Victorian Railways rail tractor

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Victorian Railway rail tractor
VR RT20.JPG
RT 20 in Swan Hill, featuring Freight Australia livery
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel Mechanical
Builder Newport Workshops
Specifications
Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), some are 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) [1]
Length6.33 to 6.52 m (20 ft 9 in to 21 ft 5 in)
Loco weight10.4 t (10.2 long tons; 11.5 short tons)
Prime mover Fordson
Engine type diesel
Performance figures
Maximum speed15 km/h (9.3 mph)
Power output40.3 to 51.8 hp (30.1 to 38.6 kW)
Career
Number in class54
NumbersRT 1 - 54
First run1952
Disposition4 preserved, 14 stored, 15 scrapped, 20 in service, 1 reclassed as LT4.

The Victorian Railways rail tractors are a small shunting unit used by the Victorian Railways of Australia for moving railway wagons in at country stations and private sidings. Varying in power output and size, they are agricultural tractors on top of a four-wheeled steel rail wagon frame. [2] RT1 was of a different design to the remainder of the class and is preserved at the Newport Railway Museum, Victoria.

Contents

The shunters are not fitted with air brakes but are through-piped to enable them to be worked dead as part of a normal train. [3] An exception to that is RT46, a standard "Aresco Trak Chief", the only one of its type built for the VR, which entered service in 1966. RT54 is a one-off unit acquired from the Portland Harbour Trust, which had used the vehicle on its private siding. In March 1989, it was reported that a refurbishment program for rail tractors was being undertaken at the Ballarat Railway Workshops and, as units went through the program, they were repainted into the then-current V/Line orange livery. [4]

Units currently authorised to operate on Victorian tracks are RT 3-40, 42-43 and 45–53, the second group being more powerful, and all are permitted to travel at 15 km/h maximum. [3] Units RT 18, 28 and 43 were gauge converted and transferred to Sydney for use on the construction of the Epping to Chatswood railway. [5]

Liveries

The first RT tractors were painted red or silver, but yellow had become the norm by the 1970s. [6] [7]

In the period 1982–1983, they were stencilled with a number-code, exceptions being RT42, RT46 and RT51. When they were refurbished for V/Line, most tractors had the code letters placed first, except 20RT at Redcliffs in 1988, and 48RT at Maryborough in 1987. Of the refurbished units, 5, 11, 20, 29, 45, 47, 48 and 53 had orange underframes with white steps, while 7 and 21 had black underframes and steps. [8]

Maximum loads

As of mid-1986, RT units were limited to 30 km/h and the following loads: [9]

3-39RT40, 42-53RT
Grade %TonnesTonnes
LevelLevel190210
1 in 40250%4248
1 in 50200%5158
1 in 75133%7079
1 in 100100%8395
1 in 15067%103117
1 in 20050%117132

Fleet details

Note: Zero prefix is not accurate, but displayed here for sorting function.

