Silverton Tramway 48s class

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.

Silverton Tramway 48s class
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder AE Goodwin, Auburn Serial number Alco 83826-83828 Model Alco DL531 Build date 1960-1961 Total produced 3
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge 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) Axle load 12 long tons 6 cwt (27,600 lb or 12.5 t) Loco weight 74 long tons 0 cwt (165,800 lb or 75.2 t) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 500 imp gal (2,300 l; 600 US gal) Lubricant cap. 116 imp gal (530 l; 139 US gal) Coolant cap. 90 imp gal (410 l; 110 US gal) Sandbox cap. 10 cu ft (0.28 m^3) Prime mover Alco 6-251B RPM range 375–1025 Engine type Four-stroke inline 6 diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Generator General Electric 5GT 584 Traction motors General Electric 761 Cylinders 6 Cylinder size 9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 75 mph (121 km/h) Power output Gross: 1,050 hp (780 kW) For traction: 950 hp (710 kW) Tractive effort Continuous: 40,200 lbf (178.82 kN) at 8 mph (13 km/h)
Career Operators Silverton Tramway Company Number in class 3 Numbers 27-29 First run December 1960 Current owner Genesee & Wyoming Australia Southern Shorthaul Railroad Disposition 2 in service, 1 scrapped

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 No	Serial Number	Date	Owner	Status	Notes
907	83826	Dec 1960	Genesee & Wyoming Australia	In service	ex Silverton 27, sold to South Australian Railways as 874, rebuilt as 907
48s28	83827	May 1961	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service	ex 28
48s29	83828	Sep 1961	Greentrains	Scrapped	ex 29

Purchased second hand

Current No	Serial Number	Date	Owner	Status	Notes
864	84710	Jul 1963	Greentrains	In service	ex 48s30 ex AN Tasrail 864
48s31	84703	Apr 1963	Greentrains	Scrapped	ex AN Tasrail 857
48s32	83820	Feb 1961	Greentrains	Scrapped	ex State Rail Authority 4825
48s33	83824	May 1961	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service	ex State Rail Authority 4829
48s34	83715	Feb 1960	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service	ex State Rail Authority 4815
48s35	84133	Feb 1962	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service	ex State Rail Authority 4843
48s36	83711	Dec 1959	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service	ex State Rail Authority 4811
48s37	84128	Dec 1961	Greentrains	Stored	ex State Rail Authority 4838

References

1. McNicol, Steve (1981). Silverton Tramway Locomotives. Elizabeth Downs: Railmac Publications. p. 22. ISBN 0 959415 30 0.
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. 48s Class Railpage
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. History Engenco
11. 48s Class Vicsig
12. Disposal of Greentrains rollingstock Engenco 28 April 2016
13. "Greentrans rollingstock sold to Holdco Holdings" Railway Digest June 2016 page 6