Khartoum sky trains network: a study on implementing caterpillar trains concept in Khartoum

摘要

The experience of using public transportation in Khartoum is hectic due to over (1.5) Million seats in daily deficit. This research explores the daunting issues of public transport in developing countries like Sudan, taking Khartoum as a case study, and studies the possible alternatives to find an innovative solution that counters them. This paper reviewed the concept presented by MIT scholars in 2017 which was an innovative idea of elevated mini-trains that are intended to run over city streets called (Caterpillar Trains). The paper investigated the use of the C-Trains when integrated with LRT to form the Khartoum Sky Trains Network (STN). It was found that the STN is an optimum model for developing countries, as they were found able to meet the demands of public transport, in both short term and long term. The expected various environmental, social and economic impacts of such large infrastructure project were also studied. Finally, the research suggests that the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contracting module can be utilized to overcome the construction costs, the concession period of which was found through a FORTRAN95 program.