"I think the importance is the return of manufacturing to South Africa which has been plagued by political issues. It gives electro-motive diesel and CAT access to all Africa which don't have a lot of access to new equipment. Any who the amount of people who know how to build a locomotive or even the parts of one is small and the amount of people who know how to do it in SA is even smaller so CAT brings people that know how to build them there and eventually the knowledge spreads":.
Where have you been? South Africa is the most technologically advanced country on the continent. When faced with the sanctions due to the apartheid issue they soldiered on with a big raspberry to the rest of the world. They are alleged to have developed nuclear weapons and abandoned the issue. If not for the incredible crime since the Mandella government it would be paradise . There is a qualified labor force there just waiting for opportunity.
I think the importance is the return of manufacturing to South Africa which has been plagued by political issues. It gives electro-motive diesel and CAT access to all Africa which don't have a lot of access to new equipment. Any who the amount of people who know how to build a locomotive or even the parts of one is small and the amount of people who know how to do it in SA is even smaller so CAT brings people that know how to build them there and eventually the knowledge spreads.
Railroad to Freedom
As the South Africans have been making synthetic internal combustion engine fuels from coal for years (using the old German WW2 formulas) it'l be interesting to see how these diesels perform with them. There might just be something we can learn from here.
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/new-venture-to-make-diesel-locomotives-in-sa-for-local-african-markets-2012-06-25
Maybe developing countries will finally be able replace there old and or dieing equipment. The whole westport agreement might allow for a cheap fuel source for developing countries.
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