1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. 153hp-walker-railcar: Victorian Railways· Public domain
what is it?
The family of Walker railmotors were a type of diesel railcar operated by the Victorian Railways in Australia. After World War II, the Victorian Railways undertook a major rebuilding program known as Operation Phoenix. One of the first tasks was the upgrading of passenger services on country branch lines, through the replacement of 23 wooden-bodied railmotors built in the 1920s, and the withdrawal of steam locomotive hauled mixed trains.
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 78 years ago, in 1948.
- Weighs about as much as 3 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 12.6 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 33 years (1948–1981).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1948
- in service from
- 1948
- retired
- 1981
- status
- retired
- number built
- 84
- kind
- Diesel railmotor
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- builders
- Walker Brothers, Martin & King
- designer
- Walker Brothers
- operators
- Victorian Railways
- top speed
- 97 km/h
- power
- 209 kW
- gauge
- 1,600 mm Irish broad gauge
- length
- 12.6 m
- weight
- 18 t
- capacity
- 36 passengers
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q98960185, Wikipedia: Walker railmotor (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.