South Australian Railways 700 class (diesel)

South Australian Railways 700 class
704 at Tanunda in March 2007
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder AE Goodwin, Auburn Serial number Alco G-6042-01 to G-6042-03 Alco G-6059-01 to G-6059-03 Model Alco DL 500G Build date 1971-1972 Total produced 6
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in) Length Over coupler pulling faces: 18.67 m (61 ft 3 in) Axle load 18.6 tonnes (18.31 long tons; 20.50 short tons) Loco weight 111.6 tonnes (109.84 long tons; 123.02 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 5,455 L (1,200 imp gal; 1,441 US gal) Prime mover Alco 251C Engine type Four-stroke V12 diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Cylinders 12 Cylinder size ? x ?
Performance figures Maximum speed 112 km/h (70 mph) Power output Gross: 1,490 kW (2,000 hp), Tractive effort Continuous: 311.00 kN (69,916 lbf) at 11 km/h (6.8 mph), Starting: 389.00 kN (87,451 lbf)
Career Operators South Australian Railways Number in class 6 Numbers 700-705 (now 701-706) First run 22 June 1971 Current owner Genesee & Wyoming Disposition 4 stored, 2 scrapped

The 700 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the South Australian Railways in 1971-1972. They are identical to the New South Wales 442 class locomotive.

A total of six 700 class locomotives were built for the South Australian Railways by AE Goodwin, Auburn and are an Alco DL500g model. They were built in 1971/72, with the first three delivered on broad gauge bogies and the last three on standard gauge bogies. In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. Over the years the locomotives frequently switched gauges before all were put on the broad gauge in 1987. Following the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line being converted to standard gauge in 1995, all of the 700 class were transferred to standard gauge. The 700 class operated on all main lines in South Australia as well as interstate to Broken Hill and Melbourne.

In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 700 becoming 706. In June 1994 702 was damaged by fire and a New South Wales 442 class locomotive was purchased with the intention of combining the two locomotives as one but the plan did not proceed and both were scrapped.

The remaining five were included in the sale of Australian National to Australian Southern Railroad in November 1997. As of January 2016 all locomotives are now stored with 701 (since December 2015), 703 (since December 2015) & 704 (since 2014) stored serviceable and 705 stored after a major failure in 2015. 706 had been in long term storage after a major failure in 2005 and has been scrapped during 2016

As at September 2016, the status of the fleet was: