As part of their leasing fleet after privatisation of the formerly government operated railway systems, Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA) operated four operational ex-New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) 442 Class, #04, #06, #08 and #09, for some time known as their JL Class.
CFCLA also purchased twelve partially dismantled 442 Class (#01, #07, #12, #15, #16, #18, #22, #28, #29, #30, #32 and #33) and in 2002 contracted A. Goninan, the local GE licensee, to build their GL Class, utilising the frames and bogies of these and incorporating more modern reconditioned GE diesel engines, traction and control equipment. In effect these have become a twin noseless cab version of the EL Class, utilising the same GE 7FDL V12 2,380KW 3,190HP diesel engine, but being far more flexible in operation by not having to be turned if utilised as a single locomotive. Whilst they are some 20 tonnes heavier than the EL Class (fitted with GE752 verses the EL’s lighter GE731 type) they are however some 2.2m shorter than the EL Class, resulting in the usual GE practice of using electrically driven compressors, cooling fans etc being abandoned and these are driven off the diesel engine.
In this presentation we view the inside and outside of the GL Class in detail and see them in operation with many private rail operators, El Zorro, Freightliner, Lachlan Valley Rail Freight, QUBE Logistic, PacNat, Independent Rail etc.
Approximate run time: 100 minutes.