Preserved Aussie icon, 3300HP EMD C501 - Cab & engine room.

Preserved locomotive C501, on a revenue run in Australia, 2023.

[@davidmorgan4310]

So many memories came flooding back after seeing this magnificent video. Did my first ever Albury rest in 501 and 503 back when they were new on the scene. And the staff exchanger gives me nightmares of a frozen one on a Dimboola jet one night between Ballarat and Ararat frozen solid and trying to kick it down from the manhole in the floor. Love your work mate. Sat in the same seat many times with my regular mate letting me drive

[@TheDemocrab]

Something froze near Ballarat? Yeah sounds about right

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

That's so cool! Always love a good story!

[@peterblackmore7560]

Ha! Love the reflection of high vis cameraman on rocker arms at 8:14!! The QUBE steel coil train empties heads through Wagga at between 0630 and 0730 for Port Kembla each morning. The fully loaded coil train heads South later in the morning at various times but say 1130am. It took me a few weeks to work out that it must be different consists, so I noted the Loco numbers and sure enough. Der. Two different consists. Thanks or the great footage. Lovely!

[@RODALCO2007]

Great video, thanks for posting.

[@FishplateFilms]

Great footage as usual Sir! Thanks for taking all of us frustrated armchair drivers along for the ride! I was lucky enough to catch this loco in the Adelaide Hills last year, along with a pair of CL's ( I think) when they pushed a stalled SCT train up to Mt Lofty....was great to get the trio on video . Thanks again , Gregg.

[@bigman4225]

Gregg, Railpower CLF's were with the C. Numbers 2 and 4.

[@jameswardell1028]

Big George, what a beast. Rosewaters finest

[@thebops4180]

The C class and 69 Centennial are the two best looking locomotives ever LOL :) Purring like a kitten!!!!!

[@gregthompson3274]

Always wanted to be a train driver as a kid,this is close as l got. Thanks for the ride👍

[@ModelingSteelinHO]

She is beautiful. Love that EMD sound. Thank you for sharing your day with people from around the world .

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@donarcher7002]

1979 I lived just next to the Totty yards, I can remember the then new C class Turbos idling all night outside my bedroom. They seemed to be a bit different back then with a pulse of power every few minutes in the idle cycle

[@jenesisjones6706]

You could make awesome calendars with those stills! I'd buy one for sure!

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

It's on the cards, it's been in the back of my mind for a while now. Cheers for the feedback 👌

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Thanks for sharing. Reminds me when I was stationed at Wodonga Loco in early to mid 70's.

[@supercuda1950]

The sound pickup outside is great as was the walk thru the engine room. The scenery looks good too. Reminds me that it won't be long before it warms up here in Ohio. Great video.

[@brendanengland8385]

Always loved the sound when I was little 😊

[@jimmytechnologies]

Great video, what a beast!

[@858493]

Thank-you for sharing, great driving skills too no fanning that throttle and keeping her on speed very enjoyable taking me back like those who have commented below....I'm still Current Cat 1 medical maybe l should apply..lol

[@louiskats5116]

Goodday Adam, Great video, awesome you are able to bring these magnificent videos regarding Big George. I have had the privilege to sit where you sat & feel the power of Big George. It is awesome. Cheers Louis Kats 👍🙂

[@LIMowersAndMore]

Same power as we have here on our sd40s! Great video!

[@BossSpringsteen69]

That's some fine railroading there.

[@bonza167]

beautiful piece of machinery. also good to see the the steel train at 9.30 with a load of hot rolled coil for the BSL Western Port works

[@LNM0000]

Apparently, it is still passing the camera.....

[@garryteahan6375]

Brilliant- just like our old EMD Westrail L Class locos- but your cab is better.

[@BritishRail60062]

Nice sound, it reminds me of the F45's.

[@nickwoop4153]

Nice mate :) Cool sunnies too :)

[@regionaltrainvlogstrains638]

Wonderful work there mate love to watch your videos of driving trains

[@gregbowen617]

Great video - 501 is long overdue for a nice bath though...!

[@rearspeaker6364]

and a careful cleaning inside, so it don't set off the ground relay.

[@draytonblackgrove]

So awesome.

[@rearspeaker6364]

8:31---I wanted to see a chromed exhaust stack😊

[@steventaylor6294]

Awesome video, thank you!

[@PharaohDeathMask]

Thanks for a very interesting, well filmed video.

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Thankyou 😊

[@philiphickman5085]

That shot at 8.12 in the mechanicals is KILLA just like a revolving mirror .

[@jasonmacklin8264]

Awesome video thanks for sharing and like listening to the locomotive working hard sounds awesome be watching videos great Jason

[@chefjack33]

Done some good fishing on the Goulburn river

[@jamesgovett3225]

Wonderful! 👍

[@Urnieburns70]

Big George!

[@oisinosullivan9382]

Great video AUSSIETRAINDRIVER

[@MetroVick]

Lovely sound

[@leroyybrown]

Great scenery and mechanical detail

[@crusiethmaximuss]

Such a cool career that is (:

[@TheTonystearns]

Thanks for all your kick ass videos you share with us all . One question if you don’t mind ? Do you guys have your own EMD plant there or where they built in Lagrange Illinois ?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

All our locos are and we're built under licence, the earlier locos were built by Clyde engineering here in Australia under licence from EMD, these locos were fitted with imported emd equipment but built to Australian specifications.

