General News of Tuesday, 24 July 2007
Source: GNA
Accra, July 24, GNA - The Accra-Tema railway transport for passengers would begin by the end of September of this year.
Briefing the media at the Meet-the-Press series on Tuesday, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railway said the rehabilitation of the line was progressing steadily saying, "We are on the verge of commencing test-runs on the line.
"A host of technical and engineering problems have compelled us to review the date for the commencement of full passenger operations," he said.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said 20 coaches and a locomotive at the main yard of the Ghana Railway Company at Takoradi, which were refurbished, had been moved to Accra Railway Station awaiting a test run on the rehabilitated Accra-Tema line.
The sector Ministry has also initiated arrangements to procure two set Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) to also ply the line. This means that the commuter services would be operated using the DMUs where each unit or train would consist of a diesel engine with normal transmission for the wheels for traction and trailing coaches. Comparatively, the DMUs have certain inherent advantages over locomotives and coaches such as the built in system to allow frequent stoppage at short intervals, provision of quick acceleration and deceleration.