Outeniqua Choo Tjoe

{{Infobox rail line | color = 441214 | name = Outeniqua Choo Tjoe | type = [[Heritage railway]] | status = Under restoration | start = George | end = Knysna | tracks = 1 | gauge = {{Track gauge|1067mm|allk=on|lk=on}} | image = Outeniqua Choo Tjoe.JPG | image_width = 300 | caption = Crossing the [[Kaaimans River]] into [[Wilderness, Western Cape|Wilderness]] | map = {{Switcher | {{maplink|type=line|frame=yes|id=Q13582397|text=Interactive Map|plain=no|frame-align=center|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#441214}} | Interactive Map | {{Outeniqua Choo Tjoe route diagram}} | Route Map }} | website = {{URL|https://www.outeniquachootjoe.com/}} | close = {{Start date and age|2010|10|17|df=y}} | linelength_km = 67.0 | tracklength_km = 67.6 }}

The '''Outeniqua Choo Tjoe''' was Africa’s last regularly scheduled passenger steam train, operating on the branch line connecting [[George, Western Cape|George]] and [[Knysna, Western Cape|Knysna]] along the scenic [[Garden Route]]. Covering {{Convert|67.0|km|mi|abbr=on}}, the line passed through areas including Victoria Bay, the [[Kaaimans River]] Bridge, Wilderness, Sedgefield, and Goukamma. Passenger numbers grew from around 40,000 per year to 115,000 by the early 2000s, 70% of whom were foreign tourists. The line and steam service were declared an officially preserved [[railway]] in 1992.

==History==

The line was constructed to serve both passenger and freight traffic along the Garden Route. It became a popular heritage railway, attracting tourists due to its historic steam locomotives and the scenic landscapes it traversed.

In August 2006, heavy floods damaged sections of the line, forcing a suspension of services. From November 2006, the train was temporarily rerouted to operate between George and [[Mossel Bay]], with a stop at [[Hartenbos]], until normal service could not be resumed.

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe ceased operation on 17 September 2010. [[Transnet]] Limited, the owner, stated that the train was not part of its core business and sought new operators through a tender process. Despite discussions with private companies such as Classic Rail, no agreement was reached, resulting in permanent closure. Local authorities emphasized the heritage and tourism value of the line, advocating for its preservation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Choo-Tjoe's last puff|url=https://www.georgeherald.com/News/Article/General/www.georgeherald.com/News/Article/General/choo-tjoe-s-last-puff-20170710|access-date=2022-09-27|website=George Herald}}</ref>

==Rolling Stock==

Trains were typically hauled by [[South African Class 19D 4-8-2|SAR Class 19D]] steam locomotives with Vanderbilt-like “torpedo” tenders. [[South African Class 24 2-8-4|Class 24]] engines were occasionally used. During dry summer conditions, [[South African Class 32-000|SAR Class 32]] diesel locomotives substituted to reduce the risk of [[wildfire]]. Passenger coaches consisted of heritage-style carriages designed for tourism services.

==Revival efforts==

After the 2010 closure, several proposals were made to revive the line. In December 2021, Transnet Freight Rail issued a Request for Proposals for the management and operation of the line, closing in April 2022. By September 2022, Classic Rail was one of two bidders still in contention.<ref>{{cite web|date=2022-09-25|title=State of the Choo Tjoe line September 2022 - Outeniqua Choo Tjoe|url=https://www.outeniquachootjoe.com/blog/post/state-of-choo-tjoe-line-september-2022/|access-date=2022-09-27|website=www.outeniquachootjoe.com|language=en}}</ref>

On 6 October 2025, Classic Rail announced that it had secured contracts and funding to rehabilitate the George–Knysna line and relaunch the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe as a tourist service. Reopening will occur in two phases: Knysna–Sedgefield first, followed by Sedgefield–George. The first phase is estimated to take approximately 12 months.<ref>{{cite news|last=Joubert|first=Michelle|title=Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe finally revived after two decades|url=https://www.georgeherald.com/News/Article/Local-News/outeniqua-choo-tjoe-finally-revived-after-two-decades-202510070149|work=George Herald|date=7 October 2025|access-date=8 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steaming ahead: finance and agreements in place|url=https://www.outeniquachootjoe.com/blog/post/finance-and-agreements-in-place-set-outeniqua-choo/|website=Outeniqua Choo Tjoe (Classic Rail)|date=6 October 2025|access-date=8 October 2025}}</ref>

[[File:Goukamma Valley railway tracks-rail-suspended.jpg|thumb|alt=The state of the railway line passing through the Goukamma Valley showing sections of the slope that have collapsed leaving the rails suspended in the air.|Railway track in Goukamma Valley.]] Inspection of the railway line in 2025 revealed natural degradation, including collapsed slopes, rotted or removed sleepers, and trees growing between rails and sleepers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fox|first1=David|title=Rail to Trail|url=https://www.cape-hike.co.za/rail-to-trail/|website=Cape-hike.co.za|access-date=9 October 2025}}</ref>

==Popular culture== In 2008, the train and the Kaaiman's River Bridge were featured in a television advertisement for [[Stella Artois]].

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://www.outeniquachootjoe.com/ Official Site of the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe]

[[Category:Transport in the Western Cape]] [[Category:Heritage railways in South Africa]] [[Category:Named passenger trains of South Africa]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in the Western Cape]] [[Category:Railway services discontinued in 2009]]