Re: Tranz Rail pulls off Aust coup

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

Aus loco discussion mailing list

Interesting. Tasrail are still having problems with these locos, which are 
underpowered, too noisy and heavy on the fuel.  Apparently the top Tasrail 
managers came from either the US or NZ, and didn't initially see the merits 
of the Tasrail EEs.  They do now, of course, and plans are afoot to continue 
overhauls on the Z\ZA type locos, including DOO modifications.  It sounds 
like the EEs will be round for a while yet.

Michael Dix describes a recent incident where two of the DQs were unable to 
pull the Tasrail paper train up a grade out of Bridgewater in Hobart's 
north.  Two ZRs, (rebuilt ZB EE types) rescued the time- sensitive train and 
pulled it through to Burnie with no problems.

It's perhaps a bit of an unfair comparison in that Tasrail Z types are a 
generation ahead of the DQs, perhaps if they were compared with later GM 
models like the QR 2100 class or the  WAGR D class a better assessment could 
be made of the merits of locos from the two builders.
But it doesn't change the fact, that in the long run, the DQs probably 
aren't suitable for Tasmanian conditions. As Michael says, two DQ don't 
equal two ZR.  There have been rumours from NZ that Tasrail were not going 
to accept the last four DQs but they could not get out of the contract.

Two ex-Westrail D class will soon be arriving, so we should get to see if 
younger, more powerful GMs can make a mark in Tasmania.

Cheers

Ben

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