NZR DQ Class - Service

Service

DQ 6007 remained in captive service around Wellington for a few months in 1996-97 on shakedown before it was assigned to freight service throughout the lower North Island. Shortly after, DQ 6324 was outshopped, and began to appear regularly on train 245, the Karioi - Wellington 'pulpliner' express freight. Another five DQ class followed, and seven QR class.

Initially they were not preferred by locomotive crews due to excessive cab noise levels and emissions into the cab. Tranz Rail made modifications to DQ 6324 that reduced the noise level to that acceptable to the Rail & Maritime Transport Union, and also diesel fumes from entering the cab.

During this period, the classes were largely assigned to freight trains. However, DQ 6007 made several appearances on the Capital Connection and Wairarapa Connection long-distance suburban trains in 1996-97 during its shakedown period. On similarly rare occasions a DQ appeared on the Overlander, at least as far as Palmerston North. They also appeared on the Oringi - Whareroa milk trains as helper locomotives.

It was soon discovered that the DQ class were not particularly reliable. Generator failures were particularly common, and so they were removed from long-distance operations to less-demanding short-haul runs, such as between Middleton Yard in Christchurch and the port of Lyttelton on the final leg of coal trains from the West Coast, and on the Ohai Branch line to and from Invercargill, hauling containerized coal trains. Several were also used as bankers to help trains up the gradients from Dunedin, and later up the 1 in 37 gradient out of Picton.