Clyde/GM WRB Class
The WRBs are old Queensland Railways 2170s, Clyde-built EMD GL26C-2s that first went into service in 1982 and 1983. Aurizon sent seventeen of the 2170s to South Africa, fourteen of them to Transnet Freight Rail in 2014 as its Class 35-800.
After winning the GrainCorp contract, Watco bought some of them back. The first lot, 2180, 2181, 2183, 2184 and 2188, landed at the Port of Brisbane on 2 July 2019, and 2188 was the first one out to Watco's new depot at Warwick on 31 July. 2174 and 2177 made it seven, and they went to work as the WRB class in 2020 on grain and cattle trains.
References
'Queensland Railways 2170 class', Wikipedia (accessed October 2026)
'WRB Class', Railtram Australia (accessed October 2026)
'Watco Australia', Wikipedia (accessed October 2026)
Technical details
| Model Number | GL26C-2 |
|---|---|
| Builder | Clyde Engineering |
| Locomotive Numbers | WRB2174, 2177, 2180, 2181, 2183, 2184, 2188 |
| Number in Class | 7 |
| Introduced | 2020 (with Watco) |
| Gauge | Narrow Gauge (1,067mm or 3' 6") |
| Axles | Oº-Oº-Oº Oº-Oº-Oº Co-Co |
| Length | 17.04m (over body) |
| Mass | 97.5t |
| Engine | EMD 16-645E |
| Power | 1641kW starting / 1492kW continuous |
| Starting Tractive Effort | 286kN @ 30% adhesion |
| Continuous Tractive Effort | 213kN @ 19.8km/h |
| Speed | 100km/h |
Class roster
| WRB2174 | 82-1104 | Apr-82 | - | - | Ex QR 2174. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |
| WRB2177 | 82-1107 | Jun-82 | - | - | Ex QR 2177. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |
| WRB2180 | 82-1125 | Jun-82 | - | - | Ex QR 2180. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |
| WRB2181 | 83-1146 | Feb-83 | - | - | Ex QR 2181. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |
| WRB2183 | 83-1148 | Mar-83 | - | - | Ex QR 2183. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |
| WRB2184 | 83-1149 | Mar-83 | - | - | Ex QR 2184. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |
| WRB2188 | 83-1153 | Apr-83 | - | - | Ex QR 2188. Exported to Transnet, South Africa, 2014, and repatriated for Watco |