# South African Class 7E1

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1980 design of electric locomotive

South African Class 7E1 No. E7111 at Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, 16 August 2007 Type and origin Power type Electric Designer Hitachi Builder Hitachi & Dorbyl Model Hitachi 7E1 Build date 1979-1981 Total produced 50 Specifications Configuration: ​ • AAR C-C • UIC Co′Co′ • Commonwealth Co-Co Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Wheel diameter 1,220 mm (48.03 in) Wheelbase 13,800 mm (45 ft 3+1⁄4 in) ​ • Bogie 4,400 mm (14 ft 5+1⁄4 in) Pivot centres 10,200 mm (33 ft 5+5⁄8 in) Panto shoes 11,530 mm (37 ft 9+7⁄8 in) Length: ​ • Over couplers 18,430 mm (60 ft 5+5⁄8 in) • Over beams 17,480 mm (57 ft 4+1⁄4 in) Width 2,906 mm (9 ft 6+3⁄8 in) Height: ​ • Pantograph 4,180 mm (13 ft 8+5⁄8 in) • Body height 3,941 mm (12 ft 11+1⁄8 in) Axle load 21,000 kg (46,000 lb) Adhesive weight 125,500 kg (276,700 lb) Loco weight 125,500 kg (276,700 lb) Electric system/s 25 kV AC 50 Hz catenary Current pickup Pantographs Traction motors Six HS-1054-GR ​ • Rating 1 hour 525 kW (704 hp) • Continuous 500 kW (670 hp) Gear ratio 16:94 Loco brake Air & Rheostatic Train brakes Air & Vacuum Couplers AAR knuckle Performance figures Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph) Power output: ​ • 1 hour 3,150 kW (4,220 hp) • Continuous 3,000 kW (4,000 hp) Tractive effort: ​ • Starting 450 kN (100,000 lbf) • 1 hour 319 kN (72,000 lbf) • Continuous 300 kN (67,000 lbf) Career Operators South African Railways Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail Class Class 7E1 Number in class 50 Numbers E7101-E7150 Delivered 1980-1981 First run 1980

The **South African Railways Class 7E1** of 1980 is an electric locomotive.

In 1980 and 1981, the South African Railways placed fifty Class 7E1 electric locomotives with a Co-Co wheel arrangement in mainline service.[1]

## Manufacturers

The 25 kV AC Class 7E1 electric locomotive was designed for the South African Railways (SAR) by [Hitachi](/source/Hitachi), while [Dorbyl](/source/DCD_(company)) in South Africa supplied the mechanical components. The first six locomotives, numbered E7101 to E7106, were built by Hitachi in Japan in 1979, while forty-four more were built by Dorbyl in South Africa between 1979 and 1981, numbered in the range from E7107 to E7150.[2][3]

Like Union Carriage and Wagon, neither Hitachi nor Dorbyl allocated builder’s numbers to the Class 7E1 locomotives they built for the SAR, but used the SAR unit numbers for their record keeping.[1]

## Features

### Appearance

[Builder's plate](/source/Builder's_plate)

Since they were acquired solely for use on the Richards Bay coal line where they would always work in multiple unit lashups, they were built with single cabs. Following the Class 9E which had entered service in 1978, the Class 7E1 was the second single cab mainline electric locomotive to be acquired by the SAR. Until the Class 9E was introduced in 1978, all South African mainline electric locomotives were dual cab units.[1]

The two sides of the Class 7E1 are sufficiently different in appearance that, when coupled end to end, a pair of them appears at first glance to be two different locomotive types. The left side is smooth, while the right has several large grilles.[1]

### Pantographs

The locomotive's pantograph placement is unusual in not being equidistant from the locomotive ends. The contact shoe centre of the no. 1 end pantograph is 5,280 millimetres (17 feet 3.9 inches) from the longitudinal centre of the locomotive, while that of the no. 2 end pantograph is 6,250 millimetres (20 feet 6.1 inches) from the centre.[1]

### Brakes

Control of traction and rheostatic braking on the Class 7E1 is by stepless solid-state electronics. The electrical equipment was designed for high power factor operation, obtained by the switching in of power-factor correction capacitors.[2]

Unlike the [Classes 7E](/source/South_African_Class_7E) and [7E2](/source/South_African_Class_7E2%2C_Series_1), where thyristors are used, these locomotives use silicon-diode rectifiers.[4]

In the period from the early 1990s until about 2007, various modifications to improve downhill braking capacity were done to the Coalink line's Hitachi-designed locomotives. The first set of upgrades were done on the fifty Class 7E1 locomotives. They retained their Class 7E1 classification after modification.[2][3]

### Bogies

Like the [Class 6E1](/source/South_African_Class_6E1%2C_Series_1) and [Class 7E](/source/South_African_Class_7E), the Class 7E1 was built with sophisticated traction linkages on the bogies. Together with the locomotive's electronic wheel-slip detection system, these traction struts, mounted between the linkages on the bogies and the locomotive body and colloquially referred to as grasshopper legs, ensure the maximum transfer of power to the rails without causing wheel-slip by reducing the adhesion of the leading bogie and increasing that of the trailing bogie by as much as 15% upon starting off.[2]

## Service

The Class 7E1 was placed in service on the 25 kV AC Ermelo-Richards Bay Coalink line, where most of them still work. By 2015 some had been transferred to Pyramid South.[2]

## Liveries

All the Class 7E1 locomotives were delivered in the SAR Gulf Red livery with signal red cowcatchers, yellow whiskers and with the number plates on the sides mounted on three-stripe yellow wings. In the late 1990s many were repainted in the Spoornet blue livery with either outline or solid numbers on the sides and with a yellow and blue chevron pattern on the cowcatchers. After 2008 in the [Transnet Freight Rail](/source/Transnet_Freight_Rail) (TFR) era, several received the TFR red, green and yellow livery.[5]

## Illustration

		- No. E7137 in SAR Gulf Red and yellow whiskers livery at [Vryheid](/source/Vryheid), KwaZulu-Natal, 15 August 2007

		- No. E7108 in Spoornet blue livery with solid numbers, Pyramid South, Gauteng, 22 September 2015

		- No. E7145 in Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers at [Richards Bay](/source/Richards_Bay), KwaZulu-Natal, 14 August 2007

		- No. E7138 in [Transnet Freight Rail](/source/Transnet_Freight_Rail) livery, Pyramid South, Gauteng, 22 September 2015

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [South African Class 7E1](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:South_African_Class_7E1).

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. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_2-4) Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). *Locomotives of the South African Railways* (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 129–131. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0869772112](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0869772112).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Middleton_3-1) 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. 51, 61.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Jane's Train Recognition Guide

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Soul_of_a_Railway_7-9_5-0)** [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.](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) (Accessed on 11 April 2017)

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 7E1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_7E1) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_7E1?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.