# South African Class 20E

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South African electric locomotive

South African Class 20E No. 20-080 at Beaufort West, Western Cape, 16 September 2015 Type and origin Power type Electric Designer Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. Builder Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. CSR Zhuzhou-Matsetse Basadi Model ZELC 20E Build date 2013–2015 Total produced 95 Specifications Configuration: ​ • AAR B-B • UIC Bo'Bo' • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Wheel diameter 1,220 mm (48.0 in) Wheelbase: ​ • Bogie 2,700 mm (8 ft 10.3 in) Length: ​ • Over couplers 18,268 mm (59 ft 11.2 in) Width 2,950 mm (9 ft 8.1 in) Height: ​ • Pantograph 3,850 mm (12 ft 7.6 in) Axle load 21,870 kg (48,220 lb) Loco weight 86,368 kg (190,409 lb) Electric system/s Dual 3 kV DC & 25 kV AC 50 Hz catenary Current pickup Pantographs Traction motors Four Gear ratio 103:17 MU working 8 units Loco brake Electro-pneumatic, regenerative & rheostatic Train brakes Air Couplers AAR knuckle Performance figures Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph) Power output 3,000 kW (4,000 hp) Tractive effort: ​ • Starting 320 kN (72,000 lbf) • Continuous 270 kN (61,000 lbf) Brakeforce 250 kN (56,000 lbf) Career Operators Transnet Freight Rail Class 20E Number in class 95 Numbers 20-001 to 20-095 Official name Class 20E Nicknames China Doll Delivered 2013–2015 First run 2013

The **Transnet Freight Rail Class 20E** of 2013 is a South African electric locomotive.

In early August 2013, the first of ninety-five Class 20E dual-voltage electric locomotives for [Transnet Freight Rail](/source/Transnet_Freight_Rail), was lowered onto its bogies for the first time.[1] Ten of these locomotives were built by the Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Company in China while the rest were built locally.[2]

## Manufacturer

The first ten of ninety-five 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC dual voltage Class 20E electric locomotives for Transnet Freight Rail were built in China by [Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Company](/source/Zhuzhou_Electric_Locomotive_Co.%2C_Ltd.), a subsidiary of the China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corporation (CSR), China's leading train manufacturer.[1] The roll-out ceremony of the first locomotive, no. 20-001, took place at the factory in Changsha in central China's Hunan Province on 20 August 2013.[2]

The contract marked Zhuzhou's largest single foreign order of electric locomotives to date and made provision for the company to export electric locomotive manufacturing technologies to South Africa to enable a local production ratio of more than 60 percent. The first two of these locomotives, numbers 20-002 and 20-003, were landed at Durban Harbour on 14 November 2013. Three more, numbers 20-001, 20-004 and 20-005, came ashore on 18 December 2013.[3]

Of the remaining eighty-five locomotives, numbers 20-011 to 20-025 were assembled from Chinese-built kits by Transnet Engineering at Koedoespoort and were all in service by the end of September 2014.[4][5]

The rest of the order has greater local content and was built at Koedoespoort in South Africa by a consortium composed of CSR Zhuzhou and the South African [Black Economic Empowerment](/source/Black_Economic_Empowerment) company *Matsetse Basadi*.[1] The first of these, no. 20-026, was in service by late September 2014.[5]

## Characteristics

The locomotive body is a welded [monocoque](/source/Monocoque) design, constructed of steel plates and profiled members which has a compressive strength of 4.45 meganewtons (1,000,000 pounds-force) and a tensile strength of 4 meganewtons (900,000 pounds-force).[6]

The Class 20E is equipped with a wireless data transmission system which can send the locomotive operation status, fault data and energy consumption data via [GSM](/source/GSM) and [Wi-Fi](/source/Wi-Fi) to a trackside station for analysis. It is also equipped with an axle temperature alarm device, fire alarm system, [closed-circuit television](/source/Closed-circuit_television) (CCTV) system, wheel flange lubricating device and, as personnel safety measure, high voltage protective interlocking devices. The AC traction motors are powered through [insulated-gate bipolar transistor](/source/Insulated-gate_bipolar_transistor) (IGBT) control.[6]

### Layout

The locomotive has a single cab and a gangway along the centre, while the interior layout and placement of equipment is as follows, from behind the cab towards the rear:[7]

**Left side**

- Air conditioner.

- Low voltage cubicle.

- Battery cubicle.

- Service entrance portal and door.

