Photo by: Creamer Media
State-owned rail company Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has announced that it is experiencing significant disruptions to rail services on some parts of the Cape Corridor as a result of severe weather conditions in the region over the long weekend.
TFR noted on September 27 that the Caledon branch line and the Cape Main line in both the Western Cape and Eastern Cape had been severely affected by adverse weather conditions.
Extreme rainfall has resulted in wash-aways, rockslides and fallen trees along some sections of rail lines, causing damage to locomotives and rail infrastructure, resulting in challenging operational obstacles.
Consequently, operations have had to be suspended, affecting both the freight and passenger services on the Cape Main line.
In the Eastern Cape, heavy winds broke the overhead equipment of the rail line on the Blinkhoff and Salraire section of the Manganese Main line, which is causing delays in train operations.
“We are actively working to address these challenges and have deployed our dedicated teams to restore normal operations within the coming week. Safety remains our utmost priority, and all necessary precautions are taken to ensure that the damaged infrastructure is restored safely.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued customers and stakeholders during this challenging period,” TFR said.