IDEntered service [10] WithdrawnScrappedSeptember 1981 [11] March 1982 [12] January 1989 [4] Last known location [13] [14] Notes
RT0111/6/1932N/AN/AMuseum Newport Railway Museum (2021)Red Livery - Wooden Bodied
RT0224/01/1957N/AN/AHuonCreek Sidings North Melbourne (2007)17 April 1989, all glass missing and the engine removed from frame. [15] Freight Australia (F/A) yellow livery, possibly scrapped
RT0315/2/1957RochesterRochesterRochesterDaylesford (2024)Preserved and operational at Daylesford Spa Country Railway [16]
RT0429/8/1957WarracknabealWodongaSeymour Loco-Scrapped
RT056/9/1957SpotswoodSpotswoodWangarattaNorth Bendigo (2012)F/A yellow livery
RT0618/9/1957RochesterRochesterBallarat, Bairnsdale [17] North Bendigo (2012)F/A yellow livery
RT071/10/1957EuroaOaklandsDonaldBendigo (2006)Scrapped?
RT0816/10/1957OuyenRecliffsBallarat Workshops-Scrapped
RT0912/9/19581990KyabramKyabramSeymour Loco-Scrapped
RT1018/9/1958WoodendWoodendColac, Geelong North Yard [17] Bendigo (2006)Scrapped?
RT1129/9/1958HorshamAraratBridgewaterAllied Mills Ballarat (2014)F/A yellow livery
RT1210/10/1958OakleighOakleighSeymour Loco-Scrapped
RT1328/10/1958NumurkahNumurkahBallarat Workshops-Scrapped
RT1409/06/1959TottenhamColacBendigo LocoNorth Bendigo (2015)Orange Livery
RT1522/06/1959BendigoHorshamEuroaTrentham (2008)
RT16BendigoBridgewaterWarrnamboolBendigo (2006)Scrapped?
RT17Sea LakeSea LakeCastlemaineHealesville (2010)Yellow livery
RT18HamiltonHamiltonDimboolaLithgow - NSW (2018)Converted to standard gauge for Epping–Chatswood line construction. UGL Rail yellow livery
RT19FootscrayFootscrayKerangTocumwal (2018)F/A yellow livery
RT20RedcliffsIrympleIrympleSwan Hill (2018)F/A yellow livery
RT21OuyenBallaratHorshamBendigo (2006)Scrapped?
RT22KerangKerangBallarat Workshops-Scrapped
RT23Melbourne YardSeymourBallarat Workshops-Scrapped
RT24TraralgonTraralgonLeongathaTailem Bend - SA (2008)Murray Bridge? (2015)
RT25NhillNhillRed CliffsEclipse Flour Mill, Albion (2015)
RT26BallaratOuyenGeelong Loco-Scrapped
RT27AraratSeymour, Yarrawonga [18] TraralgonNorth Bendigo (2014)F/A yellow livery
RT28SeymourSeymourKyabramPort Waratah (2018)Converted to standard gauge for Epping–Chatswood line construction. UGL yellow livery
RT2918/01/1962TraralgonTraralgonBallarat LocoDonald (2019)Standard gauge, operational - PN yellow livery
RT30ColacTocumwalNorth Melbourne wagon workshops-First allocation to North Melbourne Wagon Workshops, after May 1988. [4] Scrapped
RT3124/10/1962MoeMoeMorwell Briquette SidingGraincorp Deniliquin (2011)F/A yellow livery
RT3219/11/1962Swan HillSwan HillBendigo Loco SCT Laverton (2019)Plinthed - SCT livery
RT33Korong ValeKorong ValeBallarat Workshops-Scrapped
RT34CamperdownWarracknabealWarracknabeal-Scrapped
RT3524/4/1964OrbostOrbostTraralgonNorth Bendigo (2012)Orange livery
RT362/7/1964TraralgonCowwarrBairnsdale-Scrapped
RT3722/7/1964CharltonCharltonBoortNorth Bendigo (2019)Yellow livery
RT3815/8/1964LeongathaLeongathaSunshineNorth Bendigo (2012)F/A yellow livery
RT39Nowa NowaNowa NowaMorwellDynon (2018)Scrapped
RT40WestallWestallSeymour Loco-Scrapped
RT41N/AN/AOff registerMoorooduc (2010)
RT42SeymourSeymourBendigo LocoNorth Bendigo (2012)F/A yellow livery
RT43EchucaEchucaSwan Hill, Bendigo Loco [17] Port Kembla - NSW (2018)Converted to standard gauge for Epping-Chatswood line construction. F/A yellow livery
RT441987TraralgonMorwell"Wrecked"-Scrapped
RT45MorwellTraralgonBenallaNorth Bendigo (2012)F/A yellow livery
RT46SpotswoodSpotswoodSpotswoodGraincorp Deniliquin (2012)Aresco Trak Chief model, formerly PHT2 (Portland Harbour Trust). Two-tone blue livery
RT4725/7/1969DeniliquinDeniliquinBallarat WorkshopsNorth Bendigo (2012)Orange livery
RT487/8/1969MorwellPortlandMaryboroughPort Kembla - NSW (2018)Standard Gauge
RT4920/8/1969PortlandMorwellMaffraNorth Bendigo (2012)F/A yellow livery
RT503/9/1969StawellStawellDeniliquinBendigo Roundhouse (2011)Renumbered LT50 - Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR) yellow livery
RT5119/9/1969TocumwalCamperdownTraralgonBendigo (2006)Scrapped?
RT52CastlemaineCastlemaineEchucaPort Kembla - NSW (2018)Standard gauge
RT53RedanBallaratBallarat Loco-Scrapped
RT546/10/1976N/AN/A(Unlisted)North Bendigo (2013)Renumbered LT4 - ex Portland Harbour Trust. Fitted with air brake. SSR yellow livery

See also

References

  1. "VICSIG". vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  2. Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN   0-949817-76-7.
  3. 1 2 "Network Operating Requirements" (PDF). V/Line ~ Network Access ~ Information Pack. www.vline.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 Newsrail March 1989 p92
  5. "VICSIG - Locomotives - RT Class Rail Tractor". www.vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
  6. "VICTORIAN RAILWAYS RT RAIL TRACTOR" (PDF). steameramodels.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  7. Australian Model Railway Magazine, December 2004
  8. Newsrail May 1991 p157
  9. Newsrail July 1986 p.218
  10. "vicrailways - RT Class". vicrailways. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  11. Newsrail September 1981 pg284
  12. Newsrail March 1982 pg48
  13. "VICSIG - Locomotives - RT Class". VICSIG. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  14. "Railpage Forums - RT Rail Tractors". Railpage. Archived from the original on 9 August 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  15. Newsrail June 1989 p191
  16. "Locomotives and Rail Tractors", Daylesford Spa Country Railway. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Newsrail June 1989 p188
  18. Newsrail July 1982 p160