The longest production manganese train in the world has rolled into Saldanha Bay on the Cape West Coast after travelling more than 800 kilometres from the Northern Cape.
The train is four kilometres in length and transports 375 wagons. Each wagon can carry two truckloads of manganese.
Travelling from the Sishen mine in Kathu, the train was transporting more than 24 000 tons of manganese.
Transnet’s Acting Group Chief Operating Officer, Richard Vallihu, says it is estimated that the train will add R355 million in freight revenue to their coffers annually.
“The supply chain of Transnet is actually in motion here. It’s clear that if we get our act together and get the execution right and get the planning right – we’ve got the crew, we’ve got the capabilities and this is a world leader.”
Train driver, 33-year-old Elizia Clarke says it’s an experience operating the locomotive.
Today we unveil the production train with the most number of wagons in the world. #Transnet the ribbon is cut by the Acting Transnet Group Chief Operations Officer-Richard Vallihu, Acting TFR Chief Executive-Lloyd Tobias, IOM BU Head-Russel Baatjies… pic.twitter.com/caMERB2tu4
— TransnetFreight Rail (@ReliableTFR) October 24, 2019