New locomotives for Transnet Freight Rail

It's been more than 20 years since new locomotives were delivered to the SAR/Spoornet, these being the class 14E electrics (dual voltage). The motive power shortage has received wide publicity and has not cast the national operator in a positive light. At last the decision to invest in new locomotives is producing results and, for anyone with an interest in the railways of South Africa, there is a lot to look forward to. All the new locomotives are being delivered in the new TFR colour scheme, which is quite different to anything we have seen before.


At the UCW Partnership factory in Nigel, class 15E and 19E electrric locomotives are being built for the Orex and Coalink lines respectively. During a Railway Society of Southern Africa (RSSA) visit to the UCW Partnership factory at Nigel on 20th June 2009, the first 15E, E15001 was photographed on the traverser, being moved to the electrical test bay.



32 of these 50kV AC Co-Co locomotives are being built for the Sishen - Saldanha line. Here is a shot E15002 nearing completion on the production line, taken on the same visit.

The class 19E's are being built for the Ermelo - Richards Bay line. They are 25kV AC Bo-Bo locomotives and 110 of these have been ordered by TFR. The RSSA group was able to photograph E19006, which was ready for delivery to TFR the following week.

On the 19th September the RSSA visited Transnet Rail Engineering's Koedoespoort workshops, where the class 39-200 diesels are being built. These are EMD model GT26CU-3, 3000hp and Co-Co wheel arrangement. Unlike the first five class 39's, which were rebuilt from GM class 34's, the 39-200's are essentially new locomotives, but with refurbished prime movers. Four of these loco's were tested on the Steelpoort - Lydenburg - Belfast line in August. Apparently three of them can handle the same load as 5 class 37's.

In the workshop adjacent to the class 39 production line, the class 18E electrics are being rebuilt from class 6E1's. Here are three of the completed loco's, ready for delivery to TFR.

As more of these new locomotives are released into service, I am sure there will be some interesting photographs to be had! It will also be interesting to see where the class 37's will be sent, once the 39's have taken over on the Belfast - Lydenburg - Steelpoort line. Maybe they will put in an appearance on the Krugersdorp - Mafikeng line, who knows?

Cheers

Eugene