Product Code Database
Malawi Railways was a government corporation that ran the national rail network of Malawi, Africa, until privatisation in 1999. With effect from 1 December 1999, the Central East African Railways consortium led by Railroad Development Corporation won the right to operate the network. This was the first rail privatisation in Africa which did not involve a parastatal operator.
All of these lines were narrow gauge and single track, and the Shire Highlands Railway in particular had sharp curves and steep gradients, so the system was inadequate for heavy train loads. Maintenance costs were high and freight volumes were low, so freight rates were up to three times those of Rhodesian and East African lines.UK Colonial Office, An Economic Survey of the Colonial Territories, 1951 (London, HMSO, 1952), pp. 45–6.A. MacGregor-Hutcheson (1969). New Developments in Malawi's Rail and Lake Services, The Society of Malawi Journal, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 32–4. Although costly and inefficient, the rail link to Beira remained a main bulk transport link until 1979 when it was destroyed by RENAMO forces in the civil war. By then, Malawi had its second rail link to the Mozambique port of Nacala, which is its principal route for imports and exports today.J McCraken, (2012). A History of Malawi, 1859-1966 Woodbridge, James Currey pp. 173–6. .
From 1974 to 1979, Malawi worked with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) sponsored to build of new track from Salima to Lilongwe though the Malawi-Canada Railway Project.Kadyampakeni, James "Malawi's transportation problems", Africa Insight, vol 17, no 1, 1987 pp-52-57 : http://reference.sabinet.co.za/webx/access/journal_archive/02562804/1038.pdf
An extension from Mchinji to Chipata in Zambia opened in 2010, and there is a proposal to eventually link up from there with the TAZARA railway at Mpika.
Freight traffic is predominantly exports through Nacala, including sugar, tobacco, pigeon peas and tea. Import traffic consists of fertiliser, fuel, containerised consumer goods and food products including vegetable oil and grain. A government subsidised passenger rail service operates twice weekly from Blantyre to the border with Mozambique at Nayuchi.
The Rivirivi Bridge was damaged by Cyclone Delfina in January 2003 and reopened in 2005.
Nacala Port and Railway was concessioned to the same CEAR consortium in January 2005.
In July 2006, the Republic of China (Taiwan) sent 4 R20 series (EMD G12) diesel electric locomotives R56, R57, R58 and R59 to Malawi Railways. Two of them are used as Switcher and the other two have never been used.
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