| Western Australian Government Railways L Class | |
|---|---|
| LQ3121 in fresh ARG livery passing through Thornlie, Western Australia. | |
| Power type | Diesel |
| Builder | Clyde Engineering |
| Total produced | 26 |
| AAR wheel arr. | Co-Co |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Bogies | 2 |
| Length | 19,360 mm (63 ft 6 in) |
| Locomotive weight | 137 t (135 long tons; 151 short tons) |
| Prime mover | Diesel-electric |
| Engine type | EMD 16-645E3 |
| Aspiration | Turbocharged |
| Generator | EMD AR10A4 |
| Traction motors | EMD D77 |
| Cylinders | 16 |
| Top speed | 137 km/h (85 mph) |
| Power output | 2,240 kW (3,000 hp) |
| Tractive effort | 298 kN (67,000 lbf) |
| Number in class | 26 |
| First run | 1967 |
| Current owner | Australian Railroad Group |
| Disposition | Most still in service |
The L-class is a class of diesel locomotives of the Western Australian Government Railways first introduced in 1967 for heavy duty mainline use on the new standard gauge lines. Their wheel arrangement is Co-Co.[1][2]
Contents |
There were originally 26 locomotives in the class.
The locomotive is of the hood type, with a cab at one end. The locomotive can be driven short end leading or long end leading.
This loco was bought second hand off Comalco and was more heavy then the WAGR L class locos. Due to vibration and other issues it was not popular with Westrail and was sold to ATN Access and was stored and rebuilt by RTS and was returned to Western Australia as a LZ class.
Westrail sold some members to ATN Access who sold some to RTS and 3 which passed to Pacific National with their purchase of ATN Access.
Of the Operational L class of ATN access L265 was sold along with the stored members owned by ATN Access. L265 was leased to QR Interail not before it was painted in RTS colours which it did not wear long due to being painted in Interail colours soon after. Eventually it along with L271 were sold to Interail.
RTS sold Interail 2 L class locos and were painted in the NRR Rainbow colours and entered service on coal train for Interail in the Hunter valley with QR purchase of ARG the 2 L class were transferred to ARG operation in NSW before returning to Western Australia
Some L class are now owned by Australian Railroad Group who renumbered them as 3100 class. While Pacific National own 3 of the remaining ATN Access locos with only 2 in service while the other is out of service due a fire.