South African Class 32-000

South African Class 32-000

No. 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 Model GE U18C1 Build date 1959-1961 Total produced 115

Specifications AAR wheel arr. 1-C+C-1 UIC class 1'C+C1' Imperial class 1Co+Co1 Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Leading dia. 762 mm (30.0 in) Wheel diameter 915 mm (36.0 in) Wheelbase 15,246 mm (50 ft 0.2 in)  • Bogie 4,927 mm (16 ft 2.0 in) Pivot centres 8,128 mm (26 ft 8.0 in) Length: ​  • Over couplers 16,866 mm (55 ft 4.0 in) Width 2,756 mm (9 ft 0.5 in) Height 3,924 mm (12 ft 10.5 in) Axle load 12,700 kg (28,000 lb)  • Leading 10,160 kg (22,400 lb) Adhesive weight 76,200 kg (168,000 lb) Loco weight 96,520 kg (212,790 lb) max Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 4,300 litres (950 imp gal) Prime mover Cooper-Bessemer FVBL-12 RPM range 400-1,000  • RPM low idle 400  • RPM idle 535  • Maximum RPM 1,000 Engine type 4 stroke V12 diesel Aspiration C-B ET13 turbocharger Generator DC 10 pole GE 5GT-581C5 Traction motors Six GE 5GE-761A3 DC 4 pole  • Rating 1 hour 600A  • Continuous 590A @ 17 km/h (11 mph) Gear ratio 92:19 MU working 3 maximum Loco brake 6-SLAV-1 with vigilance control Train brakes Westinghouse 6CDX4UC compressor/exhauster Air reservoir cap 700 litres (150 imp gal) Compressor cap 0.039 m3/s (1.4 cu ft/s) Exhauster cap 0.155 m3/s (5.5 cu ft/s) Couplers AAR knuckle SASKOP DS

Performance figures Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph) Power output: ​  • Starting 1,475 kW (1,978 hp)  • Continuous 1,340 kW (1,800 hp) Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 183 kN (41,000 lbf) @ 25% adhesion  • Continuous 146 kN (33,000 lbf) @ 27 km/h (17 mph) Factor of adh.:  • Starting 25%  • Continuous 20% Loco brakeforce 60% ratio @ 345 kPa (50.0 psi)

Career Operators South African Railways Spoornet SNCZ, Democratic Republic of the Congo Consortium ARZ Class Class 32-000 Number in class 115 Numbers 32-001 to 32-115 Delivered Nov 1959 to Nov 1961 First run 1959

The South African Railways Class 32-000 of 1959 was a diesel-electric locomotive.

Between November 1959 and November 1961, the South African Railways placed 115 Class 32-000 General Electric type U18C1 diesel-electric locomotives with a 1Co+Co1 wheel arrangement in service in South West Africa.

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.

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 and both with a 1Co+Co1 wheel arrangement. On the Class 32-000, the short hood end is the front. It has single station controls.

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.

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.

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.

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

These units were intended for operation in South West Africa (SWA), now Namibia, under very light rail conditions which necessitated lighter axle loadings, which 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 an integral 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.