Queensland GL18C heading for Africa?

[John Ashworth]

From the sar-L, Sunday 29th July 2012:

If anyone's still interested, the four 17xx locos that were still standing near the dry dock on Thursday afternoon have disappeared, presumably having left by road for the Reef. All that remains there now are 2100, 2111 and 2123, all of which look in a rather sad state.

[John Ashworth]

From the sar-L, 1st August 2012:

The 3 3100 Class purchased by RRL Grindrod are the electrics

I believe that they will be heading up to Katanga.

The Australian glossy "Motive Power" has an article covering the shipment in the
July/August issue. Any secrecy regarding this deal was blasted wide open on the
net, QRN have finally released details.

Viewed from a South African perspective, these 25kV AC B-B-B units are
lightweight at 18 tonne/axle. Queensland is the land of fly-weight locos, was in
the steam days, and this trend carried over into the modern era. The 2100 Class
diesels only weighed 96 tonnes when built, and parochial Banana Benders still
refer to them as "heavy weights"! 2100's were too heavy to access some lines, so
most had their fuel tanks cut in half, to bring the weight back to 91.5 tonnes
when displaced from dedicated coal haul. Later rebuilds saw a number of these
modified units fitted with an auxiliary tank. The alpha following the number on
some classes of Qld locos indicates the modification level (so is a guide to
weight).

The 3100(command) and 3200 (slave) were built (1986-1989) by Comeng (sold to ABB
Transportation in 1990 became Adtranz and now part of Bombardier) in partnership
with Hitachi. Comeng (then Commonwealth Engineering of Australia) together with
the Budd Company and Leyland opened a JV (Union Carriage & Wagon) in South
Africa in 1957.

[Mel Turner]

It looks like our online efforts to blast a hole in QR Nationals secrecy has worked. The locos were transported unwrapped to the wharf, what hope did they have of denying a sale?

A big thanks to those who who emailed photos and data

QRN released numbers details and photos to a select group of rail journalists in mid July. At that time 95% of the facts had become international knowledge, no doubt aided by the South African journos who mine groups such as this and sar-L for their "news". There was an article with photos in the July/August edition of "Motive Power" magazine

Below is the definitive list. QRN have not released any end-user detail as they sold the locos to an international asset disposal specialist

3 x 3100 Class B-B-B electric 25kV, Comeng/Hitachi
3101*/3102*/3103* would appear QGR number used as builders number, 1986 build

13 x 2600 Class Goninan/GE U22C rebuilt as C22-MMi 2000/2002
2600 2500-12/83-58
2601 2500-12/83-59
2602 2500-01/84-60
2603 2500-02/84-61
2604 2500-03/84-62
2605 2500-04/84-63
2606 2500-05/84-64
2607 2500-06/84-65
2608 2500-07/84-66
2609 2500-08/84-67
2610 2500-09/84-68
2611 2500-10/84-69
2612 2500-11/84-70
All 13 locomotives in the Class Shipped. This type now extinct in Australia

3 x 2100 Class Clyde/EMD GL26C.
2100H 70-711 1970
2111D 71-722 1971*
2123F 72-751 1973*

14 x 1720 Class Clyde GL18C.
1721D 66-503 1966*
1729D 66-511 1966*
1739D 67-521 1967
1740D 67-522 1967
1742D 67-524 1967
1748D 67-562 1967*
1755D 66-635 1968*
1757D 66-637 1968
1766D 69-683 1969
1767D 69-684 1969
1768D 69-685 1969*
1769D 69-686 1970*
1772D 70-689 1970*
1775D 70-692 1970*
*Photo Fisherman Islands/Durban


Split between South African purchasers
SAFLog
2100 + 2111 + 2123 total 3
1721 + 1729* + 1739 + 1740 + 1742 + 1757 + 1766 + 1769* total 8
RRL Grindrod
3101 + 3102 + 3103 total 3
2600* + 2602 + 2603* + 2606* + 2608* + 2611* total 6
1748 + 1755 + 1767 + 1768 + 1772 + 1775 total 6
AR&TS (Surtees)
2601 + 2604* + 2605* + 2607* + 2609 + 2610* + 2612 total 7
*Photo on site in SA

Sold units at Redbank (Brisbane, Queensland), waiting for shipment to South Africa
2 x 2100 Class Clyde/EMD GL26C.
2102H 70-713 1971
2121F 72-749 1972
14 x 1720 Class Clyde GL18C
1722D 66-504 1966
1727D 66-509 1966
1747D 67-561 1967
1750D 67-564 1968

All 39 Locomotives were sold by QR National to Apex Australia Pty. Ltd. the Australian affiliate of the Apex Group of Companies from Washington DC.
Apex Australia Pty. Ltd. subcontracted overall logistics to Trans Pacific Projects Pty. Ltd.

