Experience a day down memory lane, visit the Outeniqua Transport Museum before you travel on South Africa’s only remaining scheduled steam train, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe
The Choo Tjoe offers its passengers a unique, picturesque and scenic 52-kilometre journey experiencing the Garden Route with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean. The George / Mossel Bay line was officially opened by Sir Pieter Fraure on 25 September 1907 and was operated by the Cape Government Railways (CGR) by the New Cape Central railway (NCCR) until the railway line was completed as far as Oudtshoorn in 1913.
The railway initially traverses mainly agricultural land used for grazing. Two major rivers are crossed. These are the Gwaiing and Malgate rivers. After crossing the Gwaiing River the railway climbs towards the siding of Skimmelkrans. After Skimmelkrans the railway winds its way for 4 kms into the Malgate Valley. The railway crosses the Malgate River high above the river where large roundish holes can be seen in the rock of the riverbed. These holes are the result of floodwater rolling stones over and over in the depressions causing gradual, but noticeable erosion.
From Outeniqua the line begins its descendant to the sea. As the train twists around a large horseshoe bend, the hillsides fall dramatically towards the sea. The first seaside resort to come into view is Glentana.
read more here.....http://www.onlinesources.co.za/chootjoe/
http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com/2009/04/fauresmith-municipality-sar-class-8b.html
