On this day, Mauritania's “Train du Désert” (Desert train) set off for the first time with a foreign tour group (Servrail from Switzerland) from Ben Amira (PK 393) westwards to the port of Nouadhibou, running the section as far as Boulenouar (PK 96). The SNIM's BB # 207, a GPL-15T built by EMD in 2004, pulls the double-decker former diesel railcar and the former second-class coach of the Czech railroad CD, which has been converted into a couchette coach, as well as two empty ore wagons serving as brake vans. The two passenger cars no longer have a brake system and have been converted to the Russian SA-3 center buffer coupling. The train is traveling between Tmeimitschatt and Inal at around 60 km/h. The “Train du Désert” otherwise runs on order for groups between Ben Amira, Choum and Zouérate. The SNIM has 16 of this GPL-15T locomotives (BB # 201 to # 216) built between 2004 and 2008.
