900 Class Railmotor

[Ara Kistner]

In1956, two 2000 class railmotor prototypes were constructed by Queensland Railways at its Ipswich Railway Workshops sheeted in satin finished aluminium. They were powered by 125 hp (93 kW) AEC engines.[1][2]

In 1959, ten units were ordered from Commonwealth Engineering. These differed from the prototypes in having sheeted stainless steel and 150 hp (110 kW) Rolls-Royce engines. In 1963, a further five were ordered, followed in 1971 by a further ten.[1] The last four were completed as Passenger Luggage Driving Trailers with access doors at both ends instead of a streamlined front, allowing the formation of three-car (and occasionally four-car) trains.

Queensland Rail retains nine units, of which three operate The Savannahlander tourist train,[4] three are operational with the QR Heritage Division (and occasionally used by Queensland Rail for track inspections) and three are stored at Ipswich Workshops. Aurizon inherited two units from QR National which are used for track inspections. These units are now with DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum.[5] Many others are preserved.

The 400/500 class rail motors are diesel trains built by New South Wales Government Railways primarily for use on regional lines throughout NSW. The trains have since been phased out following a rationalisation of country branch line rail services in November 1983. The 400 Class power cars were built in 1938 at the Eveleigh Carriage Workshops, while the 500 Class trailer cars were built by Ritchie Brothers at Auburn.[1]

The 400 Class power cars followed the same general lines as the Silver City Comet powers vans, although they were slightly shorter in length at 15.55 metres (51 ft 0 in). They were fitted with two underfloor 150 horsepower (110 kW) Leyland in-line six-cylinder, petrol engines coupled to Leyland Lysholm-Smith hydraulic transmissions. This was a repeat of the installation used in the earlier Rail Motor No.38. No multiple unit capability was provided. Each power car was capable of hauling one or two trailer cars. The mechanical equipment was mounted underfloor and a passenger compartment seating 19 Second Class passengers was provided at one end while the other was occupied by a large luggage compartment with a capacity of 4 tonnes (3.9 long tons; 4.4 short tons).

FPH 404 was destroyed by fire at Narrandera in 1944.[2] The remaining three were re-engined with diesel engines between 1953 and 1957. They were fitted with two 150 horsepower GM Detroit Diesel 6/71 in-line six-cylinder, diesel engines and Twin Disc hydraulic torque converter transmissions.

When built, the power cars had a toilet located in the front opposite the driver and the front window was covered by a metal plate which gave the driver limited vision at level crossings. The cars had a 'one-eyed' appearance and this earned them the nickname 'Lord Nelson'. The toilet was later moved to the rear of the passenger compartment and replaced by passenger seating.

FPH 402 was modified in 1972 with the installation of a compartment seating eight First Class passengers and a toilet at the opposite end to the main passenger compartment and coded HPC. It was planned to extend this modification to 401 and 403 but with the decline in passenger numbers, it was considered too expensive to be repeated. The others simply had four seats in the main compartment allocated to First Class.

The 500 Class trailer cars were the same as those used on the Silver City Comet except that air-conditioning was not provided. The cars had two basic configurations, a composite sitting car (CT 501-504 and 506) and a Second Class sitting car (FT 505, 507 and 508). These last three were stored on completion in 1938 and finally entered service between 1941 and 1944. The trailer cars were initially delivered from the builder with Comet trailer numbers (213-220) but were renumbered into the 500 series before entering service. FT 505 was sent to Sydney to work with 42-Foot rail motors in 1951. The end doors were sealed and CPH operating equipment fitted. From 1951 onwards 501, 502, 504, 507 and 508 were fitted with a luggage compartment and recoded as HCT. FT 506 and HCT 501 were later sent to Sydney and modified to work with CPH rail motors along the same lines as FT 505.

Two units were initially deployed to Dubbo for working to Coonamble, Molong and Gwabegar and two to Narranderra for working services to Junee, Tocumwal, Hay and Hillston. The Dubbo-based units were transferred Narrandera in the early 1940s and along with Rail Motor No.38 worked the southern branches until the 1970s. The three surviving 400 Class and No.38 were then transferred to north west with units being based at Werris Creek, Narrabri and Moree, where they remained until their retirement in November 1983.