- Traction converter cubicle 1.

- Cooling tower 1.

- Power supply cubicle.

- Traction motor blower 2.

- Braking resistor.

- Toilet, with a [porta-potty](/source/Porta-potty) and hand washbasin.[7]

**Right side**

- Signal cubicle.

- Traction motor blower 1.

- Machine ventilation blower.

- Cooling tower 2.

- Traction converter cubicle 2.

- High voltage cubicle.

- Main compressor.

- Brake cubicle.[7]

**Underbelly between bogies**

- Main transformer.

- Two auxiliary transformers.[7]

### Dual voltage

As on the dual voltage [Class 19E](/source/South_African_Class_19E), the main electric circuit is automatically selected in either AC or DC mode, based on the voltage of the overhead contact wire feeding the locomotive. To facilitate automatic trouble-free transition on the run, the locomotive is equipped with onboard voltage detectors, while the overhead wire is equipped with two wooden isolators and a 3 metres (10 feet) length of neutral wire to separate the AC and DC feed. The neutral section is connected to the rails which serve as the return conductor on electrified lines.[6]

The transition process requires that the locomotive should automatically be switched off before it reaches the isolators and the unpowered overhead wire section, and automatically be restarted after exiting from under the unpowered wire. This is done by a pair of track magnets, one on either side of the neutral overhead wire and spaced 45 metres (148 feet) apart. The two magnets are mounted with their polarities reversed in relation to each other and they activate a magnetic relay located behind the cowcatcher of the locomotive to do the switching off and restarting.[6]

Under 25 kV AC/50 Hz line voltage, the electric system is designed to operate at a maximum of 31 kV and a minimum of 17 kV, while under 3 kV DC it is designed to operate at a maximum of 4 kV and a minimum of 2 kV.[6][8]

### Mixed power

The locomotive has regenerative and rheostatic braking, a maximum speed of 100 km/h and is equipped with low-speed controls. Using radio frequency distributed power (RFDP) technology, the units are able to work mid-train in lengthy wagon consists.[9]

A Class 20E unit can also be used as the leading locomotive in multi-unit operation with diesel-electric locomotives.[6]

### Pantographs

Transnet Freight Rail insisted that the locomotive should be designed in such a way that the pantograph contact shoe centres are directly above the bogie pivot centres, as was done on the [Class 7E](/source/South_African_Class_7E) and [Class 7E2, Series 1](/source/South_African_Class_7E2%2C_Series_1) and [Series 2](/source/South_African_Class_7E2%2C_Series_2). The reason is to reduce the possibility of pantograph hookups on catenary in sharp curves, such as in turnouts, as a result of sideways movement of the pantograph in relation to the overhead wire.[6][10]

## Service

Following testing, the first of the Chinese-built locomotives entered service in March 2014, working on the [manganese](/source/Manganese) ore line between [Hotazel](/source/Hotazel) in the Northern Cape and [Port Elizabeth](/source/Port_Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape via [Kimberley](/source/Kimberley%2C_Northern_Cape), [De Aar](/source/De_Aar) and [Noupoort](/source/Noupoort).[1]

Two class 20E units, numbers 20-031 and 20-032, were selected to be used on the [Blue Train](/source/Blue_Train_(South_Africa)) and were painted in blue livery. In Blue Train service they replaced the previously used [Class 18Es](/source/South_African_Class_18E%2C_Series_2) on the DC lines, the [Class 7Es](/source/South_African_Class_7E) on the AC lines and the [Classes 14E](/source/South_African_Class_14E) and [14E1](/source/South_African_Class_14E1) country-wide early in 2015. The Classes 14E and 14E1 were withdrawn from service shortly before.

