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Dalton-Jagbaan-Glenside Branch LineThis is a short 19 km branch line, serving the large sugar
mill
at Jaagbaan and a pulpwood depot at Glenside. It was
opened in 1915, and generated wattle bark, timber and
firewood, as well as maize and livestock hide traffic for
many years. In 1928, it generated 2,300 tons of traffic,
down from over 3,700 tons in 1925. In spite of the traffic
reduction, the line ran at a profit (including interest
on capital at the time). A sugar mill was established at
Jaagbaan during the 1950s when new strains of frost-
resistant sugarcane were developed, and this greatly
increased overall traffic on the branch line.
The line has a 1 in 50 gradient in both directions, and a
single Class 35 diesel can take a load of 600 tons
although four units are used on block loads of bulk sugar
trains. The section from Dalton to Jagbaan is rated an
18,5 ton axle-load, but beyond Jaagbaan to Glenside it is
16 tons. This section of line is in poor condition and its
future is uncertain.
Main traffic on the branch consists of bulk sugar from the
large sugar mill. During 2005/2006 nearly 80,000
tons of bulk sugar was forwarded to Gauteng, while over
10,000 tons of molasses was dispatched to Durban and other
destinations in the Eastern and Western Cape. In addition,
another 10,500 tons of roundwood for pulping and chipping
originated at Glenside.
Timber loading - Glenside
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For Details of
Volumes and Commodities Received
and Forwarded [Table 6]CLICK HERE
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