Train Basics Ask Trains Ask Trains: What are the best sources of information on railroads in Africa?

Ask Trains: What are the best sources of information on railroads in Africa?

By Angela Cotey | July 24, 2019

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

Published: July 24, 2019

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AfricanRail
The Rovos Rail luxury passenger train stopped at Plumtree, Zimbabwe, in July 2010 while passengers were undergoing immigration checks. This National Railways of Zimbabwe train was en route from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, to Capetown, South Africa, a 16-day journey. The power for this train was Sheltam Corp. General Electric U30-EMP No. 3020, a 42-inch gauge locomotive built in Sept. 2007 in Brazil.

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Alex Mayes
Q: What are the best sources of information on railroads in Africa? — Ed Snyder, Toledo, Ohio

A: Africa is larger than North America, so any single resource is likely to be incomplete.

After a quick search on the Internet, the Railways Africa website looks promising. Railways Africa appears to be a periodical run by a South African company for the rail industry. Also try searching the African Union website. The African Union is a non-governmental agency, similar to the United Nations, and has at least one web page that promotes high-speed rail.

You may also get the information you need from the U.K’s Railway Gazette. That media outlet regularly publishes International news that includes African rail developments.

If you are looking more for the history of railroads in Africa, we recommend searching for historical societies and museums in the African regions that interest you most. Be prepared to read, write, and converse in the language or languages used most in that region. — Trains staff

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