South African Class 32-000

South African Class 32-000
Numbers 32-029 and 32-042 at Oudtshoorn, 22 September 2007
Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Designer	General Electric
Builder	General Electric
Serial number	33722-33836 [1]
Model	GE U18C1
Build date	1959-1961
Total produced	115
Specifications
UIC classification	1Co+Co1 interlinked bogies
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading wheel diameter	762 mm (30 in)
Wheel diameter	915 mm (36 in)
Wheelbase	4.927 m (16 ft 2 in) per bogie 8.128 m (26 ft 8 in) between pivots 13.246 m (43 ft 5.5 in) overall
Length	16.866 m (55 ft 4 in)
Width	2.756 m (9 ft 0.5 in)
Height	3.924 m (12 ft 10.5 in)
Axle load	Pony 10.180 t (10.019 long tons; 11.222 short tons) Traction 12.700 t (12.499 long tons; 13.999 short tons)
Locomotive weight	93.000 t (91.531 long tons; 102.515 short tons) average 96.520 t (94.996 long tons; 106.395 short tons) permissible
Fuel type	Fuel oil
Fuel capacity	4,300 L (950 imp gal; 1,100 US gal)
Prime mover	Cooper Bessemer FVBL-12
Engine RPM range	400 rpm idle 535 rpm high idle 1,000 rpm maximum
Engine type	4 stroke diesel engine
Aspiration	Cooper-Bessemer ET13 turbocharger
Generator	DC 10 pole GE 5GT-581C5
Traction motors	Six GE 5GE-761A3 DC 4 pole * 600A rating 1 hour * 590A rating continuous at 17 km/h (11 mph)
Cylinders	V12
Transmission	diesel electric
Multiple working	3 maximum
Performance figures
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Power output	1,475 kW (1,978 hp) starting 1,340 kW (1,800 hp) continuous
Tractive effort	183 kN (41,000 lbf) starting 146 kN (33,000 lbf) continuous at 27 km/h (17 mph)
Factor of adhesion	25% starting, 20% continuous
Locomotive brake	Air brake, 6-SLAV-1 with vigilance control Not equipped with dynamic brakes
Locomotive brakeforce	60% ratio at 345 kPa (50 psi) brake cylinder pressure
Train brakes	700 L (150 imp gal; 180 US gal) main reservoir Compressor capacity at high idle: 0.039 m3/s (1.4 cu ft/s) Exhauster capacity at high idle: 0.155 m3/s (5.5 cu ft/s)
Career
Operator(s)	South African Railways Spoornet SNCZ, Democratic Republic of the Congo Consortium ARZ
Class	Class 32-000
Number in class	115
Number(s)	32-001 to 32-115
Delivered	November 1959 to November 1961
First run	1959 [2]

The South African Class 32-000 of 1959 is a South African diesel-electric locomotive from the South African Railways era.

Between November 1959 and November 1961 the South African Railways placed one hundred and fifteen Class 32-000 General Electric type U18C1 diesel-electric locomotives in service in South West Africa.^[2]

Manufacturer

The South African Class 32-000 type GE U18C1 diesel-electric locomotive was designed and built to South African Railways (SAR) requirements by General Electric (GE) and imported. They were numbered in the range from 32-001 to 32-115.^[2]

Class 32 series

The Class 32 consists of two series, the high short hood Class 32-000 and the low short hood Class 32-200, both GE products. On the Class 32-000 the short hood end is the front. It has single station controls.^[2]

The pony truck affair

In the United States of America the South African Class 32-000 is credited with being a major factor in the demise of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and the rise of GE in the locomotive building business.^[3]

In the late 1950s South Africa, at the time one of the last bastions of steam traction, planned to embark on a massive dieselisation program. An SAR technical team was sent to Europe and to the United States to prepare an assessment of design alternatives, finalise specifications and compile a list of qualified bidders.^[3]

In the United States only ALCO, General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and GE were considered to be qualified bidders. The SAR was not very enthusiastic about two-stroke cycle engines and had a strong preference for ALCO's Model 251 engine and GE's transmission systems. As a prior supplier of steam locomotives for the SAR, ALCO appeared to be virtually assured of receiving the order.^[3]

The SAR's tender for bid was issued in 1957, with two options:^[3]

