New Zealand Diesel and Electric Traction: Class DA, DAA, DAR

New Zealand Diesel and Electric Traction

Class DA, DAA, DAR

NZR Class DA / DAA
Tranz Rail Class DAR

Road Numbers:

DA / DAA 1400 to DA / DAA 1404, DA / DAA 1406 (General Motors, Canada, 1955)
DA 1405, DA 1407 to DA 1414 (General Motors, Canada, 1955)
DA 1415 to DA 1429 (General Motors, US, 1955 - 56)
DA 1430 to DA 1439 (Clyde Engineering, Australia, 1957)
DA 1440 to 1545 (General Motors, Canada; 6 batches, 1961 - 67)

TMS Numbers:

DA 11 to DA 996 (not all locos received TMS numbers, particularly the later batches as they were rebuilt as DC class before the introduction of TMS)

DAR 517 (rebuilt from DA 1448)

Model Number: G12

Type	Diesel-Electric
Introduced	1955 - 1967
Number in class	146
Manufacturer	EMD, La Grange; GMD, Canada; Clyde Engineering, NSW, Australia
Gauge	1067 mm
Axles	A1A-A1A
Length	14.1 m (GMD/EMD); 14.6 m (Clyde)
Weight in working order	81 t (GMD/EMD); 79 t (Clyde); Adhesive weight 59 t
Engine	GM 12-567C; V12; bore 216 mm, stroke 254 mm; 835 rpm
Main generator	GM
Traction motors	4 x GM D19 or D29
Power	1060 kW / 1425 hp
Continuous tractive effort	140 kN
Speed	100 km/h

The DA class were used only in the North Island on mainline passenger and freight services plus some secondary service, and were very successful. They were commissioned in eight batches from 1955 to 1967. The first two batches supplied as one order, DA 1400 to 1429, exhibited a large amount of roll on curves so were restricted to goods train operation. Subsequent batches were fitted with an improved bogie design suited for high speed running. In 1960, the "Moohan Rocket" named after the then Minister of Railways, in which a DA was compared in an express passenger run over the North Island Main Trunk against a pair of DG class locomotives, resulted in the DAs being given the haulage of the express "Scenic Daylight" passenger trains between Auckland and Wellington.

Five of the class were converted in 1970 for hump shunting at the Te Rapa freight yards, consisting principally of fitting a low speed control and reclassifying as DAA. From 1977 to 1983, eighty DAs were sent to Clyde Engineering in New South Wales for rebuilding as the DC class; five more were similarly converted at the Hutt Locomotive Centre near Wellington. The last locos in normal service were withdrawn in 1989. Six have been preserved: DA 1400 at MOTAT Auckland; 1410, 1431 and 1471 by Steam Incorporated in Wellington; and 1401 and 1429 by Pacific Rail Trust / Hooterville Heritage Trust. DA 512 was purchased in the late 1980s by Tasman Pulp and Paper, but returned to Tranz Rail ownership in 1999 as DAR 517.

ROAD NO.	TMS NO.	NOTES	ROAD NO.	TMS NO.	NOTES
DA 1400	11	Was DAA 1400.	DA 1401	28	Was DAA 1401.
DA 1402	34	Was DAA 1402.	DA 1403	40	Was DAA 1403.
DA 1404	57	Was DAA 1404.	DA 1405	-
DA 1406	63	Was DAA 1406.	DA 1407	86
DA 1408	92		DA 1409	103
DA 1410	126		DA 1411	132
DA 1412	149		DA 1413	155
DA 1414	161		DA 1415	178
DA 1416	184		DA 1417	190
DA 1418	201		DA 1419	218
DA 1420	224		DA 1421	230
DA 1422	247		DA 1423	253
DA 1424	276		DA 1425	282
DA 1426	-		DA 1427	299
DA 1428	316		DA 1429	322
DA 1430	339		DA 1431	345
DA 1432	351		DA 1433	368
DA 1434	374		DA 1435	380
DA 1436	397		DA 1437	408
DA 1438	414		DA 1439	420
DA 1440	437		DA 1441	-	DC 4421
DA 1442	443		DA 1443	466
DA 1444	472		DA 1445	489
DA 1446	495	DC 4513	DA 1447	506
DA 1448	512	DAR 517	DA 1449	529
DA 1450	535		DA 1451	541
DA 1452	558		DA 1453	564	DC 4916
DA 1454	570		DA 1455	-	DC 4254
DA 1456	587	DC 4945	DA 1457	593	DC 4939
DA 1458	-	DC 4450	DA 1459	604	DC 4951
DA 1460	610		DA 1461	627
DA 1462	633		DA 1463	656
DA 1464	662	DC 4565	DA 1465	679	DC 4686
DA 1466	685	DC 4640	DA 1467	691
DA 1468	702		DA 1469	719	DC 4761
DA 1470	-	DC 4317	DA 1471	725
DA 1472	731	DC 4703	DA 1473	748
DA 1474	754	DC 4634	DA 1475	760	DC 4847
DA 1476	777	DC 4784	DA 1477	783	DC 4657
DA 1478	-	DC 4162	DA 1479	800	DC 4922
DA 1480	817	DC 4692	DA 1481	823	DC 4818
DA 1482	846	DC 4790	DA 1483	-	DC 4277
DA 1484	852	DC 4801	DA 1485	869	DC 4853
DA 1486	875	DC 4824	DA 1487	881	DC 4778
DA 1488	898	DC 4663	DA 1489	909	DC 4588
DA 1490	-	DC 4323	DA 1491	915	DC 4628
DA 1492	921	DC 4876	DA 1493	-	DC 4283
DA 1494	938	DC 4726	DA 1495	944	DC 4749
DA 1496	950	DC 4755	DA 1497	-	DC 4473
DA 1498	967	DC 4611	DA 1499	973	DC 4732
DA 1500	-	DC 4185	DA 1501	-	DC 4035
DA 1502	-	DC 4248	DA 1503	-	DC 4438
DA 1504	-	DC 4058	DA 1505	-	DC 4536
DA 1506	-	DC 4225	DA 1507	-	DC 4041
DA 1508	-	DC 4191	DA 1509	-	DC 4110
DA 1510	-	DC 4369	DA 1511	-	DC 4179
DA 1512	-	DC 4064	DA 1513	-	DC 4156
DA 1514	-	DC 4070	DA 1515	-	DC 4087
DA 1516	996	DC 4830	DA 1517	-
DA 1518	-	DC 4300	DA 1519	-	DC 4133
DA 1520	-	DC 4104	DA 1521	-	DC 4127
DA 1522	-	DC 4571	DA 1523	-	DC 4093
DA 1524	-	DC 4605	DA 1525	-	DC 4006
DA 1526	-	DC 4444	DA 1527	-	DC 4219
DA 1528	-	DC 4352	DA 1529	-	DC 4231
DA 1530	-	DC 4415	DA 1531	-	DC 4260
DA 1532	-	DC 4012	DA 1533	-	DC 4029
DA 1534	-	DC 4496	DA 1535	-	DC 4202
DA 1536	-	DC 4346	DA 1537	-	DC 4542
DA 1538	-	DC 4594	DA 1539	-	DC 4559
DA 1540	-	DC 4375	DA 1541	-	DC 4467
DA 1542	-	DC 4398	DA 1543	-	DC 4409
DA 1544	-	DC 4381	DA 1545	-	DC 4507


DA 126 (1410)	DA 1410 on Steam Inc excursion	DA 1431 in "1990" colours	DA 1471 Sound Clip	DA 512 at Wellington

Tasman #822 (Now DAR 517)

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