South African Class 32-000

No. 32-029 and 32-042 at Oudtshoorn,
22 September 2007

Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Designer	General Electric
Builder	General Electric
Serial number	33722-33836
Model	GE U18C1
Build date	1959-1961
Total produced	115

Specifications
AAR wheel arr	1-C+C-1
UIC class	(1Co)(Co1)
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia.	762 mm (30.0 in)
Wheel diameter	915 mm (36.0 in)
Wheelbase	15,246 mm (50 ft 0.2 in)
• Bogie	4,927 mm (16 ft 2.0 in)
Pivot centres	8,128 mm (26 ft 8.0 in)
Length:
• Over couplers	16,866 mm (55 ft 4.0 in)
Width	2,756 mm (9 ft 0.5 in)
Height	3,924 mm (12 ft 10.5 in)
Axle load	12,700 kg (28,000 lb)
• Leading	10,160 kg (22,400 lb)
Adhesive weight	76,200 kg (168,000 lb)
Loco weight	96,520 kg (212,790 lb) max
Fuel type	Diesel
Fuel capacity	4,300 litres (950 imp gal)
Prime mover	Cooper-Bessemer FVBL-12
RPM range	400-1,000
• RPM low idle	400
• RPM idle	535
• Maximum RPM	1,000
Engine type	4 stroke V12 diesel
Aspiration	C-B ET13 turbocharger
Generator	DC 10 pole GE 5GT-581C5
Traction motors	Six GE 5GE-761A3 DC 4 pole
• Rating 1 hour	600A
• Continuous	590A @ 17 km/h (11 mph)
Gear ratio	92:19
MU working	3 maximum
Loco brake	6-SLAV-1 with vigilance control
Train brakes	Westinghouse 6CDX4UC compressor/exhauster
Air reservoir cap	700 litres (150 imp gal)
Compressor cap	0.039 m³/s (1.4 cu ft/s)
Exhauster cap	0.155 m³/s (5.5 cu ft/s)
Couplers	AAR knuckle SASKOP DS

Performance figures
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Power output:
• Starting	1,475 kW (1,978 hp)
• Continuous	1,340 kW (1,800 hp)
Tractive effort:
• Starting	183 kN (41,000 lbf) @ 25% adhesion
• Continuous	146 kN (33,000 lbf) @ 27 km/h (17 mph)
Factor of adh: • Starting	25%
• Continuous	20%
Loco brakeforce	60% ratio @ 345 kPa (50.0 psi)

Career
Operators	South African Railways Spoornet SNCZ, Democratic Republic of the Congo Consortium ARZ
Class	Class 32-000
Number in class	115
Numbers	32-001 to 32-115
Delivered	Nov 1959 to Nov 1961
First run	1959

The South African Railways Class 32-000 of 1959 is a diesel-electric locomotive.

Between November 1959 and November 1961, the South African Railways placed one hundred and fifteen Class 32-000 General Electric type U18C1 diesel-electric locomotives in service in South West Africa.^[1]

Manufacturer

The South African Class 32-000 type GE U18C1 diesel-electric locomotive was designed and built to South African Railways (SAR) requirements by General Electric (GE) and imported. They were numbered in the range from 32-001 to 32-115.^[1]

Class 32 series

The Class 32 consists of two series, the high short hood Class 32-000 and the low short hood Class 32-200, both GE products. On the Class 32-000, the short hood end is the front. It has single station controls.^[1]

The pony truck affair

In the United States of America, the South African Class 32-000 is credited with being a major factor in the demise of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and the rise of GE in the locomotive building business.^[2]

In the late 1950s, South Africa, at the time one of the last bastions of steam traction, planned to embark on a massive dieselisation program. An SAR technical team was sent to Europe and to the United States to prepare an assessment of design alternatives, finalise specifications and compile a list of qualified bidders.^[2]

In the United States, only ALCO, General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and GE were considered to be qualified bidders. The SAR was not very enthusiastic about two-stroke cycle engines and had a strong preference for ALCO's Model 251 engine and GE's transmission systems. As a prior supplier of steam locomotives for the SAR, ALCO appeared to be virtually assured of receiving the order.^[2]

The SAR's tender for bid was issued in 1957, with two options:^[2]

One hundred and fifteen 1,800 horsepower (1,300 kilowatts) locomotives with a 1Co+Co1 wheel arrangement; or
Two hundred and thirty 1,000 horsepower (750 kilowatts) locomotives with a Co+Co wheel arrangement

