Export programme also planned, writes Leonard Neill
SPOORNET'S NEW road-rail maintenance vehicle, launched last week, will slash maintenance costs by an estimated R300 million a year within the next three years, says assistant general manager for infrastructure maintenance, Danie Barnard.
The vehicle, which can move freely on both road and rail, has been developed at a cost of R700 million by a project team comprising Spoornet engineers, Viamax Fleet Solutions, a sister company of Spoornet within the Transnet family, and truck manufacturer Nissan Diesel.
According to Barnard savings will come from the maintenance costs of older and inefficient vehicles and equipment now in use. Capital cost savings will be boosted, he said, with a projected annual saving which amounts to the equivalent of 25% of Spoornet's infrastructure maintenance budget for the current year.
There will also be a significant reduction in accidents and injuries. Materials handling accidents alone are expected to drop by 65%, he said, while vehicle accidents and hijackings should drop by 55%. Ladder working was another area which currently recorded considerable injuries and this sector could find anything up to 80% fall-off in accidents.
The rail gear on the new vehicle is integrated with the vehicle chassis. Guide wheels are mounted behind the cab while drive wheels are behind the rear road wheels. The entire vehicle is raised off the ground hydraulically to get on to a rail line. Once on the lines, a track guiding system is automatically engaged.
The first units are expected to be operational during August this year and a total of 220 will be in service by 2004. Plans are afoot to have the vehicles manufactured for export purposes.
