8236 & 48123 Mugincoble NSW. Sun 30th June 2024

The rain has cleared long enough for a video of 8236 & 48123 as they pass through the GrainCorp terminal at Mugincoble NSW with a rake of 23 empty grain hoppers, mainly NGPF & NGKF's, bound for Parkes NSW. The Parkes Sub Terminal at Mugincoble is one of the largest grain handling facilities in the district.
In the background is the GrainCorp terminal "Parkes Sub Terminal", one of the largest in the state. It's located on land formerly occupied by the Australian Defence Forces during WW-II, the original grain terminal was called "Mugincoble Grain Terminal" but was renamed to "Parkes Sub Terminal" some years later.
The 82 class and the 48 class are part of the Parkes NSW depot of Pacific National's "Rural & Bulk Division" business unit and are supplemented with a number of 81 class as well. All three locomotive classes are rotated with other depots within the state.
The 82 class story:
The 82 class were built by Clyde Engineering at Braemar NSW and are designated EMD model JT42C. Some 58 units were built in all, between 1992 & 1995, with 54 remaining in active service today. Powered by an two stroke turbo charged V12 EMD 710G3A prime mover delivering 3,030hp. Published track speed 121KMh. 8236 was delivered new on the 16th of December 1994.
Painting of the class, from the former FreightCorp blue and white, to the Pacific National blue and yellow started in 2016, very few are now left in the FreightCorp colours as delivered new. As mentioned, 54 of the 58 remain in service with 8219, 8221, 8246 and 8247 scrapped due to accident damage.
Nicknamed as "Jitterbugs" the class had an annoying cab wobble when at idle, it was fixed to a certain extent by Clyde Engineering. They also had a habit of throwing the odd piston through the block in their earlier days, due to possible main engine imbalance. Many older drivers prefer the much older 81 class over the 82 class when leading.
The 48 class story:
The 48 class once numbered 165 locomotives and were built by A. E. Goodwin ALCO at Granville NSW (although 4801 was built at St Marys NSW) between 1959 & 1970 is different orders. The 48 class were part of the broader project of removing steam locomotives from rural NSW. 48123 was delivered new on the 26th of February 1968.
Designated ALCO "World Series" model DL531 they are a very versatile locomotive and have worked all facets of trains during their tenure. Powered by a four stroke turbo charged "in-line" six cylinder ALCO 6-251B prime mover delivering 950hp. Pacific National have scrapped or sold off the majority of the class and only have 11 remaining in active service.
Sister units to the class, also built by Goodwin's are the South Australian Railways "830" class and the Silverton Tramways "20" class all with some minor variations on the 48 class. The NSWGR planned to order 20 more of the 48 class (48166-175) from Goodwin's but the order was declined as Goodwin's went into receivership.
Only four of the class have been overhauled, back in 2010, with 48103, 48144, 48159 & 48162 being repainted and refurbished.
Did you know? The 82 class, in their design stages by Clyde Engineering, were to have been delivered as the "94" class, drawings of 9401 and 9402 existed. However, for reasons unknown, the locomotives emerged as the 82 class.
Parkes Sub Terminal:
Developed on WW-II surplus land the Parkes Sub Terminal grain handling facility was opened in 1952 as the "Mugincoble Sub Terminal" and had a capacity of four million bushels of grain. The site was expanded and redeveloped between 1980 & 1982 with capacity increased to 129,000 tonnes. It's not clear when the complex was renamed to "Parkes Sub Terminal". Further expansion took place with extra grain bunkers installed 2022 to 2023.
1202hrs on Sunday 30th of June 2024.