New South Wales 81 class locomotive

New South Wales 81 class

Pacific National 8169 and 8137 at Temora in November 2011

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Kelso Serial number 82-1020 to 82-1034 83-1035 to 83-1058 84-1059 to 84-1082 85-1083 to 85-1099 91-1278 to 91-1281 Model Electro-Motive Division JT26C-2SS Build date 1982-1985, 1991 Total produced 84

Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Wheel diameter 1,016 mm (40 in) Length Over : 19.760 m (64 ft 10 in), Over coupler pulling faces: 21.156 m (69 ft 5 in) Width 2.968 m (9 ft 9 in) Height 4.267 m (14 ft 0 in) Axle load 21.5 t (21.2 long tons; 23.7 short tons) Loco weight 129 t (127.0 long tons; 142.2 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 6,600 L (1,450 imp gal; 1,740 US gal) Lubricant cap. 920 L (202 imp gal; 243 US gal) Coolant cap. 1,117 L (246 imp gal; 295 US gal) Sandbox cap. 0.475 m3 (16.8 cu ft) Prime mover EMD 16-645E3B RPM range 318-904 Engine type Two-stroke V16 diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Alternator Electro-Motive Division AR16 Traction motors Electro-Motive Division D77, 6 of Cylinders 16 Cylinder size 229 mm × 254 mm (9.0 in × 10.0 in)

Performance figures Maximum speed 115 km/h (71 mph) Power output Gross: 2,460 kW (3,300 hp) For traction: 2,240 kW (3,000 hp) Tractive effort Continuous: 337.00 kN (75,761 lbf) at 19.2 km/h (11.9 mph)

Career Operators State Rail Authority Number in class 84 Numbers 8101-8184 First run 29 October 1982 Disposition 83 in service, 1 scrapped

The 81 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Kelso for the State Rail Authority.

Eighty 81 class locomotives were built by Clyde Engineering, Kelso between September 1982 and February 1986, to replace 1950s vintage 42 and 44 class locomotives as well as provide additional capacity. The first 42 were based at Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot to operate Hunter Valley coal trains, while the remaining 38 were concentrated on the Main South line between Sydney and Albury hauling both passenger and freight trains. The final 15 were equipped with V/Line radios, and from July 1986 operated through to Melbourne.

In 1991, a further four units were built at Kelso using many components from spares held. Following the delivery of the 90 class in 1994, the Broadmeadow based units were released to replace older locomotives on other freight duties. This saw their sphere of operation extended to Brisbane and Broken Hill.

In the mid-1990s some of the later locomotives were leased to National Rail. These were later exchanged for 13 of the earlier locomotives which were permanently transferred to National Rail for use as high-power shunters around Australia. All were reunited when National Rail and FreightCorp were both sold to form Pacific National in February 2002.