Class 38 using overhead

[Ashley Peter]

I guess they must have been around even longer than that - I have KZN load tables from 1995 showing Class 38's and I think they worked elsewhere for some time before venturing down here.

[Ashley Peter]

On second thoughts - maybe the "new-fangled" electro-diesels should have deserved their own classification number series - after all, the diesel-hydraulics became Class 61 and the narrow-gauge diesels 91, so perhaps electro-diesels should have become Class 51 or 71 - or perhaps even 71E...!!

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Ahem.....

And I just figured out how to post the pictures Derek - in the Diesel section when the pantos are down and in the Electric section when thay are up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Luca Lategan]

And if there is both locos drawing power and locos in diesel mode? What then Mr Smith?

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Ahhh - if the pantos are up and diesel smoke is pouring out...... then make copies and post in both sections????
-------------------------------------

This thread actually is a bit like the chicken and egg conundrum...!

[Derek Walker]

What I find amusing is that I originally posted the pic in May! Its taken a loooooooooooooong time to get to this point :-)

[allanroy]

I found this on another website -

There are two models of the class 38 in South Africa - an electric only version and a diesel-electric / electric version.

So how can you tell which is which?

[allanroy]

I found that there is a class 38E which is electric only and only 3 made for Amcoal Mines

[Ashley Peter]

Quite correct - and two of the three were featured in an SA Rail cover pic by Jean Dulez (Vol. 34/2 dated March/April 1994). According to the caption these electric only ("38E") versions are more powerful than the standard 38's (1.8MW continuous) and they were at work on Amcoal's SA Coal Estates Landau Colliery system. They were built by UCW and worked trainloads consisting of up to 32 loaded wagons on the 23km line between Kromdraai and the Navigation processing plant. The photo was dated August 1993.

[allanroy]

from the UCW website

Class 38 Diesel Electric / Electric Dual

Mode - 3kV DC Electrical or Diesel Electric; Single Cab (360º View); 1067mm Gauge; Wheel diameter 1054mm; Speed 100km/h max.; Total mass 74t (18.5t/axle); 260KN TE (starting @ 35% adhesion), 180kN TE (Continuous @ 30km/h); 1500kW/600kW (electric/diesel); Caterpillar 3508 diesel engine; Mainline Freight Business and Shunting.
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE : 1990/1993
TOTAL PRODUCED : 50
CUSTOMER : Spoornet

Class 38E

Single mode - 3kV DC; Single Cab (360º View); 1067mm Gauge; Wheel diameter 1054mm; Speed 100km/h max.; Total mass 74t (18.5t/axle); 260KN TE (starting @ 35% adhesion), 230kN TE (Continuous @ 30km/h); 1800kW; Mainline Freight Business and Shunting.
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE : 1993
TOTAL PRODUCED : 3
CUSTOMER : Amcoal Mines (South Africa)

[Geoff Pethick]

Hi all
Following delivery of the last of the class I was asked by UCW to organise a special train to Magaliesburg for a celebration. We used two locos, can't remember which ones now, and I think I'm right in saying it was only the second time 38s had been allowed to haul passenger trains.

A commemorative wine glass was produced with the dates 38-001 (8/4/93) to 38050 (30/7/94), I've still got one in my kitchen at home.

I organised a few trains using Class 38s from then on as the railway tariffs made them cheaper to use to Magaliesburg and elsewhere. The reason was that electric traction was cheapest per km, so that was charged to Millsite, then diesel from there onwards rather than diesel all the way. Steam was even more expensive I think. I did send a Dec 16 train out to Magaliesburg one year only for one loco to have its diesel engine fail as it departed. One loco hauled the train back but the train manager said he got out and walked up some of the gradients as it was quicker. Once back under the wires it went like the wind.

In 1995 I also organised a train from Johannesburg to a hotel near Roodeplaat Dam. A Class 38 hauled the train to Kaalfontein where the passengers joined the train and the green Class 25NC coupled on the front, thus a 25NC/Class 38 double header. Somewhere in the Pretoria area the 25NC hooked off and we continued onwards with just the 38. Having deposited the passengers near Roodeplaat Dam, on the freight line, we had a very swift trip back to Johannesburg in the cab. The train consisted of the White train coach no. 49 a lounge car and a GH-1 third class sitter brake coach I think so there was very little weight to haul. The Class 38 were pretty bouncy locos to ride on, but gor up to speed very quickly. I think the whole control system switched off at 95kmph and applied the brakes, something like that as I remember slowing down rather quickly at one point. Thankfully they could be reset after about 30 seconds so no harm done.

A photo was used on the Trains Galore calendar that year.