Rail transport in Kenya

Railway lines in Kenya

Legend Malaba, Uganda Malaba Kimaeti Myanga Mateka Bungoma Mulukbu Myanga Webuye Lugari Kipkarren Turbo Leseru Butere Kitale Namasoli Moi's Bridge Yala Springfield Halt Luanda Soy Maseno Lela Eldoret Kisian Kisumu Sosian Kibos Plateau Miwani Cheploske Kibigori Kaptagat Chemelil Kipkabus Muhoroni Tumeivo Koru Ainakboi Fort Ternan Timoroa Spiral Equator Spiral Makutano Kipkelion Maji Mazuri Lumbwa Sabatia Kedowa Esageri Londiani Visoi Mau Summit Rongai Molo Turi Elburgon Menengai Njoro Olabanaita Nakuru Kampi ya Moto Lanet Solai Mbaruk Nyahururu Kariandusi Ol Kalou Gilgil Oleolondo Nanyuki Naro Moru Ilkek Nyeri Morendat Karatina Naivasha Makaungu Munyu Sagana Suswa Murang'a Longonot Maragua Kijabe Saba Saba Matathia Makuyu Uplands Santamor Limuru Mitubiri Maguga Thika Kikuyu Komo Dagoretti Kalimoni Kibera Ruiru Nairobi Kahawa Makongeni Githurai Makadara Dandora Embakasi Magadi Koora Marimbeti Singiraini Athi River Elangata Wuas Lukenya Kenya Marble Quarry Stony Athi Kajiado Kapiti Plains Estate Konza Ulu Kiu Kalembwani Kima Sultan Hamud Nzai Emali Kabati Simba Kiboko Ikoyo Makindu Mbuinzau Kibwezi Kikumbulyu Masongaleni Ngwata Darajani Kathekani Moshi, Tanzania Mtito Andei Taveta Kanga Zirwani Kenani Murka Kyulu Maktau Tsavo Mashoti Manyani Bura Ndi Mwatate Irima Voi junction Voi Ndara Maungu Wangala Buchuma Mwanatibu Mackinnon Road Taru Samburu Maji ya Chumvi Mariakani Mazeras Mazeras Spiral Miritini Chaani Oil Refinery Changamwe Port Reitz Creek Tudor Creek Kilindini Harbour Likoni Mombasa

The former Uganda Railway, was run by the company East African Railways jointly for the countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya after World War I. Since the dissolution of the EAR corporation in 1977 the national company Kenya Railways Corporation runs the former Uganda Railway and its branches in Kenya. The most important line in the country runs between the port of Mombasa and Nairobi, where sleeping car accommodation is offered for tourists.

In 2006, the Rift Valley Railways Consortium led by South African companies took operating control of the Kenya and Uganda railways as part of a contract lasting at least 25 years. After criticism from the Kenya Railways Corporation, RVR doubled the frequency of service, and also imposed restrictions to reduce derailments on the ageing infrastructure.^[1]

RVR run passenger trains within Kenya only, primarily from Nairobi to Mombasa but also to local towns such as Kisumu. Passenger services on these lines are offered on peak periods only. Freight services are the bulk of RVR's operations.

Operational Track

Total: 2,778 km (1,726 mi)

Narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) gauge

Railway links with adjacent countries

• Ethiopia – no – same 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) gauge
• Somalia – no railways
• South Sudan – no – proposed link to Juba (2005) break-of-gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in)/1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Tanzania – same 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) gauge – maybe defunct
• Uganda – yes – same gauge – 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in)

Specifications

• Couplings: Norwegian (meatchopper)
• Brakes: Air brake.^[2][3]

Standard gauge

As part of the East African Railway Master Plan, Kenya is building a standard gauge railway network to replace the meter-gauge railways. The standard gauge network will connect to other standard gauge railways that are under construction throughout East Africa. Construction began on the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in 2013, and the line is scheduled to be completed in June 2017.^[4]

Map

• Map: UN Map

Cities served by rail

See also

• East African Railway Master Plan
• Kenya
• Transport in Kenya
• Rail transport in Uganda

References

Notes

1. Restrictions
2. http://www.garrattmaker.com/history.html
3. Loco 2927 shows chopper couplings and thin air brake hoses
4. "Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway Project". Railway Technology. Retrieved 21 May 2016.

Further reading

• Boyles, Denis; Rose, Alan (1991). Man Eaters Motel and other stops on the railway to nowhere: an East African traveller's nightbook, including a summary history of Zanzibar and an account of the slaughter at Tsavo: together with a sketch of life in Nairobi and at Lake Victoria, a brief and worried visit to the Ugandan border, and a survey of angling in the Aberdares. New York: Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 039558082X.
• Patience, Kevin (1976). Steam in East Africa: a pictorial history of the railways in East Africa, 1893–1976. Nairobi: Heinemann Educational Books (E.A.) Ltd. OCLC 3781370.
• Ramaer, Roel (1974). Steam Locomotives of the East African Railways. David & Charles Locomotive Studies. Newton Abbot, Devon, UK; North Pomfret, Vt, USA: David & Charles. ISBN 0715364375.
• Ramaer, Roel (2009). Gari la Moshi: Steam Locomotives of the East African Railways. Malmö, Sweden: Stenvalls. ISBN 9789172661721.
• Robinson, Neil (2009). World Rail Atlas and Historical Summary. Volume 7: North, East and Central Africa. Barnsley, UK: World Rail Atlas Ltd. ISBN 978-954-92184-3-5.

External links

• Winchester, Clarence, ed. (1936), "Through desert and jungle", Railway Wonders of the World, pp. 193–199 illustrated description of the Kenyan railways
• Gallery

Media related to Rail transport in Kenya at Wikimedia Commons