# South African Class Experimental AC

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Type of electric locomotive

South African Class Experimental AC E1600 at Pyramid South, Pretoria in May 2013 Type and origin Power type Electric Designer Union Carriage & Wagon Builder Union Carriage & Wagon Transwerk Model UCW 6E1 Build date 1978 Total produced 1 Specifications Configuration: ​ • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Wheel diameter 1.22 m (48 in) Wheelbase 11.28 m (37 ft 0 in) ​ • Bogie 3.43 m (11 ft 3 in) Pivot centres 7.85 m (25 ft 9 in) Length: ​ • Over couplers 15.49 m (50 ft 10 in) • Over body 14.63 m (48 ft 0 in) Width 2.90 m (9 ft 6 in) Height: ​ • Pantograph 4.29 m (14 ft 1 in) • Body height 3.94 m (12 ft 11 in) Axle load 21.38 t (47,100 lb) Adhesive weight 85.50 t (188,500 lb) Loco weight 85.50 t (188,500 lb) Electric system/s 25 kV 50 Hz AC catenary Current pickup Pantograph Traction motors 4 AEI 283AZ ​ • Rating 1 hour 623 kW (835 hp) • Continuous 563 kW (755 hp) Gear ratio 18:67 Loco brake Air Train brakes Air & Vacuum Couplers AAR knuckle Performance figures Maximum speed 113 km/h (70 mph) Power output: ​ • 1 hour 2,492 kW (3,342 hp) • Continuous 2,252 kW (3,020 hp) Tractive effort: ​ • Starting 330 kN (74,000 lbf) • 1 hour 218 kN (49,000 lbf) • Continuous 190 kN (43,000 lbf) Career Operators South African Railways Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail Class Class Experimental AC Number in class 1 Numbers E1600 First run 1978

The **South African Railways Class Experimental AC** of 1978 is an electric locomotive.

In 1974 and 1975 the [South African Railways](/source/Transnet_Freight_Rail) placed 100 [Class 6E1, Series 5](/source/South_African_Class_6E1%2C_Series_5) locomotives with a [Bo-Bo](/source/Bo-Bo) wheel arrangement in mainline service. In 1978 one was withdrawn from revenue service for use as an experimental [25 kV AC locomotive](/source/25_kV_AC_railway_electrification). It was rebuilt and reclassified to Class Experimental AC.[1]

## Manufacturer

The 3 kV DC [Class 6E1, Series 5](/source/South_African_Class_6E1%2C_Series_5) electric locomotive was designed and built for the [South African Railways](/source/South_African_Railways) by [Union Carriage & Wagon](/source/Union_Carriage_%26_Wagon) (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal.[2]

## Orientation

These dual cab locomotives have a roof access ladder on one side only, just to the right of the cab access door. The roof access ladder end is marked as the no. 2 end. A corridor along the centre of the locomotive connects the cabs.[1]

## Test bed for 25 kV AC research

In 1978, E1600 was withdrawn from revenue service and rebuilt as a test-bed for use during 25 kV AC electrification and reclassified to the sole Class Experimental AC. It was used for testing to detect and eliminate potential problems during the electrification of the four isolated 25 kV networks. These networks are:[1][3][4]

- Pyramid South to [Pietersburg](/source/Pietersburg) and via [Rustenburg](/source/Rustenburg) to [Thabazimbi](/source/Thabazimbi)

- [Ermelo](/source/Ermelo%2C_Mpumalanga) to [Richards Bay](/source/Richards_Bay)

- [Port Elizabeth](/source/Port_Elizabeth) via [Noupoort](/source/Noupoort) to [De Aar](/source/De_Aar) and from there northward to [Kimberley](/source/Kimberley%2C_Northern_Cape) and southward to [Beaufort West](/source/Beaufort_West)

- [East London](/source/East_London%2C_South_Africa) to [Springfontein](/source/Springfontein)

The unit's single [pantograph](/source/Pantograph_(rail)) and its electronic and electric equipment were manufactured by the 50 c/s Group, a consortium consisting of [ACEC](/source/Ateliers_de_Constructions_Electriques_de_Charleroi) of Belgium, [AEG-Telefunken](/source/AEG_(German_company)) and [Siemens](/source/Siemens_Mobility) of Germany, [Alsthom-Atlantique](/source/Alstom) and Société MTE of France, and [Brown Boveri](/source/Brown%2C_Boveri_%26_Cie) of Switzerland. The same consortium also designed the 25 kV AC [Class 7E](/source/South_African_Class_7E) locomotives which were placed in service on the four 25 kV networks.[3]

The vacuum circuit breaker was supplied by GEC. The original Class 6E1 AEI-283AZ traction motors, manufactured by [Associated Electrical Industries](/source/Associated_Electrical_Industries), were retained and the locomotive used a thyristor-diode rectifier set for the traction motor DC power supply. Mechanical components were supplied by UCW.[1][3]

Apart from the inscriptions painted on the locomotive sides, the Class Experimental AC locomotive can be visually distinguished from regular Class 6E1 locomotives by the single pantograph on its no. 2 end instead of the usual two pantographs, one on each end, as well as by the large grilles on the sides. The Class 6E1 has two large grilles to the right of centre on each side while no. E1600 has only one such grille on the roof access ladder side and three on the opposite side.[3]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-E&Ddiagram-book_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-E&Ddiagram-book_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-E&Ddiagram-book_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-E&Ddiagram-book_1-3) South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975

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-Paxton-Bourne_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Paxton-Bourne_3-3) Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). *Locomotives of the South African Railways* (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 128–129, 136. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0869772112](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0869772112).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-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. 50–51, 60.

## External links

Media related to [South African Class Experimental AC](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:South_African_Class_Exp/AC) 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 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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 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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [South African Class Experimental AC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_Experimental_AC) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_Experimental_AC?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.