The V/Line RTL class is a
road-rail locomotive, capable of operating on both road and rail. It was basically a truck with retractable rail wheels. Built by
Western Star Trucks in the United States, the rail equipment was provided by Brandt Industries of Canada.[1]
It was to be the first of three for
V/Line Freight, but the other two were never completed. It was purchased for short-haul duties on grain lines, and began tests in January 1996 on the
Dookie and
Cobram lines.[1] In 1999/2000 it was used to haul log trains between
Bairnsdale and
Sale on the
Gippsland line.[2] Numbered RTL1, its
vehicle registration number was MVO782. It was included in the sale of V/Line Freight to
Freight Australia, and was given the custom registration plate of MVORTL as M series plates are allocated to Victorian government vehicles and with it being placed into private ownership, was no longer eligible for such registration. It was included in the sale of Freight Australia to
Pacific National.
The V/Line RTL class is a
road-rail locomotive, capable of operating on both road and rail. It was basically a truck with retractable rail wheels. Built by
Western Star Trucks in the United States, the rail equipment was provided by Brandt Industries of Canada.[1]
It was to be the first of three for
V/Line Freight, but the other two were never completed. It was purchased for short-haul duties on grain lines, and began tests in January 1996 on the
Dookie and
Cobram lines.[1] In 1999/2000 it was used to haul log trains between
Bairnsdale and
Sale on the
Gippsland line.[2] Numbered RTL1, its
vehicle registration number was MVO782. It was included in the sale of V/Line Freight to
Freight Australia, and was given the custom registration plate of MVORTL as M series plates are allocated to Victorian government vehicles and with it being placed into private ownership, was no longer eligible for such registration. It was included in the sale of Freight Australia to
Pacific National.