Luena - Rail traffic on the Luena/Cuito route and vice versa, connecting the provinces of Moxico and Bié, was restored, after being temporarily suspended on Thursday, due to the derailment of a locomotive transporting sulfur to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The mentioned train full of sulfur of the consortium made up of Lobito Atlantico Railways (LAR) and Transfigura and Mota-Engil derailed in the early hours of Thursday, in Cavimbi town, 127 kilometers from the city of Luena, causing damage to the railway line.
After an intervention of the technical team of the LAR at the place, the railway was open by allowing circulation of other passing trains that continued traveling in both directions.
CFB resumes ticket sales
Angop found that, despite having caused delays in the train circulation schedule, the Benguela Railway (CFB) resumed in the afternoon this Thursday the sale of tickets on the Luena/Cuito route, after the partial accessories of the railway line.
However, for Friday two trains are scheduled for the provinces of Bié and Huambo, in inverted directions.
In recent times, CFB train passengers have reported several difficulties traveling from Luena to the provinces of Bié, Huambo and Benguela due to reduced availability of seats.
In view of this situation, the CFB Management said that the company will invest USD 3 million to repair and replace the wheels of 50 carriages from South Africa, to humanize services until November this year.
Due to the lack of road in the route between Luau-Luena and Cuito, in the province of Bié, trains have been the only means of transport for the population residing in this corridor, as well as others coming from the provinces of Lunda-Sul and Lunda-Norte. TC/YD/MRA/DOJ
