New South Wales 600/700 class railcar

The 600/700 class railcars were a class of Diesel Multiple Unit built by the New South Wales Government Railways. They were built to operate on branch lines from 1949 with low traffic volumes later being transferred to Newcastle and Wollongong to operate suburban services until withdrawn in 1994.[1] However, one 600 class railcar was converted to solar operation for use on the Byron Bay Train service.[2] The upgraded train entered service on 16 December 2017 and is believed to be the world's first solar-powered train.[3][4]

600/700 Class Railcars
ManufacturerNew South Wales Government Railways
Built atChullora Railway Workshops
Constructed1949-1950
Refurbished1973-1975 five two-car sets converted to 660/760s
Number built20 (10 two-car sets)
Number in service1 (Byron Bay Train)
Number scrapped7
Formation1 powercar, 1 driving trailer
Fleet numbers601/701 - 610/710
Operator(s)New South Wales Government Railways
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium body on steel underframe
Car length18.67 m (61 ft 3 in)
Width2,970 mm (9 ft 8 7⁄8 in)
Height3,920 mm (12 ft 10 3⁄8 in)
Maximum speed100 km/h (62 mph)
Traction systemDiesel-hydraulic
Prime mover(s)Two GM Detroit Diesel 6/71
Engine type6-cylinder diesels
Power output330 hp (246 kW)
(165 hp or 123 kW x 2)
TransmissionAllison automatic lockup torque converter
Braking system(s)S.E.M. electro-pneumatic straight air with emergency feature, handbrake
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Construction

In January 1946 approval was given for the construction of 10 two car sets. It was decided that they would be constructed at the new New South Wales Government Railways' Chullora Railway Workshops. They were built with an aluminium body on a steel frame. Each consisted of a 600 class powercar and 700 class driving trailer. They were powered by two General Motors 6/71 diesels coupled to an Allison TCLA 655 hydraulic transmission. The power car had 32 economy seats and had provision for eight tonnes of luggage while the trailer seated 24 in economy and 26 in first class. The 600/700s were capable of operating in multiple together and there was at least one instance of four sets operating together.[1]

In service

The first entered service on 25 January 1949 with all initially deployed on lines throughout country NSW including:[1]

With the introduction of the DEB set railcars on the Northern Tablelands Express, in April 1959 one was transferred to Newcastle for suburban working being joined by a second from Dubbo. In the mid 1960s some were transferred to Richmond and Wollongong.

In 1971 22 Cummins NT855-R26 engines were purchased with the intention of repowering all ten to allow them to operate in multiple with the later 620/720 and DEB set railcars. However, only five were converted also receiving new bogies and being renumbered as 660/760s the other engines being used to repower 620/720s.[1]

In November 1983 the final three were withdrawn from rural services from Cootamundra to Lake Cargelligo and Tumut, and from Narrandera to Hay and Tocumwal. They were transferred to Acdep and from November 1984 operated services from between Riverstone and Richmond with a few services starting back at Sydney Central.[5] The other seven were all operating out of Newcastle and Wollongong by this stage and had their seating replaced with throwover suburban seating.[1] The Richmond cars were withdrawn following the electrification of the line in August 1991 and the rest when replaced by Endeavour railcars in 1994.

Of the 600/700 sets, five cars were scrapped (two following their partial destruction for an episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation television series Police Rescue in February 1992)[6] and four were sold to the Rail Motor Society, Paterson. Vandals at Mortdale burnt 602/702 before it was transferred to the Rail Motor Society.[7] The partially stripped body shells of 604/704 were given to the Society in compensation and after further stripping of parts they were later sold to the local Court House Hotel at Paterson for accommodation. In February 2020, the Hotel was being renovated for sale and the two carriage bodies were sold privately, one to Queensland and one to Victoria (Australia). The remains of 702 were scrapped and the other three cars (602, 606 and 707) all survive in near original condition in the collection of the Rail Motor Society.

Of the 660/760s, 661/761 and 668/768 were sold to the Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway, 665/765 to the New England Railway, Armidale and 670/770 to the Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum.[8]

See also
  • Rail rollingstock in New South Wales

References
  1. Cooke, David (1984). Railmotors and XPTs. Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division. ISBN 0-909650-23-3.
  2. "Byron Bay Train » History". byronbaytrain.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  3. "Solar train enters service in Byron Bay – Rail Express". www.railexpress.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  4. "The brainchild of a NSW millionaire, is this the world's first solar train?". ABC News. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  5. "Goodbye Tin Hare" Railway Digest February 1985 page 37
  6. "600 Class Railcars" Railway Digest April 1992 page 155
  7. "Rail Cars" Railway Digest July 1992 page 273
  8. "Eligible Preservation Groups Car Allocations" Railway Digest December 1998 page 39
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