• One hundred and fifteen units of a 1,800 horsepower (1,300 kilowatts) locomotive with a 1Co+Co1 wheel arrangement; or
• Two hundred and thirty units of a 1,000 horsepower (750 kilowatts) locomotive with a Co+Co wheel arrangement

These units were intended for operation in South West Africa (SWA), now Namibia, under very light rail conditions which necessitated lighter axle loadings that could not be achieved with conventional Co bogies under a heavy locomotive. General Steel Castings had a design on paper for a 1Co bogie (a Co bogie with a pony truck) which could be utilised by either ALCO or GE and which would enable the SAR's specification to be met for the heavier 1,800 horsepower (1,300 kilowatts) units.^[3]

The SAR made it clear that, despite the two options afforded by the tender, its strong preference was for a 1Co+Co1 locomotive. However, the use of a pony truck was not universally accepted by ALCO's engineering management. The result was that ALCO bid on only the Co+Co option and lost out to GE, who had bid on both options.^[3]

In South Africa, this virtually opened the floodgates for GE since more than half of the SAR’s vast diesel-electric locomotive fleet that was acquired between 1959 and 1981 were GE products.^[3]

Service

South African Railways

The Class 32-000 was designed specifically for service in SWA and most of them spent their entire SAR lives there. Between 1964 and 1976 several were also allocated to the Eastern Transvaal for service around Waterval-Boven.^[1][4]

Of the original one hundred and fifteen locomotives, only five survived into the Spoornet era in the 1990s. In SWA they were replaced by the Class 33-400 during the 1980s. After being withdrawn from Spoornet service, a few were allocated to the National Collection, later the Transnet Heritage Foundation (THF), and some of these still saw occasional service as Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe excursion locomotives, based at George, Western Cape.^[1]

Post SAR service

After withdrawal from SAR service, a large number of the Class 32-000 locomotives were sold to Zaire’s Congo Railway (SNCZ), which became the SNCC after the country's name change to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[1]

Three went to Consortium ARZ (CARZ), an Italian per-way contractor working in Zaire and later also in Zambia. Two went to Nchanga and three to Nkana, two of the copper mines in Zambia.^[1]

The three locomotives at the Nkana Mine retained their SAR numbers whilst working at Nkana. No. 32-013 is depicted alongside on the Nkana-Chibuluma miner's train at Nkana Mine Sidings in Zambia. The coaches behind it are second-hand Tata bus bodies mounted on freight wagon frames and bogies. These were initially made for the Mulungushi Commuter train service in Lusaka that was later taken over by Zambia Railways and renamed Njanji Commuter.

LEGE in Durban, who operates an active hire and overhaul business, owns two locomotives, numbers 32-070 and 32-084. Of these, no. 32-070 has been observed shunting in the Merewent Oil Refinery as late as 2014.^[5]

Works numbers

The Class 32-000 builder’s works numbers and disposition are set out in the table.

Class 32-000, GE type U18C1^[1]

