South African Class 34-400 Explained

South African Class 34-400
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Designer:General Electric
Builder:SA GE-DL Locomotive Group
Serialnumber:38623-38722
Buildmodel:GE U26C
Builddate:1973–1974
Totalproduction:100
Aarwheels:C-C
Uicclass:Co'Co'
Britishclass:Co+Co
Wheeldiameter:9151NaN1
Wheelbase:130041NaN1
Bogie:31881NaN1
Over Couplers:179821NaN1
Pivotcentres:100581NaN1
Width:27561NaN1
Height:39621NaN1
Axleload:18850kg (41,560lb)
Weightondrivers:113100kg (249,300lb)
Locoweight:113100kg (249,300lb) max
Fueltype:Diesel
Fuelcap:5400L new
7000L mod.
Primemover:GE FDL-12
Rpmrange:450-1,050
Rpmrange Low:450
Rpmrange Idle:535
Rpmrange Max:1,050
Enginetype:4-stroke diesel
Aspiration:Elliott H-581 turbocharger
Alternator:10 pole 3 phase GE 5GT-A11C1
Tractionmotors:Six GE 5GE-761A13 DC 4 pole
T/M Amps 1 Hr:665A
T/M Amps Cont:655A @ 24km/h
Cylindercount:V12
Gear Ratio:92:19
Multipleworking:6 maximum
Locobrakes:28-LAV-1 with vigilance control
Dynamicpeakeffort:180kN @ 29km/h
Trainbrakes:Westinghouse 6CDX4UC compressor/exhauster
Reservoircap:825L
Compressorcap:0.039m3/s
Exhaustercap:0.155m3/s
Coupling:AAR knuckle type E
Maxspeed:100km/h
Poweroutput Start:2050kW
Poweroutput Cont:1940kW
T/E Starting:272kN @ 25% adhesion
T/E Continuous:218kN @ 26km/h
F/Adh Starting:25%
F/Adh Continuous:20%
Locobrakeforce:60% ratio @ 345kPa
Operator:South African Railways
Spoornet
Kenya Railways
Sheltam
Sasol
Blue Circle
Transnet Freight Rail
Operatorclass:Class 34-400
Numinclass:100
Fleetnumbers:34-401 to 34-500
Deliverydate:1973–1974
Firstrundate:1973

The South African Railways Class 34-400 of 1973 is a diesel-electric locomotive.

Between April 1973 and November 1974, the South African Railways placed one hundred Class 34-400 General Electric type U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service.[1]

Manufacturer

The Class 34-400 type GE U26C diesel-electric locomotive was designed by General Electric (GE) and built for the South African Railways (SAR) by the South African General Electric-Dorman Long Locomotive Group (later Dorbyl). One hundred locomotives were delivered between April 1973 and November 1974, numbered in the range from to .

Distinguishing features

As built, the GE Classes , and locomotives were visually indistinguishable from each other. The Class locomotives could be distinguished from the other series by the air conditioning units mounted on their cab roofs and initially, when it was still a feature unique to them, by their running board mounted handrails. At some stage during the mid-1980s, all Class, and locomotives had saddle filters installed across the long hood, mounted just to the rear of the screens behind the cab on the sides. Since then, Class locomotives could be distinguished from the older models by the absence of the saddle filter.[2] [3] [4]

Modifications

Fuel capacity

As built, the Class had a 5400abbr=offNaNabbr=off fuel tank and interlinked bogies, while the Class was delivered new to Iscor with a 7000abbr=offNaNabbr=off fuel tank to cope with the lack of en route refuelling points on the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line. To facilitate the larger fuel tank, the inter-bogie linkage found on all other models had to be omitted on the Class 34-500.[5]

To be usable on the iron ore line, Class units which ended up working there were modified to a similar fuel capacity. The inter-bogie linkage was removed and the fuel tank was enlarged by changing it from saddle-shaped to rectangular box-shaped. To maintain its lateral balance, a slab of metal was attached to each bogie in place of the removed linkage. In the second picture, the weld lines on the end of the enlarged fuel tank as well as the metal slab at the end of the bogie are visible.

Electronic control system

Beginning in 2010, some units were equipped with electronic fuel injection and GE "Brite Star" control systems. On some of the first locomotives to be so modified, externally visible evidence of the modification is a raised middle portion of the long hood.

Service

South African Railways

GE Class work on most mainlines and some branch lines in the central, western, southern and southeastern parts of the country. On the busy line from Krugersdorp via Zeerust to Mafeking, the Class 34-400 became the standard motive power.[6] [7]

Some eventually joined the Class on the 861km (535miles) Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line, to haul export ore from the open cast iron mines at Sishen near Kathu in the Northern Cape to the harbour at Saldanha in the Western Cape. Here they ran consisted to electric locomotives to haul the 342 wagon iron ore trains. Each wagon has a 100-ton capacity and the trains are at least 3.72km (02.31miles) in length. In South Africa, mixed electric and diesel-electric consists are unique to the iron ore line.[8] [9]

Leased and sold

Eleven Class were leased to the Kenya Railways for some years, regauged to and renumbered in the range from 9501 to 9511. They were returned to Spoornet in April 2002.

Several Class were sold into industry. No. went to the Douglas Colliery near Witbank as no. D10. Five went to Sasol at Trichardt near Secunda and two to Blue Circle Cement at Lichtenburg.

No., with the bodywork removed, is used for apprentice training at the Germiston diesel depot.

Works numbers

The Class 34-400 builder's works numbers and known deployment are listed in the table.

Liveries

The Class 34-400 were all delivered in the SAR Gulf Red livery with signal red buffer beams, yellow side stripes on the long hood sides and a yellow V on each end. In the 1990s many of the Class 34-400 units began to be repainted in the Spoornet orange livery with a yellow and blue chevron pattern on the buffer beams. At least one later received the Spoornet maroon livery. In the late 1990s many were repainted in the Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers on the long hood sides. After 2008 in the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) era, many were repainted in the TFR red, green and yellow livery.[10]

Notes and References

  1. South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610 mm and 1065 mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended
  2. http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1847386 No. 34-434 with saddle filter, 23 September 2009
  3. http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3586096 No. 34-435 without saddle filter, 1 March 1982
  4. http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2193010 No. 34-441 with saddle filter, 19 August 2010
  5. Information received from John Nicholas Middleton
  6. https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/part-24-krugersdorp---zeerust---mafeking-home-signal-1 Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 24: Krugersdorp-Zeerust-Mafeking (Home Signal), Part 1 by Les Pivnic. Introduction: Engine Power.
  7. https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/krugersdorp---zeerust---mafeking-home-signal---2 Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 25: Krugersdorp-Zeerust-Mafeking (Home Signal), Part 2 by Les Pivnic. Caption 56.
  8. http://www.actom.co.za/pages/Actom-Divisions/news.asp?ID=5&DivisionID=4&BusinessUnitID=20&NewsID=45 Actom Divisions News, 22 July 2010
  9. Information supplied by Orex train crew members
  10. https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/south-eastwards-as-far-as-volksrust-2nd-section-wattles-to-union-junction-by-les-pivnic Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 9. South-Eastwards as far as Volksrust (2nd part) by Les Pivnic. Caption 4.

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