THE GOVERNMENTS of Botswana and Namibia have signed an agreement to build the Trans-Kalahari Railway (TKR), a 1500km heavy-haul line linking Botswana's coalfields with the existing railhead at Gobabis in Namibia.

BOTSWANA Railways (BR) has issued a call for tender for the supply of eight diesel-electric locomotives. BR currently has a fleet of 38 locomotives of three different types.

Huge and largely untapped coal reserves look set to revive the fortunes of Botswana Railways which until recently had been staring extinction in the face, as Paul Ash discovers.

TRANSNET Freight Rail, South Africa, is set to sign an agreement with Botswana in the next month to enable it carry the country's first coal exports on the line from Morupule Colliery near Palapye to Durban.