[@TheTonystearns]

Nice , thanks for the reply . Cheers

[@edmundcarew7235]

While fortunately no one was seriously injured, my prayers are for the SSR train drivers involved in today's truck- empty grain-train collision near Marrar on the Junee - Griffith line. Scary to say the least, even if the drivers are 'cool calm and collected' in a way I don't perceive I could be. The second incident on this line in about a week IIRC, although the other one fortunately was far less serious. Freight train drivers do a great, but often uncelebrated, job hauling the golden grain and coal, and (not for SSR) intermodal loading. Far too many occasions when motorists fail to take sufficient care at level crossings, although that's a general comment not directed to this particular occasion. Trains have right of way. I bet it's not long until UGL rail installs boom barriers at this Canola Way level crossing.

[@katecunningham1835]

Amazing video lived every moment that' C class can sure move Question in the controls what's the short orange handle lever for

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Front right of the screen? That's the automatic brake handle on the 26L brake, it's for train braking.

[@antiussentiment]

Love a dual gauge road..

[@lwilcox7418]

Im guessing this beast is making a tad more than 300hp... 😁👍

[@bigman4225]

I wouldn't call it a beast. It's far from it. Poorly maintained by its owner who doesn't use it for its purpose as a preserved engine. To be running passenger trains!!!!

[@rearspeaker6364]

@@bigman4225 don't believe they have any 110 mph gears left in all of Australia!!

[@davidmorgan4310]

Big man really do you know what you are talking about it's doing the job it was built for

[@bigman4225]

@davidmorgan4310 Do I know what I'm talking about? No mate. I have no clue yet I put up with driving that thing during my 37 year career. It was in service in 1977, thus making it nearly 50 years old. It's a Preserved locomotive, Meaning it belongs at the Seymour Loco Hire Centre for running their passenger trains. Not on hire and being flogged!

[@edmundcarew7235]

@@bigman4225 It's perfomring extremely valuable work, keeping what can be dangerous B-Doubles off freeways and local rural roads. Plus its hire gives the Semymour group income.

[@Passiona_Official]

Great video mate. A C class is essentially a North American SD40 right?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Correct

[@daffyduk77]

Quieter than I expected, the in-cab noise. Our equivalent in the UK, the EMD-engined Class 66, have had a reputation for insufficient noise insulation to the driver

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

We have some bad locomotives the BRM locos are brutally loud! These aren't bad in comparison.

[@roblachman8919]

👍👍👍

[@emdsdownunder]

Nice footage mate! 👍🇦🇺💪…….but the title should be 3000 horse power, not 300 👍

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Fixed! 😂

[@emdsdownunder]

@@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER cheers Brother,..You know I’m a pedantic prick when it comes to C’s 🤦‍♂️😉😂😂👍

[@matthewbrown8263]

Love your videos. What do you think about getting into the industry?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

It's not easy, but it's can be very rewarding!

[@ThePaulv12]

I suppose it's better to see Jaws on the BS hipster gauge than not at all... Goddamed that's an attractive looking locomotive!! I'm off to find my VR (yes VR as owned by the taxpayers of effing Victoria) C class book where I'll have a not so quiet moment looking at Jaws and Co (and a backward facing Ess or 2) on the broad gauge Ingliston bank and Adelaide Hills where they're supposed to be. Must lie down... A. Gunzel.

[@rearspeaker6364]

PN would have scrapped them all 10 years ago!!

[@offthegridwithbert924]

Certainly an impressive locomotive, however I didn't realise these were using AC, are the traction motors AC or is it rectified from AC to DC? I probably should go and school up a bit more on the C class hehe

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

AC to DC with rectifier.

[@WeldinMike27]

Forgive me if this is a bad question, but do the rpms in notch 8 @80kph differ from those roaring up a hill at 15kph?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

No the same rpm, just the amps increase.

[@WeldinMike27]

@@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER thanks

[@TheAussieFloof]

Whats the reason you put the ind brake to bail after you activate the service brake?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

With a freight train pushing, it's likely to heavily wear locomotive blocks and wheels, which are both important especially when running light locomotive, that's all you have to stop, so we reduce the amount of time locomotive brakes are applied, you can also bail off and stretch brake the train.

[@jackjones-er1ts]

is that two fuel lines going to each cylinder?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

4 exhaust valves, single injector.

[@CPAlburtisRailfan]

300hp is all? Our 1930’s pup has more 👀

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Haha fixed! Shit!

[@debeyes]

0-60 ?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

You mean speed mph?

[@bigman4225]

0-60mph when It wants too. If it makes it!

[@jasonhowe1697]

question that's not a ex-wagr loco

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Nah ex Victorian Railways. The same from WAGR were the L class diesels.

[@zdravkoleski2375]

You must love driving this beast. Whats the most powerful locomotive going around these days here?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

Yeah always good fun! The GT46c-ACe - 4500hp are the most powerful locos on the mainline and the C44-ACi 4400hp, the Pilbara has the AC6000's

[@zdravkoleski2375]

@@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER oh yeah seen them you driven them?

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

@@zdravkoleski2375 I've driven both yes, they pull well!!

[@zdravkoleski2375]

@@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER whats your favorite

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

@@zdravkoleski2375 C and CL class, the ELs aren't bad either.