3551 Class | Railways and Tramways of Australia

3551 Class

Anchor 1

Electric locomotive 3524, Queensland, 13 November 2008. Photo: Andreas Nagel, München, Wikimedia Commons.

Road numbers:

3502–5, 3508–19, 3521, 3525–6, 3531–3, 3536–9, 3541–8, 3550–1, 3553, 3555, 3557–9, 3561–3, 3565–7, 3573

Operator:

Aurizon

Gauge:

1067 mm

Year of entry into service:

2003

Number built:

Model:

JAE29-3B

Manufacturer:

Walkers Limited

Manufacturing location:

Maryborough, Qld

Engine:

25 kV electric

Traction power:

2901 kW

Wheel arrangement:

Bo-Bo-Bo

Weight:

109.8 t

Length:

20.0 m

Nineteen command electric locomotives of the 3500 Class were introduced along with 31 slave units of the 3600 Class for coal service in Queensland from 1986. The command units were able to lead a train using remote control of the other units that were placed in the middle of the train. With updated development of remote control technology there was later no use for dedicated control and slave units. The 3500 and 3600 Classes were upgraded at Rockhampton and became the 3551 Class, re-entering service from 2003. Nineteen 3900 Class units were also refurbished and joined the class. They are used on the electrified sections of the Queensland coal network. Some units are now in storage.