V/Line A class

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V/Line A Class
V/Line A Class
V/Line owned locomotive A70 at Flinders Street Station
Power type Diesel Electric
Builder Clyde-Engineering, Rosewater
Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Length 18.54 m
Locomotive weight 118.00 t
Engine type EMD 12-645E3B
Generator EMD AR10-A4-D18
Replaced with CA5
Traction motors EMD D57/D78
Top speed 133 km/h
Power output 1846 kW (2510 hp)
Number in class 11

The V/Line A class are a bulldog nosed diesel electric locomotive rebuilt from B Class locomotives between 1982 and 1984 as part of the 'New Deal' reforms of passenger rail operations in Victoria, with 11 being so converted.[1] A85 was regeared for 160km/h operation in 1986 for passenger train testing,[2] but was reduced to the standard 134km/h gearing soon after.[1]

The class originally appeared in the V/Line orange and tangerine scheme, except for A66 which was painted in a green and gold livery to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988, later appearing in a second special livery to advertise the Melbourne bid for the 1996 Olympic Games.[1] Today the class appear in either the red and blue V/Line livery, and the green and yellow Freight Australia livery (with PN logos). Four locomotives are named after Australian rules football players in September 1984,[1] while A60 was named after former railway commissioner Harold Clapp.

Four locomotives are currently in service with V/Line on passenger trains, and 7 with freight operator Pacific National.

A62 coming back to couple with a MTH car on the Stony Point line service

Freight Australia liveried A85 with Pacific National decals

Plaque dedicating A62 to the Victorian railway men and women who helped develop the State of Victoria

[edit] Locomotives

Locomotive Pre-conversion Named Entered service Owner
A60 B60 Sir Harold Clapp 7 September 1984 V/Line Passenger
A62 B62 17 July, 1984 V/Line Passenger
A66 B66 22 March 1985 V/Line Passenger
A70 B70 10 May, 1985 V/Line Passenger
A71 B71 Dick Reynolds 20 March, 1984 Pacific National
A73 B73 Bob Skilton 20 March, 1984 Pacific National
A77 B77 Ian Stewart 17 May, 1984 Pacific National
A78 B78 21 December, 1984 Pacific National
A79 B79 22 June, 1985 Pacific National
A81 B81 15 August, 1985 Pacific National
A85 B85 Hayden Bunton 5 June, 1984 Pacific National

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN 0 949817 76 7. 
  2. ^ "News" (September 1986). Newsrail 14 (9): 24–27. Australian Railway Heritage Society. 


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