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NZR EO class (1923)
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Railways
EO class of 1923 were electric locomotives used on the steep Otira
to Arthur's Pass
section of the Midland Line
. They were primarily for pulling trains through the 8.5 km Otira Tunnel
to avoid the buildup of steam, smoke and soot.
They were later reclassified EO to avoid confusion with the EC class
locomotives.
s up, and have their pantographs linked by jumper cables. This was deemed dangerous however, and soon each locomotive ran with its own pantograph up. This often resulted in heavy sparking. Once it became normal to run three locomotives together, they were altered in 1940 to a single cab design.
locomotives. The EA class were later redesignated as EO class (of 1968).
EO3 was preserved at the Ferrymead Railway
. There is also a scale model of EO3 in Nelson, New Zealand
. It is 7 1/4 inch gauge, and is capable of pulling about six passengers with the driver.
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
EO class of 1923 were electric locomotives used on the steep Otira
Otira
Otira is a small township seven kilometres north of Arthur's Pass in the central South Island of New Zealand. It is on the western approach to the pass, a saddle between the Otira and Bealey Rivers high in the Southern Alps...
to Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass is a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. It marks part of the boundary between the West Coast and Canterbury regions, 140 km from Christchurch and 95 km from Greymouth. The pass lies in a saddle between the valleys of the Otira River, a...
section of the Midland Line
Midland Line, New Zealand
The Midland line is a 212 km section of railway between Rolleston and Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand. The line features five major bridges, five viaducts and 17 tunnels, the longest of which is the Otira tunnel.-Freight services:...
. They were primarily for pulling trains through the 8.5 km Otira Tunnel
Otira Tunnel
The Otira Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Midland Line in the South Island of New Zealand between Otira and Arthur's Pass. It runs under the Southern Alps from Arthur's Pass to Otira - a length of over . The gradient is mainly 1 in 33, and the Otira end of the tunnel is over lower than the...
to avoid the buildup of steam, smoke and soot.
Introduction
When the Otira tunnel was being built, steam locomotives were not considered for use in the tunnel, because smoke would build up in the tunnel and be difficult to clear. Tenders were received from English Electric, and a company in New York. Due to the economic situation at the time, the tender was given to English Electric. And so on the 10 April 1923, numbered EO 2 to EO 6 (1 was the Class E battery electric loco built in 1922.)They were later reclassified EO to avoid confusion with the EC class
NZR EC class
The NZR EC class were a class of electric locomotive used in Christchurch, New Zealand. They replaced steam locomotives on trains through the Lyttelton rail tunnel between Lyttelton and Christchurch.-Introduction:...
locomotives.
Service
The locomotives coped well in service, and from 1942 it became standard practice to run three locomotives together with only two pantographPantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
s up, and have their pantographs linked by jumper cables. This was deemed dangerous however, and soon each locomotive ran with its own pantograph up. This often resulted in heavy sparking. Once it became normal to run three locomotives together, they were altered in 1940 to a single cab design.
Replacement and preservation
There were replaced in April 1968 by the EA classNZR EA class
The NZR Ea class were used by New Zealand Railways between 1968 and 1997 on the OtiraArthur's Pass section of the Midland line in the South Island, through the Otira Tunnel...
locomotives. The EA class were later redesignated as EO class (of 1968).
EO3 was preserved at the Ferrymead Railway
Ferrymead Railway
The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealand's first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. On the opening of the line to Lyttelton on 9 December 1867, the Ferrymead Railway became the Ferrymead Branch and...
. There is also a scale model of EO3 in Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. It is 7 1/4 inch gauge, and is capable of pulling about six passengers with the driver.