South Australian Railways 700 class (diesel)

The 700 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the South Australian Railways in 1971-1972. They are identical to the New South Wales 442 class locomotive.

South Australian Railways 700 class
704 at Tanunda in March 2007
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder AE Goodwin, Auburn Serial number Alco G-6042-01 to G-6042-03 Alco G-6059-01 to G-6059-03 Model Alco DL 500G Build date 1971-1972 Total produced 6
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in) Length Over coupler pulling faces: 18.67 m (61 ft 3 in) Axle load 18.6 tonnes (18.31 long tons; 20.50 short tons) Loco weight 111.6 tonnes (109.84 long tons; 123.02 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 5,455 L (1,200 imp gal; 1,441 US gal) Prime mover Alco 251C Engine type Four-stroke V12 diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Cylinders 12 Cylinder size ? x ?
Performance figures Maximum speed 112 km/h (70 mph) Power output Gross: 1,490 kW (2,000 hp), Tractive effort Continuous: 311.00 kN (69,916 lbf) at 11 km/h (6.8 mph), Starting: 389.00 kN (87,451 lbf)
Career Operators South Australian Railways Number in class 6 Numbers 700-705 (now 701-706) First run 22 June 1971 Current owner Genesee & Wyoming Disposition 5 stored, 1 scrapped

History

A total of six 700 class locomotives were built for the South Australian Railways by AE Goodwin, Auburn and are an Alco DL500g model. They were built in 1971/72, with the first three delivered on broad gauge bogies and the last three on standard gauge bogies. In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. Over the years the locomotives frequently switched gauges before all were put on the broad gauge in 1987. Following the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line being converted to standard gauge in 1995, all of the 700 class were converted to standard gauge.[1] The 700 class operated on all main lines in South Australia as well as interstate to Broken Hill and Melbourne.

In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 700 becoming 706.[2] In June 1994 702 was damaged by fire and a New South Wales 442 class locomotive was purchased with the intention of combining the two locomotives as one but the plan did not proceed and both were scrapped.[3][4]

The remaining five were included in the sale of Australian National to Australian Southern Railroad in November 1997. As of January 2016 all locomotives are now stored with 701 (since December 2015), 703 (since December 2015) & 704 (since 2014) stored serviceable, 705 stored after a major failure in 2015 & 706 (700) stored after a major failure in 2005[5][6][7]

Status

As at September 2016, the status of the fleet was:[8]

Number	In Service	Current/Last Owner	Current Status	Gauge	Notes
700	June 1971	Genesee & Wyoming	Stored	Broad	Renumbered 706, Stored after failure
701	July 1971	Genesee & Wyoming	Stored	Standard	Stored serviceable
702	September 1971	Australian National	Scrapped	Standard	-
703	December 1971	Genesee & Wyoming	Stored	Standard	Stored serviceable
704	July 1972	TransVolution	Stored	Broad	Stored serviceable
705	March 1972	Genesee & Wyoming	Stored	Standard	Stored after failure

References

1. "The 700 class locomotives of South Australia" Railway Digest January 2000 page 42
2. "Australian National Broken Hill Line Report" Railway Digest October 1986 page 314
3. "State Rail's Locomotive Auction Results" Railway Digest January 1995 page 36
4. Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia 1854 to 2007. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 367. ISBN 978-1-877058-54-7.
5. Broad Gauge 700-class diesel locomotives Chris' Commonwealth Railways Pages
6. 700 Class Railpage
7. 700 Class Vicsig
8. "Australia Wide Fleet List" Motive Power November 2014 page 67