600/BU Class

606 (Geoff Ind)

 
BU1 (John Cleverdon)



South Spur - 600 - No photo available

Locomotive numbers: 600-606 (600)
BU1-4 (BU)
 

Model Number: DL541 

 

Type Diesel-Electric
Introduced 1965 
Number in class 7
Manufacturer A E Goodwin (600)
MKA (BU)
Gauge Standard 
Axles Co-Co (600)
A1A-A1A (BU)
Length 17.88 m
Mass 113 t (600)
100 t (BU)
Engine Alco 12-251C (600)
Engineless slug (BU)
Generator AEI TG-5301 (600)
Engineless slug (BU)
Traction motors GE 752 (600)
EMD D77 (BU)
Power 1491 kW / 2000 HP (600)
1350 kW / 1800 HP (BU)
Tractive effort 367 / 310 kN (600)
N/A (BU)
Speed 120 / 11 km/h (600)
130/16 km/h (BU)

<>The 600 class were used by SAR over the standard gauge line from Broken Hill to across the Nullarbor, and south to Adelaide. Among their main duties include ore traffic from Broken Hill, and coal from Leigh Creek. They were intially used for construction work on the standard gauge
In 1994, the decision was made to rebuild four of the class as the BU class, these being booster units.

The remaining 600 class have been sold to South Spur Rail.


BU class:
The rebuilds were known as "Tractive Effort Booster Units", a.k.a. slugs, with traction motors only. Concrete was added to increase traction, with the power coming from the locos hooked up, the idea being to couple them up to ALF class locos. Traction motors from the AL and CL classes were used.
The idea didn't work too well, and all four were withdrawn. Following the breakup and sale of AN, MKA returned them to it's Whyalla base and into storage.
BU1 was recently returned to service for a short time, but following the arrival of the 422 class, it returned to storage.
    
South Spur Rail:
The three remaining class, having been leased to South Spur Rail, were eventually sold to them in 2005 for use in NSW.
Loco Serial # In Service Comments
600 (later 607) G-3419-1 4/1965 Sold to South Spur Rail, 4-2005
601 G-3419-2 (601)
94-AN-027 (BU2)
 8/1966 Rebuilt as BU2, In service 9-1994
602 G-6015-1 12/1969 Sold to South Spur Rail, 4-2005
603 G-6015-2 12/1969 Sold to South Spur Rail, 4-2005
604 G-6015-3 (604)
94-AN-028 (BU3)
 12/1969 Rebuilt as BU3, In service 9-1994
605 G-6015-4 (605)
94-AN-026 (BU1)
 1/1970 Rebuilt as BU1, In service 8-1994
606 G-6015-5 (606)
94-AN-029 (BU4)
 1/1970 Rebuilt as BU4, In service 9-1994

 
 
 

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