New South Wales 72 class locomotive

The 72 class was a class of diesel locomotive built by Chullora Railway Workshops for the New South Wales, Australia, Department of Railways in 1965.

New South Wales 72 class
7201 at Port Botany in 1965
Type and origin Power type Diesel-hydraulic Builder Chullora Railway Workshops Serial number 9 Build date 1965 Total produced 1
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo-Bo Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 37 in (940 mm) Length Over coupler pulling faces: 45 ft 2+1⁄4 in (13.77 m) Width 9 ft 2 in (2,794 mm) Height 12 ft 7+1⁄4 in (3,842 mm) Loco weight 55 long tons 0 cwt (123,200 lb or 55.9 t) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 500 imp gal (2,300 L; 600 US gal) Lubricant cap. Engine: 20 imp gal (91 L; 24 US gal), Transmission: 40 imp gal (180 L; 48 US gal), Final Drives: 6 imp gal (27 L; 7.2 US gal) each Coolant cap. 180 imp gal (820 L; 220 US gal) Sandbox cap. 12 cu ft (0.34 m3) Prime mover Cummins VT12-825-BI RPM range 600–2000 Engine type Four-stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Cylinders V12 Cylinder size 5.5 in × 6 in (140 mm × 152 mm) Transmission Clark Model 16420 Reversing
Performance figures Maximum speed 45 mph (72 km/h) Power output Gross: 705 hp (530 kW), For traction: 640 hp (477 kW) Tractive effort Continuous: 32,500 lbf (144.57 kN) at 5 mph (8 km/h)
Career Operators NSW Department of Railways Number in class 1 Numbers 7201 First run 27 August 1965 Last run 2 March 1976 Withdrawn August 1976 Scrapped December 1976 Disposition Scrapped

Construction

7201 at Eveleigh Railway Workshops in May 1973

Locomotive 7201 was a diesel-hydraulic locomotive, with B-B wheel arrangement. Built in the Department of Railways Water Supply Workshops at Chullora, it performed its first light engine trial on 27 August 1965. It was built on the lengthened underframe of an unused 58 class locomotive tender, but using the bogies from a Standard Goods locomotive turret tender. The cab was similar to that of an X200 class and the livery was similar to a 48 class.

The prime-mover was a Cummins VT 12-825-BI; V12 engine, developing 640 horsepower at 2,000 rpm. Power was distributed to the bogies through a Clark C 16911 torque converter with Clark 16421 transmission.

Operations

Following some modifications, it entered service on 8 September 1965 as a shunter at Cooks River Goods Yard. Over the next 6 months, it spent time shunting in yards at Goulburn, Junee, Broadmeadow and Werris Creek, and Port waratah. It even had a brief sojourn on the Yass Tramway. During this time, it re-entered the workshops for modifications and repairs. After this initial period, it spent extended periods at the Rozelle yards, however by 1970 it was regularly struggling with the loads. It was then trialed at the ACDEP carriage sheds where it shunted the carriages from air-conditioned trains. It was deemed a success in this duty and remained there until 2 March 1976 when it suffered a seized engine.

Demise

Being a one-off and therefore non-standard, the decision was made not to repair the locomotive. On 4 August 1976, it was condemned and scrapped in December that year.

Further reading

• New South Wales Rail System Locomotives. Sydney: Archives Section, State Rail Authority of New South Wales. 1984.