Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has started with the yearly maintenance shutdown of the Cape Corridor’s East London main line, which will continue for seven days until January 22 and see no trains running on the line.
The maintenance is set to improve the 629-km-long rail network covering the areas from East London, in the Eastern Cape, to Springfontein, in the Free State, as well as from Springfontein to Noupoort, in the Northern Cape.
The State-owned freight utility will undertake ballast screening and replacement of damaged sleepers, as well as tiger wire installation, as part of the maintenance programme.
TFR says the yearly maintenance shutdowns help to improve the network availability and reliability.
Additionally, the entity says it will power up the line using aluminium wire, which has lesser risk of vandalism.