Today’s historic photo of the day: VLine shunting loco Y174 runs a Ballarat-bound Redan pilot near the Cuthberts Road level crossing between Redan and Linton Junction in Alfredton, Vic, December 29 1989.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This goods-only broad gauge line branched south from the main western line at Linton Junction and curved around Ballarat’s western suburbs to reach Redan and the Cattle yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trains served numerous industrial clients as well as the cattle yards themselves, but by 1989 the demand for rail transport to service the industries in Ballarat’s western suburbs was declining. In 1995 the main line to Ararat closed after the new standard gauge interstate railway to Adelaide via Cressy opened. The Redan and Cattle Yards branch line\/s remained open for a while longer but they too closed in 1997 and this track has been lifted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clyde Engineering of Granville delivered 75 Y class diesels to the Victorian Railways between 1963 and 1968. These 480kW Bo-Bo units were powered by 6 cylinder EMD engines. The first 50 units had EMD 567C engines, whilst the last 25 (including Y174) had the larger EMD 645E engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Y classes were used for shunting and for light lines and trip services, but they did have a top speed of 80km\/h and did occasionally get to stretch their legs on the mainline. They were sometimes even used on passenger trains. Most have now been withdrawn, but ten or so are still in service as shunting locos. Some are still even used by VLine to shunt passenger carriages at Melbourne Southern Cross station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Y174 herself, the penultimate member of the class, was purchased by Ettamogah Rail Hub. She ran there for some time but is now in storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n