[Class 15E, Class 9E]: Sishen-Saldanha Iron Ore Train - 3.72km Long (Sept 2015)

The Sishen Saldanha Iron Ore train, seen here going under the R27 West Coast Road, heading towards Saldanha with a fully loaded consist.
The Consist is lead by 15-069, 15-046 followed by 15-070 in B-set, and 15-037 in C-Set and finally pushed by now extinct E9025, SAR Class 9E, Series 1.
Back in the days the 9E's were the workhorses of this line, usually consisted of 4x 9E's Leading, with 2x Class 34 Diesel Locomotive, and the full length at that time were about 200 wagons being pulled upfront by this combination. Today, the 9E's are scrapped, they were worn out, and newer technology is more efficient and powerful, thus the route to go.
Today, the train is prepared in Sets, A, pulled by 2x 15E's, B, pulled by 1x 15E & C, pulled by 1x 15E and finally being pushed by a 15E or 2x Class 43 Diesel Locomotives.
Sometimes 1 or 2 15E's will be replaced/combined by a Class 43 Diesel Locomotive, but the lead locomotive will always be a 15E. It is possible to make a Class 43 Diesel Locomotive the lead locomotive if required so. The train makes use of RDP (Radio Distributed Power) or "SmartCable". The "Smart Cable" gives this great flexibility to control the entire train from the front with one driver and assistant for the entire train, regardless of it being a 15E or a Class 43 leading.
This all adds up to 342 wagons, each loaded with 100 ton Iron Ore, giving a total train length of about 3,72km (2.31 miles).
[October 2019: The train length was increased, now using 375 wagons and the total length of 4km (2.48mi). Ore and manganese are now being transported].

[@paulrowe9604]

The 9E locomotives were equipped with a small Honda motorbike so that in the event of a breakdown the conductor can ride to the nearest telephone ! (no cell phones in 1981) For a short time around 1981 I worked on the building of the 9E locomotives in Saldanha .for British G.;E.C.

[@torquetrain8963]

Amazing power!

[@SPT83]

this locomotive was going to operate here in Brazil in the 80s on the steel railroad, it would be the first 25 kv locomotive to operate here

[@Martin4982]

This Iron Ore Line here in South Africa run on 50kV, and the 9E's were withdrawn from service around 2015 onwards and fully replaced by the the Class 15E Locomotives, sometimes mixed with the Class 43 Diesel Electric

[@user-gq9ld3kf4b]

No steam locomotive anywhere in the world can handle that load let alone at that speed.(2024.01.02-NgoLwes' bili-19:43-socalled South Africa)

[@mthokoowen1460]

No matter how much I like and value steam locomotives,truth be told that none can handle these heavy loads as easily and fast as does electrics.Steam may be modified and upgraded in anyway or form but steal it wont be in the same league as electrics.(2021.02.10-20:28)