South African Class E38

South African Class E38

No. E38-003 at Sentrarand, 22 September 2009
Type and origin
Power type Electric
Designer Consortium, led by Siemens
Builder Union Carriage & Wagon
Model Consortium Class E38
Build date 1992
Total produced 3
Specifications
AAR wheel arr. B-B
UIC classification Bo'Bo'
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Bogies 2.6 m (8 ft 6.4 in) wheelbase
Wheel diameter 1,054 mm (41.5 in)
Wheelbase 2.600 m (8 ft 6.4 in) per bogie
9.100 m (29 ft 10.3 in) between pivots
11.700 m (38 ft 4.6 in) overall
Length 16.314 m (53 ft 6.3 in)
Width 2.78 m (9 ft 1.4 in)
Height 4.13 m (13 ft 6.6 in) pantograph down
Electric system(s) 3 kV DC Catenary
Current collection
method
Pantograph
Traction motors Four AC 6 pole ABB/6FRA5252
Multiple working 4 maximum
Performance figures
Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph)
Power output Per motor:
378 kW (507 hp) continuous
Total:
1,512 kW (2,028 hp) continuous
Locomotive brake Knorr-Bremse brake system
Spring applied, air release parking brake
Locomotive
brakeforce
1,500 kW (2,000 hp) regenerative
1,000 kW (1,300 hp) dynamic
Train brakes Air: Knorr-Bremse W450/150-3
Vacuum: LPS 94 DE-MAG Wittig
Career
Operator(s) Amcoal
Anglo Coal
Class Class E38
Power class 3 kV DC
Number in class 3
Number(s) E38-001 to E38-003
Delivered 1993
First run 1993

The South African Class E38 of 1993 is a South African industrial electric locomotive.

In 1993 Amcoal, now Anglo Coal, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anglo American, placed three Class E38 electric locomotives in service at its Kromdraai Colliery near Witbank, Mpumalanga.[1]

Manufacturer

The 3 kV DC Class E38 electric locomotive is an electric-only version of the Class 38-000 electro-diesel locomotive that was designed for Spoornet by Consortium under the leadership of Siemens. In 1992 three of these locomotives were built for Amcoal by Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal.[2]

Builders’ plates on no. E38-003

The locomotives were delivered in 1993 and numbered in the range from E38-001 to E38-003. UCW did not allocate builder’s numbers to the locomotives it built for Anglo Coal, but used the Amcoal unit numbers for their record keeping.[1]

Spoornet’s Class 38-000

During the production of the Class E38 for Amcoal Mines, UCW also built fifty Class 38-000 locomotives for Spoornet. The Class 38-000 is a dual mode electro-diesel locomotive, identical in exterior appearance and dimensions to the Class E38, but designed for 3 kV DC electric as well as diesel-electric operation and equipped with a 780 kW (1,050 hp) Caterpillar DITA 3508 diesel prime mover.[3]

Service

The three Class E38s now serve at the Landau Colliery near Witbank.[1]

Liveries illustrated

The main picture shows number E38-003 in its as-delivered Anglo Coal yellow livery.

See also

References

 
 

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Middleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. p. 63.
  2. "UCW - Electric locomotives" (PDF). The UCW Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  3. South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended