{{Short description|Type of diesel-electric locomotive}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use South African English|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox locomotive | name = South African Class 34-400 | image = SAR Class 34-400 34-401.JPG | alt = | caption = No. 34-401 at Kaalfontein, [[Gauteng]], 7 October 2009 | hatnote = | powertype = Diesel-electric | designer = [[General Electric]] | builder = SA GE-DL Locomotive Group | ordernumber = | serialnumber = 38623-38722 | buildmodel = [[GE U26C]] | builddate = 1973–1974 | totalproduction = 100 | rebuilder = | rebuilddate = | numberrebuilt = | aarwheels = [[AAR wheel arrangement#C-C|C-C]] | uicclass = [[Co'Co']] | Britishclass = [[Co+Co]] | gauge = {{Track gauge|Cape|allk=on}} | bogies = | leadingdiameter = | wheeldiameter = {{convert|915|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} | trailingdiameter = | minimumcurve = | wheelbase = {{convert|13004|mm|ftin|1|abbr=on}} | bogie = {{convert|3188|mm|ftin|1|abbr=on}} | wheelspacing = | length = | over couplers = {{convert|17982|mm|ftin|1|abbr=on}} | over bufferbeams = | body = | pivotcentres = {{convert|10058|mm|ftin|1|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|2756|mm|ftin|1|abbr=on}} | height = {{convert|3962|mm|ftin|1|abbr=on}} | axleload = {{convert|18850|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | leadingbogie/pony= | weightondrivers = {{convert|113100|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | trail bogie/pony = | locoweight = {{convert|113100|kg|lb|abbr=on}} max | fueltype = [[Diesel fuel|Diesel]] | fuelcap = {{convert|5400|L|impgal}} new<br />{{convert|7000|L|impgal}} mod. | lubecap = | coolantcap = | watercap = | sandcap = | powersupply = | consumption = | watercons = | primemover = [[GE Transportation Systems|GE]] [[GE FDL|FDL-12]] | rpmrange = 450-1,050 | rpmrange low = 450 | rpmrange idle = 535 | rpmrange max = 1,050 | enginetype = 4-stroke diesel | aspiration = Elliott H-581 turbocharger | displacement = <!-- per cylinder --> | alternator = 10 pole 3 phase GE 5GT-A11C1 | generator = | tractionmotors = Six GE 5GE-761A13 DC 4 pole | t/m amps 1 hr = 665A | t/m amps cont = 655A @ {{convert|24|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} | headendpower = | cylindercount = [[V12 engine|V12]] | cylindersize = | transmission = | gear ratio = 92:19 | multipleworking = 6 maximum | trainheating = | locobrakes = 28-LAV-1 with vigilance control | dynamicpeakeffort= {{convert|180|kN|lbf|abbr=on}} @ {{convert|29|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} | trainbrakes = Westinghouse 6CDX4UC compressor/exhauster | reservoircap = {{convert|825|L|impgal}} | compressorcap = {{convert|0.039|m3/s|ft3/s|abbr=on}} | exhaustercap = {{convert|0.155|m3/s|ft3/s|abbr=on}} | safety = | coupling = [[Janney coupler|AAR knuckle type E]] | maxspeed = {{convert|100|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} | poweroutput = | poweroutput start= {{convert|2050|kW|hp|abbr=on}} | poweroutput 1 hr = | poweroutput cont = {{convert|1940|kW|hp|abbr=on}} | tractiveeffort = | t/e starting = {{convert|272|kN|lbf|abbr=on}} @ 25% adhesion | t/e 1 hr = | t/e continuous = {{convert|218|kN|lbf|abbr=on}} @ {{convert|26|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} | factorofadhesion = | f/adh starting = 25% | f/adh 1 hr = | f/adh continuous = 20% | locobrakeforce = 60% ratio @ {{convert|345|kPa|psi|abbr=on}} | operator = South African Railways<br />Spoornet<br />[[Kenya Railways]]<br />Sheltam<br />[[Sasol]]<br />Blue Circle<br />[[Transnet Freight Rail]] | operatorclass = Class 34-400 | powerclass = | numinclass = 100 | fleetnumbers = 34-401 to 34-500 | officialname = | nicknames = | axleloadclass = | locale = | deliverydate = 1973–1974 | firstrundate = 1973 | lastrundate = | withdrawndate = | preservedunits = | restoredate = | scrapdate = | currentowner = | disposition = | notes = }}
The '''South African Railways Class 34-400''' of 1973 is a diesel-electric locomotive.
