Rail passengers stranded

ABOUT 55 passengers, including children and an elderly woman, last week had a nightmare train journey after they were left stranded for almost 10 hours between Windhoek and Keetmanshoop.

The train had broken down at round midnight in the veld near Tsumis Park.Passengers travelling to Keetmanshoop only reached their destination on Thursday at 16h00, after having left Windhoek on Wednesday at 19h00. The breakdown also delayed another passenger train running in the opposite direction, resulting in passengers arriving at Windhoek on Thursday at 13h45 after its departure on Wednesday at around 17h00. Passenger Sandra Dreyer said they were assured that a bus would be sent to collect them so that they could continue their journey, but this did not happen. According to Dreyer, after being stranded for eight hours in the veld the train resumed the journey, but again broke down near Kalkrand station. Venting her frustration over the delay, Dreyer said: ‘To make things worse, we were not told anything why the train had stopped running. We ran out of food, and some of us were with children. I want them [TransNamib] to refund me my train fare of N$150.’ Reacting to the delay, TransNamib’s Elaine Claasen said a defective battery had caused the train to stop running.’It could not proceed from Tsumis Park, and another locomotive from Keetmanshoop, which was at Narib at that time, proceeded to Tsumis Park to assist. However, this locomotive also experienced vacuum and ventilation problems,’ Claasen added.Asked how frequently train locomotives are serviced to prevent technical glitches during a journey, Claasen responded: ‘Locomotives are serviced 36 hours prior to any trip.’Claasen said the passengers on the train to Keetmanshoop were given food and water and disembarked at Twilight siding before being transported to their destinations by bus. The passengers on the train to Windhoek were also given food and water at the Rehoboth station, said Claasen.Claasen apologised to those who were affected by the delay and said TransNamib values their clients.