Victorian Railways C class (diesel)

Victorian Railways C class

C501 at the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre in December 2007

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Rosewater Model Electro-Motive Diesel GT26CW Build date 1977-1978 Total produced 10

Specifications UIC class Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in), 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Length 20.73 m (68 ft 0 in) Loco weight 135 tonnes (133 long tons; 149 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 10,130 L (2,230 imp gal; 2,680 US gal) Prime mover Electro-Motive Diesel 16-645-E3 Engine type V16 diesel engine Aspiration Turbocharged Alternator Electro-Motive Diesel AR-10 alternator Traction motors D77/78 DC, 6 of Cylinders 16

Performance figures Maximum speed 133 km/h (83 mph) Power output 2,237 kW (3,000 hp)

Career Operators Victorian Railways Number in class 10 Numbers C501-C510 First run 14 May 1977 Preserved C501 Current owner CFCL Australia Southern Shorthaul Railroad Disposition 6 operational, 3 stored, 1 preserved

The C Class are a class of diesel locomotive built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater for the Victorian Railways in 1977-1978.

The C class were purchased by the Victorian Railways for heavy freight haulage. They are fitted with safety cabs. Initially the first four were placed on the North East line to haul services from Melbourne to Albury while the latter six were put on the broad gauge to haul services on the Serviceton line. Following upgrades to the infrastructure they were also able to operate on the Ballarat to Geelong line and from January 1982 through to Adelaide with the standard gauge units transferred to the broad gauge.

In September 1988, two were transferred back to the standard gauge and began to operate services through to Sydney.

Following the Melbourne-Adelaide railway being closed for gauge conversion, all remaining broad gauge units were converted to standard gauge and operated services from Melbourne to Parkes until the converted line reopened in July 1995. All were transferred by V/Line to National Rail in June 1995.

Following the delivery of National Rail's NR class locomotives, the C class were put into storage at Junee Locomotive Depot in 1997 before being moved to Islington Railway Workshops, Adelaide. Unlike the other locomotives National Rail initially used, ownership of the C class passed to National Rail. In August 1999 two were repainted in National Rail livery and returned to service as Melbourne shunters.