STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY

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• published: 21 Dec 2015
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STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY LINE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY LINE COMES WITH STARK CONTRASTS COMPARED TO THE FIRST RAILWAY LINE DONE CLOSE TO A CENTURY AGO. CERTAINLY SO, BECAUSE OF THE TECHNOLOGY BEING USED AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE RECENT CONSTRUCTION. I WENT ON AN INSPECTION TOUR OF THE SGR PROJECT FROM SYOKIMAU TO MOMBASA AND HERE NOW IS A REPORT OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES I OBSERVED. PKG// VO// Unlike the first railway line construction whose conception was prophesied by self-proclaimed community religious leaders, the Standard Gauge Railway line was a properly planned project and its implementation so far depicts so... NATS Stemming from the varied prophecies that were told prior to the construction of the first ever railway line, the idea of having the infrastructure was greeted with apprehension and many Africans involved were either killed or subjected to untold torment... NATS Today, the story is different and a good number of those who involved in the implementation of the SGR project have a lot of praise for the major project... NATS Cerntainly, the overall progress of the project's implementation can be rated at 60pc according to SGR consultant Deputy Team leader James Karanja. NATS SOUND BITE;;; This is only after a few months since the inception of the project, a great contrast to the construction of the meter gauge railway line by the British. NATS SOUND BITE;; Ebru Africa TV toured the varied sections construction sites along the 472 km route from Nairobi to Mombasa. NATS Unlike the old railway line, the Standard Gauge Railway line will pass through 98 bridges classified as super-major, major and medium bridges. NATS SOUND BITE;; The bridges are erected using T-Beams and Piers as Eng. Karanja explains. SOUND BITE;; MID CUE SUPER BRIDGE All these are made at the Emali Factory. SHORT DEMO Unlike the meter gauge which used still or wooden slippers, the SGR slippers are made of concrete… After the slippers are fitted to steel rails then the actual track laying process begins..SGR implementing team says they have covered several kilometers as far as track laying is concerned. MID CUE RAIL LAYING.. Further away from the structural differences the standard gauge railway project has strived to incorporate the locals who are trained on how to use the varied construction machines. According to the local personnel involved in the current construction, there is little challenge compared to their fore fathers who were devoured by the infamous man eaters of Tsavo. SOUND BITE SOUND BITE To them having played part in the projects implementation is historic. The same cannot be told about the gallant Kenyans who participated in the construction of the meter gauge railway. SOUND BITE MID CUE These are just but a few contrasts between the construction of the 19th century meter gauge railway and the current construction of the standard gauge railway line. The benefits of the SGR project cannot be overemphasized. However, this is dependent on full implementation of the project as per the design.