New South Wales 48 class locomotive

Not to be confused with British Rail Class 48.

The 48 Class is a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1959 and 1970. Once the most ubiquitous locomotive in New South Wales, Australia, it is based on Alco frames and prime movers, using General Electric (later Associated Electrical Industries) electrical equipment. The South Australian Railways 830 and Silverton Rail 48s classes are of a very similar design.

NSW 48 class
Transport Heritage NSW's 4807 leading the Picnic Train on a shuttle to Wollongong in June 2022
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder AE Goodwin, Auburn Serial number Alco 83701–83720, 83816–83825, 84121–84135 Alco G-3387-01 to G3387-40 Alco G-3420-01 to G-3420-40 Alco G-6013-01 to G-6013-40 Model Alco DL531 Build date 1959–1970 Total produced 165
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Length Over headstocks: 44 ft 3 in (13.49 m), Over coupler pulling faces: 48 ft 5 in (14.76 m) Width 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) Height 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m) Axle load 4801–4885: 12 long tons 6 cwt (27,600 lb or 12.5 t) 4886–48165: 12 long tons 16 cwt (28,700 lb or 13 t) Loco weight 4801–4885: 74 long tons 0 cwt (165,800 lb or 75.2 t) 4886–48165: 76 long tons 12 cwt (171,600 lb or 77.8 t) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 4801–4885: 500 imp gal (2,300 L; 600 US gal) 4886–48165: 700 imp gal (3,200 L; 840 US gal) Lubricant cap. 116 imp gal (530 L; 139 US gal) Coolant cap. 90 imp gal (410 L; 110 US gal) Sandbox cap. 10 cu ft (0.28 m3) Prime mover Alco 6-251B RPM range 375–1025 Engine type Four-stroke Inline diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Generator 4801–4845: General Electric 5GT 584 4846–48165: Associated Electrical Industries TG 3602 Traction motors 4801–4885: General Electric 761 4886–48165: Associated Electrical Industries 253 CT Cylinders 6 Cylinder size 9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 75 mph (121 km/h) (Design speed) 100 km/h (62 mph) (TfNSW limit) Power output Gross: 1,050 hp (780 kW), For traction: 950 hp (710 kW) Tractive effort Continuous: 4801–4885: 40,200 lbf (178.82 kN) at 8 mph (13 km/h) 4886–48165: 42,500 lbf (189.05 kN) at 6.5 mph (10 km/h)
Career Operators NSW Department of Railways Number in class 165 Numbers 4801–4805, Bruce, 4807-48165 First run September 1959 Preserved 4803, 4807, 4821, 4822, 4833, 4872 Current owner Graincorp, Greentrains, Junee Railway Workshop, Pacific National, RailCorp, Southern Shorthaul Railroad Disposition 96 Scrapped, 53 Operational, 12 Stored, 6 Preserved, 1 Under Overhaul

History

The 48 Class were ordered to commence the conversion of branch lines to diesel traction with the first entering service in September 1959. Further orders saw 165 in service by October 1970. There were four versions:

• Mark 1: 4801 – 4845
• Mark 2: 4846 – 4885
• Mark 3: 4886 – 48125
• Mark 4: 48126 – 48165

The Mark 1s and Mark 2s can be distinguished from the others by their fuel tank, which incorporates the brake reservoir tanks on either side.

As well as branch lines, they operated both main line and metropolitan services on every line in the state. Aside from a couple written off after accidents in the mid-1980s, withdrawals didn't commence in earnest until August 1994. In December 1994, the first Mark 1s were sold. By June 1997, FreightCorp's fleet was down to 120 units.

Others have been withdrawn since and as at January 2014, 66 remained in service primarily with Pacific National. GrainCorp, Greentrains, Junee Railway Workshop and Sydney Trains also operate some.

By operator

Railway Services Authority/RailCorp

Two (4819 & 4827) were transferred by the State Rail Authority to the Railway Service Authority, these have since passed to RailCorp.

Silverton Rail/Greentrains

In December 1994, Silverton Rail purchased six from FreightCorp. All were placed in service as their Silverton Rail 48s class. Some of these remain in service in January 2014 in the ownership of Greentrains.

Australian National/One Australia

In December 1994, Australian National purchased two from FreightCorp with 4813 rebuilt as DA7 for the narrow gauge Eyre Peninsula Railway and 4826 scrapped some years later at Port Augusta. As at August 2019, the locomotive remains in service on the far western portion of the Eyre Peninsula Railway narrow gauge network with One Rail Australia working the Thevenard gypsum traffic, renumbered 906.

Austrac Ready Power/Junee Railway Workshop

Austrac Ready Power purchased four (4814, 4816, 4820 & 4836) from a scrap dealer and placed three in service on their various services. Following Austrac ceasing all passed to Junee Railway Workshop.

Cargill Australia

In February 1997, 4812 was rebuilt and repainted by FreightCorp at Delec Locomotive Depot for Cargill Australia for use as a shunter at their Kooragang Island plant numbered CAR1. It was sold to Junee Railway Workshop. It was scrapped in 2016.

GrainCorp

GrainCorp have purchased 18 Mark 3s and are having them overhauled by Junee Railway Workshop at which point they are renumbered into the 482xx series, they are numbered the following,

Operational 48201, 48208, 48211, 48215

Stored 48202, 48203, 48204, 48205, 48206, 48207, 48209, 48212, 48213, 48214, 48216, 48217, 48218, GPU1, GPU2

Pacific National

When FreightRail was bought PN inherited the FR 48s. They also operate the 482 class for GrainCorp.

As of 2023 they operated the following locomotives:

Operational: 4894, 48123, 48138, 48144, 48153, 48159, 48162

Stored: 4806, 48101, 48103, 48119, 48120, 48127, 48130, 48143, 48156, 48160, 48161, 48164, 48165

Southern Shorthaul Railroad

In November 2022 Southern Shorthaul Railroad renumbered 48s33 back to its original number of 4829. In October 2023, they renumbered 48s35 back to its original number of 4843. 48s28, one of three mechanically-identical locomotives formerly owned by the Silverton Tramway and currently owned by SSR, was renumbered to 4828 - the real 4828 was scrapped in 2014. As of october 2024, 48s34 was renumbered to its original number of 4815.

PL class

Seven Mark 2 locomotives were rebuilt by FreightCorp between 1999 and 2001 as the PL (for PortLink) class. Changes included the short end cab nose being lowered, the cab altered, and the installation of air-conditioning. They were designed to operate in push-pull formation on intermodal container trains between Port Botany and Clyde/Yennora.

PL1 and PL2 were transferred to South Australia after the sale of FreightCorp to Pacific National for use at Keswick Terminal shunting for Great Southern Rail which was prior a National Rail contract. PL2 was transferred back to NSW with PL1 remaining in South Australia. In NSW the class saw use on the former South Maitland Railway hauling coal along with 48 class locos. After a long period of storage at Kooragang Island, PL2, PL3, PL5, PL6 and PL7 were scrapped in 2013. PL4 was finally scrapped at Narrabri in late 2016 after being stored there for years. PL1 remains in service as a shunter at the Progress Rail workshops in Port Augusta.

Preserved

As of December 2023, there are six preserved locomotives, four of them operational:

• 4803: Transport Heritage NSW, in the custody of NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere, operational
• 4807: Transport Heritage NSW, in the custody of NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere, operational
• 4821: Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre, operational
• 4822: Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum, stored
• 4833: Transport Heritage NSW, in the custody of NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere, operational
• 4872: Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum, stored

Further reading

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

External links

Media related to New South Wales 48 class locomotive at Wikimedia Commons