Silverton Tramway 48s class explained

Silverton Tramway 48s class
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Builder:AE Goodwin, Auburn
Serialnumber:Alco 83826-83828
Buildmodel:Alco DL531
Builddate:1960–1961
Totalproduction:3
Uicclass:Co-Co
Gauge:,
Wheeldiameter:400NaN0
Length:Over headstocks:
44feet
Over coupler pulling faces:
48feet
Width:9feet
Height:14feet
Fueltype:Diesel
Fuelcap:500impgal
Lubecap:116impgal
Coolantcap:90impgal
Sandcap:10cuft
Primemover:Alco 6-251B
Rpmrange:375–1025
Enginetype:Four-stroke inline 6 diesel
Generator:General Electric 5GT 584
Tractionmotors:General Electric 761
Cylindercount:6
Cylindersize:9x
Maxspeed:750NaN0
Poweroutput:Gross:
1050-1NaN-1
For traction:
950-1NaN-1
Tractiveeffort:Continuous:
402002NaN2
at 80NaN0
Operator:Silverton Tramway Company
Numinclass:3
Fleetnumbers:27–29
Firstrundate:December 1960
Currentowner:Genesee & Wyoming Australia
Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Disposition:2 in service, 1 scrapped

The Silverton Tramway 48s class are a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the Silverton Tramway in 1960–1961. The State Rail Authority 48 class and South Australian Railways 830 class are of a very similar design.

History

Between December 1960 and September 1961, the Silverton Tramway Company took delivery of three Alco DL531 locomotives from AE Goodwin, Auburn painted red and white numbered 27 to 29. They were the same as the 48 class and 830 class locomotives. All were delivered for use on the 56 kilometre Silverton Tramway narrow gauge line from Broken Hill to Cockburn.[1] [2]

After the Silverton Tramway was replaced by a new standard gauge line, 27 was sold to the South Australian Railways in February 1970 as 874 and after being rebuilt with a nose low cab, continues in service with Genesee & Wyoming Australia as 907.[1] The other two were fitted with standard gauge bogies, 28 at Silverton's workshop and 29 at Islington Railway Workshops and were relegated to trip working between the various mines in Broken Hill being repainted in Silverton's yellow and blue livery in May 1984.[2]

Second hand purchases

In 1990, Silverton Rail purchased two ex Australian National 830 class from AN Tasrail[3] followed in December 1994 by six ex State Rail Authority 48 class locomotives.[4] Initially numbered in the STxx series, all were renumbered as the 48s class.[5] Also purchased for parts were two 830s and three 48s.[3] [6]

Mainline service

In 1995/96, Silverton Rail leased ST30 to ST35 to National Rail for use on Adelaide to Melbourne services as bankers to Tailem Bend.[7] [8] Following Silverton Rail being awarded a contract by National Rail to haul iron ore trains from Cobar to Narromine, most of the STs were transferred to Parkes in August 1999.[9]

All ten were included in the sale of Silverton Rail to South Spur Rail Services in 2006 and later passed to Greentrains.[10] [11] They primarily operate in New South Wales. In April 2016, five Greentrains units were sold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad.[12] [13]

Status table

Purchased new

Current NoSerial NumberDateOwnerStatusNotes
90783826Dec 1960Genesee & Wyoming AustraliaIn serviceex Silverton 27, sold to South Australian Railways as 874, rebuilt as 907
482883827May 1961Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex 28, ex 48s28, renumbered to 4828 in early 2024. Currently the only one of the original batch still operating in original condition. Note that the original 4828, a member of the NSWGR 48 class, had been scrapped in 2014.
48s2983828Sep 1961GreentrainsScrappedex 29

Purchased second hand

Current NoSerial NumberDateOwnerStatusNotes
86484710Jul 1963GreentrainsIn serviceex 48s30 ex AN Tasrail 864
48s3184703Apr 1963GreentrainsScrappedex AN Tasrail 857
48s3283820Feb 1961GreentrainsScrappedex State Rail Authority 4825
48s3383824May 1961Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex State Rail Authority 4829
48s3483715Feb 1960Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex State Rail Authority 4815
48s3584133Feb 1962Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex State Rail Authority 4843
48s3683711Dec 1959Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex State Rail Authority 4811
48s3784128Dec 1961GreentrainsStoredex State Rail Authority 4838

Notes and References

  1. Book: McNicol. Steve. Silverton Tramway Locomotives. 1981. Railmac Publications. Elizabeth Downs. 0-959415-30-0. 22.
  2. "Silverton" Railway Digest July 1985 page 189
  3. "Silverton" Railway Digest August 1990 page 286
  4. "State Rail's Locomotive Auction Results" Railway Digest January 1995 page 36
  5. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/class/132/ 48s Class
  6. "Silverton Rail Loco Transfer" Railway Digest January 2000 page 36
  7. "Rail Authorities Face Loco Shortage" Railway Digest December 1995 page 16
  8. "South Australia" Railway Digest July 1996 page 37
  9. "Silverton Rail Update" Railway Digest October 1999 page 14
  10. http://www.engenco.com.au/about-us.html History
  11. http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=locomotives&class=48s&orgstate=P&type=Diesel-Electric 48s Class
  12. http://www.engenco.com.au/fileadmin/docs/asx/FY_2016/2016_04_28_ASX_EGN_Disposal_of_Greentrains_Rollingstock.pdf Disposal of Greentrains rollingstock
  13. "Greentrans rollingstock sold to Holdco Holdings" Railway Digest June 2016 page 6