NZR DC class

NZR DC class
DC 4254 in service for ARTA at Papakura.
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder General Motors Canada (original builder)
Clyde Engineering, Australia (re-builder, 80 units)
NZR Hutt Workshops, Lower Hutt, New Zealand (re-builder, 5 units)
Build date 1961 - 1967 (as Da class)
1978 - 1981 (rebuilt as DC class)
UIC classification A1A-A1A
Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Cape gauge
Wheel diameter 1.25 metres (4 ft 1 in)
Length 14.10 metres (46 ft 3 in)
Width 2.72 metres (8 ft 11 in)
Height 3.76 metres (12 ft 4 in)
Weight on drivers 60.0 tonnes (59.1 long tons; 66.1 short tons)
Locomotive weight 82.0 tonnes (80.7 long tons; 90.4 short tons)
Fuel type Diesel
Prime mover GM 12-645C
Engine RPM range 900 rpm
Aspiration Roots-type supercharger
Cylinders V12
Top speed 100 km/h (62 mph)
Power output 1,062 kW (1,424 hp) (645C)
1,230 kW (1,650 hp) (645E)
Tractive effort 140 kN (31,000 lbf)
Number in class 85
Number DC 4006 - 4951 (TMS)
Dc 1551 - 1599 (original)[n 1]
First run 1978
Disposition 71 in service, 14 withdrawn including 1 sold to TasRail

The NZR DC class locomotive is the most common class of locomotive currently in operation on the New Zealand rail network. Primarily employed to haul freight trains operated by KiwiRail, the class is also used for long-distance passenger trains operated by Tranz Scenic and suburban passenger trains operated by Tranz Metro in Wellington under the Metlink brand, and Veolia in Auckland under the MAXX brand.

Contents

History

The locomotives started life as members of the since-withdrawn Da class diesel-electric mainline locomotives, built by General Motors Canada and introduced to New Zealand between 1955 and 1967. Between 1978 and 1983 85 of the later-build Da's were rebuilt as EMD model G22AR, the DC class, with upgraded engines, new cabs and low short hoods of a style similar to the DX class introduced earlier in the 1970’s and the DF class being introduced at the time. Five were rebuilt at the Hutt Workshops near Wellington and the other 80 at Clyde Engineering in Australia.

Technical details

Each DC locomotive has a General Motors 12-645C or 12-645E V12 diesel engine (the same as originally fitted to the DF class) and four traction motors, with an authorised maximum speed of 100 km/h. The locomotive is 14 metres long, has a height of 3756 mm (12 ft 4in) and weighs 82 tonnes. They can be readily identified as they are considerably shorter than the DF and DX classes and have their paired headlights arranged horizontally rather than vertically as opposed to the DFs.

In Service

History

The DC class were initially employed on many of the same routes in the North Island and upper South Island they ran previously as DA class locomotives, mainly in freight operations but also in passenger services hauling either carriage trains or depowered 88-seater railcars. Changes came during the 1980’s; the deregulation of land transport saw railfreight volumes decline and the opening of the NIMT electrification saw the locomotive fleet reallocated. These factors saw the withdrawal between 1985 and 1989 of the DJ class and remaining DA class, with the DC class also seeing regular service in the lower South Island as a result. The cancellation of most remaining inter-region passenger services also placed the DC class into near-exclusive service on freight workings.

Current

The class continues to be a major workhorse for current owners KiwiRail, employed primarily in freight workings across the country, and operating either as single units or in multiple with other DC units or locomotives from the DBR, DFT, DX or the new DL classes. The class are also used on TranzScenic services. In the South Island they are typically used on the TranzAlpine and Coastal Pacific, and in the North Island on the northern and southern legs of the Overlander and may be used across the central section as well if an EF locomotive is unavailable. A pair of units are also occasionally employed to haul the Capital Connection service.

