This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience.(December 2023) |
Red Hen railcar | |
---|---|
Manufacturer | South Australian Railways |
Built at | Islington Railway Workshops |
Replaced | Brill railcars |
Constructed | 1955-1971 |
Entered service | 1955-1996 |
Number built | 111 |
Number preserved | 27 |
Formation | 1/2/3 carriages |
Fleet numbers | 300-373, 400-436 |
Capacity | 300-341: 91 362-373: 89 400-419: 80 420-436: 78 |
Operators | South Australian Railways State Transport Authority TransAdelaide |
Specifications | |
Car length | 20.00 m (65 ft 7 in) |
Width | 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in) |
Height | 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in) |
Wheel diameter | 914 millimetres (36 in) |
Maximum speed | 88 km/h (55 mph) |
Prime mover(s) | 2 x GM model 6/71: 300-341, 362-373, 400-436 2 x Rolls-Royce C6SFLH: 342-361 |
Braking system(s) | Westinghouse air brakes |
Track gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) |
The Redhen railcars (originally, Red Hen)[1] was the nickname given to the 300 and 400 classes of diesel-hydraulic railcars designed by the South Australian Railways and built at its Islington Railway Workshops between 1955 and 1971. The railcars, which operated in Adelaide suburban service until 1996, remain a nostalgic part of South Australian memory. Some continue to be operated by the SteamRanger Heritage Railway, the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide and other railway preservation entities.