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V544 to One Rail

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      Galron Chief Commissioner

    Location: Werribee, Vic
    Just passing it on, a post from someone on FB today has V544 being sold to One Rail, and is in the process of being re-activated at Port Augusta. It was uncertain from the post but it may come out as FQ05, but could equally stay as V544.

    Anyone with a good spotting location, or inside knowledge might be able to assist with confirming this. It apparently had it's engine replaced this past week, and is getting some electronics upgrading to be compatible with the other trains in the One Rail fleet.

    For the benefit of those that don't know, V544 was bought by Freight Australia (which later became or was merged into pacific national) as an insurance replacement for G517 and G518 following a significant accident at Ararat in 1999. It is a GT46C and is approximately the same as the Q and FQ class, and has been an orphan in the PN fleet. It was used on the coal train that once ran to Leigh Creek, and has been idle for a number of years following an engine failure shortly before the Leigh Creek service terminated.
    Posted: 14 May 2021 20:07

    Last edited by Galron on 14 May 2021 20:12; edited 2 times in total

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      neillfarmer Chief Train Controller

    That is good news. Going back I photo'd it leading 3MP9 with G523 + G530 on Wednesday 13 -11 - 2002 at Wirrappa and Pimba.
    Posted: 14 May 2021 21:36
      M636C Minister for Railways

    I hope it keeps the nameplate "tim Fischer".

    It is pity that it didn't get PN blue and yellow.
    The V is pretty much what Clyde offered to National Rail as the NR class...

    For all the comments about it being a one-off, the power equipment was pretty much identical to the 90 class.
    There must have been plenty of spares suitable for it.

    Peter
    Posted: 14 May 2021 22:00
      Galron Chief Commissioner

    Location: Werribee, Vic


    The last that I heard, V544 was deemed to be too expensive to reactive. But 1Rail are short of locos and were looking at new motive power of the E.M.D. variety.
    Jack Le Lievre
    Too expensive to reactivate for PN might very well be a good investment for someone like One Rail

    Spending a million on a loco to get it going again that would cost 6-8 to replace seems like a good investment to me. Given it was non operational, at probably partially canalized, i'm be surprised if they paid anywhere near that for it.
    Posted: 15 May 2021 08:05
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Does OneRail need more motive power for new contracts or other reasons?
    Posted: 15 May 2021 11:20
      Gaz170 Junior Train Controller

    Location: Gold Coast
    Worth fixing up as it would a lot newer than most of their existing fleet.
    Posted: 23 May 2021 15:54
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Im surprised PN parted with a loco.
    Posted: 23 May 2021 16:25
      SAR520SMBH Train Controller

    Has this been confirmed or is it just speculation from a post on Facebook??
    Posted: 23 May 2021 16:45
      bingley hall Minister for Railways

    Location: Last train to Skaville
    Has this been confirmed or is it just speculation from a post on Facebook??
    SAR520SMBH

    Confirmed as happening by ORA people in the know.

    I believe there was also a brief mention in Motive Power magazine an issue or two ago that everybody missed - because no-one reads stuff anymore unless it's on the internet Razz
    Posted: 24 May 2021 15:15

    Last edited by bingley hall on 24 May 2021 15:17; edited 2 times in total
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    That is good news. Going back I photo'd it leading 3MP9 with G523 + G530 on Wednesday 13 -11 - 2002 at Wirrappa and Pimba.
    neillfarmer

    Neil can you get cell coverage out there?
    Posted: 24 May 2021 15:20
      YM-Mundrabilla The Ghost of George Stephenson

    Location: Mundrabilla but I'd rather be in Narvik
    I was surprised that such a modern high power loco was sidelined so easily.
    Posted: 24 May 2021 16:35
      neillfarmer Chief Train Controller

    That is good news. Going back I photo'd it leading 3MP9 with G523 + G530 on Wednesday 13 -11 - 2002 at Wirrappa and Pimba.

    Neil can you get cell coverage out there?
    bevans
    I don't know for sure, I have not been out there for 10 years now, but I would be surprised if it was not available.
    Posted: 24 May 2021 22:08
      speedemon08 Mary

    Location: I think by now you should have figured it out
    I was surprised that such a modern high power loco was sidelined so easily.
    YM-Mundrabilla
    One off's tend to get sidelined pretty easily when something goes bang, and even more so when the contract it was mostly being used for vanished.
    Posted: 24 May 2021 22:30
      M636C Minister for Railways

    I was surprised that such a modern high power loco was sidelined so easily.
    One off's tend to get sidelined pretty easily when something goes bang, and even more so when the contract it was mostly being used for vanished.
    speedemon08
    It was withdrawn around five years before the coal haulage ceased.
    It was built using a unit exchange engine, ie a used engine, to keep the cost down.
    So you get what you pay for....

    But as I said previously, its power equipment was basically the same as a 90 class.

    If it had been working in the Hunter Valley rather than South Australia, it could have been back in service in a week.

    Peter
    Posted: 25 May 2021 09:59
      Milepost Beginner

    I hope it keeps the nameplate "tim Fischer".

    It is pity that it didn't get PN blue and yellow.
    The V is pretty much what Clyde offered to National Rail as the NR class...

