shuntinglocos

US diesels arrive, North Wall, Co. Dublin

from National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 5 older comments, and then…
• Sharon Corbet said:

  No. 124 features on the wikipedia page in Iarnrod Eireann livery. It was only withdrawn from service in 2008. It has been preserved by the Irish Traction Group and is now at West Clare Railway, Moyasta, Co. Clare. (There are more photos showing no. 124 over its 40+ year lifetime with CIE).

• Sharon Corbet said:

  www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/6633962763/ Being unloaded.

• Swordscookie said:

  This was the beginning of a change from British to US locomotives in the CIE livery. As the mighty Wikipedia states: From the early 60s, CIE looked to GM, with their history of reliability. 15 121 Class were purchased in 1961. These were modified shunting locos ("switchers") and proved an instant success. One drawback was the single cab construction requiring the loco to be turned at the end of each journey as the drivers refused to operate them "long hood" forward. They were modified in the mid-1970s for multiple unit operation and operated in consist, "long hood" to "long hood", with their cabs at each end. 37 141 Class, delivered in 1962, were fitted with two cabs to overcome this problem. The delivery of these engines brought an end to regular steam working in April 1963. A third batch of GM locomotives (181 Class) were delivered in 1966, which were essentially 141s with 1,100 h.p. engines. Having experienced GM's reliability, CIE decided in 1964 to fit higher-powered engines in both Class 001 and Class 201 locos. However, GM would only sell complete engine / generator assemblies and would not provide engines on their own. They finally agreed in 1967 to supply engines to enable re-engining of the Class 001. The trials were a total success and over the next four years, all 94 Metrovicks were fitted with replacement EMD 645 engines. Eighteen new GM locomotives were delivered in 1977. Visually resembling a stretched 141/181 Class, the new locomotives had a Co-Co wheel arrangement and were of significantly higher power, 2,475 h.p. The 071 Class with its higher speed and power went on to become the principal passenger locomotive on the Irish railway network for the next twenty years. The new 201 Class, again built by GM, superseded them in 1994–1995. These are currently the heaviest, fastest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland (112 tons, max. speed 102 mph and 3,200 hp).

• O Mac said:

  John F. Kennedy was formally elected the 35th President of the United States on Wed, January 4th 1961.

• National Library of Ireland on The Commons said:

  Sharon Corbet Swordscookie O Mac Good afternoon, you know I cannot function without the help of a street view or an OSI reference :)