South African Class Experimental AC explained

South African Class Experimental AC
Powertype:Electric
Designer:Union Carriage & Wagon
Builder:Union Carriage & Wagon
Transwerk
Buildmodel:UCW 6E1
Builddate:1978
Totalproduction:1
Britishclass:Bo-Bo
Wheeldiameter:1.220NaN0
Wheelbase:11.28m (37.01feet)
Bogie:3.43m (11.25feet)
Pivotcentres:7.85m (25.75feet)
Over Couplers:15.49m (50.82feet)
Body:14.63m (48feet)
Width:2.9m (09.5feet)
Pantodown:4.29m (14.07feet)
Bodyonly:3.94m (12.93feet)
Axleload:21.38tonnes
Weightondrivers:85.5tonnes
Locoweight:85.5tonnes
Electricsystem:25 kV 50 Hz AC catenary
Tractionmotors:4 AEI 283AZ
T/M Amps 1 Hr:623kW
T/M Amps Cont:563kW
Gear Ratio:18:67
Locobrakes:Air
Trainbrakes:Air & Vacuum
Coupling:AAR knuckle
Maxspeed:113km/h
Poweroutput 1 Hr:2492kW
Poweroutput Cont:2252kW
T/E Starting:330kN
T/E 1 Hr:218kN
T/E Continuous:190kN
Operator:South African Railways
Spoornet
Transnet Freight Rail
Operatorclass:Class Experimental AC
Numinclass:1
Fleetnumbers:E1600
Firstrundate:1978

The South African Railways Class Experimental AC of 1978 is an electric locomotive.

In 1974 and 1975 the South African Railways placed 100 Class 6E1, Series 5 locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in mainline service. In 1978 one was withdrawn from revenue service for use as an experimental 25 kV AC locomotive. It was rebuilt and reclassified to Class Experimental AC.[1]

Manufacturer

The 3 kV DC Class 6E1, Series 5 electric locomotive was designed and built for the South African Railways by Union Carriage & Wagon (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal.[2]

Orientation

These dual cab locomotives have a roof access ladder on one side only, just to the right of the cab access door. The roof access ladder end is marked as the no. 2 end. A corridor along the centre of the locomotive connects the cabs.[1]

Test bed for 25 kV AC research

In 1978, E1600 was withdrawn from revenue service and rebuilt as a test-bed for use during 25 kV AC electrification and reclassified to the sole Class Experimental AC. It was used for testing to detect and eliminate potential problems during the electrification of the four isolated 25 kV networks. These networks are:[1]

The unit's single pantograph and its electronic and electric equipment were manufactured by the 50 c/s Group, a consortium consisting of ACEC of Belgium, AEG-Telefunken and Siemens of Germany, Alsthom-Atlantique and Société MTE of France, and Brown Boveri of Switzerland. The same consortium also designed the 25 kV AC Class 7E locomotives which were placed in service on the four 25 kV networks.

The vacuum circuit breaker was supplied by GEC. The original Class 6E1 AEI-283AZ traction motors, manufactured by Associated Electrical Industries, were retained and the locomotive used a thyristor-diode rectifier set for the traction motor DC power supply. Mechanical components were supplied by UCW.[1]

Apart from the inscriptions painted on the locomotive sides, the Class Experimental AC locomotive can be visually distinguished from regular Class 6E1 locomotives by the single pantograph on its no. 2 end instead of the usual two pantographs, one on each end, as well as by the large grilles on the sides. The Class 6E1 has two large grilles to the right of centre on each side while no. E1600 has only one such grille on the roof access ladder side and three on the opposite side.

Notes and References

  1. South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975
  2. Web site: UCW – Electric locomotives. The UCW Partnership. 30 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20071012023401/http://www.ucw.co.za/pdf/electric_loco.pdf. 12 October 2007.