South Africa

For a full scale picture, please click on the picture shown !

za-transnet-class44-belfast-220122-vesakailanen-full.jpg

South Africa's railways system is the most developed one in all of Africa. Two state owned companies, PRASA and Transnet Freight Rail operate freight and commuter train services. A third company, Metrorail operates also commuter train services in Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. Almost all rail services in South Africa operate on the so called Cape gauge rails with a gauge width of 1067 mm. South Africa has a rail network of approximately 36 000 kilometres, out of which roughly half is electrified with either 3 kV DC or 25 kV or 50 kV AC. There are also some really narrow gauge short lines using either 610 mm or 762 mm gauge tracks.

This is a Transnet Freight Rail diesel locomotive of the class 44. They were built by General Electric as the GE type ES40ACi in 2015.
Photo from near the town of Belfast 22.1.2022 by Vesa Kailanen.

za-transnet-class44-belfast-220122-vesakailanen-pic2-full.jpg

Another view of a Transnet Freight Rail diesel locomotive of the class 44.
Photo from near the Lakenvlei forest lodge north of the town of Belfast 22.1.2022 by Vesa Kailanen.

za-transnet-class44-belfast-220122-vesakailanen-pic3-full.jpg

A total of three class 44 locomotives is being used to pull a heavy ore train.
Photo from near the Lakenvlei forest lodge north of the town of Belfast 22.1.2022 by Vesa Kailanen.
Back to main page.