1Co bogie on no. 32-047

These units were intended for operation in South West Africa (SWA), now Namibia, under very light rail conditions which necessitated lighter axle loadings, which could not be achieved with conventional Co' bogies under a heavy locomotive. General Steel Castings had a design on paper for a 1Co' bogie (a Co' bogie with a pony truck) which could be utilised by either ALCO or GE and which would enable the SAR's specification to be met for the heavier 1,800 horsepower (1,300 kilowatts) units.^[2]

The SAR made it clear that, despite the two options afforded by the tender, its strong preference was for a 1Co+Co1 locomotive. However, the use of a pony truck was not universally accepted by ALCO's engineering management. The result was that ALCO bid on only the Co+Co option and lost out to GE, who had bid on both options.^[2]

In South Africa, this virtually opened the floodgates for GE, since more than half of the SAR’s vast diesel-electric locomotive fleet, which was acquired between 1959 and 1981, were GE products.^[2]

Service

South African Railways

The Class 32-000 was designed specifically for service in SWA and most of them spent their entire SAR lives there. Between 1964 and 1976, several were also allocated to the Eastern Transvaal for service around Waterval-Boven.^[3]^[4]

Of the original one hundred and fifteen locomotives, only five survived into the Spoornet era in the 1990s. In SWA they were replaced by the Class 33-400 during the 1980s. After being withdrawn from Spoornet service, a few were allocated to the National Collection, later the Transnet Heritage Foundation (THF), and some of these still saw occasional service as Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe excursion locomotives, based at George, Western Cape.^[3]

Post SAR service

No. 32-013 at Nkana Mine, 30 September 1993

After withdrawal from SAR service, a large number of the Class 32-000 locomotives were sold to Zaire’s Congo Railway (SNCZ), which became the SNCC after the country's name change to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[3]

Three went to Consortium ARZ (CARZ), an Italian per-way contractor working in Zaire and later also in Zambia. Two went to Nchanga and three to Nkana, two of the copper mines in Zambia.^[3]

The three locomotives at the Nkana Mine retained their SAR numbers whilst working at Nkana. No. 32-013 is depicted alongside, on the Nkana-Chibuluma miner's train at Nkana Mine Sidings in Zambia. The coaches behind it are second-hand Tata bus bodies, mounted on freight wagon frames and bogies. These were initially made for the Mulungushi Commuter train service in Lusaka, which was later taken over by Zambia Railways and renamed Njanji Commuter.

LEGE in Durban, who operates an active hire and overhaul business, owns two locomotives, numbers 32-070 and 32-084. Of these, no. 32-070 has been observed shunting in the Merewent Oil Refinery as late as 2014.^[5]

Works numbers

The Class 32-000 builder’s works numbers and disposition are listed in the table.

**Class 32-000, GE type U18C1**^[3]
SAR no.	GE works no.	Post-SAR owner	Post-SAR no.
32-001	33722
32-002	33723
32-003	33724
32-004	33725	SNCZ	32-004
32-005	33726
32-006	33727	SNCZ
32-007	33728	Nchanga	26
32-008	33729	SNCZ
32-009	33730	SNCZ
32-010	33731	Nkana	32-010
32-011	33732
32-012	33733
32-013	33734	Nkana	32-013
32-014	33735
32-015	33736
32-016	33737
32-017	33738	SNCZ
32-018	33739	SNCZ
32-019	33740	SNCZ	1405
32-020	33741	SNCZ
32-021	33742		32-021
32-022	33743	SNCZ
32-023	33744
32-024	33745
32-025	33746	SNCZ
32-026	33747
32-027	33748
32-028	33749
32-029	33750	THF	32-029
32-030	33751	SNCZ
32-031	33752
32-032	33753
32-033	33754
32-034	33755	SNCZ
32-035	33756	SNCZ
32-036	33757	SNCZ
32-037	33758	SNCZ
32-038	33759
32-039	33760
32-040	33761
32-041	33762
32-042	33763	THF	32-042
32-043	33764	SNCZ	1410-5
32-044	33765
32-045	33766
32-046	33767
32-047	33768	THF	32-047
32-048	33769
32-049	33770	SNCZ
32-050	33771	SNCZ	32-050
32-051	33772	SNCZ
32-052	33773
32-053	33774
32-054	33775	SNCZ
32-055	33776
32-056	33777	CARZ
32-057	33778	CARZ
32-058	33779	SNCZ
32-059	33780
32-060	33781
32-061	33782	SNCZ
32-062	33783
32-063	33784
32-064	33785
32-065	33786
32-066	33787	SNCZ
32-067	33788	SNCZ
32-068	33789	SNCZ
32-069	33790	Nchanga	27
32-070	33791	LEGE
32-071	33792	SNCZ
32-072	33793	SNCZ
32-073	33794
32-074	33795
32-075	33796	SNCZ
32-076	33797	SNCZ
32-077	33798
32-078	33799	SNCZ
32-079	33800
32-080	33801
32-081	33802	SNCZ
32-082	33803	SNCZ
32-083	33804
32-084	33805	LEGE
32-085	33806	SNCZ
32-086	33807	SNCZ
32-087	33808	CARZ
32-088	33809
32-089	33810	SNCZ
32-090	33811
32-091	33812	SNCZ
32-092	33813	SNCZ
32-093	33814	SNCZ
32-094	33815		32-094
32-095	33816
32-096	33817
32-097	33818	SNCZ
32-098	33819	SNCZ
32-099	33820
32-100	33821	SNCZ
32-101	33822
32-102	33823	SNCZ
32-103	33824
32-104	33825
32-105	33826
32-106	33827
32-107	33828
32-108	33829
32-109	33830
32-110	33831	SNCZ
32-111	33832	SNCZ
32-112	33833	SNCZ
32-113	33834	Nkana	32-113
32-114	33835	SNCZ
32-115	33836	SNCZ

