South African Class 6E

South African Class 6E
E1221 approaching Bellville station in September 2006
Type and origin Power type Electric Designer Union Carriage & Wagon Builder Union Carriage & Wagon Serial number 6E.58 & 6E.59 (Iscor) Model UCW 6E Build date 1970 Total produced 82
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo′Bo′  • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Wheel diameter 1,220 mm (48.03 in) Wheelbase 11,279 mm (37 ft 1⁄16 in) ​  • Bogie 3,430 mm (11 ft 3 in) Pivot centres 7,849 mm (25 ft 9 in) Panto shoes 6,972 mm (22 ft 10+1⁄2 in) Length: ​  • Over couplers 15,494 mm (50 ft 10 in)  • Over body 14,631 mm (48 ft 0 in) Width 2,896 mm (9 ft 6 in) Height: ​  • Pantograph 4,089 mm (13 ft 5 in)  • Body height 3,937 mm (12 ft 11 in) Axle load 22,226 kg (49,000 lb) Adhesive weight 88,904 kg (196,000 lb) Loco weight 88,904 kg (196,000 lb) Electric system/s 3 kV DC catenary Current pickup(s) Pantographs Traction motors Four AEI-283AZ ​  • Rating 1 hour 623 kW (835 hp)  • Continuous 563 kW (755 hp) Gear ratio 18:67 Loco brake Air & Regenerative 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 311 kN (70,000 lbf)  • 1 hour 221 kN (50,000 lbf)  • Continuous 193 kN (43,000 lbf) @ 40 km/h (25 mph)
Career Operators South African Railways Iscor Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail Class Class 6E Number in class 82 Numbers SAR E1146-E1225 Iscor F221.01-F221.02 Delivered 1970–1971 First run 1970

The South African Railways Class 6E of 1970 was an electric locomotive.

In 1970 and 1971, the South African Railways placed eighty Class 6E mainline electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in service. Two more were built for Iscor for use at the Sishen mine.^[1]