murray & Roberts was formed in 1967 following its merger with Murray & Stewart, but the two companies continued to operate as separate businesses until all operations were fully consolidated in 1979. Dave Brink joined Murray & Roberts in 1970 as manager of RUC Mining Contracting. He was first appointed an executive director in 1984, followed by his appointment as chief executive in 1985 and chairman in 1994. Brink returned to Murray & Roberts in 1998 as executive chairman and managing director and became
8991-544: The project and told the SA Parliament's lower house during a budget debate that his information was that the project's cost was escalating "quietly and below the radar screen", though MPs "were told, hand on heart, here in Parliament just a few years ago, what the written-in-stone absolute upper limit was [R20 billion]". The Gautrain management agency CEO, Jack van der Merwe, has subsequently denied this, stating that
9102-434: The project included changing to use concrete ties and to use new standard of rail weight at 60 kg/m (121 lb/yd) in order to support the new top speeds of 160 km/h (100 mph). There may be restriction in maximum operating speeds due to track geometry of existing line, especially on curves. Straightening the route, where possible, will reduce the travel time by increasing the allowable speeds and by reducing
9213-594: The project is a fixed-price, fixed-scope and fixed-period contract and that the price will only increase if the consumer price index increases above the South African Reserve Bank's prediction, if the Gauteng Province were in breach of contract, or if the project's scope were to change. Hatfield station in Pretoria stopped paying its municipal property rates and taxes in 2020. By February 2022 they were R10 million in arrears and their power
9324-633: The project life cycle, including feasibility studies, specialist engineering, vertical and decline shaft construction, mine development, specialist mining services, such as raise boring and grouting, and contract mining, as well as open pit mining. The Energy, Resources & Infrastructure platform's extensive service offering spans the full asset life cycle, including specialist engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operations & maintenance. Services are provided on new build facilities (greenfields) and operating facilities (brownfields). In response to challenging oil and gas market conditions,
9435-414: The province. The existing railway system in the province, under national rather than provincial control, which serves the majority of the population, was severely underfunded and large-scale and violent public unrest caused by inadequate and old trains had manifested in the province. Critics alleged that options like rapid bus transit could achieve similar levels of service at a fraction of the costs, however,
9546-479: The purchase of weekly and monthly passes as well as the use of the train during off-peak periods. Tickets can only be purchased at stations and selected retail outlets and not on any bus. Commuters can now use contactless bank cards to tag in and out of the Gautrain Stations. Although the national railway network in South Africa uses the 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ), Gautrain is built with
9657-432: The rail infrastructure needs to be upgraded prior to such operation. However, the requirements to the infrastructure (signalling systems, curve radii, etc.) greatly increase with higher speeds, so an upgrade to a higher-speed standard is often simpler and less expensive than building new high-speed lines. But an upgrade to existing track currently in use, with busy traffic in some segments, introduces challenges associated with
9768-547: The remaining section from Rosebank south to Johannesburg Park Station opened on 7 June 2012, due to higher than anticipated underground water ingress into the railway tunnel. For the first time since its opening to the public in 2010, the Gautrain system had been put to a halt since 27 March 2020 as part of the lockdown measures taken by the South African government during the COVID-19 pandemic . Passenger services started to progressively resume on 4 May 2020. The rail network
9879-580: The rest of Africa and elsewhere whist focusing on construction. In 1951 the company became public and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange . Douglas Murray died in 1964 and was succeeded by long-serving executive Des Baker, who in partnership with Bill Bramwell at Roberts Construction became the architect of a merged and more industrialised Murray & Roberts over a 13-year period between 1967 and 1979. Douglas Roberts finally retired in 1979 and both brothers died in 1982. Following
9990-557: The route may have lower speeds as low as 160 km/h. Identifiers starting with C indicates short-distance travel using CRH trains, the maximum speed is irrelevant (ranging from 160 km/h Ürümqi-Korla service to 350 km/h Beijing-Tianjin (via intercity) service). Identifiers starting with D indicates CRH services with maximum speed 265 km/h or less, including overnight sleepers on 310 km/h Beijing-Guangzhou line (running them 310 km/h overnight not only causes noises but also disturbs sleeping patterns of passengers. This
