Vol. 17 No. 7
July, 1987
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Stay Safe in 87
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CPCS Assists Egyptian
Railway with Major Improvement Program
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Cairo - Think of the Pyramids, the Sphinx, King Tut, the Nile, and Cleopatra and
one conjures up a vision of ancient Egypt.
But the Egypt of today is far more than the sum total of its past. Special efforts are being made to modernize
Egyptian commerce and industry. And Canadian Pacific Consulting Services Ltd. (CPCS) is playing an important role in
improving Egypt's railway system.
Earlier this year, CPCS won a $3.3-million contract to assist the Egyptian National Railway (ENR)
improve its stores management system.
The contract was the result of an agreement signed with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and
involves the establishment of modern stores, purchases, and inventory control systems to support the requirements of
Canadian-built General Motors locomotives used by the ENR.
The CPCS project will include upgrading the ENR's current stores to meet the requirements of the railway's
standardization program which saw its locomotives outfitted with General Motors engines.
Project Partners: CPCS's Peter Bridge (second from right)
is project director on a program to help Egypt modernize its railway stores system. With Mr. Bridge, from left, are
Egyptian National Railway officials Hussein Halim, Baghat Fayed, and on the right, Mohamed
Khattab.
CPCS team members include project director Peter Bridge, formerly a mechanical and electrical engineer with BC Rail;
Justin Douville, a senior stores specialist, who recently was on assignment in Guinea; John Jones, also a stores
specialist, previously with Canadian National's stores department; Ken Samson, mechanical specialist, former manager
of the Winnipeg Diesel Shop; Bill Rusek, electrical specialist, formerly with Q-Tron Ltd. and an
electrician instructor at CP Rail's Alyth Yard in Calgary; and Amir Marei, training specialist, formerly director,
continuing education at the Ste. Croix Regional School Board, St. Laurent, Quebec.
Mr. Bridge will be working closely with ENR stores officials in a cooperative effort to facilitate the introduction
of improved systems by building on existing systems and initiating a move toward the use of a computerized inventory
control system.
As training specialist, Mr. Marei will assist in the formal transfer of new methods to ENR personnel and will
facilitate communication in Arabic.
As well, some short-term personnel have been assigned to the project. They are Don Porter and Mike
Nicoll-Griffith, both senior consultants with CPCS. They will handle the project's computer
requirements.
A project of this magnitude requires more than merely shipping expertise overseas. Before leaving for Cairo, team
members and their spouses underwent an intensive, two-week cultural, religious, and
work-orientation program at CPCS's Montreal headquarters. The program included 12 hours of Arabic
language training which included self-study cassettes and support material.
Dr. Maher El Morsi, the ENR's chairman says the CPCS team will provide much needed expertise.
"We have, in the past, had many consultants providing us with advice on how to do things and we have been
expected to do them. However, with the limitations of manpower and funds, this was not always possible. We want CPCS
to come in, do the job, and train our people", he said.
In late September 1986, the ENR's vice-chairman, electrical and mechanical engineering, Hussein Halim,
director of finance, Baghat Fayed, and director of purchases Mustaffa Emad El Din, toured CP Rail facilities and
held discussions with several CP Rail officers to get a better understanding of modern stores practices and the
expertise available through CP Rail.
Mr. Halim spearheaded the CIDA-funded project which has been conducted in three stages since 1983. The
current project is the third stage - implementation.
This CP Rail News article is copyright
1987 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here with
their permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Company.
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