What kind of cars are this?

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Andreas Umnus
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What kind of cars are this?

Post by Andreas Umnus »

When I left Jo'burg in direction to Cape Town in 1995 I could take this photo.
Are that cars for water?
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John Ashworth
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Re: What kind of cars are this?

Post by John Ashworth »

These are steam heating cars, used to provide heat to passenger trains.
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Andreas Umnus
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Re: What kind of cars are this?

Post by Andreas Umnus »

Thank you for the answer. That is interesting. I watched just a video scene of the Union Limited. I think there was also such a car in use. So the steam engines doesn't have the installation to heat the passenger trains?
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John Ashworth
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Re: What kind of cars are this?

Post by John Ashworth »

Steam engines did have the facility to heat coaches using steam from the bolier. On most of our preserved steam locos the steam heat cock still exists on the turret, and the steam heat pressure gauge is still there, but they are not used any more in preservation.

I believe steam heating cars were used with diesel and electric locomotives which do not have steam heat facilities. In the UK some of the earlier diesel locomotives had small boilers on board in order to provide steam to heat the train. More modern coaching stock has electric heating, so a steam supply is not required.
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Stefan Andrzejewski
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Re: What kind of cars are this?

Post by Stefan Andrzejewski »

The heating cars use Parifin. The 3E Locomotive used way back was the only Electric to have an inbuilt heater system for the train.
Morne Bothma
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Re: What kind of cars are this?

Post by Morne Bothma »

These steam cars are still used on SM tourist class trains during winter months, they work well IF they work wich is normaly only 30% of the time! Does any one know if the tourist class sets are also going be upgraded with a generator wagon in future like the economy class and premiere class sets?
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Stefan Andrzejewski
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Re: What kind of cars are this?

Post by Stefan Andrzejewski »

Does any one know if the tourist class sets are also going be upgraded with a generator wagon in future like the economy class and premiere class sets?[/quote]

Speaking to a friend of mine who is the fleet manager at Culemborg (Cape Town's Shos Meyl Depot) , they are first upgrading all the sitter class and then they will start on the Tourist Class. The Sitter's needed it more than the Tourists. As we saw over the Holiday period, there are still coaches running with the very old red livery.

On our Tourist Class Trip last September, the heater car worked until Worcester. They took it off when they took the 7E off just outside Kimberely. It was not really necessary at that stage as it was in Spring and quite mild.
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