Re: C class's and Belarine Peninsula Railways (two qns)

[David & Julie Donald <dsjmd@hermes.net.au>]

Maurie,

Totally agree with your sentiments.

I am aware that not all that long ago, Australian National (so maybe it is
longer than I think - certainly within the last five or six years) was running
trials with the EL's (Crystal Brook to Coonamia/Port Pirie IIRC) on the
Trailerail trains (prior to them going on stream), with the intention of running
these trains at speeds up to 140 km/h.  I understand that the EL's would be more
than capable of maintaining such a schedule.

The other issue that does arise, and this may be a rather moot point, is the
fact that it is not as though NRC, or any other operator, is being very pedantic
about staying with one locomotive manufacturer or distributor.  Despite the fact
that NRC bought so many NR-class units from Goninans (i.e. GE's), they still
have quite a stable of various types of GM's etc, even though some of this might
have been by need and contractual arrangements than anything else.

It all seems rather strange.  My understanding, though, and this seems to be the
publicly stated scenario, is that the EL's are due for heavy maintenance and
overhaul (possibly their ten-year component changeover), and this is the reason
that no-one wants them - don't want the expense involved.  Word indicates that
whenever ASR hired the units, they were very particular about which ones they
wanted, for this particular reason.
--

Regards

David Donald
Springwood, NSW

dsjmd@hermes.net.au