Australian Trains: MZ Class - Danish Immigrant Locomotives Down Under

The MZ class locomotives were originally built by NOHAB In Sweden under licence from General Motors EMD for Danske Statsbaner/DSB (Danish State Railways).
16 of the Series III locomotives, originally built between 1972 & 1974, were sold to Independent Rail of Australia in 2006. Unfortunately after encountering rough seas en-route, two were written off upon arrival & scrapped due to damage received.
Independent Rail was sold to QUBE Logistics, for whom the locos continue to operate, mainly hauling container trip workings between Port Botany & terminals in western Sydney.
The locos retain their original Danish number, but generally the MZ designation has been dropped. At least a further 2 locos have been scrapped. The locos are powered by a EMD 20-645E3 prime mover.
They are affectionally known as “Helgas” or Cake Tins.

[@gudbo]

Hard not to be nostalgic, those locomotives are a big part of my childhood, I traveled across the country every fortnight to visit my dad, in a passenger carrier behind one of those amazing locos Thanks for sharing

[@video_mitch]

Nice to know that that are still earning their keep on the other side of the world!

[@SimonTog]

Very nice video with the MZ´s in Australia, Greetings from Denmark, where they where before :)

[@video_mitch]

Thanks! Yes, they add variety to our tracks! I particularly like their sound!

[@TrainsForNSWVlogs]

They are also the only train in Nsw with a wheel throttle and a lever throttle.

[@MprLarsen]

I grew up with those trains, so it’s really fun for me to watch they’ve been giving a new life… and so furthest away almost possible. But I do wish they have cared more for the paint job.

[@TrainsForNSWVlogs]

Independent rails were silver, black and yellow.

[@kjeldpedersen666]

When this NOHAB manufactured locomotive was introduced for DSB (Danish railways) in 1968 it was the most powerful diesel-electric unit in Europe. In Denmark it was used for all kinds of tasks. Seems like in Australia they’re used mainly for cargo. I guess it’s because it’s still a fairly powerful locomotive, and they can be coupled or even tripled when it’s needed. In the original Danish configuration they came in a brown- reddish paint with creme colored stripes. Later, as the DSB altered the color scheme, they were painted red at each end and black in the middle section.

[@video_mitch]

They are now owned by a logistics company - QUBE, so most of their work is trip working from Port Botany (Sydney) & and inland container terminals. They also work some long distance container & grain trains, however QUBE has recently obtained new diesels from both GE & EMD, so their days may be numbered. None have been repainted from the silver they received when they first arrived in Australia.

[@bowueggertz6813]

This Danish locomotive, are made in Trollhättan, at Nohab, and today, it is Saab car museum, and also car Saab, factory was near here. Trollhättan is North of Gotenburg/ Göteborg, Malmö, at West and Stockholm, Södertälje at east.

[@video_mitch]

Thanks for the information!

[@nicolaihansen984]

Tidligere Danske MZer👍🇩🇰

[@Nebarus]

Aww, our old MZ locomotives still at work down under :) A special greeting to Bruce...

[@video_mitch]

Indeed!

[@pascalnemecek1502]

Belle vidéo ferroviaire Australienne ! Super grand train. Merci pour ce beau partage. Salutations Pascal de Normandie 👍

[@EOAL6689]

I seen these depart to and from the Minto container terminal on most occasions.when they travel along the passenger rail network.that these do like a freight shuttle service with only one Loco on the front.

[@video_mitch]

Thanks for the info - I must go out & check out the Minto area.

[@TrainsForNSWVlogs]

I belive they also operate out of the Moorebank terminal too.

[@matthewdempsey6583]

wish qube brought some more of these ones and some A.B class looking ones

[@さくら鉄道チャンネル]

Very nice video!!

[@video_mitch]

Thank you very much!

[@tomsear1]

What are we going to collectively do to preserve these in the future?! We need to be ready.

[@skuula]

1401 is a museum loco in Denmark... Another one would be great!

[@TrainsForNSWVlogs]

Yeah with Australia motors and horns

[@tomsear1]

​@@TrainsForNSWVlogs😅 you'll want to change the driving setup / wheel & acceleration next, blimey ha ha ;) Pimp My Scando Ride Aussie Style!

[@GTOPaul]

Hi From Texas. Do you happen to know the name of the ship that brought them from Denmark? I spent most of my life in the ocean heavylift business. The companies I worked for carried many locos around the world.

[@video_mitch]

I found this piece of information: The last batch of six were damaged in transit off Bermuda when the MV Emmagracht encountered rough seas. All were off-loaded in Savannah, Georgia to be cleaned of oil contamination. Upon arriving in Australia, 1441 and 1444 were declared write-offs and scrapped

[@trainspottingdk7065]

Very nice video! How old are the video? Are they still in service :)

[@video_mitch]

Yes they are. In daily use. Mainly on trip workings in the suburban area, but they do get to stretch their legs from time to time.

[@aidenteszke9000]

More commonly nicknamed 'toasters' on the railway these days. A lot of drivers seem to consider them a decent loco despite their poor condition and very foreign cab design (they're right hand drive with a steering wheel throttle, very different to Australian locos)

[@video_mitch]

Wow! They have a steering wheel throttle? I knew it was a "French" thing, but not aware that these had them too.

[@bigman4225]

Wrong! Drivers HATE these heaps of junk!!

[@aidenteszke9000]

@bigman4225 Okay champ 😂

[@bigman4225]

@@aidenteszke9000 Don't champ me.

[@aidenteszke9000]

@@bigman4225 Sorry buddy

[@muhammadchalidafin5644]

Europian locomotives! Cool too.

[@NoThroughRoad50]

0:08 biggest train I have ever seen

[@piecesofsteve]

Noice, different!

[@AndreA-ke2id]

Seems like the company don't take much pride in the appearance of their locos.

[@video_mitch]

No unfortunately!

[@TrainsForNSWVlogs]

Well they repainted the nswgr 44 class from candy to this livery too since independent rail colours are black, silver and yellow

[@NoThroughRoad50]

Although ugly I really like these diesels ALOT

[@Donisgood4]

Look like a loaf of bread

[@voidjavelin23]

the rolling danish bread!

[@close_friend_of_your_mom]

I correctly understood it was completely assembled in Sweden and then taken to Australia by ship ???

[@video_mitch]

They were built for the Danish Railways 1972-74, were used in Denmark until 2006, when they were sold & shipped to Australia

[@close_friend_of_your_mom]

@@video_mitch thanks 🙂