Nairobi commuters walk to work after Syokimau train breaks down
What you need to know:
- The train broke down immediately after picking the last passengers at the Makadara Railway Station.
- The Syokimau-Nairobi train which was scheduled to arrive at the Nairobi Railway Station at 7.35am stalled at around 8.20am.
- “This is not the first time this is happening. The commuter train fails so many times that we have got used to it,” said Simon Mwangi.
- Efforts to reach senior Railway officials for comment were futile as phone calls went unanswered.
Nairobi commuters were Wednesday morning forced to walk for long distances after the Syokimau-Nairobi train broke down.
The train, which broke down immediately after picking up the last passengers at the Makadara Railway Station moved at snail speed up to Muthurwa and could not move any further.
Hundreds of passengers had to alight and walk all the way to their workplaces to save time.
Railway technical officers interviewed said the locomotive’s engine overheated after it run out of water.
Furious passengers blamed Kenya Railways for poor services and lack of communication.
The Syokimau-Nairobi train, which was scheduled to arrive at the Nairobi Railway Station at 7.35am, stalled at around 8.20am.
“This is not the first time this is happening. The commuter train fails so many times that we have got used to it,” said Simon Mwangi.
Another passenger, Purity Kasuve, said it was possible that the engine capacity may not be adequate to support the increasing number of passengers seeking to escape the increased traffic jams on Mombasa Road.
“It is sad that the only alternative to the massive traffic jams in Nairobi is no longer reliable,” she said.
Other disappointed passengers claimed that cargo trains may be enjoying higher and more reliable engines at the expense of commuter trains.
Efforts to reach senior railway officials for comment were futile as phone calls went unanswered.
