ZC Class

The forty-five 1300 class locomotives were built from 1967 for the Queensland Railways. Following mainline electrification they were surplus to requirements and in 1988 all locomotives were sold to AN and shipped to Tasmania in three batches. AN were really only interested in a smaller number of the better locos, but eventually purchased the whole class. Queensland Railways loco 1300 became Tasrail's ZC1, and the new numbers followed in order to 1344 which became ZC45. Some locomotives never entered service in Tasmania and were not renumbered, and some that did only had very short working careers. In service the locomotives generally operated in multiple with the ZB class, or singularly on services such as the cement train or shunting duties. Some locomotives ran in the Queensland blue colours for up to four years before being repainted green (or yellow in the case of ZC11).

Eight of the class were sold to Morrison Knudsen in South Australia for rebuilding as MKA class locomotives. These rebuilt locos have seen service in Malaysia, Queensland and most are now in Tasmania. Locomotives 2142, 2143 and ZC32 were sold in 2001 to Leisure Rail WA Ltd, which intended to run a tourist train service in Western Australia. The three locos were towed to the Don River Railway for storage, although two (2142, 2143) were later on sold following the collapse of the project and sent to Victoria in mid-December 2004 for overhaul and modification prior to being shipped to Senegal.

Most out of service units have been scrapped, leaving only five locomotives in Tasrail ownership. As at the end of November 2004 all locomotives were out of service and stored at East Tamar, having given up bogies and other equipment for the MKA fleet. 2146 is the only class member still painted green, the remaining four locos being painted yellow.

Details

• Owners: Queensland Railways, AN, Tasrail
• Power: 1340kW (1800hp)
• Motor: EE 12CSVT Mk II
• Wheel Arrangement: Co - Co
• Weight: 89.8t
• Allowable load on 1:40 grade: 450t
• Wheel Arrangement: Co - Co
• Length over headstocks: 14.6m (47ft 12in)
• Introduced: 1967 (QR) / 1988 (AN)
• Built By: GEC Australia, Queensland
• Number Preserved: 0
• Number In Service: 0
• Total Number Built: 45

Other identities

Class photos, sounds and video

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