South Australian Railways Redhen railcar

Red Hen railcar
A typical 3-car Red Hen consist in original livery at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide: 400 class double-ended power car no. 400, 860 class trailer no. 875, and a 300 class single-ended power car no. 321


ManufacturerSouth Australian Railways
Built atIslington Railway Workshops
ReplacedBrill railcars
Constructed1955-1971
Entered service1955-1996
Number built111
Number preserved27
Formation1/2/3 carriages
Fleet numbers300-373, 400-436
Capacity300-341: 91
362-373: 89
400-419: 80
420-436: 78
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
State Transport Authority
TransAdelaide
Specifications
Car length20.00 m (65 ft 7 in)
Width3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
Height4.27 m (14 ft 0 in)
Wheel diameter914 millimetres (36 in)
Maximum speed88 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 gauge1,600 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.

  1. ^ "Permanent way camp cars". Railways Institute Magazine. Adelaide: South Australian Railways. May–June 1966. p. 5.