CAIRO - Launched in l854, the Egyptian railways were the first in Africa and the Middle East and worldwide only the second after Great Britain. Today the network connects the densely populated areas of the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt with Cairo and Alexandria, accounting for a big percentage of local passenger transportation. The l56 year-old service has, according to its users, reached a stage where it has to undergo comprehensive modernisation, despite projects implemented and promises made by successive governments. Passengers using sleeper and luxury express trains might not be as resigned as third class passengers who have no other option, but to board carriages, which lack any degree of cleanliness and regard for basic human requirements. Travelling on trains in Upper Egypt is a particularly harrowing experience with nothing but torture, but nevertheless the overcrowding pinpoints the fact that the railways are indispensable for poor passengers. According to the railway schedule of the main Ramsis station, 30 trains head daily to the south; l4 are for low fare passengers only, commonly known as 'trains of the poor'. While these trains already get completely crammed at Ramsis station, more passengers jump on at the second stop in Giza, creating a catastrophic situation. Passengers using these trains on a daily basis include university students, peasants, civil servants and small traders. These trains hardly ever come on time, and for this very reason the waiting passengers elbow their way through the crowds to board the trains. Though railway officials are aware that a carriage with a seating capacity of l20 is boarded by no less than 500, little is done to exercise control or increase the number of carriages on heavily frequented lines. The entire scene totally horrifies outside observers, although passengers seem to be used to their plight. While some suit themselves well on the floor, others take refuge in the upper luggage compartments (shelves) and have a good nap until they reach their designated stops. Vendors on trains pose another serious problem, since the items they sell, particularly food and drinks, are not subject to any kind of hygienic supervision. The condition of the trains themselves is no secret to officials, drivers, commuters and potential passengers. With open doors and broken windows that allow dust inside the train, torn seats and filthy floors, passengers have to bear the few hours it takes to reach their destination. Industrial safety measures on these trains is another challenge, which the Railway Authority is required to face, considering the high risk in these overcrowded carriages. Sayeda Hassan, a woman from Upper Egypt, who has no choice but to take the overcrowded train to visit her son in a nearby town, recounts how she has to bear the daily torture, since she cannot afford another means of transport. She does not mind sitting on the floor, as 'it is better than to stand the whole way to el-Wassta' where she is going. Mohamed Saad, another regular passenger on the Cairo-Upper Egypt line, is terribly annoyed by smokers who blow smoke into the faces of other passengers. He urges strict implementation of the anti-smoking law, particularly now in this post-revolution period, when growing concern for respecting the law is gaining momentum. According to Ahmed Abu Zeid, a train driver on the Upper Egypt line, the German engines in use have outlived their time. He warned that owing to lack of spare parts, these engines were likely to break down and come to a dead halt at any moment.