    For all the comments about it being a one-off, the power equipment was pretty much identical to the 90 class.
    There must have been plenty of spares suitable for it.

    Peter
    M636C
    No you are not quite correct in your assumption M636C, actually there were not many spares for it at all hence it was parked up early after engine failure. The loco has many unique components in the PN fleet - unique D87BTRL traction motors with the dogbone (82/90/AN classes have nose suspension), unique HVAC, unique air brakes (Epic), unique engine (710G3B vs a G3A) amongst other differences... none of these items are interchangeable in the PN fleet so any failures meant a lengthy stay in the shop. It also never had ICE radio so wasn’t just moved elsewhere.

    The loco was flogged out by PN and it was due for a lot of love to get it going again.
    Posted: 28 May 2021 19:33
      djukinX1016 Deputy Commissioner

    How different is this to the Westrail/ Aurizon Q class?

    Aurizon have withdrawn several of the Q's however they are also getting others overhauled with quite a few being done so far. Another one if not out is soon to come out of GEMCO.
    Regards
    Phil
    Posted: 29 May 2021 09:48
      Milepost Beginner

    The V class as built was the same as the Q Class except the V had a single driving station in the cab, the Q had two.  The Q’s were later fitted with radio DP as well.
    Posted: 29 May 2021 11:10
      Carnot Minister for Railways

    Word on the street is that V544 should make an appearance on the mainline soon.
    Posted: 16 Aug 2021 21:17
      Dangersdan707 Chief Commissioner

    Location: On a Thing with Internet
    I hope it keeps the nameplate "tim Fischer".

    It is pity that it didn't get PN blue and yellow.
    The V is pretty much what Clyde offered to National Rail as the NR class...

    For all the comments about it being a one-off, the power equipment was pretty much identical to the 90 class.
    There must have been plenty of spares suitable for it.

    Peter
    M636C
    From recent photos of it emerging from overhaul it has indeed kept the nameplate. It also surprisingly hasn't been renumbered to an FQ, retaining the designation of v544. Still a bit of an orphan it'd seem.
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 11:55

    Last edited by Dangersdan707 on 17 Aug 2021 11:56; edited 1 time in total
      speedemon08 Mary

    Location: I think by now you should have figured it out
    I hope it keeps the nameplate "tim Fischer".

    It is pity that it didn't get PN blue and yellow.
    The V is pretty much what Clyde offered to National Rail as the NR class...

    For all the comments about it being a one-off, the power equipment was pretty much identical to the 90 class.
    There must have been plenty of spares suitable for it.

    Peter
    From recent photos of it emerging from overhaul it has indeed kept the nameplate. It also surprisingly hasn't been renumbered to an FQ, retaining the designation of v544. Still a bit of an orphan it'd seem.
    Dangersdan707
    Far easier to leave things with original numbers... ARG found this out 15 or so years ago.
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 12:29
      YM-Mundrabilla The Ghost of George Stephenson

    Location: Mundrabilla but I'd rather be in Narvik
    Nothing should be renumbered unless one wishes to hide its original identity and/or its maintenance history.
    To the greatest extent possible every item of rolling stock should have a unique number for life like the old NSWGR and CR wagon fleets.
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 12:32

    Last edited by YM-Mundrabilla on 17 Aug 2021 12:34; edited 2 times in total
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Nothing should be renumbered unless one wishes to hide its original identity and/or its maintenance history.
    To the greatest extent possible every item of rolling stock should have a unique number for life like the old NSWGR and CR wagon fleets.
    YM-Mundrabilla
    in my perfect world there would be a national registration system with a unique class number/letters and unit number for everything on the network, and no need for separate registrations for different networks.  That there are 3 TOCs in NSW, let alone the separate registrations on V/Line, QR, ORA and Arc Infra networks is maddening.
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 13:55
      Dangersdan707 Chief Commissioner

    Location: On a Thing with Internet
    I hope it keeps the nameplate "tim Fischer".

    It is pity that it didn't get PN blue and yellow.
    The V is pretty much what Clyde offered to National Rail as the NR class...

    For all the comments about it being a one-off, the power equipment was pretty much identical to the 90 class.
    There must have been plenty of spares suitable for it.

    Peter
    From recent photos of it emerging from overhaul it has indeed kept the nameplate. It also surprisingly hasn't been renumbered to an FQ, retaining the designation of v544. Still a bit of an orphan it'd seem.
    Far easier to leave things with original numbers... ARG found this out 15 or so years ago.
    speedemon08
    SCT would say otherwise, guess it depends is unit is already accredited in the states already. Guess it depends.
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 15:20
      GT46C-ACe Deputy Commissioner

    Location: Gold Coast QLD
    Do you mean T414?
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 16:13
      Dangersdan707 Chief Commissioner

    Location: On a Thing with Internet
    Do you mean T414?
    GT46C-ACe
    T'was indeed reffing to that loco indeed. Other examples of renumbering that come to mind are the ex Weipa L's and countless silverton locos that were renumbered, including their early Alco's that were renumbered by AN.
    Posted: 17 Aug 2021 17:22

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