South African Class 91-000

The vehicles of Class 91 of the South African Railways (SAR ), diesel -electric locomotives for 610 -mm narrow gauge. 1973 and 1974, General Electric produced a total of 20 machines of the type UM6B, which are the first and to date only non- steam-powered locomotives, which were procured from the SAR for this track.

The locomotives are a variant of type GE U6B, which had been developed for track widths from 914 mm, and for use on the still narrower track had to be constructed new bogies: Because the plane parallel to the axes of motors due to the small gauge no longer between adjust the wheels, they are moved to the bogie center and protrude on one side of the wheel plane.

Another difference from the type U6B is the brief " nose " in front of the cab, which is so optically aligned with the cabs of the larger diesel locomotives of the railway.

The locomotives are among the world's largest and most powerful for the 610 - mm gauge. The width of 2564 mm is more than four times the track width, and a height of 3632 mm overhang the machine all of them drawn wagons (compared to a standard gauge locomotive with these proportions would have a width of about 5.8 m and a height of about 8.3 m).

Use

All 20 locomotives were first stationed in Port Elizabeth, where they were used on the line to Avontuur, especially for limestone trains between Loerie and the Chelsea station. They replaced the steam locomotives of classes NGG 13 and 16; most of which were laid on narrow gauge lines in Natal. In the 1990s, two locomotives of Class 91 were leased to Alfred County Railway for railway from Port Shepstone by Harding in KwaZulu -Natal.

Because the 610 - mm - networks of the SAR were not connected to each other, the locomotives could be set to kapspurige bogies and move under its own power on Cape gauge routes. Since the closure of the last 610 - mm line in Natal however, this is no longer necessary.

The locomotives are mostly used in multiple traction; three locomotives in front of a freight train are not uncommon.

Whereabouts

Locomotive 91-014 has been thrown down a slope after a derailment and completely destroyed. 91-009 has been overturned following a derailment and also severely damaged. Because locomotives are sufficiently as lower traffic volume exists, it has not been repaired. The remaining locomotives are stationed at a depot near the train station in Humewood Port Elizabeth.