Shosholoza Meyl

Shosholoza MeyL

Industry	Rail transport
Headquarters	Braamfontein
Products	Long-distance passenger rail
Slogan	A Pleasant Experience
Website	http://www.shosholozameyl.co.za

Shosholoza Meyl is a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) that operates long-distance (intercity) passenger rail services. It operates various train routes across South Africa,^[1] carrying approximately 4 million passengers annually.^[2] Before 2009, Shosholoza Meyl was a division of Spoornet, but it was transferred after the formation of PRASA.

"Shosholoza" is the name of a popular South African song about workers on a train and it therefore means moving forward. "Meyl" is a word that is related to a South African word for "long distance train", according to the Spoornet/Shosholoza Meyl website. The company's name prior to change was "Mainline Passenger Services".

In August 2010, Shosholoza Meyl suspended services claiming either contract difficulties (between Transnet and Prasa) or unreliable trains. Some services began to resume in November 2010.^[3][4]

Routes

Shosholoza Meyl route map

As of December 2012 Shosholoza Meyl operates the following routes.^[5]

• Johannesburg – Kimberley – Cape Town
• Johannesburg – Pietermaritzburg – Durban
• Johannesburg – Bloemfontein – Port Elizabeth
• Johannesburg – Bloemfontein – East London
• Johannesburg – Nelspruit – Komatipoort
• Johannesburg – Polokwane – Musina
• Cape Town – Kimberley – Bloemfontein – Pietermaritzburg – Durban
• Cape Town – East London

Track & Equipment

Shosholoza Meyl at Quarry loop near Touws River

Shosholoza Meyl trains run on the Cape gauge (1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)) Spoornet main-line track. The trains are locomotive-pulled. Most routes are completely electrified 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC systems, usually class 6E1 locomotives on the 3 kV system and class 7E1 on the 25 kV system. Diesel is used on the Johannesburg – Port Elizabeth trains between Bloemfontein and Noupoort, and on the Durban - Cape Town trains between Bloemfontein and Kimberley. Before 2002 the Pretoria – Cape Town trains were hauled by diesel between Kimberley and De Aar.

The trains are made up of three types of coach:

• Sleeper 4: six 4-person compartments and two 2-person coupés, plus shower and toilet facilities.
• Sleeper 6: six 6-person compartments and two 3-person coupés, plus shower and toilet facilities.
• Sitter: 72 seats, in 18 rows of 4 seats with an aisle in the middle, plus toilet facilities. There are also various older types of carriages with differing levels of comfort used as sitters.

Since 1 July 2006 Shosholoza Meyl has operated its sleepers and sitters as separate trains. Starting from 1 November 2006 sleeping cars were re-introduced on selected Economy Trains, this decision was however reversed shortly thereafter. Now the Economy Trains convey 'Sitter' carriages only.

See also

• Spoornet
• Transnet

References

External links

• Shosholoza Meyl official website
• Premier Classe official website
• Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa