South Australian Railways 500 class (diesel)

The 500 class were a class of South Australian Railways diesel shunter locomotives built at Islington Railway Workshops between 1964 and 1969.

South Australian Railways 500 class
522 at Mount Gambier in South Australian Railways paint scheme to which ANR (Australian National Railways) branding has been added
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderIslington Railway Workshops
Build date1964-1969
Total produced34
Specifications
Configuration:
 • UICBo-Bo
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in),
1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Wheel diameter3 ft (914 mm)
Minimum curve264 ft (80.467 m)
Wheelbase28 ft (8.534 m) total,
7 ft 6 in (2.286 m) bogie
Length38 ft 6 in (11.735 m) over headstocks
Width9 ft 4 in (2.845 m)
Height13 ft 3+12 in (4.051 m)
Axle load14 long tons
(14.2 tonnes; 15.7 short tons)
Loco weight56 long tons
(56.9 tonnes; 62.7 short tons)
Fuel capacity700 imp gal
(3,182 L; 841 US gal)
Prime moverEnglish Electric 4SRKT Mk II
RPM range450–850 rpm
Engine typefour stroke, four valves per cylinder
Aspirationturbocharged
GeneratorEE827/4C
Traction motorsFour EE548/2A
Cylinders4 inline
Cylinder size10 in × 12 in
(254 mm × 305 mm)
Loco brakeAir
Train brakesAir
Performance figures
Maximum speed40 miles per hour (64 km/h)
Power output550 hp (410 kW) gross,
500 hp (370 kW) net
Tractive effort30,000 lbf (133.4 kN) at
4 mph (10 km/h)
Career
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
Number in class34
Numbers500-534
First run25 April 1964
Preserved507, 515, 517, 532
Current ownerBluebird Rail Operations
Disposition1 in service, 4 preserved, 4 stored, 25 scrapped

History

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Thirty-four 500 class locomotives were built, all incorporating English Electric traction and control equipment. The first 27 were built with broad gauge bogies; the last seven with standard gauge bogies. They operated in yards at Gladstone, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Peterborough, Port Pirie, Tailem Bend and Wallaroo, and were deployed extensively in Adelaide.[1]

In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. Some were transferred to Port Augusta. In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 500 becoming 534.[2]

Most were scrapped in the mid-1990s, and the remaining locomotives were included in the sale of Australian National's South Australian operations to Australian Southern Railroad in October 1997.[3][4][5][6]

Surviving locomotives

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References

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  1. ^ Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s – 1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 250. ISBN 0-730100-05-7.
  2. ^ "Australian National Broken Hill Line Report" Railway Digest October 1986 page 314
  3. ^ Broad & Standard Gauge 500-class diesel electric locomotives Chris' Commonwealth Railways Pages
  4. ^ 500 Class (diesel, South Australia) Railpage
  5. ^ 500 Class Rail SA
  6. ^ 500 Class Vicsig
  7. ^ "Australia Wide Fleet List" Motive Power issue 96 November 2014 page 67
  8. ^ 515 National Railway Museum
  9. ^ HRSA November Meeting Report Archived 21 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Heritage Rail South Australia November 2010
  10. ^ Shunter returns home The Flinders News 21 July 2012
  11. ^ Annual Report 2011/12 District Council of Peterborough