The EL class locomotives are a class of diesel locomotives built by A Goninan & Co, Broadmeadow for Australian National in 1990–1991.
History In June 1989, Australian National awarded a contract for 14 Dash 8 locomotives to A Goninan & Co"Goninan wins Dash-8 Contract" Railway Digest August 1989 page 268 with the first delivered in July 1990."EL51" Railway Digest September 1990 page 325 Even though they were the most powerful locomotives to have operated by Australian National, they were fitted with lightweight traction motors which reduced their tractive effort by 33% compared to the preceding DL class locomotives. They were ordered for use on passenger and fast freight services and geared for a top speed of 140 km/h."The EL class locomotives" Railway Digest October 1999 page 40
They regularly hauled The Ghan and Indian Pacific until replaced by CLP class locomotives in 1994. They were transferred to National Rail, however, following the delivery of the NR class, 13 were returned to Australian National and by November 1997 were stored at Islington Railway Workshops."ELs Stored then Returned to Service" Railway Digest January 1998 page 36 The 14th had been destroyed in an accident at Mount Christie in February 1997. Six were briefly hired to Australian Southern Railroad in late 1997."SA Snapshot" Railway Digest February 1998 page 31
In November 1998, the remaining 13 were sold to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA, later RailFirst Asset Management)."ELs Sold to US Bidder" Railway Digest December 1998 page 12 In 1999, New Zealand railway operator Tranz Rail began negotiating with CFCLA for the potential lease or outright purchase of all the remaining EL class locomotives. The locomotives would have required bogie conversions to fit New Zealand's narrow track gauge and smaller loading gauge. Nothing further came from negotiations between Tranz Rail and CFCLA.
All were overhauled by A Goninan & Co, Bassendean, during which they were re-geared, reducing their top speed to 125 km/h, but resulting in their tractive effort increasing by 19%.EL Class Locomotive Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia All were repainted into Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia's yellow, blue and silver livery and named after famous Australian racehorses. They have been leased to a variety of operators and have run in all mainland states.EL Class Railpage
Status table Key:In serviceStoredPreservedConvertedUnder overhaulScrapped
NumberNameSerial noDateStatusOwnerLiveryOperatorNotesEL51Might and Power8013-07/90-103Aug 1990Stored Off Hire, IslingtonRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Islington, Pending Scrapping EL52Light Fingers8013-07/90-104Sep 1990Stored Off Hire, GoulburnRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Goulburn, Pending Scrapping EL53Northerly8013-07/90-105Oct 1990 Stored, Off Hire, IslingtonRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/A Was Listed For sale in Islington, Pending ScrappingEL54Bonecrusher8013-07/90-106Nov 1990Stored, Off Hire, IslingtonRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Islington, Pending ScrappingEL55Kensei8013-07/90-107Dec 1991Stored, Off Hire, IslingtonRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Islington, Pending ScrappingEL56Doriemus8013-07/90-108Jan 1991Stored Off Hire, GoulburnRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Islington, Pending ScrappingEL57Gunsynd8013-07/90-109Mar 1991Stored Off Hire, IslingtonRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Islington, Pending ScrappingEL58Kingston Rule8013-07/90-110Apr 1991Stored Off Hire, GoulburnRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Goulburn, Pending ScrappingEL59N/A8013-07/90-111May 1991ScrappedNational RailAN Green & goldN/ADestroyed in Mt Christie Derailment in 1997EL60Octagonal8013-07/90-112Jun 1991Stored Off Hire, Goulburn Rail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Goulburn, Pending ScrappingEL61Ethereal8013-07/90-113Jul 1991ScrappedRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/ADamaged in collision with truck at Vite Vite in 2021 whilst on lease to SCT, was scrapped at Islington Workshops for partsEL62Archer8013-07/90-114Aug 1991Stored Off Hire, GoulburnRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/A Was Listed For sale in Goulburn, Pending ScrappingEL63Saintly8013-07/90-115Sep 1991Stored Off Hire, Goulburn Rail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Goulburn, Pending ScrappingEL64Super Impose8031-07/90-116Oct 1991Stored Off Hire, GoulburnRail First Asset ManagementRFAM silver & blueN/AWas Listed For sale in Goulburn, Pending Scrapping
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