Australian National DL class
The DL class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Kelso for Australian National between 1988 and 1990. Eleven remain in service with Pacific National.History
The first of the 15 commenced trials between Clyde Engineering's, Kelso plant and Lithgow in February 1988. The last was delivered in February 1990. They were used on Australian National's standard gauge network from Broken Hill to Adelaide, Alice Springs and Kalgoorlie. In 1995 all 15 were transferred with Australian National's interstate operations to National Rail.
In January 1996 DL37 was destroyed in the Hines Hill train collision. In June 1999 National Rail began operating blue metal trains in New South Wales from Dunmore to Cooks River and in November 1999 from Marulan to Port Kembla both with DLs.
All were included in the sale of National Rail to Pacific National in February 2002. As at January 2014 they were being used on Pacific National freight services in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and as second locomotives on the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Adelaide. DL36 has been in store at Port Augusta since at least 2008. DL47 ran as part of D171 from Enfield Yard to Lithgow with 8151 leading X50, DL47, X49 & G519 on 9 May 2016 with DL42 & DL45 also on D171 on 25 May heading to Lithgow from Enfield Yard with 8162 leading X48, DL42, S306 & DL45. On 1 December 2016 8129 lead DL45, DL44, DL50 and DL42 on a light engine movement to Port Kembla for reactivation work for grain haulage.Status table
