GE has been in Africa and an African company for more than 100 years. In 1898, GE established its first foreign office in what is now South Africa.
Throughout the continent, GE Transportation's Rail division has service, maintenance and refurbishment contracts with several major rail utilities, in countries such as Egypt, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa.
This is according to Kevin Prozesky, Business Leader of GE Transportation Rail division in South Africa.
"The entire installed base of GE's locomotives is in the region of 1 200 across the African continent. The division is also involved in the supply of spare parts and support to African countries that run GE's locomotives, and is also exploring upgrade programmes for some of these ageing locomotives," Prozesky comments.
Apparently, GE Transportation has been the market leader for diesel-electric locomotives globally for the past decade.
"With leading-edge technology products and services, and clients that range from Spoornet to other pan-African rail utilities such as CamRail (Cameroon Rail Authority) and Tazara (Tanzanian/Zambian Railways Authority), GE Transportation's Rail business in Africa is positioned to make a pivotal contribution to the African rail industry," Prozesky maintains.
According to Prozesky, the Rail division has a long history of product and service delivery in South Africa particularly, beginning some forty-six years ago.
"The very first local delivery of forty-five GE locomotives took place in 1958, to Spoornet, formely known as the South African Railways and Harbours Authority," he advises.
Evidently, this was the beginning of Spoornet's dieselisation programme, where steam locomotives were eventually phased out, in favour of the more modern diesel model.
"These forty-five locomotives were put into service in the Gauteng area of South Africa, following which, Spoornet then purchased 125 more, for their rail operations in what was then South-West Africa, today known as Namibia," Prozesky adds.
"Then, in 1965, a further 115 GE locomotives were sold to Spoornet; but this time, they were built locally by the company known today as DCD-DORBYL (formerly Dorman Long Van der Byl).
Says Prozesky: "This was the beginning of a successful forty year partnership that still exists today, between GE Transportation's Rail Division and local GE technology licensee DCD-DORBYL. "
The local GE office handles all sales and marketing of GE products in collaboration with DCD-DORBYL, which is responsible for the integration and physical assembly required, using only GE packages and components.
GE Transportation's Rail division in the US is based in Erie, Pennsylvania, where it has operated for over 100 years.
"It is the largest manufacturing concern of diesel-electric locomotives in the world, and it is deeply involved in the research, development and manufacture required to upgrade, support and service these products. This ensures that capital investment in GE rolling stock has the longest possible working life," Prozesky comments further.
"An excellent example of locomotive upgrades is the Brightstar package, which effectively focuses on replacing the old control equipment in diesel-electric locomotives with its Brightstar microprocessor system, giving control benefits such as increased traction control and operational efficiency.
As a new locomotive is priced at around 2 million US dollars (about R13 million), this is an affordable option; particularly for many African railroad authorities, that do not have the capital finance to purchase new stock," explains Bruno Chingandu, Regional Parts Sales and Services Manager for the Rail division in South Africa.
According to Chingandu, several African rail authorities have chosen the BrightStar route, with Cameroon (Camrail) and local company's Sasol Secunda plant fleet currently in the process of fitting this proven technology. Other nations that have or are implementing BrightStar are Australia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Brazil, Indonesia, China, Dominican Republic, India and New Zealand.
In addition to the Brightstar upgrade packages, spares and service level agreements, the Rail division provides a unit exchange service, whereby major locomotive parts are re-engineered and remanufactured.
The Rail division also has a global signalling division, that, among other services, is proposing an innovative new system of train control to Africa. The CBTC, or Communications-Based Train Control system, uses innovative Train Positioning to run more trains, more safely, using existing infrastructure.
Chris Banocy