10101-406: The route, safety at all at-grade crossings needs to be considered. In Australia, the levels of upgrade of the crossing in the rail improvements project were based on the risk analysis. The improvements included flashing light protection, automatic full barriers protection, and pedestrian gates crossings. The project also introduced the use of rubber panels at the crossings. In the United States,
10212-407: The spike is gradually loosened from the tie). The concrete ties used to replace them are intended to make the track more stable, particularly with changes in temperature. Rail joints are also an issue, since most conventional rail lines use bolts and fishplates to join two sections of the rail together. This causes the joint to become slightly misaligned over time due to loosening bolts. To make for
10323-632: The successful bidder in October 1976. The Tilt Train is the name for two similar tilting train services, one electric and the other diesel , operated by Queensland Rail on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Rockhampton and Cairns . In May 1999 the Electric Tilt Train set an Australian train speed record of 210 km/h (130 mph) north of Bundaberg , a record that still stands. The Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class are
10434-497: The system interoperable with the South African railway system, a strong case exists for keeping Gautrain separate from the existing network. According to the Gautrain planning and implementation study, an interoperable network may impact service delivery, increase the operating cost and tarnish Gautrain's image. Security cameras are operational and security guards patrol all the stations and parking areas. Only passengers who have an electronic ticket have access to Gautrain's stations and
10545-523: The system to automatically applies the brakes at a sufficient distance to stop the train if the driver does not control the speeds adequately. The project also incorporated Train Control and Monitoring System to allow real-time monitoring of the position of trains. In the United States, the first step to increase top speeds from 79 mph (127 km/h) is to install a new signal system that incorporates FRA-approved positive train control (PTC) system that
10656-914: The third rail system is not generally used for higher-speed rail. One example in the United States that does involve electrification is the Keystone Improvement Project to provide higher-speed rail service along the Harrisburg - Pittsburgh segment of the Keystone Corridor in Pennsylvania . The plan includes additional track, a new signal system and electrification. If completed as planned, this would allow Amtrak to utilize electric power continuously on service from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. The first segment ("Main Line") has already been using electric locomotives with
10767-475: The three entrepreneurs played a leadership role in the formal development of the South African construction and engineering industry. Under Douglas Murray, the company followed a strategy that maintained geographic focus in the Cape Province , he sought growth through diversification into construction materials and services as well as the industrial sector. The company later expanded geographic focus into
10878-504: The track shared with future higher-speed rail service in Illinois area. For electrified track, the old catenary may need to be replaced. The fixed-tension catenary which is acceptable for low speeds may not be suitable for regular higher-speed rail services, where a constant tension is automatically maintained when temperature changes cause the length of the wire to expand or contract. With trains running at higher speeds throughout
10989-455: The trains. In stretches of heavy freight train traffic, adding passing sidings along the segment should be considered. Sometimes certain stations may need to be bypassed. Another consideration is electrification . Electrifying a railway line entails a major upgrade to the rail infrastructure and equipment. On the infrastructure side, it requires catenary lines to be built above the tracks. New transmission lines are needed to carry power from
11100-537: The tunnelling was completed, and the excavation of the tunnels was completed on 11 September 2009. A mixed-face Earth Pressure Balance Shield Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) was designed and built in Germany by Herrenknecht specifically to cope with complex underground conditions and was the first such machine employed in South Africa. The TBM, named Imbokodo (meaning "rock"), installs pre-cast concrete tunnel lining segments behind it as it moves forward. It leaves behind
