Power type Diesel-electric Model Alco DL531 Total produced 165 | Builder AE Goodwin, Auburn Build date 1959-1970 | |
 | ||
Serial number Alco 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 | ||
The 48 Class are 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 (and Australia), they are 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.
Contents
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:
The Mark 1's and Mark 2's 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. In December 1994 the first Mark 1s were sold. By June 1997 FreightCorp's fleet was down to 120 units.
Others have been withdrawn since and as at January 2014, 66 remained in service primarily with Pacific National. GrainCorp, Greentrains, Junee Railway Workshop and RailCorp also operate some.
Railway Services Authority/RailCorp
Two were transferred by the State Rail Authority to the Railway Service Authority, these have since passed to RailCorp
Silverton Rail/Greentrains
In December 1994 Silverton Rail purchased six from FreightCorp. All were placed in service as their Silverton Rail 48s class. Some of these remain in service in January 2014 in the ownership of Greentrains.
Australian National/Genesee & Wyoming Australia
In December 1994 Australian National purchased two from FreightCorp with 4813 rebuilt as DA7 for the narrow gauge Eyre Peninsula Railway and 4826 scrapped some years later at Port Augusta. As at January 2014 it remains in service with Genesee & Wyoming Australia renumbered 906.
Austrac Ready Power/Junee Railway Workshop
Austrac Ready Power purchased four from a scrap dealer and placed three in service on their various services. Following Austrac ceasing all passed to Junee Railway Workshop.
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. It was sold to Junee Railway Workshop. 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.
PL class
Seven Mark 2 locomotives were rebuilt by FreightCorp between 1999 and 2001 as the PL (for PortLink) class. 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.
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 seven 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 - Operational
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]
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 - Stored
4847 - Scrapped
4848 ▶ PL1 - Stored
4849 - Scrapped
4850 - Scrapped
4851 - Stored
4852 - Scrapped
4853 - Stored
4854 - Operational
4855 - Scrapped
4856 ▶ PL7 - Scrapped
4857 - Scrapped
4858 - Scrapped
4859 - Stored
4860 - Scrapped
4861 - Scrapped
4862 - Scrapped
4863 - Scrapped
4864 ▶ GPU2 - Operational
4865 - Scrapped
4866 - Scrapped
4867 ▶ PL6 - Scrapped
4868 ▶ PL4 - Stored
4869 - Scrapped
4870 ▶ PL3 - Scrapped
4871 ▶ PL2 - Scrapped
4872 - Preserved
4873 - Scrapped
4874 - Scrapped
4875 - Scrapped
4876 - Scrapped
4877 - Stored
4878 ▶ GPU1 - Operational
4879 - Scrapped
4880 - Scrapped
4881 ▶ PL5 - Scrapped
4882 - Scrapped
4883 - Scrapped
4884 - Stored
4885 - Scrapped
Mark III
4886 ▶ 48201 - Operational
4887 - Scrapped
4888 - Lost
4889 - Scrapped
4890 - Scrapped
4891 - Scrapped
4892 - Scrapped
4893 - Scrapped
4894 - Operational
4895 - Scrapped
4896 - Scrapped
4897 ▶ 48202 - Operational
4898 - Scrapped
4899 ▶ 48203 - Operational
48100 ▶ 48204 - Operational
48101 - Operational
48102 - Scrapped
48103 - Operational
48104 - Stored
48105 - Scrapped
48106 - Scrapped
48107 - Scrapped
48108 - Stored
48109 - Scrapped
48110 ▶ 48205 - Operational
48111 ▶ 48206 - Operational
48112 - Scrapped
48113 ▶ 48207 - Operational
48114 - Scrapped
48115 ▶ 48208 - Operational
48116 ▶ 48209 - Operational
48117 - Scrapped
48118 - Scrapped
48119 - Operational
48120 - Operational
48121 - Scrapped
48122 - Scrapped
48123 - Operational
48124 ▶ 48210 - Operational
48125 ▶ 48211 - Operational
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 - Operational
48143 - Scrapped
48144 - Operational
48145 ▶ 48213 - Operational
48146 - Scrapped
48147 - Scrapped
48148 ▶ 48214 - Operational
48149 ▶ 48215 - Operational
48150 ▶ 48216 - Operational
48151 - Scrapped
48152 - Operational
48153 - Operational
48154 ▶ 48217 - Operational
48155 - Scrapped
48156 - Operational
48157 ▶ 48218 - Operational
48158 - Scrapped
48159 - Operational
48160 - Operational
48161 - Operational
48162 - Operational
48163 - Scrapped
48164 - Operational
48165 - Operational