## Illustration

		- No. 20–004 at O Shed in Durban Harbour on 18 December 2013

		- Blue Train units 20-032 and 20-031, Bellville, 4 July 2017

		- No. 20–014 at Beaconsfield, Kimberley on 7 October 2015

		- No. 20–061 at De Aar, Northern Cape on 9 October 2015

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [South African Class 20E](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:South_African_Class_20E).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Railways_Africa_2013-08-20_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Railways_Africa_2013-08-20_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Railways_Africa_2013-08-20_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Railways_Africa_2013-08-20_1-3) [Railways Africa, 20 Aug 2013: Class 20E Loco Debuts at CSR](http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2013/08/class-20e-loco-debuts-at-csr/)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Xinhuanet_2013-08-20_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Xinhuanet_2013-08-20_2-1) [Xinhuanet English News 2013-08-20 – First electric locomotive to be exported to Africa](http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-08/20/c_132647510_2.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131207231936/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-08/20/c_132647510_2.htm) 7 December 2013 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Xinhuanet_2012-10-24_3-0)** [Xinhuanet English News 2012-10-24 - CSR signs locomotive deal with South Africa's Transnet](https://web.archive.org/web/20121029205032/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-10/24/c_131927913.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Railways_Africa_2014-11-11_4-0)** [Railways Africa, 11 Nov 2014: Transnet's Class 20E](http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2014/11/11/transnets-class-20e/)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Noel_Welch_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Noel_Welch_5-1) [Noel Welch: My China Dolls to the Karoo](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=729336653810801&set)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Manual_6-6) Class 20E manual: Part 1: Locomotive Profile and Technical Data

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Diagram_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Diagram_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Diagram_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Diagram_7-3) Side and plan view drawings – Class 20E (Drawings provided by Transnet Engineering, Koedoespoort)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *Class 20E Traction Systems – Difference between AC & DC Traction Systems.* Training document compiled by Transnet Engineering, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Railways_Africa_2013-11-26_9-0)** [Railways Africa, 26 Nov 2013: Class 20E Locos Arrive](http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2013/11/class-20e-locos-arrive/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-E&D_diagram-book_10-0)** 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

v t e Locomotives of South Africa Steam 7' ¼" gauge East London 0-4-0VB Table Bay 0-4-0ST Table Bay 0-4-0T Table Bay 0-4-0WT Standard gauge Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance Cape gauge Tank engines CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST CGR 0-6-0T CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack 4-6-4RT CSAR Railmotor Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Railmotor SAR Dock 0-4-0ST SAR Dock 0-4-0T SWA 2-8-0T Cape gauge Tender engines CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 BP CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 Joy CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C 1st SAR Class 14C 2nd SAR Class 14C 3rd SAR Class 14C 4th SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA 1928 SAR Class 16DA 1930 SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 SAR Katanga SWA 2-8-0 Cape gauge Articulated engines CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U 2' 6" gauge Cape Copper John King & Miner Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Namaqua Copper Pioneer Walvis Bay 2-4-2T Hope 2' & 600mm gauges ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-4-0T CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR Dutton SAR NG 0-4-0T SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16 SWA Class Ha SWA Class Hb SWA Class Hc SWA Class Hd SWA Jung SWA Zwillinge Electric Amcoal Class E38 SAR Class ES SAR Class ES1 SAR Class Exp-AC SAR Class 1E SAR Class 2E SAR Class 3E SAR Class 4E SAR Class 5E s1 SAR Class 5E s2 SAR Class 5E s3 SAR Class 5E1 s1 SAR Class 5E1 s2 SAR Class 5E1 s3 SAR Class 5E1 s4 SAR Class 5E1 s5 SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6E1 s1 SAR Class 6E1 s2 SAR Class 6E1 s3 SAR Class 6E1 s4 SAR Class 6E1 s5 SAR Class 6E1 s6 SAR Class 6E1 s7 SAR Class 6E1 s8 SAR Class 6E1 s9 SAR Class 6E1 s10 SAR Class 6E1 s11 SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7E1 SAR Class 7E2 s1 SAR Class 7E2 s2 SAR Class 7E3 s1 SAR Class 7E3 s2 Spoornet Class 7E4 SAR Class 8E SAR Class 9E s1 SAR Class 9E s2 SAR Class 10E SAR Class 10E1 s1 Spoornet Class 10E1 s2 SAR Class 10E2 SAR Class 11E SAR Class 12E Spoornet Class 14E Spoornet Class 14E1 TFR Class 15E Spoornet Class 16E Spoornet Class 17E Spoornet Class 18E s1 TFR Class 18E s2 TFR Class 19E TFR Class 20E TFR Class 21E TFR Class 22E TFR Class 23E Gas-electric SAR Gas-electric Diesel Cape gauge Diesel–electric PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 TFR Class 35-800 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000 TFR Class 45-000 2' gauge Diesel–electric SAR Class 91-000 Cape gauge Diesel–hydraulic SAR Class 61-000 Cape gauge Electro-diesel Spoornet Class 38-000 List of South African locomotive classes South African locomotive numbering and classification

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [South African Class 20E](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_20E) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_20E?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.