South Africa: Train collision: One dead, 200 injured

[27vet]

1 dead, 200 injured in Pretoria train crash

A train driver was killed and 200 people were injured when two Metrorail trains collided around 4pm between Akasiaboom and Winternest train stations in Pretoria.

“At this stage total of 200 people suffered injuries and were taken to various hospitals for treatment around Pretoria,” Metrorail said in a statement.

“One train driver suffered fatal injuries.”

The cause of the accident is still unknown, but Metrorail and emergency services as well the Rail Safety Regulator are on the scene investigating the accident...

[27vet]

http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Rail-revamp-gets-green-light-20110406

Johannesburg - The government has given "the green-light" for a multi-year, multi-billion rand recapitalisation of both freight and passenger rail, Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin said on Wednesday.

"The poor condition of Metrorail rolling stock contributes significantly to the delays and cancellations of the scheduled daily commuter rail service," Cronin said at a Railway and Harbours Conference.

He said the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) planned to acquire new metro service coaches over an 18- to 20-year period, starting in 2014.

"A detailed needs and feasibility study is currently under way," said Cronin....

Read the whole story, it is interesting. I was a great fan of the SAR (South African Railways) when I was a kid, but it seems that everything has gone to the dogs. The Rhodesian Railways was good, too. Those were the days, probably never to be experienced again.