| South African Class 7E2, Series 1 | |
|---|---|
| E7153 at Pyramid South, Pretoria, Gauteng, 6 October 2009 | |
| Power type | Electric |
| Designer | 50 c/s Group |
| Builder | Union Carriage and Wagon |
| Model | 50 c/s Group 7E2 |
| Build date | 1982 |
| Total produced | 25 |
| UIC classification | Co-Co |
| Gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge |
| Bogies | 4.06 m (13 ft 3.8 in) wheelbase |
| Wheel diameter | 1,220 mm (48.0 in) |
| Wheelbase | 13.46 m (44 ft 1.9 in) |
| Length | 18.465 m (60 ft 7.0 in) |
| Width | 2.896 m (9 ft 6.0 in) |
| Height | 4.2 m (13 ft 9.4 in) pantographs down |
| Axle load | 21,000 kg (20.7 long tons) |
| Locomotive weight | 125,800 kg (123.8 long tons) |
| Current collection method |
Pantographs |
| Traction motors | Six MG 680 |
| Transmission | 20/117 Gear ratio |
| Top speed | 88 km/h (55 mph) |
| Power output | Per motor: 515 kW (691 hp) 1 hour 500 kW (670 hp) continuous Total: 3,090 kW (4,140 hp) 1 hour 3,000 kW (4,000 hp) continuous |
| Tractive effort | 450 kN (100,000 lbf) starting 319 kN (72,000 lbf) 1 hour 300 kN (67,000 lbf) continuous |
| Locomotive brakes | Rheostatic[1] |
| Train brakes | Air & Vacuum |
| Career | South African Railways Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail |
| Class | Class 7E2 |
| Power class | 25 kV AC |
| Number in class | 25 |
| Number | E7151-E7175[2] |
| Delivered | 1982 |
| First run | 1982 |
In 1982 the South African Railways placed twenty-five Class 7E2, Series 1 electric locomotives with a Co-Co wheel arrangement in main line service.[2]
Contents |
The Class 7E2, Series 1 25 kV AC electric locomotive was designed for the South African Railways (SAR) by the 50 c/s Group consisting of ACEC of Belgium, AEG-Telefunken and Siemens of Germany, Alsthom-Atlantique and Société MTE of France, and Brown Boveri of Switzerland. Twenty-five locomotives were built by Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal and delivered in 1982, numbered E7151 to E7175.[3]
Union Carriage and Wagon did not allocate builder’s numbers to the locomotives it built for the SAR. While the usual practice by most other locomotive builders was to allocate builder’s numbers or works numbers to record the locomotives built by them, UCW simply used the SAR road numbers for their record keeping.[2]
The control of traction and rheostatic braking on the Class 7E2, Series 1 is by stepless solid-state electronics. The electrical equipment was designed for high power factor operation, obtained by a sector control method.[1]
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 number 2 end.[2]
In visual appearance the Class 7E2, Series 1 can be distinguished from the Series 2 by the vertical grilles just to the rear of the driver’s window on both sides on Series 2 locomotives, but absent on Series 1. Both series have a large grille to the right of centre on the side opposite the roof access ladder side, near roof level on Series 1 locomotives and low down near sill level on Series 2. The three grilles in line just to the rear of the side doors on Series 1 locomotives were replaced with a single long grille on Series 2 locomotives. Like the Class 7E, some of the Class 7E2 Series 1 locomotives have distinctive "eyebrow" rainwater beadings above their cab windscreens, but these were added post-delivery and were not installed on all the locomotives.[2]
The Class 7E2, Series 1 was placed in service on the northern 25 kV route from Pyramid South near Pretoria to Pietersburg and via Rustenburg to Thabazimbi, where they still serve.[4]
The main picture shows E7153 in Spoornet maroon livery.
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