Ex Queensland Railway, 2250 Class, No. 2259. Transnet Freight Rail imported 34 ex Queensland Railway locomotives. They arrived in Durban on the BBC Ohio and off loading began Friday, 17th October 2014. It is believed that 20 of the locomotives are for Transnet Engineering. These 20 will then be marketed to other African countries (possibly the 20 X 2250 Class?). The remaining 14 (possibly the 14 X 2170 Class?) will be retained by TFR and deployed to work on the line between Bethlehem and Kroonstad.
Some info on the 2250 Class off Wikipedia (the free online encyclopaedia) - “The 2250 Class are a class of diesel locomotives rebuilt by Queensland Rail's Redbank Workshops in 2004. The 2250 Class are former 1550, 2100, 2130, and 2141 Class locomotives that were rebuilt in 2004. The rebuilds included new cabs, Dash 2 electronics, ZTR traction control equipment, EMD 645E engines from 1502s and the replacement of the roots blower supercharger with a turbocharger. They were also ballasted to 110 tonnes (110 long tons; 120 short tons) as they only operate on heavy coal trains. 20 locomotives were sold to Transnet in South Africa in 2014.”
Photos taken in the Durban area, from the PRASA / Metrorail yards just North of Durban Station to Rossburgh Station including the Bayhead yards and along the Esplanade, Maydon Wharf and around Durban Harbour.
