Queensland Railways 2170 class explained

Queensland Railways 2170 class
South African Class 35-800
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Designer:Clyde Engineering
Builder:Clyde Engineering at Comeng, Rocklea
Serialnumber:82-1100 to 82-1109
82-1125
83-1146 to 83-1178
84-1218
Buildmodel:EMD GL26C-2
Builddate:1982-1984
Totalproduction:45
Aarwheels:C-C
Uicclass:Co'Co'
Britishclass:Co-Co
Wheeldiameter:10161NaN1
Bogie:38101NaN1
Over Couplers:180591NaN1
Body:170431NaN1
Pivotcentres:116841NaN1
Width:27711NaN1
Height:39001NaN1
Axleload:16150kg (35,610lb)
Weightondrivers:97500kg (215,000lb)
Locoweight:97500kg (215,000lb)
Fueltype:Diesel
Fuelcap:2202-2210: 7273L
All others: 5950L
Lubecap:918L
Coolantcap:795L
Sandcap:0.68m2
Primemover:GM-EMD 16-645E
Rpmrange:315-900
Rpmrange Idle:315
Rpmrange Max:900
Enginetype:V16 Diesel engine
Aspiration:Roots blower
Alternator:Traction: EMD AR6, 600 V DC
Companion: EMD CA5. 180 V DC
Auxiliary: EMD A3
Generator:EMD AR6-G-D18
Tractionmotors:Six EMD D29
Wheelslip systems:
EMD Dash 2 (2171, 2201-11, 2214)
ZTR Nexsys II (all others)
Gear Ratio:63:14
Locobrakes:Westinghouse 26L, Dynamic
Dynamicpeakeffort:179kN
Trainbrakes:Gardner Denver WBO compressor
Safety:Fischer Electronic vigilance system
Wabtec TDR9000 event recorder
ThermAir RD1-1000 air conditioner
Coupling:AAR knuckle
Maxspeed:100km/h
Poweroutput Start:1641kW
Poweroutput Cont:1492kW
T/E Starting:286kN @ 30% adh.
T/E Continuous:213kN @ 19.8km/h
Operator:Aurizon
Queensland Rail
Transnet Freight Rail
Ferronor
Operatorclass:QR 2170 class
TFR Class 35-800
Numinclass:45
Fleetnumbers:QR: 2170-2214
TFR: D35-801 to D35-814
Deliverydate:1982-1984
Firstrundate:March 1982
Disposition:2 scrapped

The Queensland Railways 2170 class is an Australian diesel-electric locomotive.

All were built between 1982 and 1984 by Clyde Engineering at Comeng's Rocklea plant for Queensland Rail. Most have been sold for further use overseas with seventeen going to South Africa and twelve to Ferronor in Chile.

The 2100 class family

The Queensland Railways 2100 class first entered service in 1970. The class family consists of the 2100, 2130, 2150 and 2170 classes. It formed the mainstay of Queensland Rail's coal haulage from the opening of the Goonyella line until electrification in the late 1980s.[1] [2]

A new batch of locomotives was ordered with the opening of each new mine and the 2170 class entered service when the German Creek, Oaky Creek and Blair Athol coal mines came into operation. Eleven units were built with Locotrol equipment.[1] [2] [3]

Manufacturer

The 2170 class was an evolution of the 2150 class. It differed from the earlier class mainly by having modified traction motors, Dash 2 modular electrical cabinets and air-conditioned cabs.[2] [4]

The locomotives were built by Clyde Engineering at Comeng's Rocklea plant between 1982 and 1984.[1] [2]

Modifications

Since the late 1980s, the locomotives have been modified. Modified locomotives had a letter suffix added to their unit numbers. These modifications include:[1] [2]

In 1992-1993, all except numbers 2202 to 2210 were fitted with Automatic train protection (ATP). Between 1995 and 1999 eleven received extended cabs to relieve cramping caused by the ATP equipment.[2]

