ESCOM 0-8-0 Locomotives in South_Africa


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Komati (Locobase 20763)

Data from "Komati - circa 1926", The History of the Steam Locomotives that have Served The Electricity Supply Industry in South Africa, Eskom, pp. 41-43, archived at [link], last accessed 23 July 2020. , pp. 41-43.

A powerful narrow-gauge industrial tank locomotive, Komati spent more than 40 years at the Witbank power station. While the first three axles were spaced 4-ft apart, the fourth axle was almost twice as distant (7 ft 6 in/ ) from the third. Well into her service career, Rosherville shops removed that fourth coupled axle and replaced it with a traversable truck, transforming Komati into an 0-6-2T.

After her 1969 retirement, Komati lingered on a back track until Dunn's Locomotive and Boiler Works bought her to lease to several private companies. Eskom bought her back in 1995, but a 2010 theft of the engine's axleboxes led to her scrapping in October 2010.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassKomati
Locobase ID20763
RailroadESCOM
CountrySouth Africa
Whyte0-8-0T
Number in Class1
Road Numbers
Gauge3'6"
Number Built1
BuilderHudswell, Clarke
Year1926
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)15.50 / 4.72
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)15.50 / 4.72
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)15.50 / 4.72
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)104,160 / 47,246
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)104,160 / 47,246
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1080 / 4.09
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 1.65 / 2
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)43 / 21.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)42 / 1067
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)17" x 24" / 432x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)25,267 / 11460.93
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.12
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)209 - 1.875" / 48
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)13.31 / 4.06
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)85.60 / 7.95
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)18.50 / 1.72
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1464 / 136.01
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1464 / 136.01
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume232.20
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation3330
Same as above plus superheater percentage3330
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area15,408
Power L13781
Power MT320.11

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