New South Wales 48 class locomotive

The 48 Class is a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the New South Wales Government Railways between 1959 and 1970. Once the most ubiquitous locomotive in New South Wales, Australia, It is based on Alco frames and prime movers, using General Electric (later Associated Electrical Industries) electrical equipment. The South Australian Railways 830 and Silverton Rail 48s classes are of a very similar design.

NSW 48 class
GrainCorp's 48203 at Junee Locomotive Depot in March 2011
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderAE Goodwin, Auburn
Serial numberAlco 83701–83720, 83816–83825, 84121–84135
Alco G-3387-01 to G3387-40
Alco G-3420-01 to G-3420-40
Alco G-6013-01 to G-6013-40
ModelAlco DL531
Build date1959-1970
Total produced165
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • UICCo-Co
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter40 in (1,016 mm)
LengthOver headstocks:
44 ft 3 in (13.49 m),
Over coupler pulling faces:
48 ft 5 in (14.76 m)
Width9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Height14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)
Axle load4801–4885:
12 long tons 6 cwt (27,600 lb or 12.5 t)
4886–48165:
12 long tons 16 cwt (28,700 lb or 13 t)
Loco weight4801–4885:
74 long tons 0 cwt (165,800 lb or 75.2 t)
4886–48165:
76 long tons 12 cwt (171,600 lb or 77.8 t)
Fuel typeDiesel
Fuel capacity4801–4885:
500 imp gal (2,300 l; 600 US gal)
4886–48165:
700 imp gal (3,200 l; 840 US gal)
Lubricant cap.116 imp gal (530 l; 139 US gal)
Coolant cap.90 imp gal (410 l; 110 US gal)
Sandbox cap.10 cu ft (0.28 m3)
Prime moverAlco 6-251B
RPM range375-1025
Engine typeFour-stroke Inline diesel
AspirationTurbocharged
Generator4801–4845:
General Electric 5GT 584
4846–48165: Associated Electrical Industries TG 3602
Traction motors4801–4885:
General Electric 761
4886–48165:
Associated Electrical Industries 253 CT
Cylinders6
Cylinder size9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h) (Design speed)
100 km/h (62 mph) (TfNSW limit)
Power outputGross:
1,050 hp (780 kW),
For traction:
950 hp (710 kW)
Tractive effortContinuous:
4801–4885: 40,200 lbf (178.82 kN)
at 8 mph (13 km/h)
4886–48165:
42,500 lbf (189.05 kN)
at 6.5 mph (10 km/h)
Career
OperatorsNew South Wales Government Railways
Number in class165
Numbers4801-48165
First runSeptember 1959
Preserved4801, 4803, 4805, 4807, 4821, 4822, 4833, 4872
Current ownerGraincorp, Greentrains, Junee Railway Workshop, Pacific National, RailCorp
Disposition92 Scrapped, 53 Operational, 12 Stored, 8 Preserved, 1 Under Overhaul

History

The 48 Class were ordered to commence the conversion of branch lines to diesel traction with the first entering service in September 1959. Further orders saw 165 in service by October 1970. There were four versions:

  • Mark 1: 4801 – 4845
  • Mark 2: 4846 – 4885
  • Mark 3: 4886 - 48125
  • Mark 4: 48126 – 48165

The Mark 1s and Mark 2s can be distinguished from the others by their fuel tank, which incorporates the brake reservoir tanks on either side.

As well as branch lines they operated both main line and metropolitan services on every line in the state. Aside from a couple written off after accidents in the mid-1980s, withdrawals didn't commence in earnest until August 1994.[1] In December 1994 the first Mark 1s were sold.[2] By June 1997 FreightCorp's fleet was down to 120 units.[3]

Others have been withdrawn since and as at January 2014, 66 remained in service primarily with Pacific National. GrainCorp, Greentrains, Junee Railway Workshop and Sydney Trains also operate some.[4][5][6][7]

By operator

Railway Services Authority/RailCorp

Two (4819 & 4827) were transferred by the State Rail Authority to the Railway Service Authority, these have since passed to RailCorp.[7][8]

Silverton Rail/Greentrains

In December 1994, Silverton Rail purchased six from FreightCorp.[2] All were placed in service as their Silverton Rail 48s class.[3] Some of these remain in service in January 2014 in the ownership of Greentrains.[6][7]