Contrary to information from posts on two Australian groups, the 6 remaining locos have not been cannibalized for parts. As 6 is not an economic shipping unit, do not be surprised if there is a further sale

Main variance in this list to the one posted on 09/07/2012 22:00:03 is the substitution of (Class leader) 2100H for 2116D

If anyone has knowledge re the destination of the last 4 1720's for SAFLog, would appreciate a PM

Mel

[John Ashworth]

EX QR LOCO AT REGM

On November 27, 2012 Railways Africa

On 20 November, Geoff Pethick reported seeing ex Queensland Rail diesel loco 2601 at Randfontein Estates Gold Mine (REGM). He was told it came from Rustenburg, so surmised it might be on loan from AR&TS. Photos of the loco taken at the old Millsite loading area will be included in Railways Africa magazine, issue 6-2012.

[John Ashworth]

UPDATE ON EX-QR LOCOS

On March 12, 2013 Railways Africa

From Les Bray: Update on locos acquired by South African firms in 2012 ex-Queensland Rail in Australia:

RRL Grindrod:
• 1722 + 1767 + 1772 + 1748 + 1775 + 1768 (1772 is up & running)

• 2600 + 2602 + 2603 + 2606 + 2608 + 2611 (All believe to be running)

• 3 X 3100 (electrics) are to be repaired to work on a contract in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

• It is believed all the 1700 class will be going to work on contract in the DRC, too.

• The 2600 class are to be allocated to various local contracts in South Africa.

African Rail & Traction Services (AR&TS)
(Part of Surtees Rail):
• 2601 + 2604 + 2605 + 2607 + 2609 + 2610 + 2612
All to be used on contracts in South Africa.

Saflog:
• 2111 + 2116 + 2123

• 1739 + 1740 + 1742 + 1757 + 1766 + 1769 + 1721 + 1729
(1742 has been repaired as their number L25)

[Mel Turner]

The above list cross-posted from QRIG (Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:17 pm by Tony Bailey) is rather dated, and contains some fairly wild assumptions, probably so inaccurate as to be disregarded

Reported sightings to-date
2600 2500-12/83-58 to SNCC red livery
2601 2500-12/83-59 November 2012 photo at REGM in odd turquoise livery, same number
2602 2500-01/84-60 to SNCC red livery
2603 2500-02/84-61 to SNCC red livery
2604 2500-03/84-62
2605 2500-04/84-63
2606 2500-05/84-64 to RRL 2601, to SNCC red livery 2201-n
2607 2500-06/84-65
2608 2500-07/84-66 to SNCC red livery
2609 2500-08/84-67
2610 2500-09/84-68 February 2013 photo at Pretoria AR&TS Blue livery, same number
2611 2500-10/84-69 to RRL 2602 to SNCC red livery 2202-n
2612 2500-11/84-70
The four unnumbered SNCC units above will become 2203-n, 2204-3, 2205-6, and 2206-n, number crosses currently unknown (under the SNCC numbering protocol n = check digit).
It is believed that 2205-6 and 2206-n took a Rovos Rail charter to Dar es Salaam north on March 7th
If anyone has photos of 2201/2202/2203/2206 can they please drop me a PM, would like to get the check digit

At this stage it looks like only the RRL units are heading for the Congo. The World Bank sponsored tender only calls for 5 shunting locos, so one of RRL's 1720 may be held as a spare
Identified so far
1772D 70-689 1970 to SNCC 1701-06
1775D 70-692 1970 to SNCC 1702-09

The World Bank mainline diesel loco tender calls for the supply of 25 units, so RRL must have other locos in the wings. The Electrics do not appear to be covered by the WB, so may be part of a separate deal with SNCC (or Gecamines)