Auckland Transport Service

For several years DC class locomotives have been employed to haul suburban carriage trains in Auckland. Since 2003 the operation has been run under a service contract by Veolia Transport, through firstly the former Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and now through the Auckland Council’s subsidiary, Auckland Transport. Currently 20 DC/DCP locomotives – along with four DFT/B units – are leased to Auckland Transport to provide services, operating in push-pull mode with Auckland Transport's own ex-BR Mark 2 SA/SD cars. Originally the DC units were configured with a set of 3 SA cars and a SD driving car, but with an increase in rail patronage, the Mayor of Auckland, Len Brown, announced that longer trains would be provided on the Southern and Eastern lines. These trains are configured in sets of four SA cars and a SD driving car with a DC locomotive.[1] 17 of the leased locomotives are painted in the MAXX Blue branding, with the other three units – DC’s 4104 and 4346 and DCP 4818 – all in KiwiRail livery.

Tranz Metro

DC class locomotives are used to haul Tranz Metro’s Wairarapa Connection services between Masterton and Wellington. The locomotives used are allocated to the services on a weekly basis by KiwiRail rather than being permanently assigned as is the case in Auckland. Five services are operated each way on weekdays, with three of these arriving or departing Wellington at the corresponding peak times. The consists comprise Greater Wellington Regional Councils ex-BR Mark 2 SW carriages.

Numbering

Initially the DC class were numbered sequentially commencing from DC 1551 (the Da class having ended at 1545 and the DF class started at 1651). In 1980 the computerised Traffic Management System (TMS) was introduced and the entire class was renumbered with a four digit number commencing with ‘4’ in which the last digit acted as a check number. The 49 Clyde-built units that had been numbered under the old system were renumbered in sequence with DC 1551 becoming DC 4006 and DC 1599 becoming DC 4536, though only the first 31 (up to DC 1581) had entered service by that stagetime. The remaining Clyde builds received TMS numbers through to 4876 as they entered the rebuilding. The Hutt-built units received TMS numbers 4916 to 4951, with the numbers 4882 and 4899 not used to keep them in a separate number sub-series. The first Hutt-build was temporarily numbered DA 564 when it entered service, this being the number allocated to the unit pre-rebuild under the DA class TMS renumbering.

Livery

The class were delivered in the International Orange or "fruit salad" livery - red, grey, and yellow – which was worn by the entire class for most of the 1980’s and early 90’s. Since then members of the class have been repainted in a variety of schemes reflecting the varying ownership of the railways in that time or where locomotives have been leased to. These include Cato Blue (Fruit Salad with blue instead of red), Bumble Bee (black and yellow), Corn Cob (green and yellow), the KiwiRail original and current schemes (grey, orange or red, and yellow), and Maxx Blue (deep blue and yellow) in AT service. Examples still exist in all schemes. DC 4922 was the first unit to be painted in Cato Blue, 4323 the first to receive the Bumble Bee livery and 4260 the first to receive KiwiRail paint. In addition DC’s 4093 and 4346 were painted for several years in non-NZR liveries (KiwiLager and Tasman Forestry respectively).

Upgrades

DCP Subclass

A subclass of the DC class, the DCP class, was established in 2002 to differentiate the locomotives owned by Tranz Scenic 2001 Ltd from those owned by Tranz Rail Ltd. The DCP classification was retained on these locomotives after the purchase of Tranz Scenic 2001 by Toll NZ, and continues to be used by KiwiRail. Further units have since received the classification. In the North Island, the DCP class is used in a general pool of locomotives with the DC class, working both freight and passenger services. In the South Island the DCP class are generally used to haul the TranzAlpine and Coastal Pacific services, but also see freight service as well. DCP 4663, 4818 and 4945 are amongst those leased to Veolia Transport Ltd in Auckland for suburban passenger use.

Withdrawals

As of November 2011 a total of 14 units have been withdrawn from New Zealand service. Nine of these (4006, 4087, 4202, 4657, 4686, 4703, 4749, 4778 and 4824) have been withdrawn as a result of accidents, with a further four (4127, 4162, 4179, and 4496) withdrawn from service as surplus to then-existing and anticipated operational requirements. All of these units have been scrapped.

