WAGR D class (diesel)

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

Western Australian Government Railways D/DA Class
D1562 at Bunbury Port in January 2004
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Granville, New South Wales Model EMD G26CU Build date 1971–1972 Total produced 12
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C  • UIC Co′Co′ Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Length 17.2 m (56 ft 5 in) Loco weight D: 109.7 tonnes (108.0 long tons; 120.9 short tons) DA: 97.5 tonnes (96.0 long tons; 107.5 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover EMD 16-645E Generator EMD D32 Traction motors EMD 548 Loco brake D: Dynamic DA:Air
Performance figures Power output 1,491 kW (2,000 hp)
Career Operators Western Australian Government Railways Number in class 12 Numbers D1561–D1565 DA1571–DA1577 First run February 1971 Current owner Aurizon Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia Genesee & Wyoming Australia Disposition 4 in service, 2 stored, 5 unknown, 1 scrapped

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] 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
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Granville Model EMD G26CU Build date 1971 Total produced 2 Rebuilder Hutt Workshops Rebuild date 2001 Number rebuilt 2
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Length 17.1 m (56 ft 1 in) Axle load 18 tonnes (18 long tons; 20 short tons) Loco weight 111 tonnes (109 long tons; 122 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover EMD 16-645E Generator EMD D32 Traction motors EMD 548 Loco brake Hand brakes/Westinghouse 26L air brake/Dynamic Train brakes Westinghouse 26L air brake
Performance figures Power output 1,490 kW (2,000 hp)
Career Operators ATN Tasrail Pacific National TasRail Watco Australia Number in class 2 Numbers 2020–2021 Delivered 15 June 2001 First run August 2001 Last run 2014 Retired 2014 Withdrawn 2014 Current owner 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.[11] 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.[11]

Withdrawals and disposal

With the introduction of the TR class, both were withdrawn in mid-2014.[11] 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.[11]

Class list (D)

Key:	In Service	Withdrawn	Preserved	Converted	Unknown	Scrapped

Serial Number	Date Built	Original Road Number	Renumbered As	Current/Last Owner	Status
70-723	February 1971	D1561	-	Aurizon	Scrapped (September 2011)
70-724	1971	D1562	-	Rovos Rail	For use on Rovos Rail's Pretoria - Dar es Salaam service.
70-725	May 1971	D1563	2001	Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia	Exported to Chile
70-726	June 1971	D1564	2020 (TasRail), DR1564 (Watco)	Watco Australia	Rebuilt by Tranz Rail before being sent to TasRail.
70-727	July 1971	D1565	2021 (TasRail), DR1565 (Watco)	Watco Australia	Rebuilt by Tranz Rail before being sent to TasRail.

Class list (DA)

Key:	In Service	Withdrawn	Preserved	Converted	Unknown	Scrapped

Serial Number	Date Built	Original road number	Renumbered as	Owner	Status
72-758	April 1972	DA1571	DAZ1901	Aurizon	Stabled at Forrestfield
72-759	1972	DA1572	DAZ1902	APEX Industrial	Exported to South Africa
72-760	1972	DA1573	DAZ1903	APEX Industrial	Exported to South Africa
72-761	1972	DA1574	DAZ1904	APEX Industrial	Exported to South Africa
72-762	1972	DA1575	DAZ1905	APEX Industrial	Exported to South Africa
72-763	1972	DA1576	DAZ1906	APEX Industrial	Exported to South Africa
72-764	October 1972	DA1577	1907	Genesee & Wyoming Australia	Used on the Whyalla-Iron Knob railway

See also

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 275. ISBN 0 730100 05 7.
2. 2020 Class Railpage
3. D class Rail Tasmania
4. "Westrail" Railway Digest November 1998 page 37
5. D Class Railpage
6. DA Class Railpage
7. 1900 Class Railpage
8. DAZ Class Railpage
9. Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia: 1850s-2007. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 364–366. ISBN 1877058548.
10. "Locomotive Colour Schemes". RailTasmania.com. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
11. "D Class". RailTasmania.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.

External links

Media related to WAGR D class (diesel) at Wikimedia Commons

• History of Western Australian Railways & Stations gallery

D1562 at Kwinana in January 2004