In 1928 Newport Workshops constructed a rail motor using parts supplied by St. Louis Car Company of the U.S.A.
Power was provided by a six cylinder Winton petrol engine. Numbered 55RM, the design was generally similar to
contemporary 'Gas Electric' cars built by St. Louis Car Company and E.M.C. for variousAmerican Railroads.
A further nine railmotors, 56 to 64RM, were constructed at Newport Workshops in 1930/31 to a generally similar
design, although these nine copies differed in a number of areas, being 8' longer over the body and having quite
different bogies. Power was again provided by a Winton 220Hp petrol engine.
In 1951/52 these Petrol Electric Rail Motors had their Winton petrol engines removed, to be replaced by twin GM
six cylinder diesel engines. The existing generator and electrical equipment was retained. The only external
alterations caused by this repowering was a change to the exhaust system, and the ventilator grill in the left side
engine room door was set into a smaller hinged door. Now known as DERMs, these railmotors soldiered on for
another forty years providing branch line passenger service as well as some shorter mainline services to
destinations such as Kyneton, Leongatha and Seymour.
56RM was refurbished for the Benalla-Yarrawonga service in 1976, being equipped with larger, more comfortable
seats, similar to the Z type passenger cars. Externally, Fletner ventilators replaced the torpedo vents on the roof.
55RM and 61RM were extensively altered in 1978, with the radiators removed from the front of the car and roof,
and the engine/generator repositioned to run longitudinally rather than transversely. This kit is suitable to construct
a model of any of the railmotors 56 to 64RM (but not 56 or 61RM after their refurbishment) as operating from 1952
until their withdrawal in the late 1980's.
As would be expected, various changes were made over the years, and these changes need to be accommodated
with the choice of optional parts and selection of a kit with appropriate motor bogie sideframes. The principal
alterations made after the 1952 change to diesel traction are as follows.
Cowcatchers made from 1/2' n.b. black pipe were removed and replaced with a simplified and more
robust design made from steel plate.At the same time the single tone air whistle above the driver's windscreen was
removed and replaced with a RVB three chime horn located on the roof. Also the three piece driver's windscreens
were replaced with single panes of glass and it would seem that it was at about this time that the arched window in
the van compartment was sheeted over and a cover of mesh and angle iron framing placed over the radiator front.
The brake equipment was extensively altered when the trailing end hand brake was removed and a
separate brake cylinder, each with its own auxiliary reservoir and triple valve, was provided to operate the rigging
on each bogie. Prior to this alteration there was just one brake cylinder, with attendant auxiliary reservoir and triple
valve, to apply the brakes on both bogies. It was at about this time that the Smith's combustion heater was installed
on the underframe blowing heated air through ducts running down each side of the passenger saloon at floor level.
The plate frame motor bogies, with which the rail motors had been equipped when built, were replaced
with a cast steel design. This same change had been made to suburban electric stock and the cast bogies
presumably came from swing door cars being scrapped at the time.
Тип: traincar