1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. NZR-EA-Wellington: User:Vardion· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The New Zealand EA class (later reclassified as EO) of electric locomotives were used on the New Zealand rail network between 1968 and 1997 on the Otira – Arthur's Pass section of the Midland line in the South Island, through the Otira Tunnel. Following reconditioning, three were used by KiwiRail's Tranz Metro in Wellington from 2008 to 2011 to top and tail Metlink suburban passenger trains as an interim measure before new rolling stock arrived. Four of the five locomotives were scrapped in 2013 with one being set aside for preservation.
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 58 years ago, in 1968.
- 960 kW is about 11 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 9 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 11.6 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 43 years (1968–2011).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1968
- in service from
- 1968
- retired
- 2011
- status
- preserved
- number built
- 5
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Toshiba
- operators
- Tranz Rail, Tranz Metro, New Zealand Railways Department, New Zealand Railways Corporation
- top speed
- 72 km/h
- power
- 960 kW
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 1500 V DC overhead lines
- wheel arrangement
- Bo-Bo
- length
- 11.6 m
- weight
- 55 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q6956199, Wikipedia: New Zealand EA class locomotive (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.