New South Wales 45 class locomotive

The 45 class are a class of diesel-electric locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1962 and 1964.

New South Wales 45 class
4520 at St Peters in 2017
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderAE Goodwin, Auburn
Serial numberAlco 84143–84182
ModelRSD-20 or DL-541
Build date1962-1964
Total produced40
Specifications
Configuration:
 • UICCo-Co
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter40 in (1,016 mm)
LengthOver headstocks:
54 ft 6 in (16.61 m),
Over coupler pulling faces:
58 ft 8 in (17.88 m)
Width9 ft 8+12 in (2.96 m)
Height13 ft 11 in (4.24 m)
Axle load18 long tons 8 cwt (41,200 lb or 18.7 t)
Loco weight110 long tons 10 cwt (247,500 lb or 112.3 t)
Fuel typeDiesel
Fuel capacity1,200 imp gal
(5,500 L; 1,400 US gal)
Lubricant cap.165 imp gal (750 L; 198 US gal)
Coolant cap.210 imp gal (950 L; 250 US gal)
Sandbox cap.14 cu ft (0.40 m3)
Prime moverAlco 12-251C
RPM range400-1000
Engine typeFour-stroke, V12 diesel
AspirationTurbocharger
GeneratorAssociated Electrical Industries 5301
Traction motorsAssociated Electrical Industries 165 or General Electric 752
Cylinders12
Cylinder size9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed75 mph (120 km/h)
Power outputGross: 1,950 hp (1,450 kW),
For traction: 1,800 hp (1,340 kW)
Tractive effortContinuous:
68,000 lbf (302.48 kN)
at 7.4 mph (11.9 km/h)
Career
OperatorsNSW Department of Railways
Number in class40
Numbers4501-4540
First run5 June 1962
Preserved4501, 4502, 4520, 4521, 4528
Current ownerGreentrains Pacific National Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Disposition31 Scrapped, 2 Stored,
6 Preserved, 1 Operational,
1 Unknown

History edit

The 45 class were built by Alco's Australian licensee AE Goodwin, and are based on the Alco DL-541 model.[1] They initially entered service on the Main Southern line but later operated on all main lines. One was destroyed in a collision in May 1972.

From June 1984, the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen placed a ban on the class as leading locomotives, meaning they could only be used as second locomotives, although they were able to be used on Sydney metropolitan trip and Liverpool Range banking duties.[2]

Six were fitted with upgraded cabs and modified bogies at Cardiff Workshops in 1989 and reclassified as class 451s and later class 35s, allowing them again to be used as lead locomotives, although they spent most of their time being used as Liverpool Range bankers and Yeerongpilly, Brisbane shunters.[3][4] Following a poor wheat crop, the Class 45s were placed in store at Junee Locomotive Depot in December 1991.[5] A locomotive shortage saw most return to service from March 1993.[6] They remained in service until replaced by FreightCorp by Class 82s in 1994/95.

Thirty-two were auctioned in December 1994 with most being sold for scrap.[7] One was retained by the State Rail Authority as a designated heritage locomotive while four were transferred to Rail Services Australia before being sold to Great Northern Rail Services in 2000.[8][9] One remains in service with Greentrains.

Survivors edit

  • 4501 sold to Great Northern Rail Services 2000 (unused), then to Silverton Rail (unused), then to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (unused), then to Goodwin Alco Pty Ltd who restored it to main line condition at Eveleigh Railway Workshops in 2007, leasing it to 3801 Limited. Now based at Thirlmere and leased to Transport Heritage NSW for heritage work.[10][11]
  • 4502 sold to Great Northern Rail Services 2000 (unused), then to Silverton Rail (unused), then to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (unused), then Lachlan Valley Railway in 2012, stored at Broken Hill
  • 3505 sold to Junee Railway Workshop. Was meant to be rebuilt with a Pilbara cab, but the project fell through and it eventually was forgotten about. Its engine cladding has since been removed and it is being used as a mobile loco service stand, while the Pilbara cab was painted blue and yellow and is used as a picnic stand.
  • 4520 is part of the Transport Heritage NSW collection operating in the custody of the NSW Rail Museum[12][13]
  • 4521 is preserved by the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum
  • 4528 sold to Great Northern Rail Services 2000 (unused), then to Silverton Rail (unused), then to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (unused), then Lachlan Valley Railway in 2012, stored at Broken Hill, Silverton Rail had started a rebuilt it as 45s2, but the project was not completed
  • 3532 sold to Great Northern Rail Services 2000 (unused), then to Silverton Rail entering service in June 2002 as 45s1, sold to Greentrains, remained in service in December 2013.[14][15] Sold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad April 2016[16][17] Renumbered 4532 as of August 2019
  • 4537 sold to Junee Railway Workshops rebuilt with a lowered and shortened No.1 end, leased in June 1995 to BHP for use on their Port Kembla network as 103,[18] later sold to Patrick Portlink

