New Locomotives for National Rail
NR62 still wears its National Rail Corporation logos as it powers north through Menangle with a Perth-Sydney intermodal service in April 2008.
With the formation of National Rail Corporation in 1993, all states were required to offer units for lease by National Rail, until their fleet of 120 NR Class could be constructed. Constructed by United Goninans at both their Broadmeadow (NSW, NR1-60) and Bassendean (WA, NR61-120) plants, the entire fleet was introduced by the end of 1997, and saw the return of 422, 80, 81 and 82 Class units to Freightcorp, as well as 442 Class to Silverton and G and C Class to V/Line. The introduction of the NR Class also rendered the EL Class surplus to requirements.
Weighing 132t with a maximum power of 4020hp, the class were the first locomotives in Australia to offer a variable horsepower, allowing three possibilies – 2850hp, 3560hp and 4020hp. Rated for 115km/h running, the NR Class were used on express interstate intermodal and steel trains, as well as being used on GSR prestige passenger trains in a “hook and pull” contract (first under National Rail and continued under Pacific National).
Originally, the class was banned from leading trains in NSW, due to the excessive noise generated by dynamic breaking, although this restriction was later lifted. Of note, a similar issue was experienced with the introduction of the 90 Class by Freightcorp a few years earlier.
NR10 leads NR116 and BL28 southbound through Douglas Park with a southbound Brisbane to Melbourne (BM4) superfreighter in May, 2008.
Introduced in the standard “National Rail Corp” livery of grey and orange, the units featured National Rail logos on both the front of the cab, both sides of the long hood, and on the no2 end of the unit. In addition to this, a number of variations on the standard livery were introduced to advertise some of National Rails other services. NR’s 53, 54 and 55 had their grey replaced with green for the Trailerail service, while NR’s 56 and 57 were painted in an eye-catching blue and white livery for Seatrain services. NR’s 58, 59 and 60 were painted in a blue-grey scheme for SteelLink services. Additionally, NR30 and NR52 were painted with an Indigenous inspiried livery, originally for use on GSR trains.
To date, only one of the class has been scrapped, despite the class being involved in numerous accidents over the last ten years. NR33 was scrapped after being involved in a level crossing collision in June 2006. NR3 was involved in an accident near Robertson on the Unnaderra to Moss Vale line, derailing and colliding with an embankment and overhead bridge – as a result, the unit suffered extensive damage to the cab, but was repaired and returned to service, albeit renumbered to NR121 as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives in the accident. It was repaired and painted in the National Rail colour scheme after the repairs, but has since been repainted into Pacific National colours.
Great Southern Rail – Hook and Pull
From 1997, National Rail (and later, Pacific National) began using NR Class on a hook-and-pull contract for GSR’s interstate passenger services, The Overland, The Indian Pacific and The Ghan. NR’s 25, 26, 27 and 28 were all repainted into a special Indian Pacific livery, while NR’s 74, 75 and 109 painted in a red and silver livery for The Ghan services.
Additionally, in late 2008, NR’s 84 and 85 were released in a green/silver/white scheme for GSR’s new Platinum rail cruise service, “Southern Spirit”. As the new scheme differs greatly from the previous schemes, it seems there are plans to repaint further NR Class units in a new scheme for The Overland (no units currently exist in a livery for The Overland at the time of writing), as well as a new scheme for The Indian Pacific and The Ghan.
Pacific National
With the sale of National Rail Corp to Pacific National in 2002, ownership of the NR Class passed to Pacific National. Continuing in their original role, they form the backbone of the Pacific National Intermodal and SteelLink fleet, running between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, as well as numerous other destinations across Australia.
NR26 wears a special livery for GSR's Indian Pacific, but is seen here hauling a Sydney to Port Augusta through Harden in June, 2008.
When Pacific National purchased Victorian based rail freight operator Freight Australia in 2004, NR’s 81, 82 and 83 were leased to Specialised Container Transport, in addition to the nine G Class locomotives sold to the company as part of a deal with the ACCC to ensure competition in the rail transport industry. In addition, other NR Class units were amongst the units used on SCT hook-and-pull services until the companies G Class locomotives entered service in 2007.
NR103 was originally repainted into a trial Pacific National colour scheme, similar to the Freightcorp scheme on a lot of the units taken over by Pacific National. This livery was improved upon with an all yellow cab on NR’s 8, 29 and 73. The current Intermodal livery, which has been applied to NR’s 1, 16, 32, 36, 37, 45, 52 and 121 is similar, only with the southern cross on the rear of the units. Although the current livery looks quite elegant, it soon looks shabby when the units are covered in grime. In addition, from 2006, most of the other members of the class not yet repainted have had their National Rail Corporation logos removed or painted over resulting in most of the class looking very shabby.
Although the Pacific National Intermodal fleet also includes DL/BL/AN Class units, the NR Class are by far the most modern in terms of hauling power as well as crew comfort. Despite rumours that the 92 Class were to supplement the NR Class on intermodal trains, at the moment they are captive to coal trains in The Hunter Valley. For the near future, it seems that the NR Class will continue to form the backbone of Interstate Intermodal and SteelLink services under Pacific National for many years to come.
