# V/Line RTL class

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The **V/Line RTL class** is a [road-rail locomotive](/source/Road-rail_vehicle), capable of operating on both road and rail. It was basically a truck with retractable rail wheels. Built by [Western Star Trucks](/source/Western_Star_Trucks) in the United States, the rail equipment was provided by Brandt Industries of Canada.[1]

## History

It was to be the first of three for [V/Line Freight](/source/Public_Transport_Corporation), but the other two were never completed. It was purchased for short-haul duties on grain lines, and began tests in January 1996 on the [Dookie](/source/Dookie,_Victoria) and [Cobram](/source/Cobram_railway_station) lines.[1] In 1999/2000 it was used to haul log trains between [Bairnsdale](/source/Bairnsdale_railway_station) and [Sale](/source/Sale_railway_station,_Victoria) on the [Gippsland line](/source/Orbost_railway_line).[2] Numbered RTL1, its [vehicle registration number](/source/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Australia) was MVO782. It was included in the sale of V/Line Freight to [Freight Australia](/source/Freight_Australia), and was given the custom registration plate of MVORTL as M series plates are allocated to Victorian government vehicles and with it being placed into private ownership, was no longer eligible for such registration. It was included in the sale of Freight Australia to [Pacific National](/source/Pacific_National).

Trials of RTL1 began on 22 May 1996, under the condition that it must be treated as a train for safe-working purposes, rather than a maintenance vehicle, but when running with two or fewer vehicles attached it was also to be treated as a track machine that could not reliably operate track circuits. Its maximum speed was set at 60 km/h, and the headlights must always be switched on. The ruling grade limits were:[3]

Grade 1 in X Dry weather load (t) Wet weather load (t) % wet vs dry 50 494 191 39% 60 589 232 39% 75 727 291 40% 100 949 386 41% 150 1387 563 41% 200 1764 723 41% 400 3040 1243 41%

[Newsrail](/source/Newsrail) at the time suggested that the RTL could be based at Shepparton, primarily serving there and Echuca with the option to also cater to Bendigo, Tocumwal, Dookie, Benalla and Yarrawonga if the need arose. In that scenario, the T Class locomotive then stationed at Shepparton would be cascaded to Bendigo, replacing its Y Class, and another T Class outside of peak seasons working daily rice trains between Echuca and Moulamein. However, this depended on the weight of the Moulamein - Echuca and Deniliquin - Echuca trains, which could often weigh more than 1,000 and 1,300 tonnes respectively, and the shunting schedule at Shepparton.[3]

## Post-privatisation

After being stored at [South Dynon Locomotive Depot](/source/South_Dynon_Locomotive_Depot) for a number of years[4] it was sold in 2011 to Just Track,[5] and was used during the 2012 upgrade of the [Gawler line](/source/Gawler_railway_line) in [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide). In 2015, it was used to haul wagon flats on the [Southern Sydney Freight Line](/source/Southern_Sydney_Freight_Line) between [Enfield](/source/Enfield,_New_South_Wales) and [Leightonfield](/source/Leightonfield_railway_station).[6]

## Locomotives

Locomotive Entered service Withdrawn Owner Status RTL1 January 1996 Just Track In Service

## References

1. "New Road - Rail Vehicle to Improve Competitiveness of V/Line Short-Haul Freight" *[Railway Digest](/source/Railway_Digest)*, March 1996, p.16

1. [RTL](http://www.hobbiesplus.com.au/gunzelgallery/rtl.htm) Hobbies Plus

1. [Road Transferable Locomotive](http://railgallery.wongm.com/road-transferable-locomotive/) Wongm's Rail Gallery

1. ["Capabilities"](http://www.justtrack.com.au/capable.html). *Just Track*. Retrieved 2017-12-15.

1. [Operation of Western Star Road Transferable Locomotive](https://extranet.artc.com.au/docman/DocManFiles/DocTypes/TOC/Files/15234.PDF?245175635) Australian Rail Track Corporation 4 November 2015

## External links

- [Peter J. Vincent: RTL class](http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c561m.htm)
- [Vicsig RTL class](http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=locomotives&class=RTL&orgstate=V&type=Road%20Transferable%20Locomotive)
- [Railpage Australia forum thread with sightings](http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11362589-0-asc-s25.htm)
- [Weston Langford gallery](http://www.westonlangford.com/search/?q=RTL+1&country=&state=)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [V/Line RTL class](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%2FLine_RTL_class) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%2FLine_RTL_class?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.