THE Lagos State government has taken delivery of trains for its red line rail system.
This was disclosed by the senior special assistant (SSA) to the Governor of Lagos State on New Media, Jubril Gawat, in a tweet posted on September 27, 2022.
According to Gawat, the Talgo trains, consisting of two train sets of 21 cars, are projected to carry more than 1,500 passengers per train set per direction when the first phase from Agbado to Ebute Metta opens for operation.
The Talgo trains, consisting of two train sets of 21 cars, are projected to carry more than 1500 passengers per train set per direction when the first phase from Agbado to Ebute Metta opens for operation.#LagosRail 🚃🚃🚆🚆🚊🚊@jidesanwoolu pic.twitter.com/Mp2rdpPMq7
— Jubril A. Gawat (@Mr_JAGs) September 28, 2022
“The trains were decoupled into 21 individual cars for effective transportation to Lagos, the trains will be recoupled with the help of rolling stock engineers from Talgo, the company that manufactured the trains in the United State of America,” the statement read in part.
Gawat noted that the Talgo engineers would use their experience to train local and young engineers while coupling the trains.
He also added that the testing and commissioning would commence, followed by full passenger operations in the first quarter of 2023.
The Ikeja Train Station is expected to be the hub for the Red line project.
Recently, the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo, told the ICIR that the Lagos red line was expected to cater to a million passengers daily when completed.
Akinajo, who quoted a study while speaking at the session, said the blue line would also be expected to transport 750,000 daily.
She said, “A study has been conducted on the red line that it should serve a million passengers, while the blue line should serve 750,000 passengers a day.”
The LAMATA boss also noted that the rail lines would not only be sustainable, they would also reduce carbon emissions greatly when they begin operations.
She noted that the blue rail line would be electric, while the engine of the red line, though would run on diesel, can be converted to electric to tie into the plan of reducing combustion in the mega city.
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