Two trains originally intended for a high-speed rail line to connect Madison and Milwaukee are headed for Nigeria. Milwaukee is the largest city in
Two trains originally intended for a high-speed rail line to connect Madison and Milwaukee are headed for Nigeria.
Milwaukee is the largest city in the US state of Wisconsin.
The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was in Milwaukee on Tuesday to purchase the two Series 8 trains which are set to become part of West Africa’s first operational metro system.
The first phase according to Sanwo-Olu will commence operation before the end of the year.
The Blue Line is designed to start from Okokomaiko and terminate at Marina, while the Red Line, a 37 km track with 11 stations, will run from Agbado to Marina.
The second phase will serve Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The Red Line, a 37 km track with 11 station
At a public event at the Milwaukee facilities of Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson welcomed Sanwo-Olu saying, “I’m sending my congratulations to the governor in Lagos State in Nigeria, but also a little disappointed that we missed out on the opportunity to have those trainsets operating here in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin.”
In 2009, Jim Doyle, Wisconsin’s then-governor, a Democrat, ordered the trains. The state was awarded $810 million for the project in a federal stimulus bill. The project was dropped over contract terms with Talgo after Scott Walker, a Republican, took over from Doyle. It later resulted in a court battle.
Unable to resolve the knotty issue, Lagos State stepped in and gave acquired the trains