Between April 1973 and November 1974, the South African Railways placed one hundred Class 34-400 General Electric type U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service.<ref name="E&D diagram-book">South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610 mm and 1065 mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended</ref>
== Manufacturer == The Class 34-400 type [[GE U26C]] diesel-electric locomotive was designed by [[General Electric]] (GE) and built for the South African Railways (SAR) by the South African General Electric-Dorman Long Locomotive Group ({{nowrap|SA GE-DL}}, later Dorbyl). One hundred locomotives were delivered between April 1973 and November 1974, numbered in the range from {{nowrap|34-401}} to {{nowrap|34-500}}.<ref name="E&D diagram-book" /><ref name="Middleton">{{Middleton-SA Loco Guide|pages=38, 40-41, 45-46}}</ref><ref name="Paxton-Bourne">{{Paxton-Bourne|pages=140-141}}</ref>
== Distinguishing features == As built, the GE [[South African Class 34-000|Classes {{nowrap|34-000}}]], {{nowrap|34-400}} and [[South African Class 34-900|{{nowrap|34-900}}]] locomotives were visually indistinguishable from each other. The [[South African Class 34-500|Class {{nowrap|34-500}}]] locomotives could be distinguished from the other series by the air conditioning units mounted on their cab roofs and initially, when it was still a feature unique to them, by their running board mounted handrails. At some stage during the mid-1980s, all Class {{nowrap|34-000}}, {{nowrap|34-400}} and {{nowrap|34-500}} locomotives had saddle filters installed across the long hood, mounted just to the rear of the screens behind the cab on the sides. Since then, Class {{nowrap|34-900}} locomotives could be distinguished from the older models by the absence of the saddle filter.<ref>[http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1847386 No. 34-434 with saddle filter, 23 September 2009] (Accessed on 7 June 2017)</ref><ref>[http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3586096 No. 34-435 without saddle filter, 1 March 1982] (Accessed on 7 June 2017)</ref><ref>[http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2193010 No. 34-441 with saddle filter, 19 August 2010] (Accessed on 7 June 2017)</ref>
== Modifications ==
=== Fuel capacity === As built, the Class {{nowrap|34-400}} had a {{convert|5400|L|impgal|abbr=off|adj=on}} fuel tank and interlinked bogies, while the Class {{nowrap|34-500}} was delivered new to Iscor with a {{convert|7000|L|impgal|abbr=off|adj=on}} fuel tank to cope with the lack of en route refuelling points on the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line. To facilitate the larger fuel tank, the inter-bogie linkage found on all other models had to be omitted on the Class 34-500.<ref>Information received from John Nicholas Middleton</ref> {|style="margin:1em auto;" |[[File:Class 34-000 34-059 Tank.JPG|thumb|left|x160px|Standard 5,400 litre fuel tank]] |[[File:SAR Class 34-000 34-080 FTR.JPG|thumb|x160px|Enlarged 7,000 litre fuel tank]] |}
To be usable on the iron ore line, Class {{nowrap|34-400}} units which ended up working there were modified to a similar fuel capacity. The inter-bogie linkage was removed and the fuel tank was enlarged by changing it from saddle-shaped to rectangular box-shaped. To maintain its lateral balance, a slab of metal was attached to each bogie in place of the removed linkage. In the second picture, the weld lines on the end of the enlarged fuel tank as well as the metal slab at the end of the bogie are visible.
=== Electronic control system === Beginning in 2010, some units were equipped with electronic fuel injection and GE "Brite Star" control systems. On some of the first locomotives to be so modified, externally visible evidence of the modification is a raised middle portion of the long hood.
