This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
Published on May 7, 2020, Kenya Railways has dispatched a set of train wagons to the Nanyuki terminus to aid in the ongoing repair of the 240km metre-gauge railway line in Central Kenya.
The wagons, which were offloaded in Nanyuki on Tuesday, were transported to the terminus by road and are expected to ease the refurbishment works.
Managing Director Phillip Mainga accompanied senior staff from Nairobi and held a meeting with Nanyuki-based Railways officials.
Mainga said the wagons included two low-sided wagons for ferrying murram and tools, and two hopper wagons for ballast.
He added that the wagons also included a passenger coach for ferrying workers doing the repairs and a locomotive for pulling the wagons and the coach.
Mainga stated that the wagons were to help hasten the repair works so as to meet the June deadline for completion.
He noted that two teams were working on the railway line, one from Nairobi who had repaired the line from Nairobi to Murang'a, all the way to Sagana, and the other team working from Nanyuki towards Nyeri and Sagana.
Mainga said the team had arrived to carry out inspection and one of the challenges observed was poor drainage systems that had been exposed by the heavy rains.
He urged communities along the Nairobi-Nanyuki line and the public in general to be aware of the activities that will be taking place and stay away from the rail lines for their own safety.
Central Kenya Regional Board CEO Ndirangu Gachunia said the revival of the railway has been the focus for the region since the late Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru championed the refurbishment of the line.
He added that the railway line will link the region with the Standard Gauge Railway and actualise the potential of Central Kenya counties, which are key contributors to the economy.