HPC 402, along with trailer FT 501, were purchased by the Rail Motor Society, Paterson in 1984. In August 1986 HPC 402 was leased back to the State Rail Authority and after an overhaul used as a radio system test unit operating across NSW.[3] Initially leased for six months, it would not be until July 2000 that it was returned to the Society after travelling some 200,000 kilometres.[4] It has continued to see regular main line use, often being hired by rail infrastructure owners as a route learner, a radio test car or for executive inspections. In 2013, 402 performed such duties on the Benalla to Oaklands in Victoria after the line was converted from broad to standard gauge by the Australian Rail Track Corporation.[5]

FT 503 was damaged by fire and scrapped in 1944. The surviving 400 and 500 Class were all withdrawn in November 1983. FT 505 and 506 were scrapped and HCT 507 was disposed of privately, while the remainder were offered for sale. Trailers HCT 504 and 508 and reprieved from the sale and were converted to parcel trailers for the Silver City Comet. They were painted in the Comet's distinctive silver and blue livery and recoded PT. They were withdrawn with the other Comet vehicles in 1989. HPC 401 and 403 and trailer CT 503 are preserved at the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum, while HPC 402 and trailer FT 501 are preserved in the collection of the Rail Motor Society. HPC 402 is the sole unit remaining in operational condition and continues to provide services to rail infrastructure owners as well as tourist operations.

In 1956, two 2000 class railmotor prototypes were constructed by Queensland Railways at its Ipswich Railway Workshops sheeted in satin finished aluminium. They were powered by 125 hp (93 kW) AEC engines.

In 1959, ten units were ordered from Commonwealth Engineering. These differed from the prototypes in having sheeted stainless steel and 150 hp (110 kW) Rolls-Royce engines. In 1963, a further five were ordered, followed in 1971 by a further ten. The last four were completed as Passenger Luggage Driving Trailers with access doors at both ends instead of a streamlined front, allowing the formation of three-car (and occasionally four-car) trains.

Queensland Rail retains nine units, of which three operate The Savannahlander tourist train, three are operational with the QR Heritage Division (and occasionally used by Queensland Rail for track inspections) and three are stored at Ipswich Workshops.

The 600/700 class railcars are a class of diesel multiple unit built by the New South Wales Government Railways. They were built to operate on branch lines from 1949 with low traffic volumes later being transferred to Newcastle and Wollongong to operate suburban services until withdrawn in 1994.[1] However, one 600 class railcar was converted to solar operation for use on the Byron Bay Train service.[2] The upgraded train entered service on 16 December 2017 and is believed to be the world's first solar-powered train.[3][4]

In January 1946, approval was given for the construction of 10 two car sets. It was decided that they would be constructed at the new New South Wales Government Railways' Chullora Railway Workshops. They were built with an aluminium body on a steel frame. Each consisted of a 600 class powercar and 700 class driving trailer. They were powered by two General Motors 6/71 diesels coupled to an Allison TCLA 655 hydraulic transmission. The power car had 32 economy seats and had provision for eight tonnes of luggage while the trailer seated 24 in economy and 26 in first class. The 600/700s were capable of operating in multiple together and there was at least one instance of four sets operating together.[1]

With the introduction of the DEB set railcars on the Northern Tablelands Express, in April 1959 one was transferred to Newcastle for suburban working being joined by a second from Dubbo. In the mid 1960s some were transferred to Richmond and Wollongong.

In 1971, 22 Cummins NT-855-R2 engines were purchased with the intention of repowering all ten to allow them to operate in multiple with the later 620/720 and DEB set railcars. However, only five were converted also receiving new bogies and being renumbered as 660/760s the other engines being used to repower 620/720s.[1]

In November 1983, the final three were withdrawn from rural services from Cootamundra to Lake Cargelligo and Tumut, and from Narrandera to Hay and Tocumwal. They were transferred to Acdep and from November 1984 operated services from between Riverstone and Richmond with a few services starting back at Sydney Central.[5] The other seven were all operating out of Newcastle and Wollongong by this stage and had their seating replaced with throwover suburban seating.[1] The Richmond cars were withdrawn following the electrification of the line in August 1991 and the rest when replaced by Endeavour railcars in 1994.

Of the 600/700 sets, five cars were scrapped (two [603 and 703] following their partial destruction for an episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation television series Police Rescue in February 1992)[6] and four were sold to The Rail Motor Society, Paterson. Vandals burnt out 702 and damaged 602 at Mortdale before they were transferred to the Rail Motor Society.[7] The partially stripped body shells of 604 and 704 were given to the Society in compensation and after further stripping of parts they were later sold to the local Court House Hotel at Paterson for accommodation. In February 2020, the Hotel was being renovated for sale and the two carriage bodies were sold privately, one to Queensland and one to Victoria (Australia). The remains of 702 were scrapped and the other three cars (602, 606 and 707) all survive in near original condition in the collection of the Rail Motor Society. As of 2022, 602 and 707 are being restored to operational condition by The Rail Motor Society.

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