#1446

South African Class 3A 4-8-2

🇺🇸 United States ·built by American Locomotive Company· from 1909· class of 1 South African 4-8-2 locomotive

1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Class 3A 1476 (4-8-2) NGR 335 Playing Cards: SAR Museum· Public domain

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 3A 4-8-2 of 1910 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Colony of Natal. Early in 1910, the Natal Government Railways commissioned a single American-built Class B 4-8-2 Mountain type locomotive, also known as the America D. It was the first superheated locomotive to be acquired by the Railways in Natal and also the first with a bar frame.

who runs it

Transnet Freight Rail Natal Government Railways South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

built 1made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 117 years ago, in 1909.
Served for 25 years (1910–1935).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built: 1909
in service from: 1910
retired: 1935
status: retired
number built: 1
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: American Locomotive Company
designer: American Locomotive Company
operators: Transnet Freight Rail, Natal Government Railways, South African Railways and Harbours Administration
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-8-2 (Mountain)
nicknames: Maud Allan

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q1722959, Wikipedia: South African Class 3A 4-8-2 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.