The final withdrawn locomotive, DC 4588, was shipped to Tasmania in December 1998 for use on TasRail, part-owned by Tranz Rail through the Australian Transport Network. The locomotive was purchased outright by TasRail after an initial period used lease, but was placed into storage in 2002 after suffering an engine problem and sold for scrap in 2011.[2]

Future

It is expected that further DC class withdrawals will occur as a result of investment in infrastructure and new locomotives. The electrification of the Auckland suburban network will see the fleet employed there replaced by 57 three-car EMU’s (owned by Auckland Transport) from 2014 onwards, and the announcement in June 2011 that a further 20 DL class locomotives are to be purchased included the statement that they will replace existing locomotives on a one-for-two basis. With the DC class being both the most numerous and oldest in service (if their DA history is included) they would seem the most likely to see a reduction in operating numbers. However it can be expected that a number of locomotives will be retained to meet continuing requirements.

Class register

Key: In service Out of service Auckland Transport service Preserved Overhaul Scrapped
TMS number Original number[n 1] Rebuilt from Introduced[n 2] Withdrawn Current livery[n 3] Allocated Notes
DC 4006 Dc 1551 Da 1525 01978-03 March 1978 02002-09 September 2002 Derailed descending the Westmere bank north of Wanganui) September 2000. Scrapped 2002
DC 4012 Dc 1552 Da 1532 01978-03 March 1978 KiwiRail North Island Appeared in NZR's 1970s TV commercial as Dc 1552
DC 4029 DC 1553 DA 1533 01978-04 April 1978 International Orange North Island
DC 4035 DC 1554 DA 1501 01978-04 April 1978 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4041 DC 1555 DA 1507 01978-05 May 1978 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4058 DC 1556 DA 1504 01978-07 July 1978 KiwiRail North Island
DC 4064 DC 1557 DA 1512 01978-07 July 1978 International Orange North Island
DC 4070 DC 1558 DA 1514 01978-08 August 1978 International Orange North Island
DC 4087 DC 1559 DA 1515 01978-08 August 1978 01992-07 July 1992 Derailed at Ngaruawahia 6/92 (together with DC 4093 & DC 4369) and damaged beyond repair. Spare parts loco at Hutt. Scrapped 2002
DC 4093 DC 1560 DA 1523 01978-09 September 1978 MAXX Blue North Island Former KiwiLager livery 1987 - 1992.
DC 4104 DC 1561 DA 1520 01978-10 October 1978 KiwiRail North Island Second DC to receive KiwiRail livery.
DC 4110 DC 1562 DA 1509 01978-09 September 1978 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4127 DC 1563 DA 1521 01978-12 December 1978 01999-11 November 1999 Taken out of service as surplus to requirements. Scrapped not earlier than 2001
DC 4133 DC 1564 DA 1519 01978-10 October 1978 International Orange South Island
DC 4156 DC 1565 DA 1513 01978-10 October 1978 International Orange North Island Hit landslide in the Manawatu Gorge on 25 September 2010.[4]
DC 4162 DC 1566 DA 1478 01978-11 November 1978 02001-05 May 2001 Taken out of service surplus to requirements. Scrapped 2003
DC 4179 DC 1567 DA 1511 01978-12 December 1978 02000-05 May 2000 North Island Taken out of service surplus to requirements. Scrapped 2002
DC 4185 DC 1568 DA 1500 01978-12 December 1978 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") North Island
DC 4191 DC 1569 DA 1508 01978-12 December 1978 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4202 DC 1570 DA 1535 01979-04 April 1979 01999-10 October 1999 Written off and scrapped after a fatal head-on collision with DFT 7254 and DXH 5448 at Waipahi, Otago on 20 October 1999.
DC 4219 DC 1571 DA 1527 01979-02 February 1979 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4225 DC 1572 DA 1506 01979-02 February 1979 International Orange North Island
