Document Type: REPORT

Document
Number:
Document Title: ENGINEERING REPORT
ELECTRIFICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

BRIDGE HEIGHT
CONSTRAINED
CLEARANCES
VERIFICATION USING A 7E
CLASS LOCOMOTIVE
Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE VERIFICATION Document Type: REPORT
USING A 7E CLASS LOCOMOTIVE

Table of contents

Authority for verification ..................................................................................................................... 3

Previous report .................................................................................................................................. 3

Description of equipment ................................................................................................................... 3

Method of verification......................................................................................................................... 3

Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Locomotive clearance ........................................................................................................................ 4

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 7

General ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Approved By: Compile By: S Thwala Revision Date Page Number

Eng. Executive 0 13 Feb 2014 2 of 4
Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

BRIDGE HEIGHT CONSTRAINED CLEARANCES VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS

LOCOMOTIVE

1. Authority for verification

The Executive Manager, Prasarail Engineering Services

2. Previous report
Nil

3. Engineering Team

W Mukwata P Xaba G Sibanda A Trosky

4. Train crew

5. Object of report

Bridge height constrained clearances verification using a 7E class locomotive

6. Description verification

As a follow up to verify height measurements taken on infrastructural gauge

clearances, a 7 E-class locomotive number E-7201 was used to physically validate
the locomotive’s height (structural gauge clearance) in the constrained infrastructure
gauge clearance under bridges.

7. Description of equipment

A Height and stagger gauge

A 7 E-class locomotive number E-7201 was hauled by two 18 E-class locomotives

numbers E1448K and E1455K on the 11th of February 2013. The sets were run as Brr
– Spr light locomotives train number 2255 under authority of a YQ number 10049.

8. Method of verification
nd
January the 22 , 2014: The contact wire height measurements were taken using the
height and stagger gauge under the bridges with the most noted height constraints in
the corridor.

February the 11th, 2014: A 7 E-class locomotive number E-7201 was hauled by two
18 E-class locomotives numbers E1448K and E1455K past the bridges with
constrained clearances.

9. Findings

Contact wire height measurements were taken using a height and stagger gauge.

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Table 1. Jeppe road over Rail Bridge (West to east)

Contact wire height above rail in millimetres

Line West East
UP slow 4290 4210
Up main 4260 4260
Down main 4440 4590
Down slow 4440 4590

Table 2. Denver road over Rail Bridge (West to east)

Contact wire height above rail in millimetres

Line West East
UP slow 4150 4150
Up main 4280 4250
Down main 4300 4340
Down slow 4420 4420

Table 3. Driehoek road over Rail Bridge (West to east)

Contact wire height above rail in millimetres

Line West East
UP slow 4300 4310
Up main 4250 4280
Down main 4350 4350
Down slow 4320 4320

Table 4. New Era foot bridge (West to east)

Contact wire height above rail in millimetres

Line West East
UP Main 4170 4180
Down main 4250 4180

10. Locomotive clearance

The locomotive pantographs in the housed position started fouling and lifting the
contact wire ± 10 meters from the bridges; and stretched the cross spans at New Era
foot bridge and Denver road over rail bridge.
The minimum height above rail level is 4500mm with constrained clearances of
4220mm.

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Fig.1 New Era Footbridge Up main line

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Fig 2. New Era Footbridge Down main line approaching bridge

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Fig 3.Denver road over Rail Bridge Up slow line

11. Conclusion

The locomotive structure gauge does not fit in the infrastructure clearance envelope.
It is evident that there is a compliance conflict. The Prasa rolling stock fleet also do
not comply with the structure gauge clearance under the bridge but due to the fact
that the pantographs are insulated from the roof, there is no direct contact of the
fleet’s roofs with the contact wire though the pantographs make contact with the
contact wire in the housed position.

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

The new diesel locomotive (with no pantograph) has a minimum calculated roof
clearance of 10 mm which will be an operational electrical risk. This clearance even with
a nominal clearance of 80mm from the 4220mm will be noncompliant in the 25kV AC
electrified areas.

12. General

Compare these locomotive height gauges with the measurements tabulated

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Figure .1 6E1 class locomotive

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Figure 2. 7 E class locomotives

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Figure 3. Afro 4000 locomotive height gauge

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

13. A review of the electrical envelope clearance from a reference datum height of
4220mm with the normalized formation

The Afro 4000 locomotive clearance

The Afro roof height of 4140mm has a clearance of 80mm.

The 7E locomotive clearance

Contact Wire Clearance = 4220mm

Loco Height = 3942mm

Comparatively the 7E has a clearance is 20mm. The roof height of 7E is 942mm.The pantograph
in the housed position is installed on insulators has a height of 258mm from the roof.

6E locomotive clearance

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Taking the roof height of the7E (3942mm) as the reference, the Afro would need a height reduction to
give a clearance of (4220 – 3942) 278mm

13.1. Earth clearance

The design earth clearance (passing) at bridges and tunnels is 150mm for both 3kV DC and 25kV AC.
The reduced passing clearance is 75mm for 3kV DC and 125mm for 25kV AC and is applicable to
isolated points only. The Afro does not fit in the clearances.

14. Clearance to load/static

Normal clearance between contact wire and load is 150mm for 3kV DC and 300mm for 25kV AC.
Reduced/minimum clearance is 100mm for 3kV DC and 250mm for 25kV AC. The Afro does not fit in
the clearances.

15. Interoperability and Interface agreement

The height needs to be resolved and finalized before consultation and a buy for the Shosholyz Meyl
operations on Transnet 25kV AC lines. Rail Safety Regulator Safety for compliance.
The height of the locomotive encroaches too close to the contact wire driver exposure risk factor is
high.

16. A resume on Paschen Law

The breakdown voltage of a sphere gap increases by increasing the pressure quantity and decreases
by increasing the temperature quantity. The air density factor
∂ =293b/760(273+t)
where, atmospheric pressure is ‘b’ in mm of Hg and Temperature is ‘t’ in ºC and the breakdown
voltage of air between the sphere gap

2
V = 27.23∂г[ 1 + Ϙ54/√(∂г)]s/г * 25[(s/г) + 1 + √((s/г) +8)]

where, gap between sphere electrodes is ‘S’ in cm and radius of the sphere electrode is ‘r’ in cm,
electric field in the gap is where, distance between the sphere electrode is ‘d’

NB. The equation is applicable in controlled environment. Breakdown voltage at constant pressure
and temperature is not constant. The results are not dependable for informed decision making

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Document Title: BRIDGE HEIGHT CLEARANCE Document Type: REPORT
VERIFICATION USING A 7E CLASS LCOMOTIVE

Recommendations

1. The supplier should also give his informed engineering opinion on compliance with the above
clearances and a reference norm to electrical envelops. Minutes of 29/30 October had a
resolution for supplier to reduce height by +175mm. This part needs actioning.
2. A delay in delivery and design review is suggested.
3. Finite element analysis simulation should be considered as an input tool to develop a Prasa
clearance norm.

Compiled By: Wonder MUKWATA Signature: Revision Date Page Number

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