11211-572: The upstream oil and gas sector. In November 2013, Clough shareholders voted in favour of a proposed scheme under which Murray & Roberts acquired all the ordinary shares in Clough it did not already own. Murray & Roberts obtained its own shareholder approval to buy the remaining 38.4% of the shares in Clough for about R4bn. Clough's turnkey services range from complex front-end engineering design, construction, installation and commissioning to long-term operations and maintenance. On 1 September 2019,
11322-407: Was Murray & Roberts. The project was constructed simultaneously in two phases. The first phase involved the section between O. R. Tambo International Airport , Sandton and Midrand , and the second was the remainder. The construction of the first phase was scheduled to take 45 months, and the second was for 54 months, with completion in 2010 and 2011. By the end of May 2008, nearly a third of
11433-551: Was approved and put out to tender. Initial cost estimates came in at some R3.5 – 4 billion in 2000 when the project was announced by Premier Shilowa. This figure was revised upwards to R7 billion for the EIA process in 2003 and was finally revealed as being R20 billion (US$ 3.7 billion) in 2005 after the successful bidder for the project was announced and a contract came into existence. National and provincial governments will contribute R20 billion in equal proportions and Bombela will contribute
11544-684: Was between 2000 and 2002. Finally, the services on four lines began between 2005 and 2006 with top speeds of 160 km/h using VLocity trains. Additionally, Queensland Rail 's Tilt Train , the Prospector and NSW TrainLink's XPT all have a top service speed of 160 km/h (99–100 mph). The New South Wales XPT (short for Express Passenger Train) is the main long-distance passenger train operated by NSW TrainLink on regional railway services in New South Wales , Australia from Sydney to Dubbo , Grafton , and Casino as well as interstate destinations, Brisbane and Melbourne . The XPT
11655-600: Was built by Bombela Concession Company, a partnership between Bombardier, Bouygues, Murray & Roberts , the Strategic Partners Group and RATP Group , the J&;J Group, and Absa Bank . Initial civil works for the Gautrain started in May 2006 and construction commenced after the signing of the Concession Agreement between the GPG and the Bombela Concession Company on 28 September 2006. The main civil contractor
11766-457: Was cheap and plentiful domestically whereas oil had to be imported at world market prices. An alternative to catenary lines is to use a third rail system which has a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. However the operating speeds of this type of systems cannot be greater than 100 mph (160 km/h) due to its limitation of the power supply gaps at turnouts and grade crossings. Therefore,
11877-479: Was delisted on 30 June 2006 after 100% of its share capital was purchased by Murray & Roberts. It changed its name when it merged with Murray & Roberts Construction (Pty) Ltd. Whilst under the control of Murray & Roberts, Concor Facility Management and Concor Property Development was closed whilst Concor Roads was merged with Concor Civils. Concor Technicrete was sold as a going concern. The Concor and Murray & Roberts construction divisions were sold to
11988-458: Was disconnected. In 2016, the GMA completed various feasibility studies for network extensions, and submitted those proposals to National Treasury in 2017. As of 2024, approvals are still pending and no further progress has been made with regard to network extensions. The 2016 feasibility studies identified the following potential corridors: According to those studies, the preferred first extension
12099-525: Was launched on 5 April 2016 and completed its maiden journey between Nizamuddin and Agra Cantt within 100 minutes. But due to low occupancy, Indian Railways first extended this train from Agra to Gwalior on 19 February 2018 and then to Jhansi on 1 April 2018. The Tejas Express was Introduced by Indian Railways in 2017. It features modern onboard facilities with doors which are operated automatically. Tejas means "sharp", "lustre" and "brilliance" in many Indian languages. The inaugural run of Tejas Express
12210-534: Was named 'Vande Bharat Express' on 27 January 2019. On 5 October 2019, a second Vande Bharat Express was opened from Delhi to Katra On 30 September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 3rd Vande Bharat Express rake connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad passing through Surat . This rake was an upgraded second generation version. an other second generation rake was inaugurated from Delhi to Una passing through Chandigarh . The Delhi Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), also known as RapidX ,
12321-422: Was on 24 May 2017 from Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Karmali , Goa . It covered 552 km in 8 hours and 30 minutes. On 1 March 2019, second Tejas Express of the country was flagged off between Chennai Egmore and Madurai Junction by Prime Minister Narendra Modi . It covered 497 km in 6 hours and 30 minutes. Lucknow – New Delhi Tejas Express , which was inaugurated on 4 October 2019,
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