#3510

South African Class 32-000

🇺🇸 United States ·built by General Electric· from 1959· class of 115 South African diesel-electric locomotives

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Class32odn: Bob Adams· CC BY-SA 3.0
2. Class 32-000 32-042 IDR: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
3. Class 32-000 32-047: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
4. Class 32-000 no. 32-013 at ZCCM Nkana: User:Peter Bagshawe· CC BY-SA 3.0
5. Class 32-094: SAR Connecta· CC BY-SA 3.0
6. Class 32 32-021: SAR Connecta· CC BY-SA 3.0
7. Class 32 GE U18C1 32-029 and 32-042 22nd September 2007 (7862994434): Bob Adams from George, South Africa· CC BY-SA 2.0
8. SAR Class 32-000 32-047: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
9. Class 32 GE U18C1 32-029 22nd September 2007 (7863005856): Bob Adams from George, South Africa· CC BY-SA 2.0
10. Class 32 GE U18C1 32-029 and 32-042 22nd September 2007 (7862970396): Bob Adams from George, South Africa· CC BY-SA 2.0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 32-000 of 1959 was a diesel-electric locomotive. Between November 1959 and November 1961, the South African Railways placed 115 Class 32-000 General Electric type U18C1 diesel-electric locomotives with a 1Co+Co1 wheel arrangement in service in South West Africa.

who runs it

Transnet Freight Rail Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Zaïrois South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

speed 100 km/htop speed
weight 96.5 tin working order
built 115made 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 67 years ago, in 1959.
Weighs about as much as 16 African elephants (~6 t each).

diesel locomotive: A diesel engine on board drives the wheels, usually through a generator (diesel-electric).

spec sheet

built: 1959–1961
in service from: 1959
number built: 115
kind: Diesel-electric
traction: diesel
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: General Electric
designer: General Electric
operators: Transnet Freight Rail, Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Zaïrois, South African Railways and Harbours Administration
top speed: 100 km/h
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement: (1′Co)+(Co1′)
weight: 96.5 t

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

Sources: Wikidata Q7565503, Wikipedia: South African Class 32-000 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.