Illustration

The main picture and the following photographs offer views of all sides of the Class 32-000 locomotive.

No. 32-042 on the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, 16 February 2005
No. 32-002 renumbered to 32-001 and plinthed in Windhoek, 20 February 2006 ^[1]
No. 32-047 staged at Voorbaai Depot near Mosselbaai, 15 April 2013

^ Cite error: The named reference Middleton was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

References

1 2 3 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 2 3 4 5 6 7 The American Locomotive Company - A Centennial Remembrance by Richard Steinbrenner
1 2 3 4 5 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. 38, 47, 67.
↑ Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 138–139. ISBN 0869772112.
↑ SAR-L Yahoogroup message no. 47981 of 17 October 2014

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 32-000.

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London Harbour 0-4-0 Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0ST Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0T Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0WT

4' 8½" 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

3' 6" gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST 1902 CGR 0-6-0T 1876 Back-to-Back 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 1876 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T 1875 CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T 1882 CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack CSAR Railmotor DSWA Eight-Coupled Tank 2-8-0T Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth Harbour 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 0-4-0ST 1903 SAR 0-4-0T no. 69 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 Clayton Railmotor

3' 6" gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Beyer, Peacock 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 1879 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT 1881 CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT 1875 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 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 DSWA Eight-Coupled Tender 2-8-0 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 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 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 Red Devil

3' 6" 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 0-6-0T 1871 Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Class Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Class Namaqua Copper Pioneer

2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T DSWA Class Ha DSWA Class Hb DSWA Class Hc DSWA Class Hd DSWA Jung DSWA Zwillinge NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR NG 0-4-0T 1899 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

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Diesel

3' 6" 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 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 35-800 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000

2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000

3' 6" gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000

3' 6" gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000

Diesel locomotives built by GE Transportation / GE Rail (GE)

Industrial and switch engines	60-ton boxcab 100-ton boxcab 600-hp centercab 1000-hp centercab DEY-2 EN-6 25-ton 35-ton 43-ton 44-ton 45-ton 50-ton 60-ton 65-ton 70-ton 80-ton 95-ton 100-ton 110-ton 125-ton 126-ton 128-ton 1800-hp transfer 2000-hp transfer U5B U6B

Universal Series	UM6B U9B U10B U12B U13B UD18 U18B U23B U25B U28B U30B U33B U36B UM12C U12C U14C U15C U17C U18C U18C1 U20C U20C1 U23C U25C U26C U28C U30C U33C U36C U50C U50

Passenger locomotives	U28CG U30CG U34CH P30CH B32-8WH Genesis series (P40DC, P32AC-DM, P42DC)

Dash 7 Series	B23-7 BQ23-7 B30-7 B30-7A B36-7 C30-7 C30-7A C36-7

Dash 8 Series	B32-8 B39-8 B40-8 B40-8W C32-8 C39-8 C40-8 C40-8M C40-8W C40-8.5W C41-8W C44-8W

Dash 9 Series	C40-9 C40-9W C44-9W BB40-9W C-38AChe

AC series	AC4400CW AC6000CW C30ACi C44ACi

Evolution Series	ES40ACi ES40DC ES44DC ES44DCi ES44AC ES44C4 ES59ACi

PowerHaul Series	PH37ACmi PH37ACi PH37ACmai

Indonesian series	U18A1A C18MMi C20EMP CM20EMP

(see also: List of GE locomotives)

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