The Gautrain dream inches closer to becoming a reality today as the project's first state-of-the-art train is unveiled in Derby, England.
"I can honestly say it's the most beautiful train in the world," Gautrain Project Manager Jack van der Merwe told The Times.
"Until now, it has been only about the infrastructure, but now we will finally be able to show the operating system. It is world class and much better than the London Underground system," he said.
The Gautrain will consist of 24 Electrostar trains designed and manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Each train is made up of four rail cars (coaches), carrying a total of 321 seated and 138 standing passengers.
Among the cars' features are the roof mounted heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, LED panels indicating the train's destination and the locality of the next station, as well as hand-woven moquette upholstered seats for added comfort while the Gautrain cruises at up to 160km/h.
Provisions have been made for easy wheelchair accessibility and extra luggage space for trains travelling to and from OR Tambo International Airport.
To ensure energy efficiency, the bodies of the trains have been constructed from aluminium making them low in mass for reduced energy consumption during operation. Furthermore the trains employ a regenerative breaking system where the reduction of speed captures energy for use by other vehicles within the system.
Built-in safety measures include an automatic breaking system that can bring the train to a stop in the unlikely event of the driver being unable to do so. Each train is equipped with an Automatic Train Protection system that is programmed with the maximum permissible operating speed for every metre of the track. Should the train travel more than 3km/h faster than the pre-set speed, the train will automatically brake.
In terms of commuter safety, each car will have two CCTV cameras connected to an onboard DVD recorder.
The first 15 trains are being built in the UK and the rest will be built in South Africa. As part of a skills development and transfer initiative, 14 South African train assemblers from Union Carriages and Wagons in Nigel are in the UK learning about how the trains are built.
Supported by a dedicated fleet of 125 buses, Gautrain will be able to carry more than 100 000 passengers per day in each direction between Johannesburg and Tshwane.
