Africa’s fastest train line completely operational

Africa’s fastest train line is fully operational. Railway infrastructure constructor Colas Rail, who built the project announced the reports.

Also Read:Egypt awards contract for the construction of US $4.5bn monorail systems

Al Boraq high-speed train line

The Al Boraq high-speed train line links the cities of Tangier and Casablanca, in Morocco. It was inaugurated in Morocco in November last year by King Mohammed VI in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Colas Rail subsidiary Colas Rail Morocco, in a consortium with engineering company Egis Rail, won a design-build contract for the high-speed line. The consortium built a 182 km/s electrified double track between Tangier and Kenitra.

Fastest train line

According to Colas Rail Africa business Development Director Frédéric Priest, the railway allows for a maximum operational speed of 320 km/h and leads to a two-and-a-half-hour gain between Tangiers and Casablanca.

Construction works on the project included track studies and construction of catenaries and two base camps. Frédéric Priest added that some of the high-speed-line project key figures included two-million tons of ballast, 50 000 t of rail, 700 000 sleepers, 400 km of track and a 25 kV catenary.

About 5 000 workers were mobilized during this project out of which 95% were recruited from the areas of Tangier, Casablanca and Rabat. Colas Rail laid 18 km of rail track – 10 km on the Kamsar port site and 8 km in Tuinguilinta. More than 75 000 t of ballast were transported to the site, along with 14 500 t of various machines and material.

“In Morocco, it was a legally binding solicitation. Our customer, Morocco national railroad administrator the ONCF Agency, requested that we consider the nearby combination of aptitudes by making an instructional hub during the task. In Africa, Colas and Colas Rail are accustomed to working with nearby accomplices and preparing neighborhood individuals on location. It is a solid duty from our side and we trust in this model,” said Frédéric Priest.