Take a Ride on the Snick

Or more officially SNCC and formally titled the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo.

After reading this piece appearing in Today's New York Times (free content) not sure if you will want to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/world ... congo.html

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Or more officially SNCC and formally titled the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo.

After reading this piece appearing in Today's New York Times (free content) not sure if you will want to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/world ... congo.html

I might have done it when I was younger, having ridden on many railways in Africa, but I don't think I could do it now.

from the slide show , the right of way doesnt look in too bad a condition for a 3rd world system . But obviously there are spots where its very bad . The african bribe system wouldnt make administering it easy .

on a side note , the link to the darjelling ltd looks interesting .
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thedarjeelinglimited/

David Benton wrote:from the slide show , the right of way doesnt look in too bad a condition for a 3rd world system . But obviously there are spots where its very bad . The african bribe system wouldnt make administering it easy .

on a side note , the link to the darjelling ltd looks interesting .
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thedarjeelinglimited/

In the 1960s and early 70s I rode on the Tanzanian main line several times. I noted that much of the track was stamped with the name Krupp 1912. Clearly it was the original German track, and as far as I can remember still in reasonable condition.
Of course, after another 40 years it would be asking a lot for the Congolese track - still the original Belgian track - to be in anything like good condition. But if they used metal sleepers, as the Germans did, it might well be good enough to run slowly on.

I read a book on the Chinese built Tanzanian railway . i think it linked two countries , and its primary function was to transport some meatal for export . Copper???

David Benton wrote:I read a book on the Chinese built Tanzanian railway . i think it linked two countries , and its primary function was to transport some meatal for export . Copper???

After Rhodesian UDI in 1966 Zambia wanted to sever connections with the south. That needed new links to the north in Tanzania. In 1967 I travelled down the main road which was carrying far more traffic than it was built for. It was known as the Hell Run. I travelled some of the way in a bus, being shaken to pieces on the corrugations, and partly on a farmer's lorry, carrying petrol in oil drums, also being shaken. The Tazara line, which I have never seen, is a Cape Gauge line built mainly to take copper to Dar es Salaam.

I hear the railway is being reactivated by the Chinese who have their eyes on the copper mines, which they are taking over.

With the price of copper these days , they wont be the only ones with their eyes on it . Hopefully the africans get a good deal out of it .

this news from railway gazette internaional .
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... ssion.html

since passenger service is no 1 priority ,i dont think this is the copper railway .

David Benton wrote:this news from railway gazette internaional .
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... ssion.html

since passenger service is no 1 priority ,i dont think this is the copper railway .

That quote refers to the original Tanzanian railway. It was built to metre gauge by the Germans and added to by the British, mainly with a connection from the Central line to the Arusha line, and then on to the Kenya line.