:''This article is part of the
history of rail transport by country
The history of rail transport began in the BCE times. It can be divided into several discrete periods defined by the principal means of track material and motive power used.
Ancient systems
The Post Track, a prehistoric causeway in the va ...
series''
The history of rail transport in the Central African Republic is limited to a now closed short railway line, and two proposed railway projects that were not implemented.
Zinga–Mongo railway
The only railway line ever to be built on the territory of the present-day
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of th ...
ran from
Zinga, Lobaye to Mongo. It was just long, and was in operation from 1930 until about 1960, when it was destroyed in the turmoil of the struggle for independence. Following Thomas Kautzor, operation ended in 1962, when the construction of a 2.50 m deep channel to allow year-round navigation has finished after 13 years of work.
The Zinga–Mongo railway was constructed to
narrow gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
. Its operator was the .
On 11 April 2006, the remnants of the Zinga–Mongo railway were added to the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
Tentative List, in the Cultural category.
Proposed Bangui–Port Lamy railway
In 1958, during the period of autonomy of the Central African Republic within the
French Community
The French Community (1958–1960; french: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which ...
(), there were plans for a railway from
Bangui
Bangui () (or Bangî in Sango, formerly written Bangi in English) is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi ...
to Fort Lamy (now
N'Djamena
N'Djamena ( ) is the capital and largest city of Chad. It is also a special statute region, divided into 10 districts or ''arrondissements''.
The city serves as the centre of economic activity in Chad. Meat, fish and cotton processing are the ...
) in
Chad
Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
, a distance of about . In the turmoil of the move towards independence, this project was abandoned.
Proposed Kribi–Bangui railway
A line from the port of
Kribi
Kribi is a beach resort and sea port in Cameroon.
Location
The coastal town of Kribi lies on the Gulf of Guinea, in Océan Department, South Province, at the mouth of the Kienké River. This location, lies approximately , by road, south of ...
in
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
to Bangui was proposed in 2002.
Janes World Railways
''Jane's World Railways'' is a directory of railway activities worldwide. It is published annually by Jane's Information Group. Janes World Railways (JWR) provides details on railway systems and operators, manufacturers of equipment, technology a ...
, 2002-2003, p 76.
See also
*
History of the Central African Republic
The history of the Central African Republic is roughly composed of four distinct periods. The earliest period of settlement began around 10,000 years ago when nomadic people first began to settle, farm and fish in the region. The next period beg ...
*
Transport in the Central African Republic
Modes of transport in the Central African Republic include road, water, and air. Most the country is connected to the road network, but not all of it. Some roads in the country do not connect to the rest of the national road network and may become ...
References
External links
''This article is based on a translation of the German Wikipedia article
Schienenverkehr in der Zentralafrikanischen Republik as at September 2012.''
{{DEFAULTSORT:History Of Rail Transport In The Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of th ...
Rail transport
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a p ...
600 mm gauge railways in the Central African Republic