Ministry of Transport
Algiers
Key personnel
Minister: Essaid Bendakir
Secretary-General: A Brachemi
Director, Infrastructure and Rail Transport:
A Benallegue
Algerian National Railways (SNTF)
Societe Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires
21 Boulevard Mohamed V, Algiers
Tel: (+213 2)71 15 10 Fax: (+213 2) 74 81 90
Key personnel
Director General: Abdelhadim Lalaimia
Secretary General: Ahmed Halfaoui
Directors
Operating: Ali Leulmi
Human Resources: Abderrahmane Belkadi Infrastructure: Mourad Soliman Benameur Rolling Stock: Rafik Djouadi
Finances: Djamel Djenas
Planning: El Berkenou
Purchasing: Abdelhamid Moudjebeur
Studies: Tahar Bouifrou
External Relations Manager: Ms Houriadib
Gauges: 1,432 mm; 1,055 mm
Route length: 3,138 km; 1,081 km Electrification: 231 km at 3 kV DC
[топ]Organisation
The network consists primarily of two standard-gauge coastal lines running east and west from Algiers: about 550 km westward to the railhead at Akid Abbes (where a connection with Moroccan Railways, broken in 1976, was reactivated in 1989), and about 370 km eastwards to a connection with the 520 km north-south line at El Guerrah. In addition to standard-gauge spur lines, a 300 km (partly electrified) 1,435 mm gauge line runs parallel with the Tunisian border, providing international connecting services at Souk-Ahras with Tunisian National Railways (SNCFT) from the port of Annaba to Djebel Onk. Major narrow-gauge lines run from Tizi to Bechar and Blida to Djelfa; conversion to standard gauge is proposed.
In 1987 a number of subsidiaries were formed to free the railway’s management for full attention to transport. Setirail and Estel are the infrastructure and signalling/ telecommunications subsidiaries; the others include Infrafer and Infrarail, new construction and tracklaying; Restau-Rail, on-train catering; Rail-Express, small freight consignments door-to-door; and STIM, multimodal transport.
The railway is managed by eight central divisions and four regional administrations. In 2000 approximately 13,000 staff were employed.
[топ]Passenger operations
SNTF operates long-distance locomotive-hauled passenger services on nine main routes, the best served being Algiers—Chief—Oran (422 km), with five daily services in each direction. Three classes of accommodation are provided: luxury (air conditioned), first class and second class. A suburban network also serves Algiers.
[топ]Diesel locomotives
In 1999 32 million passenger journeys were made, nearly 90 per cent of these on suburban and commuter services.
[топ]Freight operations
Petroleum products form SNTP’s principal freight traffic, in 2000 generating over one quarter of the 8 million tonnes lifted. Volumes of phosphates from the mines at Djebel Onk are also significant, much of the output conveyed over the electrified line to Annaba for export. Also carried is traffic for the El Hadjar steel complex, which gets its ore in 1,500 tonne trains from mines at Quenza and Bou Khedra, about 190 km south of Annaba (whence the imported coal for its coking plant is also ferried by unit train).
SNTF employs bogie-changing to facilitate the transfer of rail vehicles from standard to 1,055 mm gauge tracks.
A joint Algerian-Indian study group developed plans for a first section of the High Plateau route, the 146 km from AinTouta, on the line south from Constantine to Biskra, to M’Sila, location of an aluminium plant. Construction of this line was in progress in 2000, although less than one quarter of the scheme was reported to be completed. The line is being engineered for 160 km/h with long-welded 54 kg/m rail on twin-block sleepers, the latter manufactured in a plant established at Ain Touta.
SNTF contemplates extension of its standard-gauge system across the heart of the Sahara, looping southward from Touggourt in the southeast, through Ouargla then northwest via Ghardaia and Laghouet to Ain Quessara, on the projected High Plateau route. The first section of this project, from Touggourt 210 km south to Hassi Messaoud features in SNTF’s network development programme.
[топ]Improvements to existing lines
SNTF has an extensive programme of network development which includes track doubling and upgrading, renewals, and realignments and reconstruction. However, progress has been hampered by Algeria’s economic and political difficulties.
Among large-scale projects completed is the doubletracking of the line between Ramdane Djamal, 67 km north of Constantine and El Gourzi, 38 km south of Constantine. This vital link between Algiers and the petrochemical port of Skikda, as well as Annaba, has been doubled throughout the 67 km from Ramdane Djamal to Constantine and the 20.6 km south from El Gourzi to El Khroub, along with realignments.
In conjunction with installation of heavier UIC 54 welded rail on concrete sleepers of SL Type U (1,722 per km), this scheme has raised permissible freight speed from 60 to 90 km/h and wagon axleload from 18 to 28 tonnes. Following installation of modern automatic signalling, the line’s train operating capacity has doubled and a throughput of 7 million tonnes a year is possible.
Also completed is doubling of the 43.5 km from El Harrach, on the outskirts of Algiers, to Thenia, a project funded by an Austrian loan.
Track renewals are in progress between Ramdane Djamal and Annaba. To create a relief route between Constantine and Annaba, resuscitation of the 95 km El Khroub—Guelma connection, abandoned in the 1950s, is underway. Upgrading and conversion to standard-gauge is planned for the 600 km metre-gauge line between Mohammadia and Bechar.
[топ]Traction and rolling stock
On 1,432 mm gauge SNTF operates 16 electric and 226 diesel locomotives, 59 locotractors and 12 twin-unit diesel railcars. Coaching stock totals 493, and there are 10,317 wagons. The narrow-gauge traction fleet comprises 20 diesel locomotives and there are 41 coaches.
A new fleet of electric locomotives came into service in 1996 on the Djebel Onk—Annaba ore haul. Alstom supplied 14 Co-Cos rated at 2,400 kW, designed to haul trains of up to 2,700 tonnes.
On the diesel front, General Motors has supplied 10 Co-Cos rated at 2,400 kW, the first of which was delivered in 1994. A further 50 units of various types were supplied by GM through to 1996, some as kits for assembly locally. Three diesel shunting locomotives rated at 448 kW were supplied in 1995 by local manufacturer Ferrovial. An order was also anticipated for a new fleet of 10 diesel multipleunits for Algiers suburban services.
Signalling and telecommunications
Automatic block signalling is installed on the Algiers— Thenin (50 km) and El Harrach—El Affroun (50 km) sections.
Resignalling and a complete renewal of the telecommunications network ranks high. Among other things, the railway aims to make track-to-train radio communication a standard feature on its principal routes. Electrically operated mechanical signals are gradually being replaced by colourlight displays throughout the system. On new lines and upgraded tracks automatic signalling is being installed. SNTF has signed an agreement in principle with Siemens for formation of a joint company to manufacture and install signalling equipment. As a result, a programme of installing modern interlocking systems has been undertaken at 33 stations between El Affroun and Oued Tlelat.
Rail: UIC 54 has been adopted as the standard for main line renewals
Sleepers: Concrete twin-block installed on 1,732 km Max gradient: 3.2% Max axleload: 20 tonnes
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