Gibela hands over first train to Prasa
“Currently, there are two trains undergoing testing and commissioning, with 16 cars in the fitting workshop and 23 in the car body shell workshop.”
Dunnottar – The first South African-built X’trapolis Mega commuter train by Gibela has been handed over to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) on Friday.
The plant in Dunnottar was filled with loud cheers as the six-car train left, en route for the Wolmerton depot of Prasa.
Gibela’s CEO Thierry Darthout says the train has taken 14 months to complete, with production beginning in September 2017.
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“The first train was built while finishing construction of one of the largest manufacturing plants in the world; furnishing the car body shell workshop with 19 state-of-the-art process innovations and commissioning high-tech equipment.
“Seeing off this modern train, I am reminded that every hour devoted by Gibela’s dynamic and aspirational team has been worth it. This train is for them and their fellow South Africans,” says Darthout.
The CEO says about 800 full-time Gibela employees are currently involved in various phases of the manufacturing process and around 100 local suppliers in the provision of various components and services.
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“These numbers are set to rise as train production ramps up in the months ahead.
“Currently, there are two trains undergoing testing and commissioning, with 16 cars in the fitting workshop and 23 in the car body shell workshop.
“At full production, the Gibela plant will turn out 62 trains a year and a total of 580 trains over the next 10 years. This amounts to the fastest train production rate in the world,” he says.
Group executive for strategic asset development at Prasa Piet Sebola says Gibela’s state-of-the-art commuter trains are at the heart of delivering to South Africa’s public “a safe, reliable and comfortable commuting experience that cannot be postponed”.
“It has been encouraging during the preparation of the manufacture of this first South African-built X’Trapolis Mega train to see hundreds of young South Africans – many of them women – undergo training as artisans and technicians, and to then play a central role in the manufacturing process itself,” he says.
