WAGR D class (diesel) explained

Western Australian Government Railways D/DA Class
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Builder:Clyde Engineering, Granville, New South Wales
Buildmodel:EMD G26CU
Builddate:1971 - 1972
Totalproduction:12
Aarwheels:C-C
Uicclass:Co′Co′
Length:17.2m (56.4feet)
Locoweight:D:
DA:
Fueltype:Diesel
Primemover:EMD 16-645E
Generator:EMD D32
Tractionmotors:EMD 548
Poweroutput:1491-1NaN-1
Locobrakes:D: Dynamic
DA:Air
Operator:Western Australian Government Railways
Numinclass:12
Fleetnumbers:D1561 - D1565
DA1571 - DA1577
Firstrundate:February 1971
Currentowner:Aurizon
Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia
Genesee & Wyoming Australia
Disposition:4 in service, 2 stored, 5 unknown, 1 scrapped

The D/DA class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Western Australian Government Railways in 1971-1972.

History

Five D class were ordered by the Western Australian Government Railways to haul bauxite services. These were followed by seven DA class locomotives. These differed in not having dynamic brakes and were 12 tonnes lighter.[1]

In August 1998, D1564-65 were sold to Tranz Rail and rebuilt with new cabs at Hutt Workshops before being sent to TasRail in June 2001 entering service as 2020-21.[2] [3] The new cabs resembled the cab that was fitted to DXR8007 at the time. In September 1998, D1563 was exported to Chile, where it would be overhauled and operated by the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia.[4] [5] [6]

The remaining nine locomotives were included in the sale of Westrail to Australian Railroad Group in October 2000. When this was split in June 2006, DA 1577 was transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia with the South Australian business[7] with the other eight passed to QR National with the Western Australian operations.[8] [9] D1562 and DAZ1902-06 were exported to South Africa in January 2015 and are now owned by APEX Industrial.

TasRail D class

TasRail D Class
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Builder:Clyde Engineering, Granville
Buildmodel:EMD G26CU
Builddate:1971
Totalproduction:2
Rebuilder:Hutt Workshops
Rebuilddate:2001
Numberrebuilt:2
Aarwheels:C-C
Uicclass:Co-Co
Length:17.1m (56.1feet)
Fueltype:Diesel
Primemover:EMD 16-645E
Generator:EMD D32
Tractionmotors:EMD 548
Poweroutput:1490-1NaN-1
Locobrakes:Hand brakes/Westinghouse 26L air brake/Dynamic
Trainbrakes:Westinghouse 26L air brake
Operator:ATN Tasrail
Pacific National
TasRail
Watco Australia
Numinclass:2
Fleetnumbers:2020 - 2021
Deliverydate:15 June 2001
Firstrundate:August 2001
Lastrundate:2014
Retiredate:2014
Withdrawndate:2014
Currentowner:Watco Australia
Disposition:Under overhaul

The two D class locomotives purchased by Tranz Rail in 1998 were rebuilt at Hutt Workshops, as a cheaper alternative to buying new locomotives. Tranz Rail rebuilt the two locomotives before transferring them to ATN Tasrail of which they were a shareholder.

The locomotives were rebuilt with a new design of universal cab with a shorter low hood and more angular appearance (the same cab style used on Tranz Rail's DXR 8007 first cab rebuild). The two locos were repainted into the Wisconsin Central Maroon livery,[10] and were renumbered in the 202X series from the 156X series as they were in Western Australia.

The two locomotives arrived at Bell Bay on 15 June 2001.[11] Because they lacked traction motors when the locos were rebuilt, surplus English Electric EE548 traction motors were fitted to the locos at East Tamar Workshops. The two locos entered service a few months after arrival. Following a large number of traction motor failures, the traction motors were replaced by second hand GM motors in 2009.

Withdrawals and disposal

With the introduction of the TR class, both were withdrawn in mid-2014. Both were stored at East Tamar Workshops and sold to Watco Australia in 2017 for use on infrastructure trains. D 2020 was shipped from Burnie on 5 May 2017 on Toll ship called the Victorian Reliance, while 2021 was shipped on 13 May on Toll ship named the Tasmanian Achiever. Both locomotives were rebuilt at Bendigo Workshops, Victoria, and shipped to Perth in January 2018.

Class list (D)

Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedConvertedUnknownScrapped
Serial Number Date Built Original Road Number Renumbered As Current/Last Owner Status
70-723February 1971D1561bgcolor=#808080-AurizonScrapped (September 2011)
70-7241971D1562bgcolor=#00CC00-Rovos RailFor use on Rovos Rail's Pretoria - Dar es Salaam service.
70-725May 1971D15632001Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
70-726June 1971D15642020 (TasRail), DR1564 (Watco)Watco AustraliaRebuilt by Tranz Rail before being sent to TasRail.
70-727July 1971D15652021 (TasRail), DR1565 (Watco)Watco AustraliaRebuilt by Tranz Rail before being sent to TasRail.

Class list (DA)

Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedConvertedUnknownScrapped
Serial Number Date Built Original road number Renumbered as Owner Status
72-758April 1972DA1571DAZ1901AurizonStabled at Forrestfield
72-7591972DA1572DAZ1902APEX IndustrialExported to South Africa
72-7601972DA1573DAZ1903APEX IndustrialExported to South Africa
72-7611972DA1574DAZ1904APEX IndustrialExported to South Africa
72-7621972DA1575DAZ1905APEX IndustrialExported to South Africa
72-7631972DA1576DAZ1906APEX IndustrialExported to South Africa
72-764October 1972DA15771907Genesee & Wyoming AustraliaUsed on the Whyalla-Iron Knob railway

See also

Westrail DB class

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. 1984. Reed Books. Frenchs Forest. 0-730100-05-7. 275.
  2. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/2020-class 2020 Class
  3. http://railtasmania.com/loco/loco.php?id=d D class
  4. "Westrail" Railway Digest November 1998 page 37
  5. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/d-class D Class
  6. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/da-class DA Class
  7. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/1900-class 1900 Class
  8. http://www.railpage.com.au/locos/daz-class DAZ Class
  9. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia: 1850s-2007. 364–366. Rosenberg Publishing. Kenthurst. 2007. 978-1877058547.
  10. Web site: Locomotive Colour Schemes. 2 April 2017. RailTasmania.com.
  11. Web site: D Class. 2 May 2017. RailTasmania.com.