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Queensland Railways 2000 class rail motor

The 2000 class railcars are a class of self-propelled railcars built by Commonwealth Engineering, Rocklea for the Queensland Railways between 1956 and 1971.

History

2000 class rail motors at Helidon in 1987.

In 1956, two 2000 class railmotor prototypes were constructed by Queensland Railways at its Ipswich Railway Workshops sheeted in satin finished aluminium. They were powered by 125 hp (93 kW) AEC engines.[1][2]

In 1959, ten units were ordered from Commonwealth Engineering. These differed from the prototypes in having sheeted stainless steel and 150 hp (110 kW) Rolls-Royce engines. In 1963, a further five were ordered, followed in 1971 by a further ten.[1] The last four were completed as Passenger Luggage Driving Trailers with access doors at both ends instead of a streamlined front, allowing the formation of three-car (and occasionally four-car) trains.

They operated services around Brisbane as well as being allocated to Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.[2]

Most were withdrawn in the early 1990s, with the last operating in regular service on the Corinda-Yeerongpilly line in January 2000.[3]

Queensland Rail retains nine units, of which three operate The Savannahlander tourist train,[4] three are operational with the QR Heritage Division (and occasionally used by Queensland Rail for track inspections) and three are stored at Ipswich Workshops. Aurizon inherited two units from QR National which are used for track inspections. These units are now with DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum.[5] Many others are preserved.

In October 2022, two units were road transferred from Ipswich to Longreach for Outback Aussie Tours for their upcoming “Outback Rail Adventure” tours.[6][7]

Summary

References

  1. ^ a b "2000 Class Railmotors" The Workshops Rail Museum 23 October 2003
  2. ^ a b Dunn, John (2010). Comeng: A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 2: 1955-1966. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 87–89, 95–100. ISBN 1877058734.
  3. ^ "QR ICE Set Controversy" Railway Digest March 2000 page 14
  4. ^ Rollingstock Archived 24 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine Savannahlander
  5. ^ a b c "The Commissioner – DownsSteam Tourist Railway and Museum". Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  6. ^ "ORA Rail Motor Relocations". Outback Aussie Tours. 22 November 2022. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  7. ^ "'Never dreamt of this': Historic train arrives at new outback home". ABC News. 11 November 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

External links