New Zealand DL class locomotive

NZR DL class
Type and origin Power type Diesel Builder Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock (CNR Group) Pacific Power Development (NZ) Ltd (agent) Order number 20 Model CKD-9B Build date 2009–2010
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Length 18.5 metres (61 ft) over drawgear 18.12 metres (59.4 ft) over body Axle load 18 tonnes (18 long tons; 20 short tons) Prime mover MTU 20V 4000R43 Alternator Yongji Electric Machine Factory JF205 Series Traction motors Yongji Electric Machine Factory ZD126C Loco brake Wabtec 26L Pneumatic Air Brake
Performance figures Power output 2,700 kilowatts (3,600 hp)
Career Delivered November 2010 (1st batch) Early 2011 (2nd batch) Current owner KiwiRail

The NZR DL class is a class of diesel-electric locomotives under construction for KiwiRail. Once commissioned, they will be the most powerful diesel-electric locomotives in service in New Zealand. It was previously reported that the class was to be known as the DK class, however KiwiRail have since reclassed it DL, after the builder of the locomotives, Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock. The first locomotive is numbered DL 9008.

They will be the first new locomotives to enter service on the New Zealand railway network in more than 20 years.

Construction

The acquisition of new locomotives for the rail network was first proposed by Toll NZ after they purchased Tranz Rail in 2003. When Toll assumed responsibility for the operation of the rail network, a new crown business was created to own and maintain the track assets; ONTRACK. However, after several years of negotiations between Toll and ONTRACK, the two parties could not come to an agreement on the amount that Toll should pay for access to the rail network (track access fees). Accordingly, Toll did not purchase any new locomotives while the track access issue remained unsolved. In July 2008, the fifth Labour Government purchased Toll Rail from Toll, renamed it KiwiRail, and merged ONTRACK into it, creating one company that controls both operations and rail infrastructure. A couple of weeks after the new company was officially launched, then State Owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard announced that the government was investigating the possibility of assembling new locomotives at United Group’s Hutt Workshops facility from imported parts.

Following the election of the fifth National government in November 2008, the railways investment programme initiated by the previous administration was suspended pending a review. In March 2009, the government announced that it had authorised KiwiRail to invest $115m in new rolling stock. These funds were allocated to the purchase of 20 new locomotives ($75m) and carriages for the Tranz Scenic services ($40m). The locomotives are to be built in China by Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock (CNR Group) and imported ready-assembled. It was explained that the decision to import the locomotives, rather than build them locally as had been investigated by the previous government, was made primarily for two reasons: cost and time-to-service.

The first batch of 6 locomotives arrived in New Zealand on the 20 November, and were moved to Hamilton three days later where the commissioning and driver training process will take place. The remaining 14 are due to arrive early in 2011.

Service

The locomotives will be deployed into freight service, on services currently hauled by two locomotives and/or on services where having a double cab locomotive is particularly beneficial to operations:

First batch (6)

• Mount Maunganui-Mission Bush export steel
• Mount Maunganui-Huntly Genesis coal
• Mount Maunganui-Te Rapa general freight
• Mount Maunganui-Westfield general freight
• Mount Maunagnui-Murupara forestry

Second batch (14)

• Mount Maunganui-Kinleith forestry
• Huntly-Mission Bush coal
• Mount Maunganui-Auckland Metroport
• Palmerston North-Wellington general freight
• Palmerston North-Whareroa milk

These proposed allocations are correct as at April 1, 2010.

The introduction of the DL class locomotives will enable the reallocation of some DFT class locomotives for Auckland suburban passenger services.

Criticism

The decision to purchase locomotives from China, and the locomotives themselves, have received criticism since the decision to purchase them was announced.

The idea of building the locomotives in New Zealand as advocated by the previous Labour administration was promoted as a way of creating jobs at a time when the economy was entering a recession and unemployment was rising. Critics of the decision pointed out that New Zealand did not possess the necessary skilled labour in sufficient quantity for such a construction programme to proceed in a timely manner, and had not done so for several decades since the New Zealand Government Railways ceased building its own locomotives. The alternative of importing locomotives was billed as the quickest way to obtain the necessary new motive power.

Critics have also questioned the reliability of the locomotives to be purchased, citing a case of Dalian-built locomotives in Malaysia encountering a number of initial technical problems (KTM Class 29). It has been pointed out that once the technical problems with the Malaysian locomotives were solved, they became reliable and performed above expectation. The relevance of comparing the Malaysian class 29 locomotives to the DL locomotives is yet to be seen; the DL locomotives are not class 29 locomotives. Unlike the Malaysian locomotives, the DL units are fitted with a German built MTU engine, American braking equipment and the same type of traction motors that are used in DX class locomotives.

Class register

TMS No.	Introduced	Current Livery	Status	Allocated to	Notes
DL 9008	November 2010	KiwiRail	Undergoing Testing	North Island	Arrived in New Zealand 20 November 2010
DL 9014	November 2010	KiwiRail	Undergoing Testing	North Island	Arrived in New Zealand 20 November 2010
DL 9020	November 2010	KiwiRail	Undergoing Testing	North Island	Arrived in New Zealand 20 November 2010
DL 9037	November 2010	KiwiRail	Undergoing Testing	North Island	Arrived in New Zealand 20 November 2010
DL 9043	November 2010	KiwiRail	Undergoing Testing	North Island	Arrived in New Zealand 20 November 2010
DL 9066	November 2010	KiwiRail	Undergoing Testing	North Island	Arrived in New Zealand 20 November 2010
DL 9072	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9089	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9095	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9106	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9112	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9129	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9135	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9141	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9158	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9164	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9170	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9187	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9193	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China
DL 9204	January 2011	KiwiRail	At CNR	North Island	At CNR in China

References

• "Down at the Station". The New Zealand Railway Observer. 66 (1). Wellington: New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society: 31. 2009. ISSN 0028-8624. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |day=, |laydate=, |coauthors=, |laysummary=, and |laysource= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)