18 June 2009 - The Gautrain Visit!

Today I had quite an interesting experience. I visited one of the Gautrain sites. The Gautrain is a rapid rail link that will connect the OR Tambo Airport by rail to Sandton and on the north-south axis Johannesburg Park Station will be connected with Pretoria and Hatfield stations via Sandton. A ride between Johannesburg and Pretoria stations will be 35 minutes! Much better than the hour plus it takes on the highway nowadays. The Gautrain is the largest greenfields rail project in the world currently and will cost about R 30 billion. You can read more interesting facts about the train at www.gautrain.co.za.

The visit was very interesting and impressive. It started out at the Gautrain headquarters in Linbro Park where we received a safety induction. After the induction we were presented with a slide show about the project and its progress. According to the presenter they are ahead of their schedule to finish the rail link.

After the presentation and a number of questions we were issued with safety shoes, reflector jackets and hard hats and were put on a bus which headed to the Gautrain depot in Midrand. The depot is where the trains are stored, assembled, tested (each train must complete 3000 test hours before it can be commissioned) and maintained. Very well equipped. Currently the site also accommodates the concrete casting works for the viaduct parts. This part will be converted to a bus depot for the Gautrain buses.

After arriving at the depot we had another safety briefing (they are really very safety conscious) and were taken off to the stores where the trains are being kept. As you can see from the photographs we were able to inspect the trains close up and were explained how the driver controls work. Very high tech stuff. There were (obviously) opportunities for pictures and questions to the resident experts. All the while being watched closely by the security guards. Unfortunately we couldn’t get onto a moving train but did see them running up and down the test track. These trains achieve 160 km/h (they achieved this yesterday and today – the engineers are very chuffed!), really quick.

Also interesting are the track inspection vehicles. Three Land Rovers fitted with track wheels (small train wheels) that engage once they are on the track and then inspect the tracks to make sure the trains can use them safely. Good to know they are doing this because it would not be fun crashing in one of these trains at a 160 km/h!!

The trains run on electricity which they get from 25 KVA (25 000 volt!) overhead lines – it was made clear to us a number of times that should you touch the overhead wire, it will be the only time you will get to do it – you will end up a small heap of carbon if you do.
Well, enough about trains – check out my pics and the website for more interesting stuff.

NOW ABOUT MY WEEKEND AHEAD

If you thought us politicians do a weekday, daytime only job, think again. Yes, another weekend full of politics. Quite a significant one actually.

On Friday afternoon it is off to Cape Town where I will attend my last ADAC (Association of DA Councillors) National Council meeting (see www.adac.co.za for more info about ADAC). On Saturday my successor will be elected after I make a presentation about the ADAC strategy and our future training approach. I am really sad to leave ADAC as it has been such an enriching experience and probably one of the best positions you can ever occupy in politics. However, I am now an MPL and therefore have to move on as new challenges await me.

Soon after making my presentation on Saturday morning it is back to Gauteng and off to Kwa Ndaba where our caucus (DA Gauteng Provincial Caucus) will be having our first bosberaad (team building and strategy formulation meeting). On Sunday it is back home.

I am particularly also looking forward to Monday when I will have my first portfolio committee meeting. Come back on Monday evening or Tuesday to read more about what goes on in such a committee.

Enjoy your weekend! I hope I can catch the end of the Springboks vs. British and Irish Lions test. Go Bokke!!