Shire Horses & Jumbos - The 45 and 442 Classes Locomotives

Elizabeth, South Australia, Australia: Railmac Publications, 1998. 1st Edition . Soft cover. New/No Jacket. 210mm x 150mm x 5mm. 48 pages b/w photos - The New South Wales 45 class was a class of diesel-electric locomotives built for and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways from 1962. The number grouping was previously occupied by a single electric locomotive numbered 4501, which was renumbered 7100 to free up the grouping. The 45 class were built by the Alco's Australian licensee A.E Goodwin, and are based on the Alco DL-541 model. The South Australian Railways also has similar units, and are classified as the 600 class. The locomotives are fitted with an Alco 12-251C engine, developing 1455 kW, the same as the 44 class. Six of these locomotives have been upgraded in the cabs, and reclassified as the 35 class. Some also had a unique 'red terror' type of livery to distinguish the units. These hood units were introduced into service in 1962, and initially serviced the Main Southern line, but moved to the North and Northwest of the state later on, as with the other Alco units. The 442 class locomotives (nicknamed "Jumbos") were ordered and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways. They were the second generation of Alco units to be built, and were used on both main freight and passenger service in New South Wales, and throughout Australia since entering private ownership. The 442s have an Alco 12-251C engine, developing 1,491 kilowatts (2,000 hp). They operated on standard gauge, have Co-Co axles, have a mass of 115 t and have a maximum speed of 120 km/h. They are identical to the South Australian Railways 700 class. The 442 class were built from 1971 to replace the 40 class locomotives dating 1951, as they could not be economically rebuilt to modern standards. Twenty locomotives were initially ordered from A. E Goodwin, the contract stipulating that the 40 class be accepted as a trade in, with some parts from the older units were used for the new locomotives. The contract was later extended by 20 units to 40 to allow the entire NSW main line network to be dieselised. The first locomotives was completed in October 1970 but was rejected by the NSWGR due to rough riding concerns in testing, with five months passing before it was finally accepted after modifications to the bogie design. Soon after A. E Goodwin collapsed financially, and production of the class came to a standstill. Rival company Commonwealth Engineering of Granville obtained the Australian Alco franchise, and completed the locomotives from 44235 upwards. The last unit was delivered in October 1973. They were originally delivered in NSWGR Tuscan Red, some later being repainted into the 1980s 'Candy' livery, and 1990s FreightCorp blue. In 1994 the New South Wales government railways (FreightCorp) began receiving the first of their 58 double ended 3300 HP 82 class and 30 single ended 4000 HP 90 class. This spelt the end of the class, with 19 of the class auctioned to the private operators in December 1994. 44220, 44217, 44203 and 44202 were bought by Silverton Rail, who repainted them into their yellow and blue corporate livery as well as renumbering them 442s1 through 442s4. They also acquired 44235 and 44237 in 1998 for parts. 44229 and 44233 were sold to Austrac based in Junee, New South Wales. The last FreightCorp (government) owned units were retired in 1998 - 44211 and 44212.[1] 44211 was chosen for preservation, and is currently at New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, operating tours.