Power type Diesel-electric Total produced 382 | Build date 1954-1965 AAR wheel arr. B-B | |
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Builder Electro-Motive Diesel and General Motors Diesel Loco weight 66.2 long tons (67.3 t; 74.1 short tons) | ||
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.
Overview
The G8 was built for use in Australia, Canada, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Liberia, and New Zealand (NZR DB class). The 1967 Israeli invasion of Sinai captured Egyptian G8 number 3256, which became Israel Railways number 251.
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) 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. They were designated as the T class.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd also purchased two G8s, classed as DE, for service on its mine railways in the Middleback Ranges, South Australia. Both locomotives also saw service on the Proper Bay Tramway out of Port Lincoln.