2007 Media Releases
Transnet Freight Rail Partners with the
Department of Health to Fight Aids - Aids Train
Transnet Freight Rail will once again sponsor the Department of Health’s commemoration of the Partnership Against AIDS event to be held at the Mahwelereng Stadium, Mokopane in the Limpopo Province on the 1st of December 2007. The sponsorship will be in the form of providing a free Partnership Against AIDS train to Limpopo as well as meals, refreshments and bedding.
Transnet Freight Rail sets new Record
on Iron Ore line
On 10 December 2006, Transnet Freight Rail achieved a record breaking weekly throughput on the ore line of 705,108 tons. This past week the company increased the weekly throughput to 727, 548 tons. This is 22, 440 tons more than the previous record.
The 861- kilometre Iron Ore railway line runs from Sishen to Saldanha. It is a purpose built single, heavy haul line carrying export iron ore.
Transnet Freight Rail is currently engaged in a multi-billion iron ore capacity expansion project together with Assmang and Kumba Resources to increase tonnage mined and railed from the current 29 million tons to 41 million tons a year.
Electricity power failures disrupt rail traffic on the Natal corridor railway line
Transnet Freight Rail has resumed normal service on the Natal mainline after power outages disrupted traffic flow last week. “We had to cancel and re-plan some 89 trains following the Eskom power failures in Gauteng and Kwazulu Natal between 9 and 11 October. We have a backlog of 25 trains on this line and are confident that this will be cleared by midweek. Our staff worked round the clock even over the weekend to deal with the backlog.
Transnet Freight Rail regrets these delays and would like to thank its customers for their patience and understanding during this electricity crisis”, says Transnet Freight Rail spokesperson, Molatwane Likhethe.
Transnet Freight Rail Works Around the Clock
to Re-rail Coal Wagons
Following the derailment of Train 0742 en route to Richards Bay Coal Terminal that occurred yesterday at 08:15, Transnet Freight Rail engineers and maintenance crews worked through the night to clear the derailment site and re-rail the wagons that had derailed. Expected time of re-opening the first line is 23:00 this evening and it is estimated that the second line will open at midday on Thursday, 11 October 2007.
The derailment occurred between Nhlazatshe and Izolof at 08:00 on Tuesday, 9 October 2007 when 13 wagons of coal derailed. There were no injuries and the cause of the derailment is being investigated.
“This incident will have no impact on coal exports as Richards Bay Coal Terminal has high stock volumes”, said Transnet Freight Rail spokesperson, Molatwane Likhethe.