#1952
NZR EO class
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by English Electric· from 1922· class of 5 New Zealand electric locomotives, built 1923
6 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. NZR EO 3 at Ferrymead: Yak52fan· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. NZR EO class locomotive 05: Matthew25187 ( talk )· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 3. NZR EO class locomotive 01: Matthew25187 ( talk )· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 4. NZR EO class locomotive 02: Matthew25187 ( talk )· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 5. NZR EO class locomotive 03: Matthew25187 ( talk )· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 6. NZR EO class locomotive 04: Matthew25187 ( talk )· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The NZR EO class of 1923 were electric locomotives used on the steep Otira to Arthurs Pass section of the Midland Line in New Zealand. They were primarily needed for pulling trains through the 1 in 33 grade 8.5 km (5.3 mi) Otira Tunnel which was too long and too steep to allow steam locomotives to be used.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 104 years ago, in 1922.
- 510 kW is about 6 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 8 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 11.7 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 45 years (1923–1968).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1922
- in service from
- 1923
- retired
- 1968
- status
- preserved
- number built
- 5
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- English Electric
- operators
- New Zealand Railways Department
- top speed
- 64 km/h
- power
- 510 kW
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- overhead lines
- wheel arrangement
- Bo′Bo′
- length
- 11.7 m
- weight
- 50 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q6956203, Wikipedia: NZR EO class (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.