New South Wales 90 class locomotive

New South Wales 90 class

9016 comes around Horseshoe Bend, 2016

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Electro-Motive Division, London, Ontario (9001–9031) EDi Rail, Cardiff (9032–9036) Model Electro-Motive Division GT46CWM Build date PN: 1994-2005 Total produced 35

Specifications Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Length 22 m (72 ft 2 in) Loco weight Original : 165 t Modified : 177 t Fuel type Diesel Prime mover EMD 16-710G3A Alternator Electro-Motive Division AR11 Traction motors Electro-Motive Division D87ETR

Performance figures Maximum speed 115 km/h (71 mph) Power output 3,030 kW (4,060 hp)

Career Operators Pacific National Number in class 35 Numbers 9001-9035 Current owner Pacific National Disposition All in service

The 90 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Electro-Motive Division, Canada for FreightCorp and EDi Rail, Cardiff for Pacific National. They only operate on Hunter Valley coal workings because of their heavy weight.

Ordered in July 1992 under a Ready Power contract along with the 82 class, the first batch of 31 were built by Electro-Motive Division in London, Ontario, Canada in 1994. While the second batch of four locomotives delivered in November 2005 were built by EDi Rail at Cardiff Workshops to the same specification.

The 90 class were the first of the now very common Australian single ended cab and long hood design, with an almost identical cab layout to the 82 Class. They are restricted to the Hunter Valley line due to their weight. All passed to Pacific National when FreightCorp was privatised in February 2002.

A number of the class are named after Olympic Games athletes. The original batch retain FreightCorp livery with Pacific National decals, while the later four were delivered in Pacific National livery.

Many of the design features of the class were incorporated into the Downer EDI Rail GT46C.

Units 9032, 9033 and 9034 were modified by EDi Rail in May of 2017 to increase their weight to 177 tons, bringing their tractive effort on par with more modern AC units.

Restricted to the Hunter Valley the 90 class operate on the Main Northern line as far as the Dartbrook, And on Ulan on the Gulgong line. They have also operated as far south as Eraring Power Station at Dora Creek.