ALCO DL531

The Alco DL531, also known as the RSD8 is a model of railway locomotive manufactured and operated in various countries.

Alco DL531
Preserved New South Wales Government Railways 4807 at Goulburn in March 2012
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder AE Goodwin, Auburn Build date 1959-1970 Total produced 212
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Length Over headstocks: 44 ft 3 in (13.49 m) Over coupler pulling faces: 48 ft 5 in (14.76 m) Width 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) Height 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m) Loco weight 74 long tons 0 cwt (165,800 lb or 75.2 t)-76 long tons 12 cwt (171,600 lb or 77.8 t) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 500 imp gal (2,300 L; 600 US gal)-700 imp gal (3,200 L; 840 US gal) Prime mover Alco 6-251B RPM range 375–1025 Engine type Four-stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Generator General Electric 5GT 584 Associated Electrical Industries TG 3602 Traction motors General Electric 761 Associated Electrical Industries 253 CT Cylinders Inline 6
Career Operators New South Wales Government Railways South Australian Railways Silverton Tramway Number in class 212 Numbers 4801-48165 830-873 27-29 First run September 1959 Preserved 4801, 4803, 4805, 4807, 4821, 4822, 4833, 866 Current owner Genesee & Wyoming Australia Graincorp Greentrains Junee Railway Workshop Pacific National Transport Asset Holding Entity

A total of 212 were manufactured in Australia between 1959 and 1970 by that country's American Locomotive Company licensee AE Goodwin, Auburn.[1]

The New South Wales Government Railways purchased 165 48 class between 1959 and 1970. They were the largest class of diesel locomotives purchased and operated services on all lines in New South Wales.

The South Australian Railways 830 class were purchased in batches between 1959 and 1970 and operated services throughout South Australia on the narrow, standard and broad gauge lines. In the early 1980s some were transferred to AN Tasrail.

The Silverton Rail purchased three narrow gauge examples for use on the Silverton Tramway line around Broken Hill.

Mass withdrawals began in the 1990s but as at February 2014 about 90 remained in use.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

DL531s also operated in Brazil, Pakistan and Peru. A Bo-Bo variant, the DL532, operated in Jamaica and South Korea.