Ge-Goninan NR-class

Specification

Factory model : Cv40-9i.

Type : diesel-electric freight and passenger locomotive

introduced : 1996

Number in class : 120

Manufacturer : Goninan & Co.

Gauge : 1435 mm

Axles : Co-Co

Length : 22 metres

Mass : 132 t

Engine : GE 7FDL16

Power : 4020hp

Speed : 115 / 23 km/h

NR locomotive is, perhaps, the most popular locomotive in Australia. That's because the locomotive is used for the most famous passenger train in Australia : The Indian Pacific. But it used to have an interesting begining.

The loco is the first mainline locomotive in Australia to feature digital desktop driving console. And it is the first mainline locomotive to feature 16 cylinders General Electric machine.

Originally used for freight duties around east coast, it was later used for transcontinental freight hauling.

When the Australian National Railway was disbanded in 1997, National Rail was hired to provide locomotive for the transcontinental passenger service: Indian Pacific and Ghan.

Since then, the locomotive's popularity grown. And it is become more popular when the indigenous liveried NR (number 30 and 52) was introduced in 1998.