{{Short description|Tanzanian railroad company}} {{EngvarB|date=February 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox rail network |name = Tanzania Railways Corporation |color = |logo = TRC Logo.png|centre <!-- Can some one reduce the size --> |image = Dar TRC Railway Station.JPG |caption = Two diesel locomotives pull a passenger train into Dar es Salaam's main railway station. |nationalrailway = Tanzania |infrastructure = |majoroperators = |ridership = | last1 = | author1-link = | title = | pages = | publisher = | location = Mchafukoge, Ilala District, Dar es Salaam Region. | publication-date = | date = | year = | format = | accessdate = |passkm = |statyear = |freight = |length = {{convert|2600|km|mi}} |doublelength = |ellength = |freightlength = |hslength = |gauge = {{RailGauge|1000mm}} |hsgauge = |gauge1 = |gauge1length = |gauge2 = |gauge2length = |gauge3 = |gauge3length = |gauge4 = |gauge4length = |el = None |el1 = |el1length = |el2 = |el2length = |el3 = |el3length = |notunnels = |tunnellength = |longesttunnel = |nobridges = |longestbridge = |nostations = |highelevation = |highelat = |lowelevation = |lowelat = |map = }} The '''Tanzania Railways Corporation''' '''(TRC)''' is a state-owned enterprise that runs one of Tanzania's two main railway networks. the Headquarters are located in Mchafukoge, Ilala District, Dar es Salaam Region.
When the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation was dissolved in 1977 and its assets divided between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, TRC was formed to take over its operations in Tanzania. In 1997 the inland shipping division became a separate company.
== MGR == In November 2021, TRC received the three modern locomotives (H10 series) worth Sh22 billion to strengthen their Metre-gauge railway (MGR) line, ordered from Malaysia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/malaysian-firm-to-invest-in-locomotive-assembly-plant-in-tanzania-3622910|title=Malaysian firm to invest in locomotive assembly plant in Tanzania|work=The Citizen|date=November 18, 2021}}</ref>
==Rail network== [[File:A passenger train departing.webm|thumb|left|TRC passenger train departing in Dodoma.]] TRC's gauge is {{RailGauge|1000mm}} and the length about {{convert|2600|km}}. Two east–west lines linking the coast and the hinterland were built under colonial rule as German East Africa: the Central Line runs from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, and the Tanga Line from Tanga to Arusha. A north-south connection, from Korogwe to Ruvu, links the two lines. The main line runs to Lake Victoria where a connection operates ''via'' Lake Victoria train ferries with the Uganda Railway and Kenya Railways. From the Tanga line a line to Kenya is disused. thumb|260px|Railways in Tanzania. There is a break-of-gauge at Dar es Salaam to the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) {{RailGauge|1067mm}} line to Zambia. A second link is at Kidatu, where the TAZARA line meets the Kidatu branch.
In 2024, Tanzania inaugurated a new railway terminal in Dar es Salaam as part of its ambitious Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project. The railway, powered by electricity, connects Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in under four hours. The 460km route is the first phase of a larger 2,560km railway designed to link Tanzania with neighboring countries such as Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tanzania railway: Dar es Salaam to Dodoma link is East Africa's first electric train |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70z109nnk4o |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Former Marine Division== thumb|Pugu to City Center commuter train stopping at Buguruni Station. TRC inherited ferry and cargo ship services on Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa and some ships on Lake Victoria.
