News24 | WATCH | Transnet smashes world record with 7.6km freight train

Transnet Freight Rail says the successful journey of its 7.6km freight train, which travelled from the Port of Saldanha to iron ore mines in the Northern Cape last Saturday and Sunday, set a new record for the longest train operated on South Africa’s railway lines and a world record for the longest freight train.

Supplied/Transnet Freight Rail

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State freight rail operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) is boasting a new world record after the successful journey of its 7.6km train on the Northern Cape’s Iron Ore Export Line (Sishen-Saldanha Railway Line).

In an announcement, TFR said the 696-wagon empty train travelled from the Port of Saldanha to the Northern Cape mines last Saturday and Sunday – a journey of 861km.

According to Guinness World Records, the previous record holder was a 7.35km long freight train operated by the mining company BHP Iron Ore.

The train travelled 275km from the company’s Newman and Yandi mines to Port Hedland in Western Australia in June 2001. It had an estimated 682 ore cars and eight diesel-electric locomotives, which together weighed 99 732 tonnes.

Before that, Transnet had set a world record for the longest and heaviest train ever operated with its 7.2km specially assembled iron ore freight train in 1989. It consisted of 660 wagons and 16 locomotives, with a 70 000-tonne gross weight.

Transnet also operated the world’s longest manganese train in December 2018, which consisted of 375 wagons that measured 4km.

READ | World record: Transnet just launched a four-kilometre long train, with 375 wagons

TFR head Russel Baatjies said the weekend’s events were an example of the operator’s depth and expertise.

“While setting a world record is a significant achievement, the real value lies in the technical knowledge and operational insights gained through this exercise. These learnings will contribute to the continued advancement of rail operations, support innovation and strengthen our freight rail capability into the future,” he said in a statement.

The world record-setting journey followed the shutdown of the line between 6 and 16 October for annual maintenance. The maintenance was part of the R8.9 billion long-term Ore Line Restoration programme, aimed at restoring the line’s reliability and efficiency by 2030.

The journey also followed the shutdown of the Sishen-Saldanha Railway Line between 6 and 16 October for annual maintenance.

The maintenance was part of the R8.9 billion long-term Ore Line Restoration Programme, aimed at restoring the line’s reliability and efficiency by 2030. About R3.4 billion has been allocated through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure for the programme over the next two financial years.

This year, the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager, which manages South Africa’s physical rail infrastructure, is expected to invest R2.2 billion in restorative maintenance, including rolling stock.