It seems South Africa is serious about ambitions in the high-speed arena, though whether it understands “high speed” to mean Gautrain’s modest 160km/h or the genuine article (nearer 300km/h) as exemplified in countries like China, Japan, France and Spain is not exactly clear. Project no 1 concerns the Moloto Road north of Pretoria, on which serious traffic accidents involving public transport occur with monotonous frequency. This outer suburban commuter route is obviously unsuited to genuine high-speed (TGV-type) trains. Other routes being considered include Johannesburg-Durban, whose fearsome topography raises all manner of questions, mainly related to the astronomic cost of unavoidably lengthy tunnels. Johannesburg-Cape Town conjures visions of Chinese super-trains streaking across the Karoo – though whether an all-in time of, say, five hours (at 300km/h plus) will attract people away from aeroplanes taking two hours is a moot point. At least they won’t be stopping in De Aar to change engines. As for the projected route 4 – Johannesburg to Polokwane – let us just say “no comment”.
A special steering committee is currently deliberating these weighty matters.

Original article [Railways Africa]