Congo–Ocean Railway
| Congo-Ocean Railway line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Locale | Pointe Noire, Bouenza, Kouilou, Niari, Pool, Lékoumou | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 49 | ||
| Service | |||
| System | Non-Electrified | ||
| Services | Via Dolisie | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1934 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 512 km (318 mi) | ||
| Number of tracks | 1 | ||
| Character | At-grade | ||
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||
| Electrification | No | ||
| Operating speed | 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) | ||
| |||
The Congo–Ocean Railway (COR; French: Chemin de fer Congo-Océan, CFCO) links the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noire (now in the Republic of Congo) with Brazzaville, a distance of 502 kilometres (312 mi). It bypasses the rapids on the lower Congo River; from Brazzaville, river boats are able to ascend the Congo River and its major tributaries, including the Oubangui River to Bangui.
As of 2012 the railroad was regularly operating freight and passenger services along the length of the line despite the poor state of the track. A luxury passenger train, La Gazelle, using Korean-manufactured passenger cars, was introduced in 2012; as of 2014 it operated between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville every other day, and was scheduled to take 14–16 hours to complete the 502 kilometres (312 mi) journey.