Scuttle but has it that PL1 (currently at Islington) is to be officially written off tomorrow (Monday 29/6/2015)

PL1 has been based at GSR's APT at Keswick for a number of years as terminal shunter (and has been described as "A very Useful Engine" at that task)

PL1 was originally 4848

Not surprising given its been away from the APT most of the time.

G'day all,

If PL1 is officially written off tomorrow it will be interesting as also on the 1st of July 2015, Chullora workshops will (supposedly) cease to exist as a loco maintenance centre.
4848 now to be known as PL1 was designed by FreightRail (I think with RSA's help), stripped and OH'ed with new cab setup for DOO by RSA (Rail Services Australia) at Chullora and used by Freightcorp and then PNL at APT for GSR making it the last loco designed,modified and built at Chullora NSW. (more acronyms there than a used car advert!).

Yes CHU did build new locos later but they had been designed outside of the railways (ie UGL)

There were 7 PLs built with the first 2 being different to the last 5. Interesting the first will be witten off will be on the same day as the site from which it was built (as a locomotive maintenance centre) will be written off.

cya
BL262000

That is sad to see the little ALCO made redundant
What is the difference between the first 2 PLs and the next 5?

Regards
Mathew Hughes

I realize it's slightly off topic, but what has prompted UGL to wind down at Chullora? What (if any) work will still be undertaken there?

That is sad to see the little ALCO made redundant
What is the difference between the first 2 PLs and the next 5?

Regards
Mathew Hughes

Externally the nose had short taper on the top front on the last three, but not on the first two.

There may have been other changes.

M636C

Externally the nose had short taper on the top front on the last three, but not on the first two.

There may have been other changes.

M636C

The old NSWGR was very adept at throwing wads of good money at bad projects such as the PLs. Look, we have a couple old 73s, lets chuck some money at joining 2 together to make some sort of test car and then write it off after a short time. I can also think of the 621/721 rail inspection cars when purchasing new stock may have been cheaper and a more effecient use of scarce money resources. Hopefully, these days are gone. The PLs were really weird looking.

The old NSWGR was very adept at throwing wads of good money at bad projects such as the PLs. Look, we have a couple old 73s, lets chuck some money at joining 2 together to make some sort of test car and then write it off after a short time. I can also think of the 621/721 rail inspection cars when purchasing new stock may have been cheaper and a more effecient use of scarce money resources. Hopefully, these days are gone. The PLs were really weird looking.

I believe that AN converted some 830's to DA (later 900) class, the PL's followed a few years later along similar lines.
The idea was to improve visibility and use the locos as shunt engines and hence set them up for Driver Only Operation
The biggest visible difference between the DA and PL was the width of the short hood. It should be noted that the DA's also differed between units

The old NSWGR was very adept at throwing wads of good money at bad projects such as the PLs. Look, we have a couple old 73s, lets chuck some money at joining 2 together to make some sort of test car and then write it off after a short time. I can also think of the 621/721 rail inspection cars when purchasing new stock may have been cheaper and a more effecient use of scarce money resources. Hopefully, these days are gone. The PLs were really weird looking.

The PL stood for "Port Link" and the locomotives were indeed set up for driver only operation but they also had Locotrol DPU equipment and they ran one on each end of container trains from Botany to container depots. I actually saw one of these trains once...

Of course they weren't powerful enough as traffic increased and they were replaced by more powerful locomotives and the services were dropped by FreightCorp and passed to private operators.

The PLs then ended up doing much the same duties as 48 class although they were used as lead units on the Pelton trains.

By the way, the test car was rebuilt from a 47 class but included the cab of a second 47 class unit.

Also, the 620 class inspection cars were replaced by new units as soon as the new cars could be built.

M636C

The old NSWGR was very adept at throwing wads of good money at bad projects such as the PLs. Look, we have a couple old 73s, lets chuck some money at joining 2 together to make some sort of test car and then write it off after a short time. I can also think of the 621/721 rail inspection cars when purchasing new stock may have been cheaper and a more effecient use of scarce money resources. Hopefully, these days are gone. The PLs were really weird looking.

