What is class 28 steam locomotive?

Class 28 steam locomotive, also known as the "Kilimanjaro class", was a type of steam locomotive used by the East African Railways and Harbours (EAR&H) during the mid-20th century.

These locomotives were designed to haul heavy freight and passenger trains on the Tanzania-Kenya-Uganda railway line, which ran from the port of Mombasa in Kenya to Kampala in Uganda, via Nairobi and Kisumu.

The Class 28 locomotives were built by the North British Locomotive Company in the United Kingdom between 1955 and 1957. A total of 65 locomotives were built, numbered from 2801 to 2865.

Each locomotive was 66 feet long and weighed 139.5 tons (141.4 metric tons). They were powered by a 6-cylinder, 2,100 horsepower diesel engine, which drove a generator that supplied electricity to four traction motors.

The Class 28 locomotives had a top speed of 55 mph and could haul trains of up to 2,000 tons. They were equipped with air brakes, automatic couplers, and multiple-unit control, which allowed up to four locomotives to be coupled together for heavy-duty applications.

The Class 28 locomotives were named after mountains in East Africa, such as Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, and Mount Elgon. They remained in service until the 1980s, when they were gradually replaced by newer diesel-electric locomotives. Today, some of these locomotives are preserved in museums or used as tourist attractions on heritage railways.