In 1964, Alco announced the DL500d, a noseless version of its export oriented DL500 ‘World Locomotive’, introduced back in 1953. It delivered 8 adapted DL500S to the Spanish railway RENFE that year, after which another 52 were completed by Alco’s Spanish licensee.
In response to the NSWGR (New South Wales Government Railways) request for 40 locomotives to replace its aging 40 Class, local Alco licensee A.E. Goodwin offered a revamped version of the DL500D, the DL500G, with lower unit price because it would utilise reconditioned electrical equipment from the 20 traded-in 40 Class. The first of these rolled out in 1970 but failed acceptance testing because of poor riding quality and power output problems. This led to extensive delivery delays while the ride quality was improved and alternative electrical equipment was sourced. Consequently the first 34 locomotives for the NSWGR were delivered with a mixture of generators (GE586/AE15301/AE15302) and traction motors (GE752/AE1165) and, after A.E. Goodwin declared bankruptcy in 1972, COMENG completed the last batch of 6 with Mitsubishi electrical equipment. On full introduction, they earned the name ‘Jumbos’ because their roof height was about 30cm higher than the Goodwin Alco 44 Class and even more over the 48 Class, then in service. A.E. Goodwin also completed 6 DL500Gs for the SAR (South Australian Railways) during 1971/72. Between 2002-2004 12 Jumbos were extensively modified and re-engined to become CFCLA’s GL Class. The bogies and traction motors off several scrapped Jumbos found their way under some of the NREC (National Rail Equipment Co) RL Class.
As we shall see in this DVD, the Jumbos has extensive main line service on the Northwest and North Coast lines. As newer locomotive classes entered the fleet they were downgraded to local transfer and shunting duties and finally stored until again pressed into service when National Rail was formed, NR absorbing a large part of the NSWGR’s 80 Class fleet until their own NR Class were delivered. Jumbos have also seen service with Austrac, Australian National, BHP (Broken Hill Proprietary), CFCLA (Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia), Coote Industrial/Engenco, G & W (Genesee and Wyoming), Independent Rail, Lachlan Valley Rail Freight, POTA, QUBE and Silverton. We also have a close look at the DL500G cabs, internals and exterior features.
Approximate run time: 101 minutes.