AN class
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 AN11 in Australian National livery trails an NR class locomotive |
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| Power type | Diesel-electric |
|---|---|
| Builder | General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD), Clyde Engineering |
| Model | EMD JT46C |
| Build date | 1992 – 1993 |
| Total production | 11 |
| AAR wheel arr. | C-C |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) |
| Length | 74 ft 1 in (22.60 m) |
| Locomotive weight | 128.00t |
| Prime mover | EMD 16-710G3A |
| Generator | EMD AR11 |
| Traction motors | EMD D87BTR |
| Cylinders | 16 |
| Top speed | 150km/h |
| Power output | 4,120 hp |
| Tractive effort | (Continuous) 323 kN at 26 km/h |
| Career | 1992 - Current |
| Class | AN |
| Number in class | 11 (10 in service) |
| Number | AN1 - AN11 |
| Locale | Australia |
| Retired | 0 |
| Preserved | 0 |
| Scrapped | 1 |
| Current owner | Pacific National |
The AN class are an Australian diesel electric locomotives ordered by Australian National Rail Commission in 1991. 11 in number, these "JT46C" locomotives from the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors were for use on flagship intercapital freight services. Introduced to service in 1992, they were bodied by Clyde Engineering at their Somerton, Victoria plant using EMD and local components. As the railway's flagship class, and their first new acquisition, they locomotives were allocated the "AN" class identifier.
The AN Class were the most powerful locomotives in the Australian National fleet, their 16-cylinder EMD 710 prime mover producing up to 4120 horsepower - which also makes them some of the most powerful locomotives in Australia. By contrast, the flagship NR class of Australian National's successor company National Rail produce only 4,080 horsepower.
When Australian National was broken up in 1992, the AN Class (numbering only 3 in-service locomotives at the time) were transferred to successor company National Rail, with whom they operated for until 2001. They were then passed on to Pacific National after National Rail's merger with FreightCorp and privatisation. Nowadays AN class locomotives can be seen anywhere around Australia, but they are usually confined to the Sydney-Adelaide-Perth corridor, or as trailing units on Melbourne-Adelaide services.
The class was originally painted in the Australian National corporate scheme. Many now wear National Rail's grey and orange livery, while the Australian National livery still remains on a number of units. AN 5 is the only locomotive which wears the Pacific National scheme, with most just having decals over the National Rail logo (where the unit wears the National Rail livery). AN3 is painted in The Ghan livery, for use leading GSR's The Ghan service.
All members of the AN class remain in service, except for AN10, which was scrapped along with DL37 after the Hines Hill collision.
[edit] References
- AN: AN Class. locopage.railpage.org.au. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
- VICSIG - AN class. vicsig.net. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
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