== Service ==
=== South African Railways === GE Class {{nowrap|34-400s}} work on most mainlines and some branch lines in the central, western, southern and southeastern parts of the country. On the busy line from [[Krugersdorp]] via [[Zeerust]] to [[Mahikeng|Mafeking]], the Class 34-400 became the standard motive power.<ref name="Soul of a Railway 7-24">[https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/part-24-krugersdorp---zeerust---mafeking-home-signal-1 Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 24: Krugersdorp-Zeerust-Mafeking (Home Signal), Part 1 by Les Pivnic. Introduction: Engine Power.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024151651/https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/part-24-krugersdorp---zeerust---mafeking-home-signal-1 |date=24 October 2020 }} (Accessed on 5 May 2017)</ref><ref name="Soul of a Railway 7-25">[https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/krugersdorp---zeerust---mafeking-home-signal---2 Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 25: Krugersdorp-Zeerust-Mafeking (Home Signal), Part 2 by Les Pivnic. Caption 56.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024151651/https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/krugersdorp---zeerust---mafeking-home-signal---2 |date=24 October 2020 }} (Accessed on 6 May 2017)</ref>
Some eventually joined the Class {{nowrap|34-500}} on the {{convert|861|km|mi|adj=mid|-long|abbr=off}} [[Sishen–Saldanha railway line|Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line]], to haul export ore from the open cast iron mines at Sishen near Kathu in the [[Northern Cape]] to the harbour at [[Saldanha, Western Cape|Saldanha]] in the [[Western Cape]]. Here they ran consisted to electric locomotives to haul the 342 wagon iron ore trains. Each wagon has a 100-ton capacity and the trains are at least {{convert|3.72|km|mi|abbr=off}} in length. In South Africa, mixed electric and diesel-electric consists are unique to the iron ore line.<ref name="E&D diagram-book" /><ref name="Paxton-Bourne" /><ref name="Actom">[http://www.actom.co.za/pages/Actom-Divisions/news.asp?ID=5&DivisionID=4&BusinessUnitID=20&NewsID=45 Actom Divisions News, 22 July 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305083604/http://www.actom.co.za/pages/Actom-Divisions/news.asp?ID=5&DivisionID=4&BusinessUnitID=20&NewsID=45 |date=5 March 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Orex">Information supplied by Orex train crew members</ref> {{wide image|Sishen-Saldanha Iron Ore Train.jpg|1800px|alt=Ore train about {{convert|100|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} north of Lamberts Bay|Ore train about {{convert|100|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} north of Lamberts Bay}}
=== Leased and sold === Eleven Class {{nowrap|34-400s}} were leased to the [[Kenya Railways]] for some years, regauged to {{track gauge|metre}} and renumbered in the range from 9501 to 9511. They were returned to Spoornet in April 2002.<ref name="Middleton" />
Several Class {{nowrap|34-400s}} were sold into industry. No. {{nowrap|34-429}} went to the Douglas Colliery near Witbank as no. D10. Five went to [[Sasol]] at Trichardt near [[Secunda, Mpumalanga|Secunda]] and two to Blue Circle Cement at [[Lichtenburg, North West|Lichtenburg]].<ref name="Middleton" />
No. {{nowrap|34-426}}, with the bodywork removed, is used for apprentice training at the [[Germiston]] diesel depot.<ref name="Middleton" />
== Works numbers == The Class 34-400 [[Builder's plate|builder's works numbers]] and known deployment are listed in the table.<ref name="Middleton" /> {| class="wikitable collapsible sortable collapsed" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:100%;" |+ '''Class 34-400, GE type U26C''' |- !<br />SAR No. !GE-DL works<br />no. !Disposal !Post-SAR<br />no. |- |34-401 |38623 | | |- |34-402 |38624 | | |- |34-403 |38625 | | |- |34-404 |38626 | | |- |34-405 |38627 | | |- |34-406 |38628 | | |- |34-407 |38629 | | |- |34-408 |38630 | | |- |34-409 |38631 | | |- |34-410 |38632 | | |- |34-411 |38633 | | |- |34-412 |38634 | | |- |34-413 |38635 | | |- |34-414 |38636 | | |- |34-415 |38637 | | |- |34-416 |38638 | | |- |34-417 |38639 | | |- |34-418 |38640 | | |- |34-419 |38641 | | |- |34-420 |38642 | | |- |34-421 |38643 | | |- |34-422 |38644 | | |- |34-423 |38645 | | |- |34-424 |38646 | | |- |34-425 |38647 | | |- |34-426 |38648 |Training aid |34-426 |- |34-427 |38649 | | |- |34-428 |38650 | | |- |34-429 |38651 |Douglas |D10 |- |34-430 |38652 | | |- |34-431 |38653 | | |- |34-432 |38654 | | |- |34-433 |38655 | | |- |34-434 |38656 | | |- |34-435 |38657 | | |- |34-436 |38658 | | |- |34-437 |38659 | | |- |34-438 |38660 | | |- |34-439 |38661 | | |- |34-440 |38662 | | |- |34-441 |38663 | | |- |34-442 |38664 | | |- |34-443 |38665 | | |- |34-444 |38666 | | |- |34-445 |38667 | | |- |34-446 |38668 | | |- |34-447 |38669 | | |- |34-448 |38670 | | |- |34-449 |38671 | | |- |34-450 |38672 | | |- |34-451 |38673 | | |- |34-452 |38674 | | |- |34-453 |38675 | | |- |34-454 |38676 | | |- |34-455 |38677 | | |- |34-456 |38678 | | |- |34-457 |38679 | | |- |34-458 |38680 | | |- |34-459 |38681 | | |- |34-460 |38682 | | |- |34-461 |38683 | | |- |34-462 |38684 | | |- |34-463 |38685 | | |- |34-464 |38686 | | |- |34-465 |38687 | | |- |34-466 |38688 | | |- |34-467 |38689 | | |- |34-468 |38690 | | |- |34-469 |38691 |KR Lease |9511 |- |34-470 |38692 |KR Lease |9501 |- |34-471 |38693 |KR Lease |9502 |- |34-472 |38694 |KR Lease |9503 |- |34-473 |38695 |KR Lease |9504 |- |34-474 |38696 |KR Lease |9505 |- |34-475 |38697 |KR Lease |9506 |- |34-476 |38698 |KR Lease |9507 |- |34-477 |38699 |Sasol |8 |- |34-478 |38700 |KR Lease |9508 |- |34-479 |38701 |KR Lease |9509 |- |34-480 |38702 |KR Lease |9510 |- |34-481 |38703 | | |- |34-482 |38704 | | |- |34-483 |38705 |Sasol |3 |- |34-484 |38706 | | |- |34-485 |38707 |Sasol |7 |- |34-486 |38708 |Sasol |4 |- |34-487 |38709 | | |- |34-488 |38710 | | |- |34-489 |38711 |Sasol |9 |- |34-490 |38712 |Blue Circle |9 |- |34-491 |38713 |Blue Circle |8 |- |34-492 |38714 | | |- |34-493 |38715 | | |- |34-494 |38716 | | |- |34-495 |38717 | | |- |34-496 |38718 | | |- |34-497 |38719 | | |- |34-498 |38720 | | |- |34-499 |38721 | | |- |34-500 |38722 | | |}
== Liveries == The Class 34-400 were all delivered in the SAR Gulf Red livery with signal red buffer beams, yellow side stripes on the long hood sides and a yellow V on each end. In the 1990s many of the Class 34-400 units began to be repainted in the Spoornet orange livery with a yellow and blue chevron pattern on the buffer beams. At least one later received the Spoornet maroon livery. In the late 1990s many were repainted in the Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers on the long hood sides. After 2008 in the [[Transnet Freight Rail]] (TFR) era, many were repainted in the TFR red, green and yellow livery.<ref name="Middleton" /><ref name="Soul of a Railway 7-9">[https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/south-eastwards-as-far-as-volksrust-2nd-section-wattles-to-union-junction-by-les-pivnic Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 9. South-Eastwards as far as Volksrust (2nd part) by Les Pivnic. Caption 4.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724042106/https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/south-eastwards-as-far-as-volksrust-2nd-section-wattles-to-union-junction-by-les-pivnic |date=24 July 2021 }} (Accessed on 11 April 2017)</ref>
== Illustration == <gallery mode=packed heights="160px"> File:SAR Class 34-400 34-435.jpg|No. 34-435 in SAR Gulf Red and whiskers livery and without saddle filters at Millsite, Krugersdorp, c. March 1982 File:SAR Class 34-400 34-402.JPG|No. 34-402 at the Transwerk shops in [[Bloemfontein]], [[Free State (province)|Free State]], undergoing a major overhaul, 7 April 2006 File:SAR Class 34-400 34-469.JPG|No. 34-469 (ex [[Kenya Railways]] no. 9511) at [[Saldanha, Western Cape]], in SAR Gulf Red and whiskers, 19 August 2010 File:Class 34-400 34-497.JPG|No. 34-497 in Spoornet orange livery at Cambridge loco depot, [[East London, Eastern Cape]], 24 April 2013 File:SAR Class 34-400 34-464.JPG|No. 34-464 shunting at the LaFarge Cement siding at Kaalfontein, Kempton Park, [[Gauteng]], in Spoornet maroon livery, 21 August 2007 File:Class 34-400 34-418.jpg|Bright Star equipped no. 34-418 in Transnet Freight Rail livery, Saldanha, 10 February 2013 </gallery>
== References == {{Commons category|South African Class 34-400|position=left}} {{Reflist}} {{Locomotives of South Africa}} {{GE diesels}}
[[Category:Diesel–electric locomotives of South Africa|3370]] [[Category:C-C locomotives]] [[Category:Co′Co′ locomotives]] [[Category:Co+Co locomotives]] [[Category:General Electric locomotives]] [[Category:Dorbyl locomotives]] [[Category:Cape gauge railway locomotives]] [[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1973]] [[Category:1973 in South Africa]]