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The New Zealand DX class locomotive is a class of 49 Co-Co diesel-electric locomotives that currently operates on New Zealand's national railway network. Built by General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, they were introduced to New Zealand between 1972 and 1976. The class is based on the General Electric U26C model, a narrow-gauge version of the GE U23C model. The U26C is also used in South Africa (see South African Class 34-900), Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The locomotives have seen several upgrades since their introduction and three versions now exist; the DXB, DXC and DXR. ==Introduction== The DX class was introduced in response to a requirement for a more powerful locomotive to handle traffic on the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT). Before their introduction the heaviest freight and passenger trains on the line required two members of the DA class to haul them. The DX class could haul heavier and faster trains than two DA's, even though they produced 70 kilowatts less than the combined DA's, as the single DX weighed 97.5 tonnes compared to the two DA's combined weight of 162 tonnes. The first 15 members of the class (DX 2600 - DX 2614) were introduced in 1972. Initially, they were confined to the NIMT as their 16.25-tonne axle load was too heavy for many of the bridges on the other lines. As it was several bridges and viaducts on the NIMT had to be strengthened to take the weight of the locomotives. There is no clear reason why the class was named the DX class. Diesel mainline locomotive classes begin with "D", followed by another letter - the mystery was why "X". Up to the DX class introduction, all classes had used letters A to J, and shunting locomotives used S. One possible explanation for the X was a reference to the 4-8-2 NZR X class steam locomotives, which ran on the central section of the NIMT between 1909 and 1957, and at the time of their introduction were the most powerful steam locomotives on NZR. With bridges progressively strengthened throughout the North Island, and to further increase capacity on the NIMT in particular, 34 more members of the class were introduced in 1975 and 1976. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「New Zealand DX class locomotive」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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