HSTs to Nigeria

[61653 HTAFC]

I find it interesting that they've clearly spent an absolute fortune on new stations etc and yet are using nearly 50 year old used trains - why spend on one but not the other?

A bit like how BR used to spend money on electrifying lines (very occasionally!) and then run 30-year-old cascaded London EMUs on them, you mean?

 

[Wyrleybart]

A bit like how BR used to spend money on electrifying lines (very occasionally!) and then run 30-year-old cascaded London EMUs on them, you mean?

Haha yes. Class 308s (amongst others) on the Birmingham Cross City route standing in for 323s

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Some videos by @RailExplorer:

This short video was filmed at Oyingbo Station in central Lagos on Friday 12th May 2025.

This HST set had worked the 06:15 departure from Agbado, arriving Oyingbo at 07:05. The leading power car is 43239 and the rear power car is 43184.

HST Cab Ride - 43192
Agbado 19:50 to Oyingbo 20:40

Monday 12th May 2025

Red Line, Lagos
Yaba 06:08 to Ikeja 06:29
Internal video of Coach 48103 and
External video of Power Car 43184/43239

Friday 9th May 2025

Note the almost constant door closing hustle alarm!

 

[Davester50]

Hope they took out plenty of spares for the horn.

 

[Russel]

Why did the door hustle alarm continue to sound for what appeared to be the whole journey in the last video?

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Video of a journey from Ikeja to Agbado by @RailExplorer:

 

[Russel]

Love the Nigerian approach to Health & Safety!

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Why did the door hustle alarm continue to sound for what appeared to be the whole journey in the last video?

The doors are set to open automatically instead of being opened by passengers, and this seems to have been done as a crude hardware hack that interferes with the alarm.

At 1:55 in the third video I posted you can see the doors all open simultaneously and the door close buttons flash red even though the doors are not about to close.

 

[stadler]

Are these HSTs in Nigeria operating with a Guard or have they modified them for DOO operation? If they have a Guard i would be curious what their despatch procedure is?

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

They have guards.

There are two drivers in the cab and onboard there's numerous other staff including a guard (the guard appeared to also be a driver in a lot cases). In total they have 7 drivers all ex- Nigerian Railways drivers. There's no in cab signalling, and there's no lineside signalling... It's simply a paper ticket for authorisation to travel to the next station issued at the previous station.

 

[Rick1984]

The amount of people beside and on the track in first video!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Some videos by @RailExplorer:

Interesting to note that the power cars are also being used to haul one of the Talgo sets in the background

 

[Russel]

The amount of people beside and on the track in first video!

Indeed, and not one in a Hi-vis vest!

 

[USRailFan]

Interesting to note that the power cars are also being used to haul one of the Talgo sets in the background

Trainsets that were originally purchased for use in Wisconsin, US. Looks like they have only one HST powercar, and the regular US Talgo cab car at the other and, based on this picture from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_L...e:EB_Talgo_Special_in_Shawnee,_KS_2-13-18.jpg

 

[midland1]

Interesting to note that the power cars are also being used to haul one of the Talgo sets in the background

Thanks that's why it looks odd, it almost looks that they are on different lines

 

[Wyrleybart]

Trainsets that were originally purchased for use in Wisconsin, US. Looks like they have only one HST powercar, and the regular US Talgo cab car at the other and, based on this picture from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_L...e:EB_Talgo_Special_in_Shawnee,_KS_2-13-18.jpg

Ahhh so that is presumably how Amtrak got rid of their Talgos ? Didn't they have a nasty derailment with one, possibly due to speeding. Must read up on it.

Just found this youtube video

 

[AdamWW]

Ahhh so that is presumably how Amtrak got rid of their Talgos ? Didn't they have a nasty derailment with one, possibly due to speeding. Must read up on it.

This was something different I think - I don't believe that the Wisconsin ones ever ran in service in the US.

 

[RailExplorer]

I'm putting up more videos slowly on that YouTube page. Thank you for sharing them on here though.

Are these HSTs in Nigeria operating with a Guard or have they modified them for DOO operation? If they have a Guard i would be curious what their despatch procedure is?

The dispatch process by the guard involves lots of pressing close on the close door panel (in the guards area of the coach). They don't really look out as such.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jul 2025 ==

Interesting to note that the power cars are also being used to haul one of the Talgo sets in the background

That was the original idea - it failed. The coupler dropped immediately due to different heights. So they then ordered the GP38-3 (x2) but they have only been trialled so far.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

This was something different I think - I don't believe that the Wisconsin ones ever ran in service in the US.

That's correct. In 2010 the incoming Republican governor of Wisconsin cancelled the project they were built for and refused to pay for them.

Talgo’s Wisconsin Trains Find Home In… Nigeria

Intended for high-speed Midwest line, they'll be used on metro line in Lagos.

urbanmilwaukee.com

After more than a decade and a twisted legal saga, Talgo has found a buyer for its trainsets originally built for a high-speed rail line between Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and the Twin Cities.

The Spanish train manufacturer will sell the two Milwaukee-made trains to the Nigerian government.

In 2010, Governor-elect Scott Walker refused a $823 million federal grant to build the high-speed Hiawatha extension, but the state was still on the hook to pay for the trainsets ordered by Governor Jim Doyle. Rather than invest in a maintenance facility to put them into use on the existing line, Walker and the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature had the state default on the contract.

Wisconsin ultimately settled with Talgo, a move that cost the state $59 million and allowed the manufacturer to maintain ownership of the equipment.

Talgo’s USA CEO Antonio Perez told Urban Milwaukee in 2019 that he was seeking to sell the trainsets to Oregon and Washington or a coalition of Gulf Coast states. But those deals never came to fruition, nor did a rumored lease to a California agency or to Michigan. Amtrak, meanwhile, ordered new equipment that is expected to enter service in phases starting in 2024.

 

[Russel]

That's correct. In 2010 the incoming Republican governor of Wisconsin cancelled the project they were built for and refused to pay for them.

It's always worth thinking about Americas approach to public transportation whenever we have a bad day on the WCML here, it really puts things into perspective.

 

[AdamWW]

It's always worth thinking about Americas approach to public transportation whenever we have a bad day on the WCML here, it really puts things into perspective.

True, though I've yet to visit a city in the UK with an entirely free bus network.

 

[BRX]

They seem to have decided to operate with the power car coupling hatches in various forms of "open".

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Compilation video of clips by @RailExplorer:

 

[Towers]

They seem to have decided to operate with the power car coupling hatches in various forms of "open".

View attachment 185057View attachment 185058

Along with a somewhat ‘optional’ approach to the headlamp outer covers!

 

[MotCO]

Those extended steps look lethal!

 

[StephenHunter]

I'd be curious to hear what the Nigerian diaspora in this country make of all this.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Oyingbo to Agbado (and return), Friday 9th May 2025 by @RailExplorer: