WAGR L class (diesel)

The L Class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville and Eagle Farm, and Commonwealth Engineering (subcontracted by Clyde), Rocklea for the Western Australian Government Railways between 1967 and 1973.

Western Australian Government Railways L Class
In a rural scene, a two-tone blue diesel locomotive with yellow striping and red headstock at the head of the Indian Pacific train comprising stainless steel passenger cars
L270 in a promotional photo for the Indian Pacific, 1970.
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderClyde Engineering, Granville (L251L273)
Commonwealth Engineering (Subcontract), Rocklea (L274 & L275)
Clyde Engineering, Eagle Farm (R.1001 & R.1002)
ModelEMD GT26C
Build date19671969, 19721973
Total produced27
Specifications
Configuration:
  AARC-C
  UICCo′Co′
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Length20.218 m (66 ft 4.0 in)
Width2.946 m (9 ft 8.0 in)
Height4.228 m (13 ft 10.5 in)
Axle load22.5 t (22.1 long tons; 24.8 short tons)
Loco weight137 t (135 long tons; 151 short tons)
Fuel typeDiesel
Prime moverEMD 16-645E3
RPM range315900
AspirationTurbocharged
GeneratorEMD AR10A4
Traction motorsEMD D77
Gear ratio60:17
Performance figures
Maximum speed137 km/h (85 mph)
Power output2,460 kW (3,300 hp)
Tractive effort337.2 kN (75,800 lbf)
Career
OperatorsWestern Australian Government Railways
Number in class27
First run30 October 1967
Current ownerAurizon
Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Disposition3 in service, 3 undergoing overhaul, 15 stored, 9 scrapped

History

With the 657-kilometre (408 mi) Eastern Goldfields Railway between Perth and Kalgoorlie being converted to standard gauge, the Western Australian Government Railways started to take delivery of 23 Electro Motive Diesel GT26C locomotives from Clyde Engineering in October 1967.[1] The design was based on the EMD SD40 reduced in height to fit within the Australian loading gauge. At the time they were comfortably the largest and heaviest diesel locomotive operated by a government operator.[2]

All were delivered from Sydney via Melbourne and Adelaide, necessitating them being placed on broad gauge bogies for the journey between Dynon and Port Pirie.[2]

They entered service hauling iron ore trains from Koolyanobbing to Kwinana and the Indian Pacific. However they were quickly removed from passenger trains after it was realised the damage they could cause to the track at higher speeds.[2]

In 1972, Comalco purchased two locomotives of the same design for use on its 19.5-kilometre (12.1 mi) line at its bauxite mine in Weipa. These were built with an extra 11 tonnes (11 long tons; 12 short tons) of ballast for increased adhesion. In 1973, the Western Australian Government Railways took delivery of a further two, funded by Western Mining Corporation as part of the building of a nickel mine at Mount Windarra. The Comalco locomotives were built by Clyde Engineering's Eagle Farm factory, and the WMC funded locomotives were built under subcontract by Commonwealth Engineering at their Rocklea plant.[2][3]

L268, in a one-off blue Westrail livery, at Leighton yard.

In 1983, three were leased to V/Line to haul services on the standard gauge Melbourne to Albury line.[4] One even operated through to Sydney in May 1984.[5]

In 1994, following the purchase of GML10, Comalco's R1.001 was sent to Clyde Engineering, Kelso for overhaul.[6] Upon its return in August 1994, R1.002 was sold to Westrail and placed in service as Lw276.[2]

Following the delivery of the Q class locomotives in 1997, many were withdrawn with those remaining in service relegated to trailing locomotive status.[7]

In July 1998, seven were sold to Australian Transport Network. After being overhauled by National Railway Equipment Company, Whyalla, four were placed in service by ATN Access hauling grain trains in southern New South Wales and Victoria. Three were included in the sale of Australian Transport Network to Pacific National in February 2004 while the fourth along with the three unused examples along with one of the operational units were sold to Rail Technical Services, Dynon who resold them to QR National subsidiaries Interail and Australian Railroad Group for use in New South Wales.[2]

L266 at Kalgoorlie in January 2005

The remainder were included in the sale of Westrail to Australian Railroad Group in December 2000. All were included in the sale of Australian Railroad Group's Western Australian operations to QR National in June 2006. After being stored for some years, the Pacific National-owned L's were scrapped in 2015.

All of the locomotives now under the control of Aurizon have been renumbered as the 3100 class.[8][9][10][11] Those fitted with Q-Tron traction control have had the "LQ" prefix applied, those with ZTR traction control "LZ". Some were transferred to New South Wales to haul trains from the Manildra Group's flour mills at Gunnedah, Manildra and Narrandera to Bomaderry from 2003 until 2008.[2]

In 2011, Comalco sold R1.001 to Australian Locolease who placed it in service as L277 and leased it to El Zorro to operate grain trains in Victoria. After several years of storage and irregular use, L277 was sold on to Southern Shorthaul Railroad in 2020 with the loco being transferred to Cootamundra for reactivation work. It was reactivated in September 2020.

In 2018, all Aurizon owned units were placed into long-term storage, future uncertain. LZ3111 hauled three sister units to Avon Yard on train 6111 on the 12th January that year before returning light engine as train 6112 back to Forrestfield.

In 2021, Aurizon reactivated LZ3119 and LZ3120 for use on grain trains in New South Wales. After spending a year and a half there, LZ3120 was transferred back to Western Australia in December 2022.

Models of the L Class have been produced in HO scale by two companies: Haskell Co Taiwan and Southern Rail Models.

Disposition

Key: In Service Withdrawn Preserved Converted Unknown Scrapped
Serial numberEntered ServiceOriginal Road NumberRenumbered AsNameCurrent/Last OwnerLiveryStatus
67-541 30 October 1967 L251 - Thunderbird 1 Pacific National PN Blue & Yellow Scrapped, 5 May 2015 (Werris Creek)
67-542 November 1967 L252 LZ3101 Kurra Kurraka Aurizon Aurizon Pineapple with QR logos Scrapped, June 2016 (Casino)
67-543 December 1967 L253 LZ3119 - Aurizon ARG Orange With Aurizon Logos Reactivated for NSW grain traffic, July 2021
67-544 January 1968 L254 - Enterprise NCC 1701 Pacific National ATN Yellow & Burgundy Scrapped after an engine fire, 4 November 2016 (Cardiff Locomotive Workshops)
67-545 February 1968 L255 LZ3105 - Aurizon ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Stored, October 2014 (Avon Yard)
67-546 March 1968 L256 LZ3106 - Aurizon Aurizon Pineapple with QR logos Stored, 12 January 2018 (Avon Yard)
68-547 March 1968 L257 3102 Wagiman J&P Metals ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Scrapped, 30 October 2021[12]
68-548 March 1968 L258 LZ3107 - Aurizon ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Stored, January 2018 (Forrestfield)
68-549 April 1968 L259 LZ3103 Aboriginal Stockman Aurizon Aurizon Pineapple Stored (Avon Yard)
68-550 May 1968 L260 L3108 - Aurizon Westrail Yellow & Blue Stored, October 2014 (Avon Yard)
68-551 August 1968 L261 LZ3109 - Aurizon ARG Orange Undergoing overhaul at Progress Rail, Port Augusta, December 2022
68-552 August 1968 L262 L3110 - Aurizon ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Stored (Forrestfield)
68-553 October 1968 L263 LZ3111 - Aurizon ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Reactivated July 2023
68-554 October 1968 L264 LZ3112 - Aurizon ARG Mustard & Burgundy Stored, 12 January 2018 (Avon Yard)
68-555 October 1968 L265 LQ3121 Shoalhaven Aurizon ARG Mustard & Burgundy Stored (Avon Yard)
68-556 October 1968 L266 L3113 - Aurizon Westrail Orange & Blue Stored (Avon Yard)
68-557 November 1968 L267 LZ3114 - Aurizon ARG Orange Undergoing overhaul at Progress Rail, Port Augusta, December 2022
68-617 December 1968 L268 L3115 - Aurizon Westrail Yellow & Blue with ARG logos Stored (Avon Yard)
68-618 January 1969 L269 - - Westrail Westrail Orange & Blue Involved in a crossing accident on 30 May 1995. Scrapped, February 1996
68-619 March 1969 L270 - Red Dwarf Pacific National Pacific National Blue & Yellow Scrapped, 5 May 2015 (Werris Creek)
69-620 April 1969 L271 LQ3122 John Douglas Kerr Aurizon QR Interail Scrapped, June 2016 (Casino)
69-621 May 1969 L272 L3116 - Aurizon Westrail Orange & Blue Stored (Avon Yard)
69-622 June 1969 L273 LZ3104 Purnu Aurizon ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Scrapped, June 2016 (Casino)
72-752 January 1972 R1.001 L277 Phoenix Southern Shorthaul Railroad Comalco Two-Tone Orange with SSR Logos Reactivated, September 2020.
72-753 January 1972 R1.002 Lw276, LZ3120 - Aurizon ARG Orange With Aurizon Logos Reactivated for NSW grain traffic in July 2021 then returned to WA in December 2022
73-779 September 1973 L274 LZ3117 - Aurizon ASR Orange & Black with ARG logos Stored, 12 January 2018 (Avon Yard)
73-780 October 1973 L275 L3118 - Aurizon Westrail Orange & Blue with ARG logos Stored, October 2014 (Avon Yard)

AReferences

  1. "20 Years Ago" Railway Digest October 1987 page 332
  2. Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010s. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 346–348. ISBN 9781921719011.
  3. Dunn, John (2013). A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 3: 1966-1977. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 313. ISBN 9781877058905.
  4. "Locomotives and Traffic" Railway Digest January 1985 page 12
  5. Railway Digest July 1984 page 247
  6. Railway Digest September 1994 page 8
  7. "The L Class Locomotives of WA" Railway Digest August 2000 page 18
  8. L Class (WAGR) Archived 8 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Railpage
  9. LQ Class Archived 8 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Railpage
  10. LZ Class Archived 8 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Railpage
  11. L Class Archived 29 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Vicsig
  12. "LZ3102 J&P scrapyard Picton East". 30 October 2021. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  • Gunzburg, Adrian (1968). WAGR Locomotives 1940–1968. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). pp. 45–46, 50. OCLC 219836193.
  • Australia Wide Fleet List Motive Power issue 96 November 2014 pages 65, 69

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