SAR no.	GE works no.	Post-SAR owner	Post-SAR no.
32-001	33722
32-002	33723
32-003	33724
32-004	33725	SNCZ	32-004
32-005	33726
32-006	33727	SNCZ
32-007	33728	Nchanga	26
32-008	33729	SNCZ
32-009	33730	SNCZ
32-010	33731	Nkana	32-010
32-011	33732
32-012	33733
32-013	33734	Nkana	32-013
32-014	33735
32-015	33736
32-016	33737
32-017	33738	SNCZ
32-018	33739	SNCZ
32-019	33740	SNCZ	1405
32-020	33741	SNCZ
32-021	33742	THF	32-021
32-022	33743	SNCZ
32-023	33744
32-024	33745
32-025	33746	SNCZ
32-026	33747
32-027	33748
32-028	33749
32-029	33750	THF	32-029
32-030	33751	SNCZ
32-031	33752
32-032	33753
32-033	33754
32-034	33755	SNCZ
32-035	33756	SNCZ
32-036	33757	SNCZ
32-037	33758	SNCZ
32-038	33759
32-039	33760
32-040	33761
32-041	33762
32-042	33763	THF	32-042
32-043	33764	SNCZ	1410-5
32-044	33765
32-045	33766
32-046	33767
32-047	33768	THF	32-047
32-048	33769
32-049	33770	SNCZ
32-050	33771	SNCZ	32-050
32-051	33772	SNCZ
32-052	33773
32-053	33774
32-054	33775	SNCZ
32-055	33776
32-056	33777	CARZ
32-057	33778	CARZ
32-058	33779	SNCZ
32-059	33780
32-060	33781
32-061	33782	SNCZ
32-062	33783
32-063	33784
32-064	33785
32-065	33786
32-066	33787	SNCZ
32-067	33788	SNCZ
32-068	33789	SNCZ
32-069	33790	Nchanga	27
32-070	33791	LEGE
32-071	33792	SNCZ
32-072	33793	SNCZ
32-073	33794
32-074	33795
32-075	33796	SNCZ
32-076	33797	SNCZ
32-077	33798
32-078	33799	SNCZ
32-079	33800
32-080	33801
32-081	33802	SNCZ
32-082	33803	SNCZ
32-083	33804
32-084	33805	LEGE
32-085	33806	SNCZ
32-086	33807	SNCZ
32-087	33808	CARZ
32-088	33809
32-089	33810	SNCZ
32-090	33811
32-091	33812	SNCZ
32-092	33813	SNCZ
32-093	33814	SNCZ
32-094	33815	THF	32-094
32-095	33816
32-096	33817
32-097	33818	SNCZ
32-098	33819	SNCZ
32-099	33820
32-100	33821	SNCZ
32-101	33822
32-102	33823	SNCZ
32-103	33824
32-104	33825
32-105	33826
32-106	33827
32-107	33828
32-108	33829
32-109	33830
32-110	33831	SNCZ
32-111	33832	SNCZ
32-112	33833	SNCZ
32-113	33834	Nkana	32-113
32-114	33835	SNCZ
32-115	33836	SNCZ

Ends illustrated

The main picture and the following photographs offer views of all sides of the Class 32-000 locomotive.

• 

  No. 32-042 on the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, 16 February 2005

• 

  No. 32-002 renumbered to 32-001 and plinthed in Windhoek, 20 February 2006 ^[1]

• 

  No. 32-047 staged at Voorbaai Depot near Mosselbaai, 15 April 2013

1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Middleton was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

See also

• Diesel-electric locomotive numbering and classification
• List of South African locomotive classes
• South African Class 32-200
• South African locomotive history

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: South African Class 32-000

