Photo by: Creamer Media
Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR’s) Mineral Mining and Chrome (MMC) business unit, which is responsible for yearly planned maintenance where major capital replacement activities are implemented, will hold its financial year shutdown from June 7 to 13.
This presents an opportunity to catch up on the maintenance backlog and to replace obsolete, problematic infrastructure and upgrade projects in line with the expected volume growth.
“This year, we will be taking occupations from Phalaborwa, in Limpopo, to Kaapmuiden and Komatipoort, both in Mpumalanga, to Nsezi, in KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and Maputo, Polokwane, in Limpopo, and the Koedoespoort area, in Gauteng. The extensive maintenance regime will also include Isando, in Gauteng,” TFR reported on Wednesday.
The scope of maintenance work includes permanent way, technical support, electrical, signals and telecommunications.
Some of the major activities will include the replacement of 19 410 sleepers; the replacement of 17.3 km of rail; screening of 32.2 km of track; the tamping of 152 km of track; formation rehabilitation of 2.1 km; the replacement of seven turnouts; and the replacement of one pipe culvert.
There are currently 59 temporary speed restrictions imposed on MMC lines owing to various network failures, where shutdown activities will be taking place.
On completion of the shutdown, 18 of the speed restrictions will be removed, which will improve assets’ turnaround time and reduce derailment risks.
“Transnet continues to invest millions towards ensuring reduction in incidents that disrupt train operations. This is to enable the utility’s strategic intent of attracting more rail-friendly cargo,” said Transnet.