Trans Karoo Express
The Trans Karoo Express, or simply Trans Karoo, was a South African express passenger train service which travelled an approximately 1,600-kilometre (990 mi) journey between Johannesburg and Cape Town. It operated daily in each direction, meaning that there were in fact two Trans Karoos - they passed each other during the night, heading in opposite directions. The service was operated by Spoornet, the national railway company.
The Trans Karoo was named from the Great Karoo scrubland, one of the most extensive geographical features of southern Africa, across which the train operated. The route was identical to that operated by the Blue Train. However, the Blue Train is an exclusively 1st-class luxury service, on which a considerable premium is payable. The Trans Karoo conveyed 3rd class, 2nd class, and 'ordinary' 1st class passengers. Those travelling 1st class on the Trans Karoo had private sleeping compartments (converted to seating accommodation during the day) with washing facilities, plus shared showers and lavatories in each carriage. There was also a dining and bar car on the train, where meals could be taken in comfort. 2nd class consisted of couchette coaches, and 3rd class of simple upright seating.
After anti-apartheid sanctions were lifted in 1990, South Africa became a popular destination for railfans as Spoornet was still using many steam locomotives. In 1991, Spoornet began to operate the Trans Karoo Express with steam for part of its journey. A pair of 26NC class locomotives hauled the train between Johannesburg and Klerksdorp on Saturdays, returning on Sundays. This ended in March 1997.
The service is now incorporated into the Shosholoza Meyl network of operations, a sub-division of the national passenger train operator, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. Although the title of Trans Karoo has officially ended, it is still used colloquially to refer to the Johannesburg to Cape Town section of Shosholoza Meyl operations, where the trains still operate exactly the same route as the old Trans Karoo, and to the same timetable. Shosholoza Meyl has introduced new modern railway coaches, although these have attracted criticism from tourists for their small windows and resulting limited views.