Transnet Freight Rail's 580 km (365 miles) CoalLink line stretches from the coal mines on the Mpumalanga highveld, through rural kwaZulu-Natal and terminates at the port of Richards Bay. The double line is bi-directionally signaled and fully electrified at 3kV DC to Ermelo and 25kV AC from there to Richards Bay. At Ermelo, two 100-wagon loaded trains are coupled together to form one 200-wagon train, 2.5km in length and loaded to 20 800 gross tons. Similarly, on the return journey, 200 wagon trains of empties from Richards Bay are split into two 100-wagon trains, for forwarding to the mines. One of these trains of empties is seen west of Ermelo, behind four class 10E 6-axle 3kV DC locomotives, heading towards Broodsnyersplaas (literally, bread cutters farm).
