EMD G8

EMD G8
Preserved former Victorian Railways T class G8 locomotive T 413
Power type Diesel
Builder Electro-Motive Diesel and General Motors Diesel
Build date 1954-1965
Total produced 382
AAR wheel arr. B-B
Locomotive weight 66.2 long tons (67.3 t; 74.1 ST)
Fuel capacity 2,840 litres (750 US gal; 620 imp gal)
Cylinders 8
Cylinder size 8.5 × 10 in (216 × 254 mm)
Power output 800 or 850 bhp
Tractive effort 11,900 kgf (116.7 kN)

The EMD G8 was a General Motors-built diesel 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. 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.[1]

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)[2] 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.[3] They were designated as the T class.

The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd also purchased two G8's, 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.[4]

References

  1. ^ Cotterell, Paul (1984). The Railways of Palestine and Israel. Abingdon: Tourret Publishing. pp. 108, 137. ISBN 0-905878-04-3. 
  2. ^ "T 347 - 356". victorianrailways.net. http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t347_356.html. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
  3. ^ "T 399 - 412". victorianrailways.net. http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t399_412.html. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
  4. ^ Griffiths, D. 1985; BHP Tramways Centenary History. Mile End Railway Museum Inc, ISBN 0959 5073 45

See also

External links