Ghana Railway Company Limited



Ghana Railway Company Limited (previously known as the Ghana Railway Corporation) is the company that operates the railways of Ghana. The Ghana Railway Company Limited is a public-sector body with responsibility for the efficient management of the national rail system so as to enhance the smooth movement of goods and passengers.

History
Operations began in 1898 under the Gold Coast Government Railways with headquarters in Sekondi. The headquarters were transferred to Takoradi after the building of Takoradi Harbour, and railways and ports were jointly administered as the Ghana Railway & Ports Authority. In 1976, SMCD 95 separated the railway from ports as the Ghana Railway Corporation. The company enjoyed the status of a public corporation until 19 March 2001, when it became a limited liability company.

The original 304 km Eastern Railway was built in 1923 by the British for the purpose of hauling minerals and cocoa. Construction of the Ghana Railways started before there were any port facilities, and locomotives and other equipment had to be lightered over the beach.

In July 2007, contract signed as part of the ECOWAS rail plan, intended to link Ghana to Burkina Faso.
 * In February, a Korean engineering study group examined the proposed new lines and also gauge conversion from to  (standard gauge).

In 2008 two diesel multiple units ordered from China CNR Corporation's Tangshan plant for a shuttle service from Accra to Tema. Each unit comprises two motor cars with Vossloh Kiepe and Voith traction equipment, plus four trailer cars.

In October 2010 the DMUs were launched. The line was commissioned in October 2010; in December 2010, work began on an extension to Tema harbour.

In 2010, a contract was signed to construct a railway from Paga (on the border with Burkina Faso) to Kumasi; plus a branch from Tamale to Yendi.

The railway network in Ghana resembles a large capital "A" with 3 components - a "Western Division" (the left leg of the "A") from Secondi/Takoradi to Kumasi (280 km, 168 mi), an "Eastern Division" (the right leg of the "A") from Accra to Kumasi, and a "Central Division" (the horizontal bar of the "A") from Huni Valley to Kotoku. The 953 km (570 mi) network includes branch lines on the "Western Division" to Prestea and Awaso, a branch line to Kade on the "Central Division", and branch lines to Tema and Shai Hills on the "Eastern Division".

Very little of the railway network remains in operation. Accra to Tema, Accra to Kotoku, and Awaso to Dunkwa and south to Takoradi are the only parts that are known to be in operation. Very little is known about the current operating state of the rest of the system.

The following table outlines the dates of construction of the various parts of the railway network. (See map below right.) Note 1 - Tarkwa to Prestea is a branch line on the Western Division that services manganese mines.

Note 2 - Kojokrom is the junction of the line to Secondi (now abandoned). The other leg serves the port of Takoradi.

Note 3 - Dunkwa to Awaso is a branch line on the Western Division that services bauxite mines.

Note 4 - Huni Valley (Tinkwakrom) is the junction of the Central Division with the Western Division.

Note 5 - Achiasi to Kade is now a branch line on the Central Division. It used to service timber companies and for cocoa transportation. Oda was an important station on this branch.

Note 6 - Kotoku is the junction of the Central Division with the Eastern Division.

Stations
The following table lists some of the stations and flagstops (halts) that existed at one time on the three Divisions. There may be more. In the latter days of operation on these lines, very few of them were in service.

Note 1 - No passenger service.

Note 2 -

Note 3 - Station/stop may no longer be in service.

Standards

 * Railway coupling - AAR coupler
 * Brake (railway) - Air brake


 * axleload - 25T

Single and double track
The system is single-track with the exception of about 30 km of double track between Takoradi and Manso on the Western Line.

Gauge
Railway gauge is currently 3'6". The latest proposals in 2006 for upgrade and expansion include conversion of  (narrow gauge) to  (standard gauge). As an interim position, dual gauge sleepers are being installed to facilitate the conversion to Standard Gauge.

Concession
In 2007 a consortium led by Dubai-based Kampac Oil Co signed a US$1.6 billion concession to develop the (Cape gauge) Western Railway. Over five years a 500 km line is to be constructed from Awaso to Hamile near the border with Burkina Faso. The government awarded a US$1.4 billion concession for the Eastern Railway to Peatrack earlier in the year.

New suburban services
In March 2015 it was announced that a new suburban service linking Sekondi and Takoradi would begin by the end of 2015. The US$100 million project, managed by Amanda Holdings, involves the rebuilding of 30 of 1067mm gauge track to standard gauge, and the acquisition of two DMUs for service. The Accra - Nsawam and Kumasi - Ejisu suburban lines are also to be rebuilt.

The Tema-Mpakadan railway line which includes a bridge across the Lake Volta open in 2023.

In September 2022 GRC ordered two DMU from Pesa with option on ten additional. The first DMU was completed in January 2024, and on February 2 of the same year, the vehicle was presented at the Bydgoszcz Główna station. Amongst the participants was the Secretary of State and the President of the Ghana Railway Development Agency, Yaw Owusu.

Concrete sleepers
A plant to manufacture concrete sleepers is to be set up in 2008 at the strategic railway junction at Huni Valley.