Written By: Alex Thorn
Photos By: Thomas Bulic, Ian Green, Tom Schache, Dean Jones, Macauley Haywood and Brian Atkins

​Page Last Updated: 9/9/20

Locomotive Info:
Type: Diesel-Electric
Manufactured: RTS Islington, SA
Number Built: 10
Model: AT36-C
Loco Length: 19.10 Meters
Weight: 132 tonnes
Engine: EMD 645F3B
Traction Motors: 5GE752-AF11
Horsepower: 3800 
​Max Speed: 115 km/h

RL309-1431 with Qube's #8462 ore train at Belford (2/7/20)
Photo By: Thomas Bulic

The RL class concept can be tracked back to 1994, when Morrison Knudsen Australia (MKA) began its RL class rebuild project for a number of 442 class locomotives. The idea was to modernise these aging locomotives with 3500hp EMD engines so that they would be considered more useful. Unfortunately, the RL class project fell through shortly after the project started, and the rebuilds were put on hold. This occurred as MKA’s parent company in the US filed for bankruptcy.

RL303-1101-1105 with #9865 at Kogarah. (21/1/19)
Photo By: Thomas Bulic

RL304 in its CFCLA livery in North Dynon. (16/7/07)
Photo By: Ian Green

National Railway Equipment Company (NREC) acquired the MKA business and restarted the rebuild project that had already begun, however very few parts from the 442s were actually used. Brand new locomotive frames were used while bogies and compressors from the 442s were maintained. The new frames were adapted for the new EMD 16-645F3B engines to be fitted. The design consisted on a single ended locomotive with a slanted front resembling the AN or EL class of locomotives.

​Between 2005 and 2010, a total of 9 out of the 10 planned units were constructed at RTS Islington in Adelaide. These were numbered RL301 to RL310. RL308 was partially built but scrapped in 2008 after a fault in its frame was discovered. The first 7 to be build were owned by CFCLA and some wore their scheme. RL301 had received a yellow and blue livery before being painted into the CFCLA scheme.

RL305-GM27-RL301 with #7VK1 at Moorabool. (28/6/20)
Photo By: Tom Schache

RL306-4910-602-RL302 with an SSR grain stabled in Inverleigh. (30/3/20)
Photo By: Macauley Haywood

RL class were originally hired to QR National for their AM/MA services between Melbourne and Adelaide and could be found working with similar EL class locomotives. This stint proved short lived however, as they were sold Coote Industrial, later Greentrains who repainted them into their own livery shortly after. These locomotives would be leased to South Spur Rail Services, and when the company was on-sold to QUBE, one RL went with the deal. QUBE took delivery of a further two RLs. RL309 and RL310 would wear QUBE’s livery and are still operated by them today. QUBE would later operate most of the class, hiring the RLs from Greentrains.

​In April 2016, the six Greentrains units were sold to SSR, being RL301 to RL307 (except RL303). Today, SSR operate them with older power on interstate grain trains mainly. RL307 is stored out of service at Lithgow Rail Workshops.

RL310-1102 with a QUBE grain at Leightonfield. (23/6/18)
​Photo By: Dean Jones

RL305-RL306-RL304-RL301-VL359 with 5MC5 at Sunshine. (19/3/15)
​Photo By: Ian Green

Inside the Cab of an RL Class

The cab of RL306 at Carrington (8/11/08)
Photos By: Brian Atkins

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Locomotive Status

Click on underlined Road No. for more photos

Road No.	Livery	Owner	Service Life	Current State
RL301	Cootes w/ SSR logos	SSR	Sep 2006 - Present​​	Operational
RL302	Cootes w/ SSR logos	​SSR	Feb 2007 - Present	Operational
RL303	Cootes	QUBE	Jan 2007 - Present	​Operational
RL304	Cootes w/ SSR logos	​SSR	Mar 2007	​Operational
RL305	​Cootes w/ SSR logos	​SSR	Apr 2007	​Operational
RL306	Cootes w/ SSR logos	SSR	Unknown - Present	​Operational
RL307	Cootes w/Greentrain Logos	​SSR	Unknown - Present	Operational
RL308	Unknown	Unknown	Not Built	Scrapped
RL309	QUBE Yellow	QUBE	10 Sep 2010 - Present	​Operational
RL310	​QUBE Yellow	QUBE	12 Oct 2010 - Present	​Operational

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All information sourced from Australian Locomotive Guide (Peter Clark) and Wikipedia