Victorian Railways T class (diesel)

Infobox Locomotive

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caption = Restored in their original livery, T357 ("High cab") leads T320 ("Flat top") on a railfan tour
name = Victorian Railways T Class
powertype = General Motors EMD
builder = Clyde Engineering.
Granville, New South Wales.
length =
weight =
whytetype = Bo - Bo
enginetype =
generator =
tractionmotors =
topspeed = 100 km/h
poweroutput =
numinclass = 95
roadnumber = T320 - T413

The Victorian Railways T class diesel electric locomotive are a small branch line and shunting unit built by Clyde Engineering (now EDI Rail) ["The T-Class Diesel-Electric Locomotives" Abbott, R.L. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, September, 1972 pp169-175] . They were the most numerous class of diesel locomotives in the state.cite book
author = Railmac Publications
title = Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives
publisher = Kitchner Press
year = 1992
isbn = 0 949817 76 7 ]

ubtypes

The class can be divided into three main styles by appearance, and into further groups by the design drawings and equipment fitted.

* "Flat tops": T 320 - T 346 & 413 (first order). Based upon an EMD export locomotive design, this order had a low cab and roof. T413 was built for use on the private RailGauge|42 Fyansford Cement Works Railway near Geelong, but was later sold to the VR.

* "High cabs": T 347 - T 356 and T 357 - T 366 (second and third orders). They differed from the "flat tops" by having a high cab but were mechanically similar. The 3rd order had an altered radiator design.

* "Low nose": T 367 - T 398 and T 399 to T 412 (fourth and fifth orders). The fourth order introduced a new low nose that provided greater driver visibility, and a more modern generator. The fifth order introduced the newer EMD 645E engine, replacing the older EMD 567 used before.

The H class diesel electric locomotive were part of the fifth T class order, [ [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/hdie.html victorianrailways.net - H class diesel electric locomotives] ] but had additional equipment fitted resulting in their recoding.

T334 was repainted into the bright pink 'Ozride' livery in 1986, for use in a documentary film for the training of V/Line employees into how not to run a railway. Filming runs were made throughout July 1986 at Moorabool, and Spencer Street Station with three Harris carriages also used, repainted pink on one side only and with their pantographs tied down.cite journal
year = 1986
month = September
title = News
journal = Newsrail
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society
pages = 270-271 ]

Today

The major operator of T class locomotives today is Pacific National, with mainly "low nose" locos. The majority of the "flat tops" have been rebuilt into the P class, with the remainder preserved.

A large number of the "high cabs" and "low nose" class were withdrawn from service in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with some scrapped, and the remainder sold to current and former private operators including Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia, El Zorro, Great Northern Rail Services, Southern Shorthaul Railroad, Specialised Container Transport, and West Coast Railway. A number of T classes are also used on tourist railways throughout the state.

References

* [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t320_346.html victorianrailways.net - T 320 - T 346 & 413]
* [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t347_356.html victorianrailways.net - T 347 - T 356]
* [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t357_366.html victorianrailways.net - T 357 - T 366]
* [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t367_398.html victorianrailways.net - T 367 - T 398]
* [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/t399_412.html victorianrailways.net - T 399 to T 412]