DEB railcar

DEB Railcar
HPF 954 in storage at Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot
Manufacturer	New South Wales Government Railways
Built at	Chullora Railway Workshops
Constructed	1951–1960
Entered service	1951–1994
Number built	18 power cars, 18 trailer cars
Number in service	0
Fleet numbers	901–910, 951–959, 351–353, 751–753, 801–803, 851–857, 861–862
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium (with steel underframe)
Car length	18.67 m (61 ft 3 in) power cars, 17.83 m (58 ft 6 in) trailer cars
Width	2.97 m (9 ft 9 in)
Height	3.92 m (12 ft 10 in)
Maximum speed	115 km/h (71 mph))
Traction system	Diesel
Prime mover(s)	Hercules DFXH-F, 240 bhp / GM Detroit Diesel 6/110, 250 bhp / Cummins NTA-855-R4, 335 bhp
Power output	480 hp (240 x 2); 500 hp (250 x 2); 670 hp (335 x 2)
Transmission	Automatic lock-up torque converter
Braking system(s)	S.E.M. electro-pneumatic straight air with emergency feature, handbrake
Track gauge	Standard

The 900/800 class railcars or DEB sets were a Diesel Multiple Unit built by the New South Wales Government Railways between November 1951 and November 1960.

As introduced, the DEB sets were formed as a four-car with a power car at either end of two trailer cars. The set consisted a driving power car with luggage compartment and second class seating (HPF), a first class sitting car (TB), a second class sitting car with buffet (TFR) and a driving power car with second class seating (PF). Later configurations included a three-car set with two power cars and a composite (first and second class) seating and buffet (TCR). Trains consisting of two four-car sets or a four-car and a three-car set were operated on a number of services including the Canberra Monaro Express and the Northern Tablelands Express.

The bodyshells of the DEB sets were very similar to the two-car 600/700 class railcars that had entered service in 1949. However as they were intended for long distance services they were air-conditioned.

The first four-car set, powered by four 240 horsepower horizontal in-line six cylinder, four stroke Hercules DFXH-F diesel engines (2 per power car) coupled to Torcon hydraulic transmissions, entered service on the North Coast Daylight Express between Sydney and Grafton in November 1951. The engines and hydraulic transmissions proved unreliable and the set was withdrawn in May 1952 after less than six months in service. The construction of further vehicles was suspended until a satisfactory solution could be found.

The solution involved the fitting of two 250 horsepower General Motors Detroit Diesel 6/110 inclined in-line six cylinder, two stroke diesel engines coupled to Allison model TCLA 965 hydraulic transmissions to each power car. Production resumed and two 4-car sets entered service in May 1955 on the Canberra Monaro Express to Cooma. Other sets were deployed on the Far West Express from Dubbo to Bourke, Cobar and Coonamble in December 1957 and the Northern Tablelands Express in June 1959. Later cars were fitted with Allison RC3 transmissions.