On December 7th 2004 the three eagerly awaited MKA locomotives arrived.
These locos were rebuilds of former Queenland/
Tasrail ZC locos, and were remanufactured in South Australia by the now defunct Morrison Knudsen group. They
arrived without bogies, suitable ones were available from disused
ZC locos. The arrival of the MKAs in theory added 3 more DOO engines to the fleet.
They were expected to enter service in February 2005. The locos were all painted into the new Pac-Nat corporate livery and new numbers were applied, 2134, 2137, 2138.
Then commissioning commenced. This took an entire year
while various problems were sorted out. There were a few trial runs on the Bell Bay line, and in January 2006 all
units entered service. 2137 was in Burnie on Monday 16th Jan and 2134 arrived on Thursday 19th Jan, nearly 400 days after its arrival back in 2004
and headed train 35 later in the day. But as of today (25th Jan 2006) 2137 seems to have broken down,
leaving only 2134&8, which were seen paired together running the coal train to Railton. (See pics below)
The locos, l to r Nos. 4, 7, 8 parked near the concentrates shed. The next morning they were taken around to the wharf sidings where
the paper train is unloaded to have the bogies fitted.
The cabs on these locos are much longer than before, a toilet cubicle is included on this side at the rear but no toilet is installed.
After the bogies were fitted they were pushed up to the servicing shed, then later moved into the old EBR diesel shop. Shown here at the Burnie station
MKA8
The next few photos are grabs from video and are not as good a quality.
MKA7 being pushed into the EBR shed
Part of the main control panel
The next day 2100 towed the MKAs to Launceston, dropping MKA4 off at Deloraine for painting. Here shown crossing the Forth River. Pic from J Robertson
Ready to take train 35 out of Burnie, 2134 heads 2101, 2100 and 2001 on Jan 19 2006
At Chasm Creek, with a long train, 50 wagons, 96 containers, all 4 engines running.
Through the points at Howth. These points lead into the old pivot facility, now used occassionally for track equipment.
At Hagley siding, 2134 and 2138 went through with the coal train, Jan 25 2006, 3.10 pm
Climbing out of Westbury
MORE MKAs ARRIVE
April 24, 2007. Two more MKAs arrived in Burnie and were lifted onto their bogies
on the wharf siding, and were then brought off the wharf by Y class 2150. Will be a few days before these units see service in Tasmania as
the 4 line brake system has to be converted to 3 line, and the bogies and side bearers need work. The MKAs left Burnie later in the day attached to train 35.
2150 hauling the 2 "new" MKAs off the Burnie wharf.
On display for the press conference
2131
Closeup of 2133
Being hauled by the Melba loco set up under the highway overpass. Note the "slug" is once again in this set.
Photo of 2133 at Lonah, July 27 2007. DQs are 2011 & 2002. Train was 6 coal, 8 wagons with 15 containers, 27 empties. Many of these empties may have come out of the Devonport yard as a final cleanup.
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Updated 26 July 2007