EL class update ( was freight victoria update)

[Stuart Ellis <mpp@zipworld.com.au>]

David Bromage wrote:

> Maurie Daly (mauried@commslab.gov.au) won a Nobel Prize for literature by writing:
> > Surely it would make more sense to simply put the existing SG Gs back on BG
> > and hire some of the ELs or even 82s from SRA to fill the shortfall.
> > There are only 4 ELs currently on hire I beleive (2 to ASR and 2 to Austrac)
> > which leaves 9 more somewhere.
>
> IIRC, only 8 are servicable. EL51, 58 and 62 are leased to Austrac. EL63
> is leased to ASR, with 56 and 60 on spot hire. 52 and 57 are in CFLC
> livery.
>
> EL59 was wrecked at Mt Christie, and was not bought by CFLC.
>
> Cheers
> David

I think you will find that EL58 & 62 are on spot hire to LVRF, ELs 51, 52, 54, 57, are
used by Austrac. It is understood that CFCL now own 40% of Austrac, so I don't think
the ELs are leased to Austrac, more to the point of being used by them. EL53, EL61 and
EL64 were inside the Goninan plant at Bassendean as of mid January undergoing
overhaul. I am not sure about the other three units.

(shameless plug)  plenty of photos of these ELs in service in the latest issue of
Motive Power

I hope this helps

Stuart Ellis