WAGR A class (diesel)

Western Australian Government Railways A class

AA1517 near Kelmscott in December 1986
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder Clyde Engineering
Bassendean & Granville
Model Electro Motive Diesel G12
Build date 1960-70
Total produced 25
Specifications
UIC class Co-Co
Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Loco weight A: 90 long tons (91 t)
AA class: 93 long tons (94 t)
AB: 97 long tons (99 t)
Fuel type Diesel
Prime mover A: Electro Motive Diesel 12-567C
AA/AB: Electro Motive Diesel 12-645E
Generator Electro Motive Diesel D25
Traction motors A/AA: Electro Motive Diesel D29
AB: Electro Motive Diesel D32
Cylinders 12
Performance figures
Power output A: 977kw
AA/AB: 1120kW
Career
Operators Western Australian Government Railways
Number in class 25
Numbers A1501-A1514
AA1515-AA1519
AB1531-AA1536
First run July 1960
Preserved A1501, AB1503
Current owner Aurizon
Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia
Genesee & Wyoming Australia
Disposition 14 in service, 2 preserved, 3 stored, 7 scrapped

The A class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Western Australian Government Railways between 1960 and 1970.

History

In July 1960 Clyde Engineering delivered the first of 14 A class locomotives. Six were assembled aunder contract by Commonwealth Engineering at Bassendean becoming the first diesel locomotives built in Western Australia. The last two were financed by Western Mining.[1][2]

In 1967 five improved AA class[3] were delivered followed in 1969/70 by six AB class.[4] All were built at Granville and fitted with more powerful Electro Motive Diesel 12-645E engines.[1]

In January 1998 ten (A1502-A1510 & AB1533) were sold to Tranz Rail.[5] All were shipped to New Zealand in February 1998. Five were scrapped for parts, one sold to Tasrail for parts[6] and in November 2005, four were sold as hulks to National Railway Equipment Company and shipped to Mount Vernon, Illinois.[7] Two of the latter were rebuilt and in 2010 sold to Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia. There they were reunited with seven (A1512, AA1515-AA1519 & AB1532) that had been sold to the Chile operator in September 1998.[8][9]

Those remaining with Westrail were included in the sale of the business to Australian Railroad Group in October 2000. When the business was split in June 2006, A1513 and A1514 were transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia with the South Australian operations and were reclassified as the 1200 class[10] while A1501 and the remaining four ABs passed to QR National with the Western Australian operations, and were renumbered AB1501-AB1504.[4][8] In January 2008, A1501 was withdrawn and donated to Rail Heritage WA.[11] A1202, AB1501 and AB1502 were exported to South Africa in January 2015. AB1503 has been preserved by the Wheatbelt Heritage Railway.

References

  1. 1 2 Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 235. ISBN 0 730100 05 7.
  2. ↑ A Class (diesel, WA) Railpage
  3. ↑ AA Class (diesel, WA) Railpage
  4. 1 2 AB Class (diesel, WA) Railpage
  5. ↑ "Westrail Motive Power" Railway Digest April 1998 page 14
  6. ↑ A Class Rail Tasmania
  7. ↑ A1504 Rail Pictures
  8. 1 2 Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia: 1850s-2007. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 312-313. ISBN 1877058548.
  9. ↑ "Westrail" Railway Digest November 1998 page 37
  10. ↑ 1200 Class (GWA, diesel) Railpage
  11. ↑ Members Newsletter February 2008 Rail Heritage WA

External links

Media related to WAGR A class (diesel) at Wikimedia Commons

Former AA1518 (right) in service with Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia in April 2012
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