Australian National/Genesee & Wyoming Australia

In December 1994, Australian National purchased two from FreightCorp[2] with 4813 rebuilt as DA7 for the narrow gauge Eyre Peninsula Railway and 4826 scrapped some years later at Port Augusta. As at August 2019, the locomotive remains in service on the far western portion of the Eyre Peninsula Railway narrow gauge network with Genesee & Wyoming Australia working the Thevenard gypsum traffic, renumbered 906.[9]

Austrac Ready Power/Junee Railway Workshop

Austrac Ready Power purchased four (4814, 4816, 4820 & 4836) from a scrap dealer and placed three in service on their various services.[10] Following Austrac ceasing all passed to Junee Railway Workshop.[11]

Cargill Australia

In February 1997, 4812 was rebuilt and repainted by FreightCorp at Delec Locomotive Depot for Cargill Australia for use as a shunter at their Kooragang Island plant numbered CAR1.[3][12] It was sold to Junee Railway Workshop.[8] It was scrapped in 2016.

GrainCorp

GrainCorp have purchased 18 Mark 3s and are having them overhauled by Junee Railway Workshop at which point they are renumbered into the 482xx series.[5][13]

PL class

Seven Mark 2 locomotives were rebuilt by FreightCorp between 1999 and 2001 as the PL (for PortLink) class.[14][15] Changes included the short end cab nose being lowered, the cab altered, and the installation of air-conditioning. They were designed to operate in push-pull formation on intermodal container trains between Port Botany and Clyde/Yennora.

PL1 and PL2 were transferred to South Australia after the sale of FreightCorp to Pacific National for use at Keswick Terminal shunting for Great Southern Rail which was prior a National Rail contract. PL2 was transferred back to NSW with PL1 remaining in South Australia. In NSW the class saw use on the former South Maitland Railway hauling coal along with 48 class locos. After a long period of storage at Kooragang Island, PL2, PL3, PL5, PL6 and PL7 were scrapped in 2013. PL4 was finally scrapped at Narrabri in late 2016 after being stored there for years. PL1 remains in service as a shunter at the Progress Rail workshops in Port Augusta.

The PL class were the evolutionary link between the 48 class and the GT46C ACe locomotives, with the later sharing many similarities with their smaller ancestors.

Preserved

Currently there are eight preserved locomotives, four of them operational:

Fleet Status

As of 11 August 2015 :

Mark I

4801 - Preserved [Stored]

4802 - Scrapped

4803 - Preserved [Operational]

4804 - Scrapped

4805 - Preserved [Stored]

4806 - stored - Delec

4807 - Preserved [Operational]

4808 - Scrapped

4809 - Scrapped

4810 - Scrapped

4811 ▶ 48s36 - Operational

4812 ▶ CAR1 - Scrapped Mar 2016

4813 ▶ DA7 ▶ 906 - Operational

4814 - Operational

4815 ▶ 48s34 - Operational

4816 - Stored 2016

4817 - Scrapped

4818 - Scrapped

4819 - Operational

4820 - Under Overhaul

4821 - Preserved [Operational]

4822 - Preserved [Stored]

4823 - Scrapped

4824 - Scrapped

4825 ▶ 48s32 - Scrapped

4826 - Scrapped

4827 - Operational

4828 - Scrapped

4829 ▶ 48s33 - Operational

4830 - Scrapped

4831 - Scrapped

4832 - Scrapped

4833 - Preserved [Operational] Stored Eveleigh

4834 - Scrapped

4835 - Scrapped

4836 - Operational

4837 - Scrapped

4838 ▶ 48s37 - Stored

4839 - Scrapped

4840 - Scrapped

4841 - Scrapped

4842 - Scrapped

4843 ▶ 48s35 - Operational

4844 - Scrapped

4845 - Scrapped

Mark II

4846 - Scrapped

4847 - Scrapped

4848 ▶ PL1 - Operational

4849 - Scrapped

4850 - Scrapped

4851 - Scrapped

4852 - Scrapped

4853 - Scrapped

4854 - scrapped

4855 - Scrapped

4856 ▶ PL7 - Scrapped

4857 - Scrapped

4858 - Scrapped

4859 - stored - Junee (Monte Carlo)