As Pressman has already noted, Australian National converted some 830 class to DA's for driver only shunting from the early 1990's. IIRC the first 3 reused the original cab, the first 2 with the original nose chopped down, and DA 3 featured a new nose and 2-piece windscreen (DA 1 & 2 used a 3-piece layout). While from DA4 onwards a new cab and nose was manufactured. The units were seemingly more successful than the PL rebuilds, as only one has been retired, and that was due to a bent frame resulting from a level crossing incident. The cab was later reused on another 830 to produce another DA style locomotive that ended up in WA.

The PL-class had some potential as a way to improve forward vision of the 48-class on branchlines, however, I have heard there was a lot of resistance from drivers due to the lack of restroom facilities on the locomotives. And of course, a reduced number of brnachlines to operate. As for looks, the windscreen rake may have been different, but it had a certain charm compared to the brick looks of a 81 or NR.

The units were seemingly more successful than the PL rebuilds, as only one has been retired, and that was due to a bent frame resulting from a level crossing incident. The cab was later reused on another 830 to produce another DA style locomotive that ended up in WA.

The DAs were a failure on the Albany woodchip trains and were replaced by the NJs which in turn were replaced by bigger units. The DAs went back to SA and G&W pretty quickly.

The DAs are still around because G&W need one man units for the Whyalla iron ore traffic. The CKs still exist for the same reason. A few more GWNs and they'd all be history. One DA was a 48 bought at the big auction.

M636C

The DAs were a failure on the Albany woodchip trains and were replaced by the NJs which in turn were replaced by bigger units. The DAs went back to SA and G&W pretty quickly.

The DAs are still around because G&W need one man units for the Whyalla iron ore traffic. The CKs still exist for the same reason. A few more GWNs and they'd all be history. One DA was a 48 bought at the big auction.

M636C

Whilst in WA the DA's were renumbered to T01 and T02
T01's history was STC 27 then sold to SAR and renumbered 874 then rebuilt using controls from DA3 (written off due level crossing accident) Numbered T 01 in WA then back to on return to SA 901 then renumbered to 907
T02's history - 849 rebuilt to DA 1 renumbered T 02 in WA renumbered to 902 on return to SA then renumbered 901

4813 was rebuilt and became DA7 later renumbered to 906

Also I believe 905 and 906 are based at Port Lincoln, which leaves the other five at Whyalla.

The old NSWGR was very adept at throwing wads of good money at bad projects such as the PLs. Look, we have a couple old 73s, lets chuck some money at joining 2 together to make some sort of test car and then write it off after a short time. I can also think of the 621/721 rail inspection cars when purchasing new stock may have been cheaper and a more effecient use of scarce money resources. Hopefully, these days are gone. The PLs were really weird looking.

The NSWGR ceased to exist in the early 70's when Shirley formed the PTC, then there was SRA & I forget the others, & the conversions did not take place while the PTC were formed.  

So might do to check things out before blame is exerted.  I would suggest that those that followed the NSWGR actually mastered more forgettable & braindead projects than evern existed prior to that & with more beaurocrates & managers than ever.

Whilst in WA the DA's were renumbered to T01 and T02
T01's history was STC 27 then sold to SAR and renumbered 874 then rebuilt using controls from DA3 (written off due level crossing accident) Numbered T 01 in WA then back to on return to SA 901 then renumbered to 907
T02's history - 849 rebuilt to DA 1 renumbered T 02 in WA renumbered to 902 on return to SA then renumbered 901

4813 was rebuilt and became DA7 later renumbered to 906

Also I believe 905 and 906 are based at Port Lincoln, which leaves the other five at Whyalla.

That listing looks the same as my records, except that I understood that T 01 was in fact numbered 901 in WA when first rebuilt before it became T 01 after it was realised that the whole class would have to be numbered in the 900 series. T was then a vacant class letter in the WAGR series, although UGL still have a TA as a shunter.

M636C