DC 4231 DC 1573 DA 1529 01979-04 April 1979 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4248 DC 1574 DA 1502 01979-03 March 1979 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4254 DC 1575 DA 1455 01979-02 February 1979 MAXX Blue North Island Named Elena
DC 4260 DC 1576 DA 1531 01979-05 May 1979 KiwiRail Phase 1 North Island First DC to receive KiwiRail livery.
DCP 4277 DC 1577 DA 1483 01979-05 May 1979 International Orange South Island
DC 4283 DC 1578 DA 1493 01979-05 May 1979 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4300 DC 1579 DA 1518 01979-06 June 1979 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") North Island
DC 4317 DC 1580 DA 1470 01979-07 July 1979 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") North Island
DC 4323 DC 1581 DA 1490 01979-05 May 1979 KiwiRail North Island First DC to receive Black ("Bumble-Bee") livery
DC 4346 DC 1582[n 4] DA 1536 01979-09 September 1979 KiwiRail North Island Tasman Forestry livery 1991 - 1994.
DC 4352 DC 1583[n 4] DA 1528 01979-08 August 1979 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DC 4369 DC 1584[n 4] DA 1510 01979-10 October 1979 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4375 DC 1585[n 4] DA 1540 01979-09 September 1979 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4381 DC 1586[n 4] DA 1544 01979-08 August 1979 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4398 DC 1587[n 4] DA 1542 01979-10 October 1979 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") North Island
DC 4409 DC 1588[n 4] DA 1543 01979-09 September 1979 International Orange North Island
DC 4415 DC 1589[n 4] DA 1530 01979-09 September 1979 MAXX Blue North Island Named Gwendaliene
DC 4421 DC 1590[n 4] DA 1441 01979-10 October 1979 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") South Island
DC 4438 DC 1591[n 4] DA 1503 01979-11 November 1979 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") North Island
DC 4444 DC 1592[n 4] DA 1526 01979-11 November 1979 MAXX Blue North Island Technology test train, non-standard livery[n 5]
DCP 4450 DC 1593[n 4] DA 1458 01979-12 December 1979 KiwiRail South Island
DC 4467 DC 1594[n 4] DA 1541 01979-12 December 1979 KiwiRail North Island
DC 4473 DC 1595[n 4] DA 1497 01980-03 March 1980 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") South Island
DC 4496 DC 1596[n 4] DA 1534 01980-03 March 1980 01999-11 November 1999 Taken out of service surplus to requirements. Scrapped not earlier than 2001
DC 4507 DC 1597[n 4] DA 1545 01980-04 April 1980 Tranz Rail Blue North Island
DCP 4513 DC 1598[n 4] DA 1446 01980-04 April 1980 KiwiRail South Island
DC 4536 DC 1599[n 4] DA 1505 01980-07 July 1980 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4542 DA 1537 01980-07 July 1980 Tranz Rail Blue South Island
DCP 4559 DA 1539 01980-05 May 1980 KiwiRail South Island
DC 4565 DA 1464 01980-07 July 1980 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") North Island
DC 4571 DA 1522 01980-07 July 1980 International Orange North Island
DC 4588 DA 1489 01980-08 August 1980 Shipped to Tasmania in 1998, sold to TasRail. Sold for scrap mid 2011.[2]
DC 4594 DA 1538 01980-09 September 1980 Toll Rail ("Corn cob") North Island
DCP 4605 DA 1524 01980-09 September 1980 KiwiRail North Island
DCP 4611 DA 1498 01980-09 September 1980 KiwiRail South Island
DCP 4628 DA 1491 01980-11 November 1980 KiwiRail South Island
DCP 4634 DA 1474 01980-12 December 1980 KiwiRail North Island
DC 4640 DA 1466 01980-12 December 1980 Tranz Rail Blue South Island
DC 4657 DA 1477 01980-12 December 1980 02002-07 July 2002 Scrapped following heavy damage sustained in fatal derailment at Te Wera in 2002
