Classification follows the Japanese system whereby a letter denotes the number of driving axles with a number to indicate the class, tank locomotives starting at 10 and tender locomotives at 50. Mallets are thus BB10 etc. South Sumatra locomotives were classified according to an overall Indonesian numbering system shared with Java and West Sumatra (but not North Sumatra).

I have not attempted to include photographs of all classes extant in 1970, because those not shown were derelicts and existed elsewhere in the country. Thus there are no pictures of B16, C11, B22, B50 and B51.

The current location of preserved examples is also given where known. There may be other locos preserved, in particular I was told in 1992 that there was a C30 preserved in Lubuk Linggau.