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Central Line (Cape Town)

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Central Line
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerPRASA
LocaleCape Town, South Africa
Termini
Stations33
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemMetrorail Western Cape
Services3
Operator(s)Metrorail
Rolling stockX'Trapolis Mega
Technical
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationOverhead catenary
Route map

Cape Town
0:00
0:00
SA road N2.svg
N2
Eastern Blvd
Woodstock
0:03
0:04
Esplanade
Salt River
0:06
0:07
Paarden Eiland
0:09
Ysterplaat
M5 ZAF jct.svg
M5
Black River Pkwy
Koeberg Road
0:09
Maitland
0:11
Northern Line
Monte Vista branch
Ndabeni
0:14
Pinelands
0:16
0:15
Mutual
0:20
Langa
Bonteheuwel
0:23
0:00
0:23
0:00
Netreg
0:03
0:05
Lavistown
SA road N2.svg
N2
Settler's Way
0:09
Belhar
Heideveld
0:06
0:12
Unibell
Nyanga
0:10
0:15
Pentech
Philippi
0:14
0:18
Sarepta
SA road R300.svg
R300
Cape Flats Fwy
0:24
Bellville
Lentegeur
0:19
Mitchell's Plain
0:23
Northern Line
Wellington branch
Kapteinsklip
0:26
Northern Line
Stellenbosch branch
Stock Road
0:18
Mandalay
0:21
Nolungile
0:25
Nonkqubela
0:28
Khayelitsha
0:32
Kuyasa
0:38
Chris Hani
0:44

The Central Line is a commuter rail service in Cape Town, South Africa, operated by Metrorail Western Cape. Central Line services operate along two routes from central Cape Town to Langa, and then along three branches from Langa to various areas in the south-east of the city. The first branch runs to Mitchell's Plain, the second to Khayelitsha, and the third passes through Belhar to terminate in Bellville.[1]

Route

[edit]

Central Line trains depart from Cape Town station on one of two routes. The first route runs along the original Cape Town–Bellville main line through Salt River to Maitland, and then branches south to pass around the western and southern edge of Pinelands to Langa station. The other route runs along the relief main line past Paarden Eiland and then branches south through Kensington to Mutual station; from Mutual it runs along the eastern edge of Pinelands to Langa.[2]

From Langa station all trains pass through Bonteheuwel station; some continue east through Bishop Lavis and Belhar, passing the University of the Western Cape before turning north and then west to terminate at Bellville. Other trains branch south after Bonteheuwel, passing Manenberg and Gugulethu to Philippi station. From Philippi, one branch passes south through Mitchell's Plain to terminate at Kapteinsklip station, while the other passes south-east through Khayelitsha to terminate at Chris Hani station.[2][3]

Most trains to Mitchell's Plain use the Salt River route from Cape Town to Langa, while most trains to Bellville or Khayelitsha use the Mutual route, but there are some exceptions.[1]

Station listing

[edit]

The Central Line serves the following stations:[1]

Cape Town
Woodstock Esplanade
Salt River Paarden Eiland
Koeberg Road Ysterplaat
Maitland Mutual
Ndabeni
Pinelands
Langa
Bonteheuwel
Netreg Lavistown
Heideveld Belhar
Nyanga Unibell
Philippi Pentech
Lentegeur Stock Road Sarepta
Mitchell's Plain Mandalay Bellville
Kapteinsklip Nolungile
Nonkqubela
Khayelitsha
Kuyasa
Chris Hani

Map


Operation

[edit]

The line is made up of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) track, electrified with 3,000 V DC overhead catenary; all parts of the line are at least double track. Services are operated mostly by electric multiple units of Class 5M2 and (on the Khayelitsha line) Class 8M.

Current situation

[edit]

After 2011, PRASA was increasingly unable to maintain the line and the Khayelitsha line ceased operation in 2019 due to vandalism and metal theft. More recently, plans to reopen it have been thwarted by squatters occupying the railway territory.[4][5][6] It is proposed to re-open the line by December 2022,[7][8][9] though many previous deadlines have been missed. Rail workers attempting to restore the line have been assaulted by armed gangs.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Timetable: Cape Town to Langa - Lavistown - Kapteinsklip - Khayelitsha" (PDF). Metrorail Western Cape. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b "2010 Local passenger rail routes of South Africa: Western Cape: Cape Town" (PDF). Metrorail. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  3. ^ "New trains for Khayelitsha residents". West Cape News. 11 June 2009. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  4. ^ Petersen, Tammy. "Nearly 8 000 living on or around Cape Town's central train line - Metrorail". News24. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  5. ^ Payi, Bulelwa. "Prasa outlines plan to reopen the Central Line". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  6. ^ Payne, Suné (18 January 2022). "GETTING BACK ON TRACK: Cape Town's Central Line rail repairs could come to R2.5bn — Prasa chief". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  7. ^ Payne, Suné (15 May 2022). "PRASA BACK ON RAILS? : Informal settlements on Metrorail tracks still hinder progress on Cape Town's Central Line". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  8. ^ Washinyira, Tariro (27 July 2022). "Will Cape Town's Central Line open in December? Mbalula says so…". GroundUp News. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  9. ^ GroundUp, James Stent for (24 February 2022). "GROUNDUP: OFF TRACK: Prasa says Cape Town Central Line only to return to service in December 2022". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  10. ^ Reporters, Daily Maverick (4 September 2022). "GANGSTERISM: Thugs 'with AK-47s threaten us, take our children's food' – worker in Cape Town train line extortion saga". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 6 September 2022.