TRC introduced {{MV|Bukoba}} on Lake Victoria in about 1979,<ref name=Arai>{{cite web |url=http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ee1s-ari/lake.html |title=Lake Victoria tragedy, Tanzania in May 21 |author=Arai Shin-Ichi |date=30 May 1996 |work=Arai's Zanzibar, Tanzania Page |publisher=Arai Shin-Ichi |accessdate=26 June 2011}}</ref> {{MV|Mwongozo}} on Lake Tanganyika in 1982<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mscl.go.tz/mwongozo.html |title=MV. Mwongozo |work=Vessels |publisher=Marine Services Company Limited |accessdate=11 May 2015}}</ref> and passenger and cargo ship {{MV|Serengeti}} on Lake Victoria in 1988.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mscl.go.tz/serengeti.html |title=MV. Serengeti |work=Vessels |publisher=Marine Services Company Limited |accessdate=11 May 2015 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407002209/http://www.mscl.go.tz/serengeti.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 21 May 1996 ''Bukoba'' sank in {{convert|25|m|fathom|0}} of water about {{convert|30|nmi|km|0}} off Mwanza.<ref name=Arai/> She had many more passengers aboard than she was certified to carry and at least 800 people were killed.<ref name=Arai/> After the disaster criminal charges were brought against nine TRC officials including ''Bukoba'''s master and the manager of the Marine Division.<ref name=Arai/>
In 1997 the Marine Division became a separate company, Marine Services Company Limited.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mscl.go.tz/ |title=Home |work=Marine Services Company Limited |accessdate=11 May 2015 |archive-date=7 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507124753/http://www.mscl.go.tz/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Rail accidents== On 24 June 2002 the Igandu train disaster killed 281 people, the second highest number of deaths in a train disaster in Africa (the highest being the Awash rail disaster).
==Privatisation, re-nationalization and recent plans== In 2007 RITES Ltd of India won a contract from the Parastatal Sector Reform Commission (PSRC) to operate passenger and freight trains on a concession basis for 25 years.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071109130353/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/04/content_6663465.htm Rites Consortium to run railway in 2007]</ref> The concession agreement was signed on 3 September 2007, to begin on 1 October 2007. The railway will be run as Tanzania Railway Ltd, with the government owning a 49% stake.<ref name="rgi1">{{cite magazine |magazine=Railway Gazette International |date=12 September 2007 |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//october-start-for-tanzania-rail-concession.html |title=October start for Tanzania rail concession |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102192050/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/october-start-for-tanzania-rail-concession.html |archive-date=2 November 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
There were moves to abandon the contract ''"due in part, to the fact that the Indian investor failed to pay over USD 6 million in concession fees to the Tanzania government in 2008"'' but RITES officials countered noting that the contract ''"misled Rites officials by indicating that the Railway Assets Holding Company (Rahco) was in possession of 92 working locomotives when, in actuality, only 55 existed"''.<ref>[http://www.tanzaniainvest.com/tanzania-transport/news/334-tanzania-railways-ltd-recapitalization Tanzania Railways Ltd Recapitalization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819035009/http://www.tanzaniainvest.com/tanzania-transport/news/334-tanzania-railways-ltd-recapitalization |date=19 August 2010 }} TanzaniaInvest, 17 August 2009</ref> In 2010, the government terminated the contract and resumed control.<ref>{{cite news |title=Railways liberate our geography, they cannot be driven by pedestrian thinkers |url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/opOrEd/comment/-/434750/883260/-/bu3s6y/-/index.html |newspaper=The East African |date=22 March 2010 }}</ref>
In 2007 the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure Maua Abeid Daftari proposed conversion to standard gauge.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}}
=== Sleepers ===
In 2008 tenders were sought for {{RailGauge|1000mm}}-gauge steel sleepers convertible to {{RailGauge|1067mm}} gauge<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dgmarket.ro/eproc/np-notice.do?noticeId=2227315|title=SUPPLY OF STEEL RAILWAY SLEEPERS, SHOULDERS, AND PANDROL CLIPS (IFB 2/2008) - dgMarket|website=www.dgmarket.ro|access-date=2017-09-04}}</ref> and for concrete sleeper plant for dual {{RailGauge|1000mm}} and {{RailGauge|1435mm}} gauges.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}
==See also== * Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway * East African Railway Master Plan * Central Line (Tanzania) * Rail transport in Tanzania * TAZARA * Transport in Tanzania
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Railway companies of Tanzania Category:Railway companies established in 1977 Category:Government-owned companies of Tanzania Category:1977 establishments in Tanzania Category:Metre-gauge railways in Tanzania Category:Government-owned railway companies