New South Wales 79 class locomotive explained

New South Wales 79 class
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Builder:General Electric
Serialnumber:17938, 17939, 17933, 17934
Buildmodel:GE 44-ton switcher
Builddate:1943
Totalproduction:4
Rebuilder:FR Tulk, Perth
Rebuilddate:1979
Numberrebuilt:2
Uicclass:Bo-Bo
Wheeldiameter:330NaN0
Length:Over headstocks:
29feet,
Over buffers:
35feet
Width:9feet
Height:13feet
Fueltype:Diesel
Fuelcap:210impgal
Lubecap:32impgal
per engine
Coolantcap:40impgal
per engine
Sandcap:8cuft
Primemover:Caterpillar D17000, 2 of
Rpmrange:350–1000
Enginetype:Four-stroke V8 diesel
Aspiration:Normally aspirated
Generator:General Electric GT 555A
Tractionmotors:General Electric 733, 4 of
Cylindercount:8
Cylindersize:5.75x
Maxspeed:350NaN0
Poweroutput:Gross:
1900NaN0 per engine
For traction:
1750NaN0 per engine
Tractiveeffort:Continuous:
130002NaN2
at 7.51NaN1
Numinclass:4
Fleetnumbers:7920–7923
Deliverydate:1943
Preservedunits:7921, 7922
Disposition:2 preserved, 2 unknown

The 79 class is a diesel-electric locomotive built by General Electric, Erie, United States for the Department of Railways New South Wales in 1943.

Importation

In 1943, during World War II, four diesel-electric industrial shunting type locomotives built by General Electric Company, Erie for the United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC) were imported from the United States of America by the Department of Supply under Lend-Lease conditions for use at the Dunheved munitions factory in Sydney. They were four units of 58 units built for the USATC by General Electric numbered 8499-8528 & 7900-7929.[1]

Before entering service in New South Wales, the 4 locos were fitted with buffers and chain coupler to NSWGR standards. The cab profile was also altered to fit within the New South Wales loading gauge. It seems that only one unit was used at the Dunheved facility. Being of the hood type, with a central cab, they could work in either direction without turning.[2] [3]

Operations

In 1945, the BHP became interested in the possible dieselisation at its Australian Iron & Steel works in Port Kembla and one unit was loaned to the company in April. Whilst it proved too light for the tasks of hauling ingots and ladles, it did lead to the commencement of dieselisation five years later.[4]

At the end of that war, they were put into use by the New South Wales Department of Railways as shunters at Sydney Central station and Eveleigh Carriage Workshops. They were numbered 7920 to 7923, these being the numbers allocated by US authorities. In April 1948, the Commonwealth Government took 7921 and 7922 for use at Woomera Rocket Range and 7920 and 7923 were purchased by the NSWGR in September that year.

In 1950, the two owned by the Commonwealth Government were transferred to Commonwealth Railways as the DE Class and used as shunters at Port Augusta and Port Pirie.[5] In July 1975, both were included in the transfer of the Commonwealth Railways to Australian National.

Disposal & preservation

In October 1974, the two NSWGR units were sold to the British Phosphate Commission for use on Christmas Island. In 1979, both were rebuilt by FR Tulk, Perth with Caterpillar D3306 engines and lower profile noses.[6] This railway closed in 1987. Following their retirement in the early 1980s, 7921 returned to New South Wales and is preserved at the NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere, while 7922 is with the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.[7] [8]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: Allied Military Locomotives of the Second World War. Tourret Publishing. 1995. 0-905878-06-X.
  2. Book: A Century Plus of Locomotives. Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division. 1965.
  3. Book: The Early Diesel and Electric Locomotives of the NSWGR. New South Wales Rail Transport Museum. 1997. 9780909862527.
  4. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia. 2007. Rosenberg . 978-1-877058-54-7.
  5. http://www.comrails.com/cr_locos/r_de.html Standard Gauge DE
  6. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia 1850s – 1980s. 1984. Reed Books. Frenchs Forest. 0-730100-05-7. 174.
  7. http://natrailmuseum.org.au/rollingstockexhibit.php?exhibitID=38 DE-class Bo+Bo diesel electric locomotive No.91
  8. http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=locomotives&class=79&orgstate=N&type=Diesel-Electric 79 Class