NZR DSC class
| New Zealand DSC class | |||||||||||||||||||
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DSC 2693 with a shunt north of Ashburton.
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| Type and origin | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder |
British Thomson-Houston (18), NZR Hillside Workshops and Addington Workshops (52) |
| Build date | 1959–1967 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration: |
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| • UIC | Bo-Bo |
| Gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Length | 11.66 m (38 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 2.54 m (8 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) |
| Loco weight | 41.1 tonnes (40.5 long tons; 45.3 short tons) |
| Prime mover | BTH: Rolls-Royce C6SFL, 2 off; later: Rolls-Royce C6TFL, 2 off. NZR: Leyland UE902, 2 off; later: Cummins NT855, 2 off. |
| Performance figures | |
|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 64 km/h (40 mph) |
| Power output | 315 kW (422 hp) |
| Tractive effort | 46 kN (10,300 lbf) |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Operators | New Zealand Railways, Tranz Rail, Toll Rail, KiwiRail |
| Number in class | 70 |
| Numbers | Early numbers: 400–469 TMS numbers: 2000–2759 |
| Locale | All of New Zealand |
| First run | March 1958 |
| Retired | February 1989 – present |
| Disposition | 30 in service 34 scrapped 3 preserved 3 are owned by industrial users |
The New Zealand DSC class is a heavy shunting locomotive used throughout New Zealand. The class was built in seven batches, the first 18 locomotives being built by British Thomson-Houston of the United Kingdom, with the remainder being built by New Zealand Railways.
The class is widely used in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, mainly for heavy yard shunting, although some members of the class have been used for local mainline shunting services. All members of the class are now fitted with shunters refuges, and most are fitted with remote control capabilities.
In the late 1950s, NZR needed a suitable heavy shunting locomotive that produced more power than the existing DS and DSA class locomotives and would be suitable for replacing the BB, C, and WF class steam locomotives. In 1959, an order was placed with British Thompson-Houston in association with the Clayton Equipment Company for eighteen centre-cab shunting engines with a horsepower output of around 420 hp.
The new locomotives, allocated road numbers DSC 400-417, entered service in 1959-60 and were allocated to Auckland and Frankton Junction (Hamilton). For a time in 1962, DSC 402 was dispatched to Picton to shunt the NZR road/rail ferry MV Aramoana until newly constructed Addington DSC 418 arrived to take over, allowing 402 to return north.
The BTH locomotives were powered by two Rolls-Royce C6SFL 210 hp diesel engines connected to BTH generators, which were in turn coupled to four BTH traction motors, one to each axle. They were not entirely without trouble, though, with issues arising with the airbrakes and spare parts for the diesel engines among others. However, once this was resolved, the class settled down to work reliably in their intended role.
Two further orders were placed with the NZR Addington and Hillside Workshops in the 1960s, with production running from 1962 to 1967. The NZR-built locomotives were different in that they were powered by two Leyland UE902 diesel engines producing 210 hp, and had electrical equipment built by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd (AEI), which had purchased BTH earlier. Again there were various troubles, this time more to do with the mechanical components and compatibility on later batches.
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Wikipedia