Fleet Status edit

  • 4501 – Preserved [Operational] Based at Thirlmere
  • 4502 – Preserved Stored
  • 4503 – scrapped
  • 4504 – Scrapped
  • 4505 ▶ 3505 – Stored
  • 4506 – Scrapped
  • 4507 ▶ 3507 – Scrapped
  • 4508 – Scrapped
  • 4509 – Scrapped
  • 4510 – Scrapped
  • 4511 – Scrapped
  • 4512 – Scrapped
  • 4513 ▶ 3513 – Scrapped
  • 4514 – Scrapped
  • 4515 – Scrapped
  • 4516 – Scrapped
  • 4517 – Scrapped
  • 4518 ▶ 3518 – Scrapped
  • 4519 – Scrapped
  • 4520 – Preserved [Under repairs]
  • 4521 – Preserved
  • 4522 – Scrapped
  • 4523 – Scrapped
  • 4524 – Scrapped
  • 4525 – Scrapped
  • 4526 – Scrapped
  • 4527 ▶ 3527 – Scrapped
  • 4528 – Preserved Stored ( rebuild was stopped by silverton, was going to be 45s2)
  • 4529 – Scrapped
  • 4530 – Scrapped
  • 4531 – ???
  • 4532 ▶ 3532 ▶ 45s1 ▶ 4532 Operational
  • 4533 – Scrapped
  • 4534 – Scrapped
  • 4535 – Scrapped
  • 4536 – Scrapped
  • 4537 ▶ 103 – Operational
  • 4538 – Scrapped
  • 4539 – Scrapped
  • 4540 – Scrapped

References edit

  1. ^ Oberg, Leon (1980). Diesel Locomotives of Australia. Sydney: AH & AW Reed. p. 10. ISBN 0-589-50211-5.
  2. ^ "Locomotives and Traffic" Railway Digest August 1984 page 254
  3. ^ "Locomotives and Traffic 451/35 Class" Railway Digest August 1989 page 276
  4. ^ 35 Class Vicsig
  5. ^ "Locomotives and Traffic 45 Class" Railway Digest January 1992 page 22
  6. ^ "45 class locos to return to service" Railway Digest March 1993 page 108
  7. ^ "State Rail's Locomotive Auction Results" Railway Digest January 1995 page 36
  8. ^ 45 Class Railpage
  9. ^ 45 Class Vicsig
  10. ^ Rollingstock Goodwin Alco
  11. ^ Happy 50th Birthday to the 4501 Goodwin Alco
  12. ^ RailCorp S170 Heritage & Conservation Register RailCorp
  13. ^ Locomotive, Diesel 4520 NSW Office of Environment & Heritage
  14. ^ 45s Class Railpage
  15. ^ 45s Class Vicsig
  16. ^ Disposal of Greentrains rollingstock Engenco 28 April 2016
  17. ^ "Greentrans rollingstock sold to Holdco Holdings" Railway Digest June 2016 page 6
  18. ^ "First Austrac Locomotives Enter Service After Official Handover" Railway Digest August 1995 page 9

Further reading edit

  • New South Wales Rail System Locomotives. Sydney: Archives Section, State Rail Authority of New South Wales. 1984.

External links edit

  Media related to New South Wales 45 class locomotives at Wikimedia Commons