Gabon – Arrival of Equipment at Owendo Port

A tamping group of SOMAFEL composed by a plain line tamper and a ballast regulator with storage silo has arrived at Owendo.

Within the scope of the contract signed at the end of February with SETRAG – Société d’Exploitation du Transgabonais to carry out ballast levelling and heavy mechanical tamping works on the Transgabonais railway line in Gabon, the heavy equipment of SOMAFEL – Engenharia e Obras Ferroviárias, S.A arrived at the port of Owendo (Libreville) at the end of May.

The equipment modification/adaptation process, essential for the performance of the contract, had a total duration of 2 months, and was entirely carried out by SOMAFEL’s specialised staff in the workshop facilities at Oliveirinha – Carregal do Sal.

The intervention works carried out on the equipment generically consisted of changing the gauge (distance between rails) from 1,668 mm (Iberian gauge) to 1,435 mm (international gauge), with relevant interventions at the level of the circulating equipment (wheels, bogies, loading gauge, etc.), operating equipment (tamping chassis, alignment and levelling device, etc.) and measuring equipment (measuring trolleys, working software, etc.)

Also noteworthy is the strengthening of cab air conditioning systems, as well as the overall painting of the equipment and the implementation of the new Somafel brand.

The equipment unloading and preparation works were monitored and carried out by a team of technicians from SOMAFEL, and the actual operation of the equipment is being scheduled for the beginning of next July.