# South African Class 38-000

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1992 design of electro-diesel locomotive

South African Class 38-000 No. 38-012 at Capital Park, 28 September 2006 Type and origin Power type Electro-diesel Designer Consortium, led by Siemens Builder Union Carriage & Wagon Serial number 38-001 to 38-050 Model Consortium Class 38 Build date 1992-1993 Total produced 50 Specifications Configuration: ​ • AAR B-B • UIC Bo'Bo' • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Wheel diameter 1,054 mm (41+1⁄2 in) Wheelbase 11,700 mm (38 ft 4+5⁄8 in) ​ • Bogie 2,600 mm (8 ft 6+3⁄8 in) Pivot centres 9,100 mm (29 ft 10+1⁄4 in) Length: ​ • Over couplers 16,314 mm (53 ft 6+1⁄4 in) Width 2,780 mm (9 ft 1+1⁄2 in) Height: ​ • Pantograph 4,130 mm (13 ft 6+5⁄8 in) Axle load 18,685 kg (41,193 lb) Adhesive weight 74,740 kg (164,770 lb) Loco weight 74,740 kg (164,770 lb) max Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 2,000 litres (440 imp gal; 530 US gal) Electric system/s 3 kV DC catenary Current pickup Pantograph Prime mover Caterpillar DITA 3508 RPM range 600-1,800 ​ • RPM idle 600 • Maximum RPM 1,800 Engine type 4-stroke diesel Alternator 6 pole ABB/WB450C6 Traction motors Four AC 6 pole ABB/6FRA5252 ​ • Continuous 378 kW (507 hp) MU working 4 maximum Loco brake Knorr-Bremse air brake Spring applied, air release parking Train brakes Knorr-Bremse W450/150-3 compressor LPS 94 DE-MAG Wittig exhauster Couplers AAR knuckle type E Performance figures Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph) Power output: ​ • Starting 780 kW (1,050 hp) diesel • Continuous 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) electric 600 kW (800 hp) diesel Tractive effort: ​ • Starting 260 kN (58,000 lbf) @ 35% adh. • Continuous 180 kN (40,000 lbf) @ 30 km/h (19 mph) electric @ 10 km/h (6.2 mph) diesel Factor of adh.: ​ • Starting 35% • Continuous 25% Brakeforce 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) regenerative 1,000 kW (1,300 hp) dynamic Career Operators Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail Class Class 38-000 Number in class 50 Numbers 38-001 to 38-050 Delivered 1992-1994 First run 1992

The **Spoornet Class 38-000** of 1992 is a South African electro-diesel locomotive.

Between 1992 and 1994, [Spoornet](/source/Spoornet) placed fifty Class 38-000 dual mode locomotives in service. They are still the only dual powered [electro-diesel locomotives](/source/Electro-diesel_locomotive) in use by Transnet Freight Rail, capable of running either on 3 kV DC electricity off the catenary or on diesel fuel alone.[1]

## Manufacturer

The 3 kV DC Class 38-000 electro-diesel locomotive was designed for Spoornet by Consortium under the leadership of [Siemens](/source/Siemens_Mobility) and was built by [Union Carriage & Wagon](/source/Union_Carriage_%26_Wagon) (UCW) in Nigel, [Transvaal](/source/Transvaal_Province).[1][2]

Fifty locomotives entered service between 1992 and 1994, numbered in the range from 38-001 to 38-050. UCW did not allocate builder's or works numbers to the locomotives it built for Spoornet, but used the Spoornet unit numbers for their record keeping.[1]

## Characteristics

The locomotive has two-station controls. For operation in the diesel-only mode it was powered by a 780 kilowatts (1,050 horsepower) [Caterpillar](/source/Caterpillar_Inc) type DITA 3508 prime mover. Its diesel-only ability allows it to pick up and shunt wagons from unelectrified industrial sidings.[1][3]

## Service

The Class 38-000 was designed as a multi-purpose locomotive to replace steam on pickup work on the Witwatersrand, but it was also capable of long distance mainline work. Most of the locomotives were initially allocated to Gauteng depots at [Germiston](/source/Germiston), Pyramid South and [Krugersdorp](/source/Krugersdorp) with a lone locomotive serving at [Bloemfontein](/source/Bloemfontein) in the Free State. Given that they were originally designed for shunting and hauler work, these locomotives have performed extremely well in multiple roles.[1][4]

[Builder's plates](/source/Builder's_plate) on No. 38-040

Shortly after entering service they were used to haul the "Witblitz" shipping container express train between [Johannesburg](/source/Johannesburg) and [Cape Town](/source/Cape_Town). This saved time by avoiding the need to change locomotives at [Beaufort West](/source/Beaufort_West) and [Kimberley](/source/Kimberley%2C_Northern_Cape) to negotiate the 25 kV AC section between these two centres, since it could be traversed in diesel-only mode even though the units are less powerful in that mode.[5][4]

Although the Class 38-000 is usually limited to a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour (62 miles per hour), the "Witblitz" regularly attained speeds of 120 kilometres per hour (75 miles per hour) on some sections. The "Witblitz" express trains have long been discontinued, but some of the 120 km/h speed limit boards were still in existence between [Potchefstroom](/source/Potchefstroom) and [Worcester](/source/Worcester%2C_South_Africa) as late as 2005.[5]