In 2000, an overhaul program commenced which included the fitting of maxi-cabs, similar to that of the 2300 class, to all 43 remaining units. After this, thirty were in "D" configuration with the other thirteen in "F" configuration. Some were fitted with ZTR Nexsys II traction control systems.[1] [2]

Service

The 2170 class entered service on coal haulage on the Goonyella line. After electrification, all except numbers 2202 to 2210 were placed into general traffic between Brisbane and the South West and on the North Coast line between Rockhampton and Townsville. Meanwhile, numbers 2202 to 2210 were relocated to Townsville in 1988 to haul Greenvale mineral trains and, from 1993, trains on the Mount Isa line. In the late 1990s, they were re-allocated to Gladstone to operate Moura line coal trains.[2]

When the 4100 class entered service, the 2170 class began to be withdrawn from service.[1] [5] Along with Queensland Rail's freight operations, all, apart from 2195, passed to QR National (now Aurizon) in July 2010.

Disposal

Many of the 2170 class have been sold by Aurizon.

Transnet Freight Rail

The Transnet locomotives were renumbered in the range from to, following their Aurizon number sequence and retaining the driver-only operation (DOO) "D" as a prefix to the unit number.[1] [5]

At least eight of the Class units were allocated to the Western Cape system and are based at Bellville Locomotive Depot. Of those, at least six have been superficially repainted in a shop version of the red Transnet Freight Rail livery and appear to be in service working the West Coast lines. In most cases the old Aurizon numbers are still visible under the red paint. Repainting was done only on the upper bodywork and everything from the running boards down were left as it was. This includes the buffer beams and cowcatchers, probably since the Australian yellow and grey chevron pattern on the buffer beams is an inverted version of the yellow and grey pattern used by Transnet Freight Rail. At least four of the remaining units are believed to have been allocated to the Eastern Cape system.

With the addition of the Class 35-800s, the South African Class 35 locomotive family now consists of five classes, the General Electric (GE) Classes 35-000 and 35-400 and the GM-EMD Classes 35-200, and .[11]

Watco Australia

In 2019, after being awarded a grain haulage contract in Queensland, Watco Australia purchased 5 of the 2170s sold to Transnet (2180, 2181, 2183, 2184 and 2188) and shipped them back to Queensland by NGL Projects. They arrived at the Port of Brisbane on 2 July 2019, and the first loco, 2188D, was transferred to Watco's new facilities in Warwick on 31 July 2019. They will be used on Watco's grain and cattle services, in conjunction with the brand new WRA class, currently being built by NRE in the United States.

Status table

The present owner, builder's works numbers, dates in service and disposition are listed in the table.[5]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.qrig.org/motive-power/locomotives/diesel/qrnational/clydegm-2100-class Queensland's Railway Interest Group (qrig.org) - Clyde/GM 2100 Class
  2. http://www.locomotivesforafrica.com/uploads/4/1/2/5/41253489/l_2170d_v2_260213_spec_sheet.pdf Aurizon Locomotive Datasheet 2170D Class
  3. https://sites.google.com/site/queenslandgreattrains/Home/diesel-locomotives/2100-class Queensland's Great Trains - 2100 Class
  4. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. 1984. Reed Books. Frenchs Forest. 0-730100-05-7. 274.
  5. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/2170-class Railpage - 2170 Class (QR) - Timeline
  6. "Sunlander Sunset" Railway Digest January 2015 page 37
  7. http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/locomotives/transnet-purchases-used-australian-locomotives.html Transnet purchases used Australian locomotives
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20141105022647/http://www.timeslive.co.za/businesstimes/2014/11/02/transnet-s-budget-unaffected-by-weak-market1 Transnet budget unaffected by weak market
  9. "Aurizon Qld News" Motive Power issue 106 July 2016 page 8
  10. "Motive Power Roundup" Motive Power issue 107 September 2016 page 76
  11. South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended