EL's for QR

["MattyQ" <matticue@corplink.com.au>]

This is to clarify some talk that has been floating around this NG about QR
buying 2 EL class loco's.

It is true that the Traveltrain division of QR investigated the possibility
of purchasing 2 EL class locomotives for the purpose of hauling the GSPE
between Brisbane and Sydney or any other standard gauge line. The result of
the investigation was that, if QR was the sole owner of the loco and it was
to fail, the train would be cleared from the section by best means possible
and left there. It would then have been QR's responsibility to have the
locomotive repaired. Bit of a tall order requesting QR diesel fitters to
attend a failed EL at, say, Taree?

When weighing up the cost to contract a local company to carry out repairs,
it was found more convenient (and possibly cheaper) for NRC to haul the
train with an NR class loco. As a result, QR have contracted NRC to haul the
GSPE under a "Hook and Pull" agreement.

The rumour about having the EL's regauged to 3'6" is entirely untrue. As the
earlier discussions on this topic stated, they would never conform to QR's
smaller loading gauge and would be way too heavy.

Regards

Matt Smith
Brisbane, Queensland
Reply to matticue@hotmail.com

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