Sishen–Saldanha railway line

The Sishen–Saldanha railway line, also known as the Ore Export Line (OREX), is an 861-kilometre-long (535 mi) heavy-haul railway line in South Africa.[1] It connects iron ore mines near Sishen in the Northern Cape with the port at Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape.[1] It is used primarily to transport iron ore (60 million tonnes per year)[2] and does not carry passenger traffic.

Ore Export Line
Overview
Owner	Transnet Freight Rail
Locale	Western & Northern Cape, South Africa
Termini	Sishen, Northern Cape Saldanha, Western Cape
Service
Type	Iron ore freight
Operator(s)	Transnet Freight Rail
Depot(s)	Salkor Yard
History
Opened	1976
Technical
Line length	861 km (535 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	50 kV AC overhead catenary
Operating speed	80 km/h
Route map Legend - 861km Sishen ( Hotazel – Postmasburg ) 792km Vrolik Loop 18 741km Witpan Loop 17 699km Rooilyf Loop 16 Orange River ( Upington – Prieska ) 659km Oorkruis Loop 15 614km Rugseer Loop 14 576km Kenhardt Loop 13 532km Kolke Loop 12 484km Dagab Loop 11 446km Halfweg Loop 10 409km Commissioner's Pan Loop 9 372km Sous Loop 8 337km De Kop Loop 7 274km Kanakies Loop 6 Northern Cape-Western Cape border 227km Saggiesberg Loop 5 184km Knersvlak Loop 4 ( Bitterfontein – Cape Town ) Olifants River 142km Bamboesbaai Loop 3 92km Kreefbaai Loop 2 Bobbejaansberg Tunnel 41km Dwarskersbos Loop 1 Berg River ( Saldanha – Cape Town ) 0km Salkor Port of Saldanha

The Sishen–Saldanha line was built by Iscor, the then iron and steel parastatal, opening in 1976.[3]

In 1977 the line was transferred to Transnet Freight Rail, then known as South African Railways & Harbours, and was electrified.[3] A voltage of 50 kV AC was chosen instead of the usual 25 kV to haul heavier loads and allow greater distance between transformers.

A single-track line with 10 crossing loops to allow trains travelling in opposite directions to pass was constructed. The number of crossing loops has increased to 19 to increase line capacity.[1]

From an altitude of 1,295 metres (4,249 ft) at Sishen, the line climbs for 42 kilometres (26 mi) before descending to cross the Orange River about 10 kilometres (6 mi) downstream of Groblershoop.[1] For the next 300 kilometres (190 mi), the line rises and falls before descending towards the Atlantic coast.[1] The railway crosses the Olifants River on a 1,035 metres (3,396 ft) viaduct between Vredendal and Lutzville[3] and reaches the coast about 160 kilometres (100 mi) north of Saldanha.[1] From there the line follows a coastal route.

Note the very long 50 kV insulators on the catenary masts

Example of a locomotive

Inside the cab of a locomotive

Initial train lengths consisted of three class 9E electric locomotives, hauling 210 type CR ore wagons with a payload of 80 tons.[3] Upgraded wagons now carry 100 tons.[1] Train lengths were increased in 2007 to 342 wagons, employing Radio Distributed Power (RDP) technology. These trains (initially with 10 locomotives, a mix of electric and diesel-electric) and 342 wagons have a total mass of 41,400 tonnes and are 3,780 metres (12,400 ft) long, the longest production trains in the world. The same 342-wagon trains are now powered by just five 15Es, crewed by one driver and one assistant.[2]

The train length was increased in October 2019 to 375 wagons[4]

An aerial view of an ore train on the Sishen–Saldanha line