Скачать или смотреть 4911 & GM10 on AK Cars at Condobolin NSW. Wed 08th Feb 2023

Running about 30 minutes late out of Parkes NSW the AK Cars, as WK81, arrive at Condobolin in western NSW with 4911 & GM10 hauling the three technology laden carriages. The set is bound for Ivanhoe NSW where they will take a break before returning to Parkes the following day.

They will scan and monitor the flood damaged track repairs between Parkes and Ivanhoe for ARTC. A video of the return trip with GM10 leading will be published later on this site.

The popular and reliable 49 class locomotives were ordered in three batches of six (1960-64) by the then NSWGR from Clyde Engineering, at Granville NSW, for what was to be primarily branch line working. Weighing in around 80 tons they saw service on just about every branch line in NSW and were well regarded by drivers for smooth riding and reliability.

The only downside was that many crews thought they were a little too noisy when under full power, also the cab was considered to be a little on the cramped side too. Other than that, they were generally well received around the state.

4911 was delivered new on the 19th of October 1962. Powered by an EMD 8-567C or 8-567CR prime mover they are a Roots blower scavenged V8 two stoke delivering around 950hp. Main line running speed was 124KMh.

The 49 class were gradually withdrawn from service starting in 1994 and by 1997 all were laid up, many were sold to private operators. 4907 & 4913 were leased to the Manildra Group as yard shunting engines before being purchased outright and re classed as MM1 & MM2 respectively.

The 49 class are closely related to the Victorian Railways "T" class but whilst the "T" class are Bo-Bo bogie configuration the 49 class are Co-Co configuration. Also the latter series of "T" class (T399-T412) were fitted with EMD 645E prime movers. The "T" class were also built by Clyde Engineering at Granville NSW.

The 49, like the 48 class, are a very versatile locomotive and have worked all manner of train working during their career, even on the Indian Pacific on one or two occasions in the 1970's.

GM10 is the oldest diesel electric EMD locomotive still in main line service in Australia GM10 was the last of an order of 11 units for the then Commonwealth Railways of the model ML-1, later models were A16C. The design is based on the American F7 and powered by a V16 two stroke turbo charged EMD 16-567B giving 1,500hp.

Handed over new on the 03rd of June 1952 good old GM10 had its 70th birthday last year amid much celebration. GM1 to GM11 did not feature dynamic braking and were mounted A1A-A1A bogie configuration, rather than Co-Co of the latter GM class. Loco weight is 111 tonnes with a length of 17.88 metres. Published track speed is a strapping 143KMh.

In all, some 47 of the GM class were built between 1951 and 1967, 27 or so have been scrapped with the rest in preservation or storage and some still in operation.

The AK Cars are operated by by the ARTC "Track Recording Team" providing real time data on track conditions. They record track monitoring information to assist with trending and planning of work on track, secondary purpose to detect excedences.

Equipped with laser beams measurement is taken in the plane of the intersecting laser illumination. Rail wear, camber, cracks or uneven wear is detected and recorded by the AK Cars linked to GPS for real time location logging.

Three cars make up the AK Car consist, AK2382, AK2383 & AK2384 and are former Brisbane Limited Express passenger cars built by Comeng at Granville NSW in 1970. They were secured by ARTC when the cars were withdrawn after the XPT took over the Brisbane Limited service and converted to track monitoring.

0825hrs on Wednesday 08th February 2023.