NRE building Watco Australia locomotives
Written by Railway Age StaffLocomotive manufacturer NRE has released details of its recent contract with Watco Australia for eight light-axle locomotives to support the latter's new contract in Queensland.
“Watco demanded the utilization of a proven medium-speed diesel prime mover, and the Queensland network requires a very specific and unique set of design parameters,” said Kirby Roseveare, vice president of international sales at NRE, headquartered in Mt. Vernon, Ill. “Using remanufactured major components, NRE will be able to stay within the capital expenditure limitations of the contract while delivering a proven, reliable product.”
The eight six-axle 42 inch-gauge locomotives will be fitted with new NRE trucks and limited to a maximum axle load of 15.75 metric tonnes, for an overall weight of 94.5 tonnes (104 tons).
The locomotives will be equipped with an EMD 12-645E3B diesel engine rated at 1.6MW, an AR10/D14 main alternator and GE761 type traction motors. Performance specifications include at least 27% adhesion available during traction mode with 99% reliability in all weather conditions, and a demonstrated 250kN of adhesion-limited tractive effort.
Earlier this year Watco announced it would expand its Australian operations after signing a seven-year contract with grain marketer and handler GrainCorp for haulage on the narrow gauge network in the state of Queensland beginning in 2019.
– with reporting by Mark Carter, International Railway Journal
