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The 90 class are a class of heavy haul diesel-electric locomotives built by Electro-Motive Division, Canada for FreightCorp and EDi Rail, Cardiff for Pacific National for use on high tonnage Hunter Valley coal workings.

New South Wales 90 class
90 class locomotive in 2016
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Electro-Motive Division, London, Ontario (9001–9031) EDi Rail, Cardiff, NSW (9032–9035) Model EMD GT46CWM Build date 1994, 2005 Total produced 35
Specifications Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Length 22 m (72 ft 2+1⁄8 in) Loco weight Original: 165 t (162 long tons; 182 short tons) Modified: 177 t (174 long tons; 195 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover EMD 16-710G3A Alternator EMD AR11 Traction motors EMD D87ETR Cylinders 16
Performance figures Maximum speed 115 km/h (71 mph) Power output 3,030 kW (4,060 hp)
Career Operators Pacific National Number in class 35 Numbers 9001–9035 Current owner Pacific National Disposition 34 in service, 1 stored.

History

Ordered in July 1992 under the Clyde ReadyPower contract along with the 82 class, the first batch of 31 locomotives were built by Electro-Motive Division in London, Ontario, Canada in 1994. The second batch of four locomotives were delivered in November 2005, assembled by EDi Rail at Cardiff Workshops to the same specification from components imported from Canada and frames built in Port Augusta South Australia.[1]

The 90 class were designed specifically for heavy coal haulage in the Lower Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, to meet the required specifications the class was designed with much heavier frames than typical for locomotives then in use specifically to increase their tractive effort. This made them the heaviest locomotives in use in Australia outside the Pilbara region until delivery of the QR National 5020 class in 2010. This has restricted the class to the Hunter Valley coal network for their entire career with minimal exception.

The locomotives were designed with many component commonalities with the 82 Class for ease of maintenance at the Clyde Engineering Kooragang Island servicing facility, a purpose built maintenance depot for the 90 and 82 class locomotives constructed as part of the Clyde ReadyPower contact, opening in June 1994.[2][3]

A number of the class were named after Australian Olympic Games athletes.

All passed to Pacific National when FreightCorp was privatised in February 2002.

The majority of the Canadian built locomotives retain their FreightCorp livery with Pacific National decals, while the later EDi batch were all delivered in Pacific National livery. Slowly, Canadian built locomotives are being repainted into the Pacific National Livery, with 9012 being the first repainted in November 2018.[4][5]

Units 9032, 9033 and 9034 were modified by EDi Rail in May of 2017 to increase their mass to 177 tons, bringing their tractive effort on par with more modern AC units.

Many of the design features of the class were incorporated into the Downer EDI Rail GT46C.

Operations

Usually restricted to Hunter Valley coal trains, the 90 class operate these services from various Newcastle coal export terminals and the Eraring Power Station as far a field as Muswellbrook and Ulan, usually double or triple heading trains of up to 96 coal wagons. Until recently this was the only revenue work the locomotives had performed, this changing in 2020 with Pacific National now allocating three locomotives at a time for banking duties over the Liverpool Ranges at Ardglen. This being achieved after gradual axle-loading upgrades of the Main North Line past Muswellbrook to support the boom of coal output from the Gunnedah Basin, and an upgrade of Progress Rail's yard infrastructure in Werris Creek, where the locomotives are serviced whilst allocated to banking. Members of the class have also visited the wheel lathe at Delec Locomotive Depot in Sydney and one was on display at Sydney Central for the 100th Anniversary of Clyde Engineering in 1998. To minimise weight, they operated as light engine and with only a small amount of fuel.[2]

Future

With ARTC's intention for all Hunter Valley coal trains to operate using Electronically controlled pneumatic brakes (ECP) in the near future, a technology the 90 class do not possess. Along with the continued obsolescence of the class's DC traction package when compared to more modern AC locomotives the class are approaching the final years of their niche in heavy coal haulage outside of undergoing a major rebuild. What will happen is unclear as Pacific National have made conflicting statements and actions regrading whether the locomotives will be rebuilt or withdrawn from service in the near future, with members of the class coming in and out of storage, although none at this time have been scrapped. Their heavy weight still restricts their field of operation greatly, so once retired from coal work the locomotives will struggle to fit other work outside the before-mentioned banking duties.

Status table

Locomotive	Name	Serial No	Entered Service	Livery	Status
9001	Ernest Henry	1373/918266-3	May 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9002	Michael Wenden	1374/918266-2	May 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9003	Matthew Ryan	1375/918266-1	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9004	Kevin Nichols	1376/918266-4	May 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9005	Kevin Barry	1377/918266-5	May 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9006	Murray Rose	1378/918266-6	May 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9007	Dunc Gray	1379/918266-7	May 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9008	Ralph Doubell	1380/918266-8	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9009	Lionel Cox	1381/918266-9	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9010	John Devitt	1382/918266-10	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9011	Kevan Gosper	1383/918266-11	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9012	Neil Brooks/Peter Evans/ Mark Kerry/Mark Tonelli	1384/918266-12	Jun 94	Pacific National	Operational
9013	Michael Diamond	1385/918266-13	Jun 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9014	Peter Antonie/Stephen Hawkins	1386/918266-14	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9015	Duncan Armstrong	1387/918266-15	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9016	Herb Elliott	1388/918266-16	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9017	Andrew Cooper/Nicholas Green/ Mike McKay/James Tomkins	1389/918266-17	Jun 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9018	John Konrads	1390/918266-18	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9019	Dean Lukin	1391/918266-19	Jul 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9020	Russell Mark	1392/918266-20	Jun 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9021	Ian O'Brien	1393/918266-21	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Stored
9022	Clint Robinson	1394/918266-22	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9023	Robert Windle	1395/918266-23	Oct 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9024	John Winter	1396/918266-24	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9025	–	1397/918266-25	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9026	David Theile	1398/918266-26	Oct 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9027	–	1399/918266-27	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9028	–	1400/918266/28	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9029	–	1401/918266/29	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9030	Australian Men's Hockey Team	1402/918266-30	Aug 94	FreightCorp	Operational
9031	–	1403/918266/31	Aug 94	Pacific National	Operational
9032	–	05-1692	Nov 05	Pacific National	Operational
9033	–	05-1693	Nov 05	Pacific National	Operational
9034	–	05-1694	Nov 05	Pacific National	Operational
9035	–	05-1695	Nov 05	Pacific National	Operational

Related development

• Downer EDI Rail GT46C

References

External links

Media related to New South Wales 90 class locomotives at Wikimedia Commons

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