Downer EDI Rail GT46C

Downer EDI Rail GT46C

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Australian Railroad Group's Q4018
in September 2009
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder Clyde Engineering, Bassendean
EDI Rail, Cardiff
EDI Rail, Port Augusta
Model Electro-Motive Diesel GT46C
Build date 1997-2003
Total produced 24
Specifications
AAR wheel arr. C-C
UIC class Co-Co, Co′Co′
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Length 22 m (72 ft 2 in)
Loco weight 134 t (132 long tons; 148 short tons)
Fuel type Diesel
Prime mover Electro-Motive Diesel 16-710G3B-ES
Generator Electro-Motive Diesel AR11 PBEH
Traction motors Electro-Motive Diesel D87BTRL
Cylinders 6
Performance figures
Maximum speed 115 km/h (71 mph)
Power output 3,100 kW (4,200 hp)
Career
Operators Westrail
Freight Australia
FreightLink
Number in class 24
Numbers Q4001-Q4019
V544
FQ01-FQ04
First run 14 July 1997
Current owner Aurizon
Genesee & Wyoming Australia
Pacific National
Disposition 24 in service

The GT46C is a model of diesel electric locomotive designed and built by Clyde Engineering using Electro-Motive Diesel components. Entering service from 1997 for a number of Australian rail freight operators, those built for Westrail are known as the Q class, those for FreightLink are the FQ class and a single unit for Freight Australia is the V class.

By operator

Westrail

In May 1996 Westrail ordered 15 GT46Cs from Clyde Engineering as part of an order that also included nine narrow gauge S class locomotives.[1] The order was later extended to 19.[2] All were assembled at a facility established by Clyde Engineering within Westrail's Forrestfield Depot to fulfill the contract with components manufactured at Clyde's Kelso and Somerton plants.[3][4] All were included in the sale of Westrail to Australian Railroad Group in December 2000 and again to QR National in June 2006. Initially numbered as the Q class, they were later reclassified as the 4000 class.[5][6]

Freight Australia

Following the destruction of two G class locomotives in 1999, Freight Australia ordered a single GT46AC from EDI Rail who had purchased Clyde Engineering. It was built at their Cardiff Locomotive Workshops in 2002.[7][8] Numbered V544, it was named after Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer. It was included in the sale of the business to Pacific National in February 2004. The locomotive initially operated interstate freight duties, primarily the SCT Logistics service from Melbourne to Perth. In late 2007 it moved to haul Leigh Creek to Port Augusta coal trains in South Australia, servicing the Playford B and Northern power stations. As of March 2014 V544 has been stored at Port Augusta workshops after a major engine failure.

In 2003 four were built by EDI Rail at Port Augusta for FreightLink. They were purchased for use on the Adelaide-Darwin railway. The first two units were painted in Indigenous Australian liveries, the other two are in FreightLink red.[9][10] All were included in the sale of FreightLink to Genesee & Wyoming Australia.[11][12] The class have been known to fail frequently & some have given them the nickname Fail Quickly.

Summary

Operator Class Number in class Road numbers Built Notes
Aurizon Q 19 Q4001-Q4019 1997-98 Originally built for Westrail, subsequently acquired by Australian Railroad Group
Pacific National V 1 V544 2002 Originally built for Freight Australia
Genesee & Wyoming Australia FQ 4 FQ01-FQ04 2003 Originally built for FreightLink

Q class liverys (4001-4019)

Q4001: New Aurizon livery August 2015

Q4002: New Aurizon livery November 2015

Q4003: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4004: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4005: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4006: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4007: New Aurizon livery February 2016

Q4008: currently in overhaul for repaint to aurizon livery

Q4009: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4010: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4011: new Aurizon livery August 2016

Q4012: ARG yellow with a red stripe (two panels in the Orange and black livery)

Q4013: ARG yellow with a red stripe. The logos missing on both sides

Q4014: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4015: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4016: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4017: Westrail yellow with black stripes

Q4018: westrail livery with black stripes

Q4019: ARG yellow with a red stripe

References

  1. "Westrail Loco Contract Signed" Railway Digest July 1996 page 16
  2. "Loco Order Extended" Railway Digest April 1997 page 15
  3. "Westrail's new standard gauge locomotives" Railway Digest September 1997 pages 12-13
  4. "Westrail S Class" Railway Digest February 1998 page 35
  5. Q Class (WAGR) Railpage
  6. Q Class (ARG) Railpage
  7. V Class (Freight Australia) Railpage
  8. V Class Vicsig
  9. "Downer EDI Rail: GT46C" (PDF). www.downeredi.com. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  10. "FreightLink, September 2003 Update" (PDF). www.nt.gov.au. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  11. FQ Class Railpage
  12. FQ Class Vicsig

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