Downer EDI Rail GT46C Co-Co (1997)

The GT46C is a model of diesel electric locomotive designed and built by Clyde Engineering using Electro-Motive Diesel components. Entering service from 1997 for a number of Australian rail freight operators, those built for Westrail are known as the Q class, those for FreightLink are the FQ class and a single unit for Freight Australia is the V class.

Westrail
In May 1996 Westrail ordered 15 GT46Cs from Clyde Engineering as part of an order that also included nine narrow gauge S class locomotives. The order was later extended to 19. All were assembled at a facility established by Clyde Engineering within Westrail's Forrestfield Depot to fulfill the contract with components manufactured at Clyde's Kelso and Somerton plants. All were included in the sale of Westrail to Australian Railroad Group in December 2000 and again to QR National in June 2006. Initially numbered as the Q class, they were later reclassified as the 4000 class.

Freight Australia
Following the destruction of two G class locomotives in 1999, Freight Australia ordered a single GT46AC from EDI Rail who had purchased Clyde Engineering. It was built at their Cardiff Locomotive Workshops in 2002. Numbered V544, it was named after Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer. It was included in the sale of the business to Pacific National in February 2004. The locomotive initially operated interstate freight duties, primarily the SCT Logistics service from Melbourne to Perth. In late 2007 it moved to haul Leigh Creek to Port Augusta coal trains in South Australia, servicing the Playford B and Northern power stations. As of March 2014 V544 has been stored at Port Augusta workshops after a major engine failure.

FreightLink
In 2003 four were built by EDI Rail at Port Augusta for FreightLink. They were purchased for use on the Adelaide-Darwin railway. The first two units were painted in Indigenous Australian liveries, the other two are in FreightLink red. All were included in the sale of FreightLink to Genesee & Wyoming Australia.

Q class liveries (4001-4019)
Q4001: Aurizon pineapple livery

Q4002: Aurizon pineapple livery

Q4003: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4004: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4005: ARG Orange with black stripes

Q4006: ARG yellow with a red stripe (Being repainted into Aurizon livery during late 2017)

Q4007: Aurizon pineapple livery

Q4008: Aurizon pineapple livery

Q4009: Aurizon pineapple livery

Q4010: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4011: Aurizon pineapple livery

Q4012: ARG yellow with a red stripe (two panels in the Orange and black livery)

Q4013: ARG yellow with a red stripe. The logos missing on both sides

Q4014: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4015: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4016: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4017: Original Westrail yellow with black stripes

Q4018: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Q4019: ARG yellow with a red stripe

Related development

 * New South Wales 90 class locomotive, ancestor model GT46CWM
 * Downer EDI Rail GT46C ACe, derivative model