EMD G8
The EMD G8 was a General Motors-built diesel-electric locomotive of which 382 were built between 1954 and 1965 for both export and domestic use. They were built by both Electro-Motive Division in the United States and by General Motors Diesel Division in Canada for use in ten countries, being equipped to operate on several different track gauges.
EMD G8 | |||||||||||||||||
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Preserved former Victorian Railways T class G8 locomotive T 413 | |||||||||||||||||
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Overview
The G8 was built for use in Australia, Canada, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Liberia, and New Zealand (DB class).[1] The 1967 Israeli invasion of Sinai captured Egyptian G8 number 3256, which became Israel Railways number 251.[2]
The G8 was also built in Australia under licence by Clyde Engineering, with Victorian Railways purchasing a total of 89 between 1955 and 1969, with later variants including a redesigned cab, carbody and radiator (the G8B)[3] and those built after 1967 (the G18B) equipped with the newer EMD 645 engine rather than the EMD 567 which had been fitted to the earlier locomotives.[4] They were designated as the T class.
BHP also purchased two G8s, classed as the DE class, for service on its mine railways in the Middleback Ranges, South Australia.[5] Both locomotives also saw service on the Coffin Bay Tramway out of Port Lincoln.[6][7]
References
- Diesels for NZ Railways Network March 1965 page 3
- Cotterell, Paul (1984). The Railways of Palestine and Israel. Abingdon: Tourret Publishing. pp. 108, 137. ISBN 0-905878-04-3.
- "T 347 - 356". victorianrailways.net. Retrieved 31 March 2007.
- "T 399 - 412". victorianrailways.net. Retrieved 31 March 2007.
- BHP Orders Diesels for Iron Knob Line Railway Transportation November 1955 page 40
- Griffiths, D. (1985). BHP Tramways Centenary History. Mile End Railway Museum. pp. 27, 28. ISBN 0-9595073-4-5.
- Locomotives The Recorder February 1969 page 7
External links
- Media related to EMD G8 locomotives at Wikimedia Commons
- victorianrailways.net T class page Includes schematic diagram and original October 1954 VR Newsletter article on the G8 locomotive.