For many years, the Class 38-000 also became the prime motive power on trains 5558 and 5559, the PX speed-freight overnight container trains between [Durban](/source/Durban) Goods and Johannesburg's [City Deep](/source/City_Deep%2C_Gauteng). It was found that the [Class 10E](/source/South_African_Class_10E) electric locomotives previously used on this duty could not achieve the 140 kilometres per hour (87 miles per hour) speeds at which these fifty-wagon trains were booked. These trains were the Natal Corridor (NATCOR) equivalent of the "Witblits" trains.[6]

In 1998, forty of these locomotives, numbers 38-011 to 38-050, and a number of electric locomotives were sold to Maquarie-GETX (General Electric Finance) and leased back to Spoornet for a ten-year period which expired in 2008.[3]

By 2012, Class 38-000 locomotives still often ran with full loads on the mainlines between Broodsnyersplaas and Welgedacht and to the Sentrarand classification yards in Gauteng.[5]

## Dates in service

The Class 38-000's years of construction as shown on their builder's plates and dates in service where known are listed in the table.[3]

Class 38-000 build dates and dates in service[3] Loco no. Year built Date in service 38-001 1992 18 Apr 1993 38-002 1992 25 Mar 1993 38-003 1992 10 Sep 1992 38-004 1992 15 Sep 1992 38-005 1992 16 Nov 1992 38-006 1992 25 Mar 1993 38-007 1992 9 Feb 1993 38-008 1992 18 Mar 1993 38-009 1992 27 Jan 1993 38-010 1992 9 Feb 1993 38-011 1992 7 Apr 1993 38-012 1992 19 May 1993 38-013 1992 23 Mar 1993 38-014 1992 2 Apr 1993 38-015 1992 15 Apr 1993 38-016 1992 5 Apr 1993 38-017 1992 22 Apr 1993 38-018 1992 3 May 1993 38-019 1992 19 May 1993 38-020 1992 2 Jun 1993 38-021 1992 Jun 1993 38-022 1992 11 Jun 1993 38-023 1992 Jul 1993 38-024 1993 Jul 1993 38-025 1993 Jul 1993 38-026 1993 Aug 1993 38-027 1993 Aug 1993 38-028 1993 17 Aug 1993 38-029 1993 Sep 1993 38-030 1993 Sep 1993 38-031 1993 Oct 1993 38-032 1993 Sep 1993 38-033 1993 Oct 1993 38-034 1993 Nov 1993 38-035 1993 Nov 1993 38-036 1993 Nov 1993 38-037 1993 Dec 1993 38-038 1993 Dec 1993 38-039 1993 Dec 1993 38-040 1993 Feb 1994 38-041 1992 Feb 1994 38-042 1993 17 Feb 1994 38-043 1993 Mar 1994 38-044 1993 1994 38-045 1993 1994 38-046 1993 1994 38-047 1993 1994 38-048 1993 1994 38-049 1993 1994 38-050 1993 30 Jul 1994

## Class E38 locomotives

During the production of the Class 38-000 for Spoornet, UCW also built three [Class E38](/source/South_African_Class_E38) electric locomotives for Amcoal Mines for use at the Landau Colliery near [Witbank](/source/Witbank), [Mpumalanga](/source/Mpumalanga). The Class E38 electric locomotive is identical in appearance and dimensions to the Class 38-000, but was designed for 3 kV DC electric operation only.[3]

## Liveries

The Class 38-000 was delivered in the Spoornet orange livery with a yellow and blue chevron pattern on the cowcatchers. In the late 1990s at least one, no. 38-041, was repainted in the Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers on the long hood sides. After 2008 in the [Transnet Freight Rail](/source/Transnet_Freight_Rail) (TFR) era, several received the TFR red, green and yellow livery.

## Illustration

		- No. 38-041 in Spoornet blue with outline numbers at Leeuhof, [Vereeniging](/source/Vereeniging), 10 May 2009

		- No. 38-012 in Transnet Freight Rail livery at Sentrarand, [Gauteng](/source/Gauteng), 18 May 2013

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-E&D_diagram-book_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-E&D_diagram-book_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-E&D_diagram-book_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-E&D_diagram-book_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-E&D_diagram-book_1-4) 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

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["UCW – Electric locomotives"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071012023401/http://www.ucw.co.za/pdf/electric_loco.pdf) (PDF). The UCW Partnership. Archived from [the original](http://www.ucw.co.za/pdf/electric_loco.pdf) (PDF) on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-4) 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. pp. 35, 63.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Soul_of_a_Railway_7-21_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Soul_of_a_Railway_7-21_4-1) [Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 21: Witbank Line by Les Pivnic, Eugene Armer, Peter Stow and Peter Micenko. Captions 26, 28.](https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/soul-of-a-railway-part-21-witbank-line-by-les-pivnic-eugene-armer-peter-stow-and-peter-micenko) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201024151650/https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-7-1/soul-of-a-railway-part-21-witbank-line-by-les-pivnic-eugene-armer-peter-stow-and-peter-micenko) 24 October 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (Accessed on 4 May 2017)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RailwaysAfrica_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RailwaysAfrica_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-RailwaysAfrica_5-2) [Railways Africa, 24 Jan 2012: Class 38 Electro-diesel in Operation](http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2012/01/class-38-electro-diesel-in-operation/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SAR-L_Yahoogrouup_6-0)** [Message no. 48235 Re: sar-L 1992: Class 38-000](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305091445/https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/sar-L/conversations/messages/48235)

## External links

Media related to [South African Class 38-000](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:South_African_Class_38-000) at Wikimedia Commons

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 38-000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_38-000) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_38-000?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.