Re: Locomotive Air Conditioning

["ben scaro" <bscaro@hotmail.com>]

Aus loco discussion mailing list

Hello John and all

I think AN's Pt Lincoln Division was one of the first areas to start using 
air-con.

After a short period of experimentation with sun visors, limited to NJ4 in 
1984, and double skinned roofs, starting with 872 in Feb 1986,
830s started to be fitted with a/c in early 1987. 865 was, I believe, the 
first unit fitted with a/c at Pt Lincoln.  As the 830 is a small locomotive, 
the a/c appears as a silver box on the cab roof, flanked by two sections of 
double-skinned roof.  Surprisingly, given their CAR heritage, NJs and NTs do 
not appear to have been fitted with a/c originally.  I think the first NJ 
got a/c in 1988 and the NTs remained without it.

Units that don't have it at Pt Lincoln include 869, which seldom leads as a 
result.

I would assume a/c is reliable, or at least, is seen as worth persisting 
with, as almost every Pt Lincoln loco now has it.

In Tasmania, a/c came rather later, I think with the Z class rebuilds in the 
early 1990s.  As I understand, it may have have been a blessing down there, 
despite the cool climate, as Tasmanian trains traverse large pine 
plantations which are the haunt of the European wasp. For some reason, these 
creatures are attracted to large yellow objects (like Tasrail locos) meaning 
that there are sections of the trip where the crew prefer to keep the 
windows closed.

Hope this helps,

Ben

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