Milestone on paper, mixed picture in practice

Transnet recently celebrated what it termed “a pivotal milestone in South Africa’s industrial and economic recovery” as the 200^th state-of-the-art Traxx 23E locomotive rolled off the assembly line. ALISTAIR CHRISTISON was there…

The locomotive – which rolled off the assembly line at the Bayhead facility in Durban – is part of the 240 units that Transnet has procured as part of its fleet renewal programme. In principle, the event marked a significant milestone in the locomotive-manufacturing programme of Transnet Engineering, developed in partnership with Alstom. In practice, it offered an opportunity to ask hard questions of the organisation’s leadership and observe the state of South Africa’s rail-manufacturing ecosystem up close.

The result, for me, was a more nuanced picture than the celebratory tone of the official event suggested – one in which genuine engineering achievement sits alongside structural uncertainty, policy complexity and the slow, sometimes painful reshaping of South Africa’s freight-rail landscape.

A ceremony framed by bigger questions

The morning at Bayhead had the usual trimmings of an official rollout: speeches, staged photographs and polite applause. Senior Transnet executives were present, including chairperson of the Transnet board Andile Sangqu and chief executive Michelle Phillip, as was Alstom’s leadership team led by managing director Tristan le Masne. The mood among staff was positive… and that in itself was encouraging.

However, what set this event apart wasn’t the ceremonial unveiling of the locomotive, but the willingness of Transnet leadership to take questions on broader issues affecting the organisation: the faltering separation between Transnet and TRIM, the implications for private operators, the status of diesel-locomotive production and the sustainability of the 23E production line.

It was these conversations, more than the locomotive rollout itself, that revealed where South Africa’s freight-rail environment truly stands.

How the Class 23E gets built

The Class 23E programme involves a complex manufacturing chain, albeit one that is now functioning more smoothly than in years past. Locomotive bodies are constructed by Alstom in Boksburg and transported by road to Bayhead. Alstom supplies a full suite of parts for final assembly, while Transnet Engineering manufactures the bogie frames in Durban. At Bayhead, the components are brought together and the locomotive is fully assembled, tested and rolled directly onto Transnet’s tracks for delivery to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR).

Originally, 240 units were ordered, and Transnet expects this to be completed by June 2026. The leadership hinted that follow-on orders are likely – not necessarily because demand is assured, but because shutting down the production line would result in a catastrophic loss of skills, tooling and supplier capability.

South Africa’s relations with Chinese rolling-stock manufacturers have collapsed to the point that the Bayhead assembly line is now the country’s only functioning electric-locomotive production facility. Staff are sourced locally, many components are locally manufactured and the line is capable of producing 10 locomotives a month. That makes this factory, by default, strategically vital.

I was told that the first 200 locomotives delivered are achieving 98% availability against a contractual requirement of 95%. In a sector where availability figures are too often dismal, that is noteworthy.

What the Class 23E can (and can’t) do

The locomotive itself is technically impressive, though not without compromises. It has a single cab at one end, weighs 132 tonnes and rides on six axles with a 22-tonne axle load. Technically, this exceeds the standard 20-tonne axle loading allowed on most of South Africa’s general-freight network, but Transnet has for years permitted locomotives – though not wagons – to exceed this slightly. The coal and iron-ore corridors, with their heavier axle-load ratings, are obviously more suitable.

The 23E’s dual-voltage capability, switching automatically between 3kV DC and 25kV AC, enables it to operate anywhere on the electrified main lines. The locomotive produces 480kN starting tractive effort and 400kN continuous tractive effort, making it powerful enough for one unit to haul 50 loaded 40-foot flat-deck container wagons between Durban and Johannesburg. That is a significant leap and would replace three Class 18E locomotives currently needed for the same work.

There is regenerative braking, creep control for bulk loading beneath overhead bins and a crew toilet – small things, but not insignificant. Both Alstom and Transnet Engineering confirmed that locomotives of this class can be sold or leased to private operators.

The single-cab design, however, means the locomotive must be turned at the end of each journey. When I asked whether the possibility of wheel and rail wear had been fully assessed – particularly in the tight curves of the Natal Midlands – I received no firm answer. The locomotives have travelled that way en route to the Highveld, but real operating data remains limited. It is also worth noting that the current Class 18E locomotives have only four axles; substituting a six-axle locomotive on those curves may have implications that have not yet fully surfaced.

The TAL 2000 diesel: Good idea without a market

While not formally part of the day’s agenda, the presence of Transnet’s engineering leadership allowed for a brief update on the TAL 2000 diesel locomotive: Only three units have been built on speculation, no orders have materialised and production has now been paused.

The locomotive is designed for branch-line and sub-main-line use and can haul around 35 wagons on the same track conditions as the 23E. The bogie-centre spacing matches that of the ageing Class 35 fleet, allowing it to handle tight curves.

There will come a time when the current diesel fleet reaches the end of its economic life, and presumably orders will eventually pick up. But for now, the TAL 2000 sits in limbo.