Congo–Ocean Railway

The Congo–Ocean Railway (COR; French: Chemin de fer Congo-Océan, CFCO) links the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noire (now in the Republic of Congo) with Brazzaville, a distance of 502 kilometres. It bypasses the rapids on the lower Congo River; from Brazzaville river boats are able to ascend the Congo River and its major tributaries, including the Oubangui River to Bangui.

Overview

Brazzaville station in 1932.

The railway was constructed, starting in 1921, using forced labour, by the French colonial administration between 1924 and 1934, at a heavy cost in human lives. It has been estimated that 17,000 of the construction workers, mainly recruited from what is now southern Chad and the Central African Republic, died during the construction of the railway. Other estimates were higher.

In 1962, a branch was constructed to Mbinda near the border with Gabon, to connect with the COMILOG Cableway and thus carry manganese ore to Pointe-Noire. The Cableway closed in 1986 when neighbouring Gabon built its own railway to haul this traffic. The branch line remains active nonetheless.

The Congo–Ocean Railway was a user of the Golwé locomotive. Motive power is now provided by diesel locomotives.

From the start of the civil war in 1997, the line was closed for six years. In 2007 the BBC reported it to be in a "decrepit state with the majority of trains now broken". UNICEF organised a train in August 2007 to distribute malaria nets vital in the prevention of the disease. In 2007, a Korean led consortium CMKC Group‎ signed a deal to build railway extensions to Ouesso and Djambala mainly for timber traffic.

On 22 June 2010, a train of the Congo–Ocean Railroad was involved in a major incident, in which at least 60 people were killed. The train is believed to have derailed as it went round a corner in a remote area between Bilinga and Tchitondi, throwing four carriages into a ravine. The dead and wounded were taken to hospitals and morgues in Pointe-Noire.

In 2011, it was announced that Africa Iron was close to concluding a 25-year ore transport deal with Congo–Ocean.

Stations served

Congo–Ocean Railway Chemin de fer Congo-Océan
Line length:	512 km / 318 mi
Track gauge:	1067 mm / 3 ft 6 in
Legend 512 km Brazzaville Kikembo Ngoma-Tse-Tse Mayogongo Kibouende Ngabouloumou Madza Matoumbou Loualou Massembo-Loubaki Missafou Mindouli Kingoyi Kikembo Loulombo Kimbedi Loutété Bouansa Kipambou-Kayes Madingou Kimbaouka Bodissa Nkayu Moutela Loudima 285 km Mbinda (Comilog-Line) 0 km  ? km Mont Bélo Moubotsi Tao-Tao  ? km 91 km Loubomo (Dolisie) Moukondo Mvouti Mpounga Malemba Les Saras Mfoubou Mvoungouti Nzombo Tsessi Tsoumbou Nemba Nkougni  ? km 0 km Bilinga Yanga Mboukou Makola Hinda Ntombo Ngondji 0 km Pointe-Noire

Main article: Railway stations in Congo

COMILOG-Line
Line length:	285 km / 177 mi
Track gauge:	1067 mm / 3 ft 6 in
Legend 285 km Mbinda Ngongo Mayoko Tsinguidi Mbaka Vouka Nzima Moungoundou Moutebe Mossendjo Boungoto Massanga Tsimba Itsotso Titi Mabafi Mahitoula 106 km PK 106 Boudanga Makabana Moukanga Diesse Sinda Mouindi Kibouba 512 km Brazzaville Loutété (Congo-Ocean) 0 km Mont Bélo 0 km Pointe-Noire 1 m

Specifications

• Rail gauge : 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge (Jane's 69/70)
• Brake (railway): Vacuum brake (Jane's 69/70)
• Coupler: SA3 coupler (Jane's 69/70)

See also

• Congo Railway
• Matadi-Kinshasa Railway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Railway stations in Congo

References

• André Gide, Voyage au Congo (1926)
• Albert Londres, Terre d'Ébène (1929)
• Gilles Sautter, "Notes sur la construction du chemin de fer Congo-Océan (1921-1934)," Cahiers d'Études africaines 7:219-299 (1967)
• Jane's World Railways 69/70, pages 542/543