A Deep Dive With Wabtec's Babatunde Oso On Revitalising Africa's Rolling Stock

Railways Africa Magazine

In this Coffee with the Editor, Babatunde Oso, Regional General Manager for Africa at Wabtec Corporation, discusses the company’s strategic role and ongoing efforts in the South African and broader African rail industry. The conversation provides a deep insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the rail sector in Africa, including the competition with road transport and the need for significant infrastructure investment. Oso goes in-depth into Wabtec’s technological advancements, including the company’s shift towards more efficient and eco-friendly options. This includes moving from diesel to battery-powered locomotives, as part of an overall drive to reduce carbon footprints and promote sustainability in the industry. We touch on the unique case of maintaining and modernising older GE/Wabtec locomotives that are still operational after nearly half a century of service. Oso outlines how the company is working to extend the lifespan of these machines, highlighting the complexity of managing a supply chain for equipment that wasn’t built to last this long. We kick around the idea of a potential ‘buy-back’ system, where old locomotives could be replaced with modern, more efficient ones. This would probably be an interesting business case once open access talk translates into actual open access. Oso also talks about the hurdles of dealing with ageing assets and the struggle of valuing older rolling stock in such an evolving market. If you are interested in rail transport, sustainability, and technological innovations in the African context. Dive into the complexities, challenges, and innovative solutions that are part of Wabtec’s journey in the African rail industry. Enjoy.