I've noticed that Mr. Gavin Hamilton, owner of the excellent web site about Garratts, is posting. I have a question for Mr. Hamilton about the comment at the bottom of the page "Garratts from other builders." At the bottom of the page after discussing the Australian 4-8-2+2-8-4s built for the 3'6" gauges you have a comment, "Considered by some authorities to be a flawed design."

I was wondering what the issue is/was and how big an issue it really is. Thanks.

Ed


A Complete list of Garratt Locomotives
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> > "Considered by some authorities to be a
> flawed design."

> I was wondering what the issue is/was and
> how big an issue it really is. Thanks.

> Ed

The short answer is that the "Australian Standard Garratt" (ASG) was a wartime expedient built because of the inability of existing fleets to handle the explosion in traffic and because importation was impossible. The locomotive was hastily designed and construction was distributed between Government Railway workshops in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and contractors in Sydney. There was more than a bit of hidden agenda in the "Australian Standard" part of the title and the design was intended for use on 4 different systems, each with their own brake, coupling and other quirks. Compromise and material saving were high on the agenda and it's no wonder that mistakes occurred. The project leader used the opportunity to promote his ideas and some uncommon features were incorporated.
While there was a definite propensity to derail (in some states - and probably as much a comment on track standards as anything else) it would seem that the main problem was people related in two ways - the "not invented here and foisted on us" syndrome, and the displeasure of enginemen who suddenly had articulated locomotives of twice the size (and work) that they were used to.

The ASGs ran on all the 3 foot 6 state systems as well as two private lines. Although built in the early 1940's most were gone by the mid 1950's. A few ran into the 60's on the two private lines.

After a lot of attention to detail modifications, the private engines were quite successful. The ASG was built to meet an emergency need - they did that reasonably well; when the war ended they were just too big and just too non-standard for most owners and they went quickly. Interestingly they did best in Tasmania and Western Australia who had had Garratt experience - and poorest in South Australia and Queensland who had none but who, most revealingly later acquired garratts of their own design.

There is only one survivor, one of the private engines and one that was overhauled after replacement by a diesel and never again used. One day we'll re-activate it and find out just what the real issues were.

Further reading "Australias Garratt" by Bob Butrims (a somewhat sympathetic look from the viewpoint of the organisation that will somedat run the survivor) and "Crimson Giants", A history of Queenslands garratts that is totally anti-ASG and demonstrates the attitudes that killed them so fast there.

http://www.sunsteam.org.au/volume6-8.htm

> The short answer is that the...

Thanks, much appreciate the explanation.

Ed