Two African Railroads and the Railroad Development Corp.

RDC Chairman Henry Posner III saved railroads in Malawi and Mozambique by shaking up the rules
Published: Friday, November 20, 2009
Henry Posner III and an engineer on Mozambique railroadRDC Chairman Henry Posner III and engineer Filipe Mario watch the Mozambique railroad from the cab of tattered U20C No. 126. Photo by: Paul Ash
Mozambique railroadJust five locomotives were in working order when the Railroad Development Corp. took over operations on the Norte line in 2005. A decrepit, long-nose U20C sits outside the Nampula, Mozambique, diesel workshops. Photo by: Paul Ash
Central East African Railways A Central East African Railways eastbound freight pauses at Chipoka, Malawi. The homeward-bound pedestrians use the rail yards and tracks as a safer prospect than walking on unlit, broken sidewalks. Photo by: Paul Ash
Central East African Railways A goat ignores a Central East African Railways motor trolley at Thekerani, Malawi, near the southern end of the line. Photo by: Paul Ash
Mozambique railroadNatural light illuminates the car shops at Nampula where fitters were called on daily to perform miracles on the Mozambique railroad's decrepit passenger cars. Photo by: Paul Ash
In February 2005, the Railroad Development Corp. and its partners took over operations on the Nacala Corridor. The American company was able to repair the corridor and reconnect the 542-mile Mozambique railroad with the 495-mile Malawi system. Author Paul Ash went for a ride in the cab with RDC Chairman Henry Posner III who spoke of the changes he made for the railroads and the railroaders to put the railroads "back into private, African hands." Take a look at more pictures of the railroad here, and find out how RDC made a healthy future for the African railroad by reading "An African Phoenix" in the January 2010 issue of Trains magazine, which hits newsstands on Dec. 8, 2009.
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