The RL class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Rail Technical Support Group (RTS) for the National Railway Equipment Company at Islington Railway Workshops in Australia.
Design The concept of the RL class dates back to 1994 when Morrison Knudsen Australia purchased some 442 class locomotives from the State Rail Authority with the aim of rebuilding them with EMD 16 645F3B engines. However the project was shelved and the locomotives scrapped.
Following National Railway Equipment Company purchasing Morrison Knudsen, the project was revitalised albeit using new locomotive frames. Nine were built by RTS at Islington Railway Workshops, Adelaide between 2005 and 2010 with bogies and compressors from the 442s and reconditioned parts from the United States.
Seven were originally built and initially owned byUpdate on Receivable Coote Industrial 13 November 2008RL Class RailpageRL Class Vicsig One was included in the sale of the South Spur Rail Services business to Qube Logistics in May 2010 who later took delivery of a further two. A tenth was not completed after a defect was discovered in the frame and scrapped.
They have hauled freight services in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. In April 2016, the six Greentrains units were sold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad.Disposal of Greentrains rollingstock Engenco 28 April 2016"Greentrans rollingstock sold to Holdco Holdings" Railway Digest June 2016 page 6
Status table NumberOwnerLiveryRL301Southern Shorthaul RailroadGreentrains green & yellowRL302Southern Shorthaul RailroadGreentrains green & yellowRL303Qube LogisticsGreentrains green & yellowRL304Southern Shorthaul RailroadSouthern Shorthaul Railroad "Help Us Get Home Safely"RL305Southern Shorthaul RailroadGreentrains green & yellowRL306Southern Shorthaul RailroadGreentrains green & yellowRL307Southern Shorthaul RailroadGreentrains green & yellowRL309Qube LogisticsQube Logistics silver & yellowRL310Qube LogisticsQube Logistics silver & yellow
References
External links Flickr gallery