Railway maintenance management
The need to ensure longevity of the permanent way materials in private rail networks and sidings has led to the development of a maintenance division within the Company. This division was established in the 1970's when financial constraints forced railway operators to ensure that their track infrastructure was maintained economically to ensure the maximum possible life span. Maintenance strategies are formulated to meet clients' expectations in terms of costs, track availability and safety considerations. Projects vary from relatively lightly trafficked industrial layouts, to high speed, heavy haul applications such as those on ore haulage routes on major mines.
R&H currently manages the maintenance of over 1000 kilometers of trackwork in private railways, collectively carrying some 120 000 000 gross tonnes per annum.
R&H utilizes a "state of the art" computerised track management system, "Trackinfo" on some of the maintenance projects.
Major clients and projects include;
- anglo America Platinum Mines
- Lafarge Cement Factory which includes rail profiling, screening of ballast, refurbishment of track and formulation of maintenance strategy.
- Assmang Ltd
- Kumba Resources
- Ingwe Coal
- Richards Bay Coal Terminal
- Department of Public Works
- BMW South Africa
- Blue Circle Cement Factory
Reinstatement of Beeshoek private siding rails and concrete sleepers
Client: Assmang Iron-ore Limited
Location: Northern Cape Province
Contractor: Flint Construction
Contract amount: R4.1 million
Contract timeframe: September 2004 - September 2007
Assmang Limited appointed R&H Railway Consultants to:
- manage the track infrastructure
- design and implement a refurbishment and maintenance strategy
- identify the critical capital intensive work to be done during the contract period.
Maintenance of private siding rails and factory line at Lafarge
Client: Lafarge S.A. (Pty) Ltd
Location: Lichtenburg
Contractor: Rail & Siding CC
Contract amount: R5.5 million
Contract timeframe: December 2004 - December 2007
Lafarge S.A. appointed R&H Railway Consultants to:
- manage the track infrastructure of their mainline and factory line
- design and implement a refurbishment and maintenance strategy
- identify the critical capital intensive work to be done during the contract period.
Reinstatement & Maintenance of Private Siding No. 242829 at PPC, Lime Acres
Client: PPC Lime Limited
Location: Northern Cape Province
Contract period: Jan 2003 - May 2006. Extended until May 2007
PPC Lime Limited appointed R&H Railway Consultants to:
- manage the track infrastructure
- design and implement a refurbishment and maintenance strategy
- identify the critical capital intensive work to be done during the contract period.
Maintenance of Various Private Sidings Situated in the Mpumalanga Coalfields
Client: Xstrata Coal
Location: Mpumalanga Province
Contractor: Copanelo Rails CC
Contract amount: R18.7 million
Contract timeframe: July 2006 - July 2009
Xstrata Coal appointed R&H Railway Consultants to:
- manage the track infrastructure of various private sidings
- design and implement a refurbishment and maintenance strategy
- identify the critical capital intensive work to be done during the contract period.
Track maintenance of the various Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation Private Sidings
Client: Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation
Location: Mpumalanga Province
Contractor: RACEC Rail
Contract amount: R23,2 million
Contract timeframe: 1 Aug 2006 - 30 April 2007
Highveld Steel appointed R&H Railway Consultants to:
- manage the track infrastructure of various private sidings
- Carry out administration of the project as is necessary on behalf of Highveld Steel.