Locomotives of South Africa Steam Brunel gauge HBEL 0-4-0 HBTB 0-4-0T HBTB 0-4-0WT HBTB 0-4-0ST Broad gauge CGR Aid CGR Blackie CGR 0-4-2 CGR 2-4-0T NRC Durban NRC Natal NRC Perseverance Cape gauge Tank CGR Coffee Pot CGR 040 1873 CGR 040 1874 CGR 060 1876 CGR 060 1902 CGR 260 1900 CGR 260 1902 CGR 1st 040 1875 CGR 1st 440 1875 CGR 1st 040 1876 CGR 1st 260 1876 CGR 2nd 1882 CGR 3rd 1900 CGR RM CSAR C CSAR E CSAR Rack CSAR RM Dbn Congella Dbn Edward Innes Dbn John Milne Dbn Sir Albert HBPE 040 Kowie 060 Kowie 440 M&S 462 NGR Dbn & Pmb NGR I 262 NGR K 040 NGR K 060 NGR K 260 NZASM 10T NZASM 14T NZASM 18T NZASM 19T NZASM 32T NZASM 40T PPR 26T PPR 35T SAR RM SAR 0-4-0ST SAR 040 69 SAR A SAR B SAR C SAR C1 SAR C2 SAR D SAR E SAR F SAR G SAR H SAR H1 SAR H2 SAR J SAR K SWA 2-8-0T Cape gauge Tender CGR 1st 260 1876 BP CGR 1st 260 1876 K CGR 1st 260 1879 CGR 1st 440 1879 CGR 1st 1881 CGR 1st 1891 CGR 2nd 1875 CGR 3rd 1883 CGR 3rd 1884 CGR 3rd 1889 CGR 3rd 1898 CGR 3rd 1901 CGR 3rd 1903 CGR 4th 1880 CGR 4th 1882 CGR 4th 1884 CGR 4th 1897 CGR 5th 1890 CGR 5th 1891 NGR Havelock NGR I 260 Exp-1 Exp-2 Exp-3 Exp-4 Exp-5 Exp-6 SAR S SAR S1 SAR S2 SAR 1 SAR 1A SAR 1B SAR 2 SAR 2C SAR 3 SAR 3A SAR 3B SAR 4 SAR 4A SAR 5 SAR 5A SAR 5B SAR 6 SAR 6A SAR 6B SAR 6C SAR 6D SAR 6E SAR 6F SAR 6G SAR 6H SAR 6J SAR 6K SAR 6L SAR 6Y SAR 6Z SAR 7 SAR 7A SAR 7B SAR 7C SAR 7D SAR 7E SAR 7F SAR 8 SAR 8A SAR 8B SAR 8C SAR 8D SAR 8E SAR 8F SAR 8X SAR 8Y SAR 8Z SAR 9 SAR 10 SAR 10A SAR 10B SAR 10C SAR 10D SAR 11 SAR 12 SAR 12A SAR 12B SAR 13 SAR 14 SAR 14A SAR 14B SAR 14C SAR 15 SAR 15A SAR 15B SAR 15C SAR 15CA SAR 15E SAR 15F SAR 16 SAR 16A SAR 16B SAR 16C SAR 16D SAR 16DA SAR 16E SAR 17 SAR 18 SAR 19 SAR 19A SAR 19B SAR 19C SAR 19D SAR 20 SAR 21 SAR 23 SAR 24 SAR 25 SAR 25NC SAR 26 SWA 2-8-0 Cape gauge Articulated CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR FC SAR FD SAR GA SAR GB SAR GC SAR GCA SAR GD SAR GDA SAR GE SAR GEA SAR GF SAR GG SAR GH SAR GK SAR GL SAR GM SAR GMA SAR GO SAR HF SAR KM SAR MA SAR MB SAR MC SAR MC1 SAR MD SAR ME SAR MF SAR MG SAR MH SAR MJ SAR MJ1 SAR U 2ft 6in gauge CCC 1871 CCC Britannia CCC Caledonia CCC Clara CCC Condenser CCC Scotia NCC Pioneer 2ft & 600mm gauges ACR NG-G16A CGR NG 060 CGR NG 462 CGR A CGR C NGR N SAR 040 1899 SAR NG1 SAR NG2 SAR NG3 SAR NG4 SAR NG5 SAR NG6 SAR NG7 SAR NG8 SAR NG9 SAR NG10 SAR NG-G11 SAR NG-G12 SAR NG-G13 SAR NG-G14 SAR NG15 SAR NG-G16 SWA Ha SWA Hb SWA Hc SWA Hd SWA Jung SWA Zwillinge Diesel -electric SAR DS SAR DS1 SAR 31-000 SAR 32-000 SAR 32-200 SAR 33-000 SAR 33-200 SAR 33-400 SAR 34-000 SAR 34-200 SAR 34-400 SAR 34-500 SAR 34-600 SAR 34-800 SAR 34-900 SAR 35-000 SAR 35-200 SAR 35-400 SAR 35-600 SAR 36-000 SAR 36-200 SAR 37-000 SN 39-000 TFR 39-200 TFR 43-000 SAR 91-000 Afro4000 -hydraulic SAR 61-000 Electro-diesel SN 38-000 Electric SAR ES SAR ES1 Exp-AC SAR 1E SAR 2E SAR 3E SAR 4E SAR 5E-S1 SAR 5E-S2 SAR 5E-S3 SAR 5E1-S1 SAR 5E1-S2 SAR 5E1-S3 SAR 5E1-S4 SAR 5E1-S5 SAR 6E SAR 6E1-S1 SAR 6E1-S2 SAR 6E1-S3 SAR 6E1-S4 SAR 6E1-S5 SAR 6E1-S6 SAR 6E1-S7 SAR 6E1-S8 SAR 6E1-S9 SAR 6E1-S10 SAR 6E1-S11 SAR 7E SAR 7E1 SAR 7E2-S1 SAR 7E2-S2 SAR 7E3-S1 SAR 7E3-S2 SN 7E4 SAR 8E SAR 9E-S1 SAR 9E-S2 SAR 10E SAR 10E1-S1 SAR 10E1-S2 SAR 10E2 SAR 11E SAR 12E SN 14E SN 14E1 TFR 15E SN 16E SN 17E SN 18E-S1 TFR 18E-S2 TFR 19E TFR 20E TFR 21E E38 List of South African locomotive classes Rail transport in South Africa

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