Victorian Railways A class (diesel)

**V/Line A Class**
Power type	Diesel Electric
V/Line owned locomotive A70 at Flinders Street Station
Builder	Clyde-Engineering, Rosewater
Gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Length	18.54 m
Locomotive weight	118.00 t
Engine type	EMD 12-645E3B
Generator	EMD AR10-A4-D18 Replaced with CA5
Traction motors	EMD D57/D78
Top speed	133 km/h
Power output	1846 kW (2510 hp)
Number in class	11

The V/Line A class are a bulldog nosed diesel electric locomotive rebuilt from B Class locomotives between 1982 and 1984 as part of the 'New Deal' reforms of passenger rail operations in Victoria, with 11 being so converted.^[1] A85 was regeared for 160km/h operation in 1986 for passenger train testing,^[2] but was reduced to the standard 134km/h gearing soon after.^[1]

The class originally appeared in the V/Line orange and tangerine scheme, except for A66 which was painted in a green and gold livery to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988, later appearing in a second special livery to advertise the Melbourne bid for the 1996 Olympic Games.^[1] Today the class appear in either the red and blue V/Line livery, and the green and yellow Freight Australia livery (with PN logos). Four locomotives are named after Australian rules football players in September 1984,^[1] while A60 was named after former railway commissioner Harold Clapp.

Four locomotives are currently in service with V/Line on passenger trains, and 7 with freight operator Pacific National.

A62 coming back to couple with a MTH car on the Stony Point line service

Freight Australia liveried A85 with Pacific National decals

Plaque dedicating A62 to the Victorian railway men and women who helped develop the State of Victoria

Locomotives

Locomotive	Pre-conversion	Named	Entered service	Owner
A60	B60	Sir Harold Clapp	7 September 1984	V/Line Passenger
A62	B62		17 July, 1984	V/Line Passenger
A66	B66		22 March 1985	V/Line Passenger
A70	B70		10 May, 1985	V/Line Passenger
A71	B71	Dick Reynolds	20 March, 1984	Pacific National
A73	B73	Bob Skilton	20 March, 1984	Pacific National
A77	B77	Ian Stewart	17 May, 1984	Pacific National
A78	B78		21 December, 1984	Pacific National
A79	B79		22 June, 1985	Pacific National
A81	B81		15 August, 1985	Pacific National
A85	B85	Hayden Bunton	5 June, 1984	Pacific National

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN 0 949817 76 7.
^ "News" (September 1986). Newsrail: 24–27. Australian Railway Heritage Society.

v • d • e Melbourne and Victorian Rail Rollingstock

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