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 At the age of 58, Gervais Rakotomamonjisoa has been a rail employee for 38 years, making him one of the most experienced Malagasy locomotives drivers.
His company, Madarail, acknowledges his expertise and has put him in charge of the training of locomotive engineers. Because of this, Rakotomamonjisoa recognizes the value of the company’s five brand new locomotives. The acquisition of these new trains marks an additional step in the development of Madarail, which in 2003 won a 25-year contract to operate Madagascar’s railway system. New Supply Will Double Productivity
 The total cost of the new locomotives amounted to USD6 million and was financed by the World Bank and the European Bank of Investment in equal shares.
“I was greatly moved when I was at the unloading of these new locomotives in the port of Toamasina,” said Gervais. “For an employee with over 30 years of service, the availability of these five machines confirms my confidence in the future of the railroad in Madagascar.” The purchase of the trains is significant following a disastrous situation in which Madagascar’s railway system found itself a few years ago, according to Gervais. In 2002, the National Railway Network of Madagascar (RNCFM) couldn’t pay the salaries of its employees for seven months. The network also faced severe equipment problems. In 2003 only one locomotive out of seven was in operation. Rehabilitating and strengthening its rolling stock is listed among Madarail’s priorities. When the company won the contract, only 12 locomotives were in operation: seven had been bought secondhand from Portugal, and five others had to be rehabilitated. The average age of the equipment was thirty years. The five new trains offer several operational advantages, according to Madarail,  “These locomotives allow us to envision an increase in the productivity by 50 percent in comparison with last year,” said Théodore Rasolonjatovo, Madarail’s operation manager. “The machines permit a load of 450 tons and go faster,” he said.
Because of the performance of the old trains and because of a double cliff the trains have to climb, Madarail is limiting the load of its new fleet to a range of 260 to 280 tons between Antananarivo and Toamasina, according to Rasolonjatovo. As a driver, Gervais said he can see further advantages beyond enhanced productivity. “The technology that is put in place on board makes things tremendously easier for us in terms of driving and diagnosing malfunctions,” he said. “A trip computer managed by a touch-screen has catapulted [the trains] into the 21 st century.” All of Madarail's train operators and operator assistants are expected to receive specific training in the use of the new locomotives, the company said. The World Bank’s Contribution The 673 kilometer network operated by Madarail an asset in that it connects strategic points: the capital city Antananarivo, the highly industrialized region of Antsirabe, and above all Tomasina which is the largest port in Madagascar. Another line, Moramanga –Lac Alaotra connects the sites of chrome extraction and one of the major rice bowls in the Large Island to the main rail network. In 2008, the transport by rail of conventional goods (cement, staple convenience goods, etc.) and containers will account for 45 percent of total tonnage; the transport of hydrocarbons will account for 23 percent of total tonnage and that of chrome 32 percent. |
The loan to purchase Madarail’s new trains was granted by the World Bank’s International Development Association with concessional conditions: interest-free credit to be repaid in 40 years with a moratorium of 10 years. The actual cost, therefore, for the Malagasy Government will only be 0.50 percent of the loan. “As far as the economy is concerned, the railway has a significant potential to improve transport links,” said World Bank Madagascar Country Manager Robert Blake. “Over the last five years, figures have shown an impressive development with a fivefold increase in the tonnage transported from 2003 to 2007.” To allow growth in its activities, the availability of rolling stock in sufficient quantities and quality was a major requirement for Madarail. “The purchase of the new locomotives will ensure that Madarail collects enough receipts to meet all the operational expenditures and thus becomes cost-effective,” said Patrick Claes, managing director of Madarail. The World Bank’s total support in establishing Madarail stands at USD50 million. In addition to the new trains, 175km of railway lines have been rehabilitated, and 235km of lines and seven bridges strengthened. A renovation of the railway station in Andasibe is also planned. Indirect advantages to an efficient rail system include a decrease in transport costs along the rail route and a decrease in the number of trucks on the country’s roads, and therefore a decrease in the number of accidents and the damage to roadways. “The impact is also positive in terms of energy and environment as the quality of the fuel used as well as the pollution generated per ton of goods is lower on the railroads than on the road,” said Pierre Graftieaux, a senior expert in transport at the World Bank in Madagascar. “This is important for the balance of payments, insofar as the country imports its fuels.” Source : World Bank. Permanent URL for this page: http://go.worldbank.org/09O8EDF860 |
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