Sishen-Saldanha Railway Line
Encyclopedia
The Sishen–Saldanha railway line, also known as the Ore Export Line, is an 861 kilometres (535 mi) long heavy haul railway line in South Africa. It connects iron ore mines near Sishen
in the Northern Cape
with the port at Saldanha Bay
in the Western Cape
. It is used primarily to transport iron ore and does not carry passenger traffic.
The Sishen–Saldanha line was built by Iscor, the then iron and steel parastatal, opening in 1976. In 1977 the line was transferred to Transnet Freight Rail, then known as South African Railways & Harbours, and a decision was made to electrify the line. A voltage of 50 kV AC was chosen instead of the usual 25 kV in order to haul heavier loads and to allow a larger distance between transformers.
A single set of tracks with ten crossing loops to allow trains travelling in opposite directions to pass was constructed; this has since been increased to 19 crossing loops to increase line capacity.
From an altitude of 1295 metres (4,248.7 ft) at Sishen, the line climbs for 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) before descending to cross the Orange River
about 10 kilometres (6 mi) downstream of Groblershoop. For the next 300 kilometres (186.4 mi), the line rises and falls before descending towards the Atlantic coast. The railway crosses the Olifants River on a 1035 metres (3,395.7 ft) viaduct between Vredendal and Lutzville and reaches the coast about 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) north of Saldanha. From here it follows a coastal route.
Initial train lengths consisted of 3x class 9E electric locomotives, hauling 210 type CR ore wagons with a payload of 80 tons. Upgraded wagons now carry 100 tons. Train lengths have been increased to 342 wagons, employing Radio Distributed Power (RDP) technology. These 4 km long trains (10 locomotives and 342 wagons), are the longest production trains in the world. More than 3,000 of these RDP trains have been operated since launched in December 2007.
Sishen
Sishen is a town in Northern Cape, South Africa. It is the location of a large iron ore mine.- Transport :The mine is connected to the port of Saldanha Bay by the Sishen-Saldanha Railway Line. The line is electrified at 50 kV AC and the trains using this line are amongst the heaviest trains in the...
in the Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
with the port at Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay is a natural harbour on the south-western coast of South Africa, north west of Cape Town. The town that developed on the northern shore of the bay, also called Saldanha, was incorporated with five other towns into the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality in 2000. The current population of...
in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
. It is used primarily to transport iron ore and does not carry passenger traffic.
The Sishen–Saldanha line was built by Iscor, the then iron and steel parastatal, opening in 1976. In 1977 the line was transferred to Transnet Freight Rail, then known as South African Railways & Harbours, and a decision was made to electrify the line. A voltage of 50 kV AC was chosen instead of the usual 25 kV in order to haul heavier loads and to allow a larger distance between transformers.
A single set of tracks with ten crossing loops to allow trains travelling in opposite directions to pass was constructed; this has since been increased to 19 crossing loops to increase line capacity.
From an altitude of 1295 metres (4,248.7 ft) at Sishen, the line climbs for 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) before descending to cross the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
about 10 kilometres (6 mi) downstream of Groblershoop. For the next 300 kilometres (186.4 mi), the line rises and falls before descending towards the Atlantic coast. The railway crosses the Olifants River on a 1035 metres (3,395.7 ft) viaduct between Vredendal and Lutzville and reaches the coast about 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) north of Saldanha. From here it follows a coastal route.
Initial train lengths consisted of 3x class 9E electric locomotives, hauling 210 type CR ore wagons with a payload of 80 tons. Upgraded wagons now carry 100 tons. Train lengths have been increased to 342 wagons, employing Radio Distributed Power (RDP) technology. These 4 km long trains (10 locomotives and 342 wagons), are the longest production trains in the world. More than 3,000 of these RDP trains have been operated since launched in December 2007.
See also
- South African Class 34-000South African Class 34-000Between July 1971 and March 1973 the South African Railways placed one hundred and twenty-five Class 34-000 GE U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service.- Manufacturer :...
- South African Class 34-400South African Class 34-400Between April 1973 and November 1974 the South African Railways placed one hundred Class 34-400 GE U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service.- Manufacturer :...
- South African Class 34-500South African Class 34-500Between 1974 and 1977 the state owned South African Iron and Steel Corporation, now Kumba Iron Ore, placed forty-four GE U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service on its 1974 built Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line and as heavy shunters at the Sishen mine. In 1977 another two locomotives were built...
- South African Class 34-900South African Class 34-900Between October 1979 and February 1981 the South African Railways placed thirty Class 34-900 GE U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service.-Manufacturer:...
- South African Class 9E, Series 1South African Class 9E, Series 1In 1978 and 1979 the South African Railways placed twenty-five Class 9E, Series 1 electric locomotives with a Co-Co wheel arrangement in service on the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line.-Manufacturer:...
- South African Class 9E, Series 2South African Class 9E, Series 2In 1982 and 1983 the South African Railways expanded its existing Class 9E fleet by placing six new Class 9E, Series 2 electric locomotives with a Co-Co wheel arrangement in service on the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line.-Manufacturer:...
- South African Class 15ESouth African Class 15EIn 2010 Transnet Freight Rail placed the first of seventy-six Class 15E 50 kV AC heavy electric freight locomotives with a Co-Co wheel arrangement in service on the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line.-Manufacturers:...