4860 - Scrapped

4861 - Scrapped

4862 - Scrapped

4863 - Scrapped

4864 ▶ GPU2 - stored - Junee

4865 - Scrapped

4866 - Scrapped

4867 ▶ PL6 - Scrapped

4868 ▶ PL4 - Scrapped - Narrabri

4869 - Scrapped

4870 ▶ PL3 - Scrapped

4871 ▶ PL2 - Scrapped

4872 - Preserved

4873 - Scrapped

4874 - Scrapped

4875 - Scrapped

4876 - Scrapped

4877 - scrapped

4878 ▶ GPU1 - Stored Junee

4879 - Scrapped

4880 - Scrapped

4881 ▶ PL5 - Scrapped

4882 - Scrapped

4883 - Scrapped

4884 - scrapped

4885 - Scrapped

Mark III

4886 ▶ 48201 - stored

4887 - Scrapped

4888 - scrapped

4889 - Scrapped

4890 - Scrapped

4891 - Scrapped

4892 - Scrapped

4893 - Scrapped

4894 - Operational

4895 - Scrapped

4896 - Scrapped

4897 ▶ 48202 - stored

4898 - Scrapped

4899 ▶ 48203 - stored

48100 ▶ 48204 - stored

48101 - Operational

48102 - Scrapped

48103 - Operational

48104 - Scrapped

48105 - Scrapped

48106 - Scrapped

48107 - Scrapped

48108 - Scrapped

48109 - Scrapped

48110 ▶ 48205 - stored

48111 ▶ 48206 - stored

48112 - Scrapped

48113 ▶ 48207 - stored

48114 - Scrapped

48115 ▶ 48208 - stored

48116 ▶ 48209 - stored

48117 - Scrapped

48118 - Scrapped

48119 - stored - Delec

48120 - Stored - Werris creek

48121 - Scrapped

48122 - Scrapped

48123 - Operational

48124 ▶ 48210 - stored

48125 ▶ 48211 - stored

Mark IV

48126 - Scrapped

48127 - Operational

48128 - Scrapped

48129 - Scrapped

48130 - Operational

48131 - Scrapped

48132 - Scrapped

48133 - Scrapped

48134 - Scrapped

48135 - Scrapped

48136 - Scrapped

48137 - Scrapped

48138 - Operational

48139 - Scrapped

48140 - Operational

48141 - Scrapped

48142 ▶ 48212 - stored

48143 - stored - Werris creek

48144 - Operational

48145 ▶ 48213 - stored

48146 - Scrapped

48147 - Scrapped

48148 ▶ 48214 - stored

48149 ▶ 48215 - stored

48150 ▶ 48216 - stored

48151 - Scrapped

48152 - Operational

48153 - Operational

48154 ▶ 48217 - stored

48155 - Scrapped

48156 - Operational

48157 ▶ 48218 - stored

48158 - Scrapped

48159 - Operational

48160 - Operational

48161 - Operational

48162 - Operational

48163 - stored

48164 - Operational

48165 - stored

References
  1. "48 Class" Railway Digest November 1994 page 32
  2. "State Rail's Locomotive Auction Results" Railway Digest January 1995 page 36
  3. "Motive Power Review - The 48 Class" Railway Digest June 1997 page 42
  4. 48 Class Railpage
  5. 48 Class (Graincorp) Railpage
  6. 48s Class Railpage
  7. 48 Class Vicsig
  8. "Touring the New South Wales Classics" Railway Digest July 2010 page 25
  9. 906 Railpage
  10. "New Austrac Loco Paint Scheme Unveiled" Railway Digest December 1995 page 13
  11. 48 Class Junee Railway Workshop
  12. "Privately-Owned Locos Show Off New Colours" Railway Digest May 1997 page 10
  13. "GrainCorp handover" Railway Digest June 2010 page 15
  14. PL Class Railpage
  15. Railway Digest April 1999 page 36
  16. Locomotisel 4803 Department of Environment & Heritage
  17. Locomotive, Diesel 4805 Department of Environment & Heritage
  18. Locomotive, Diesel 4807 Department of Environment & Heritage
  19. "Past Fleet – East Coast Heritage Rail". East Coast Heritage Rail. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

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

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