The standard Guage coaches is to be tested free for passengers for two weeks before proper charges commences...
Vanguard reports that Wednesday’s trial
ride which took off from the corporation’s
Idu Station in Abuja at 8.27 a.m. traversed
the NRC stations at Kuchibon, Asham, Jere,
Gidan, Rijauna, Dutse, Kakau and arrived
in Rigasa in Kaduna at 12.42 p.m.
Mr Fidet Okhiria, managing director of
NRC, who described the trial as successful,
said that the purpose was to perform
strategic inspection and attract passenger
traffic.
“It is the first time we are running
passenger train on standard gauge and that
makes it unique. I can say so far, so good,
the ride was smooth.
“The speed is going to be improved upon
from 100 Km/h to 150 Km/h when the
passenger locomotives come, say,
September, because the locomotive we are
using now is the one used for construction.
“We delayed the train because we were
carrying out some strategic inspection to
find out what is not in the station presently
and what we need to add. We need to add
more seats, not for the passengers (because
that one is in place) but for comfort of our
staff,’’ Okhiria said.
“However, from now till the
commissioning date we invite people to
ride in the train from Abuja to Kaduna and
Kaduna back to Abuja.
“The Abuja motor park union have agreed
to have park at Idu Station so that they will
be moving passengers from back and forth
the city and this will also encourage
intermodal means of transport.’’
Okhiria, who said the free trial for
passengers will end in two weeks, added
that “the business class will cost N900,
while the standard class is N600.’’
He also stated that adequate arrangements
had been made for security along the
route, with both private security men and
police officers set to be deployed.
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