DCP 4663 DA 1488 01980-12 December 1980 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4686 DA 1465 01980-12 December 1980 02002-01 January 2002 Scrapped after derailing into the Rangitata River due to a washout January 2002.
DC 4692 DA 1480 01981-03 March 1981 KiwiRail North Island
DC 4703 DA 1472 01981-02 February 1981 01992-03 March 1992 Derailed at Hornby March 1992 with DC 4778. Spare parts loco at Hutt until gutted by fire December 1996. Scrapped 1997
DC 4726 DA 1494 01981-04 April 1981 KiwiRail South Island
DC 4732 DA 1499 01981-03 March 1981 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4749 DA 1495 01981-03 March 1981 02000-07 July 2000 Derailed at Mount Maunganui junction July 2000 due to train control error resulting in train entering junction turn at excessive speed. Scrapped 2002[5]
DCP 4755 DA 1496 01981-02 February 1981 Tranz Rail Blue South Island
DCP 4761 DA 1469 01981-11 November 1981 KiwiRail South Island
DC 4778 DA 1487 01982-11 November 1982 01992-03 March 1992 Derailment at Hornby 3/92 with DC 4703. Spare parts loco at Hutt until gutted by fire December 1996. Scrapped 1997
DC 4784 DA 1476 01982-12 December 1982 Tranz Rail Blue South Island
DCP 4790 DA 1482 01983-02 February 1983 KiwiRail North Island Made 2 appearances in Yogi Bear: The Movie
DCP 4801 DA 1484 01983-03 March 1983 KiwiRail South Island In service
DCP 4818 DA 1481 01983-04 April 1983 KiwiRail North Island Hit a mudslide near Maymorn October 2009. Rebuilt, repainted and replaced DCP 4605 in ARTA service.
DC 4824 DA 1486 01983-06 June 1983 02001-01 January 2001 Severely damaged by fire January 2001. Scrapped 2002
DCP 4830 DA 1516 01983-07 July 1983 Toll Rail ("Corn Cob") North Island
DC 4847 DA 1475 01983-08 August 1983 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") South Island
DC 4853 DA 1485 01983-09 September 1983 Tranz Rail Black ("Bumble-Bee") South Island
DC 4876 DA 1492 01983-11 November 1983 International Orange South Island
DC 4916 DA 1453 01980-08 August 1980 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4922 DA 1479 01980-12 December 1980 MAXX Blue North Island First DC painted NZ Rail (later Tranz-Rail) Blue 7/91
DC 4939 DA 1457 01981-03 March 1981 MAXX Blue North Island
DCP 4945 DA 1456 01981-08 August 1981 MAXX Blue North Island
DC 4951 DA 1459 01981-12 December 1981 MAXX Blue North Island
  1. ^ a b Not all DC class received the original numbers, as TMS was introduced in 1980, halfway during the rebuilding.
  2. ^ Introduction dates are from when the locomotive first ran as a DC class locomotive, not DA class.
  3. ^ Livery is from latest information posted on New Zealand Railtrack.[3]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r The road numbers 1582 to 1599 were allocated to these units but not displayed on the locomotives themselves, which were delivered to New Zealand with new TMS numbers already applied.
  5. ^ Locomotive number displayed on long hood in place of MAXX instead of on the cab.

In popular culture

References

  1. ^ "Media Release: Bus and Train Upgrades Announced". http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/about-us/News/LatestNews/Pages/Media-Release-Bus-and-Train-Upgrades.aspx. Retrieved 9 May 2011. 
  2. ^ a b "Rail Tasmania - DC class". http://www.railtasmania.com/loco/loco.php?id=dc. Retrieved 22 August 2011. 
  3. ^ "New Zealand RailTrack". http://www.quicktrip.co.nz/rails/railtrack.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-03. 
  4. ^ "Milk train derailed". New Zealand Herald. 25 September 2010. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10676006. 
  5. ^ "Rail Reports". TAIC. 8 December 2011. http://www.taic.org.nz/ReportsandSafetyRecs/RailReports/tabid/85/ctl/Detail/mid/483/InvNumber/2000-113/Page/15/language/en-US/Default.aspx. 

External links

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