NQGY/RQGY 3 TEU Container Wagon

RQGY 34351-G in NRC grey, May 1996, Goobang Jn Roger Jones

The NQGY/RQGY were originally OCY (NQOY) solid decked 3 TEU container wagons. They were converted by removing some deck plates (to lighten the weight), removing the equipment boxes and installing heavy duty container clips. Many of the wagons were first converted to NQSY (by the installation of marine container locks) and subsequently to NQGY with the heavy duty locks. These wagons are visually indistinguishable from the NQSY.

Date Introduced: early 1990s

Running Numbers:

- various in 14901 – 15070, 34301 – 34600 and 34950 – 35050 range. The number of RQGYs is unclear due to the various modification programmes carried out over the years. The number is probably between 50 and 100. NRC had 40 of these wagons shortly after their transfer but the number has increased since then. Some have been set aside with the increase in the number of new, articulated container wagons

Length: 19.2 m (over headstocks), 20.1 m (coupled length) Tare: 22 t Capacity: 54 t Gross: 76 t (80 t on some lines)

Bogies: YCM

Coding:

- There appears to have been some and to-and-fro between the RQSY and RQGY codes (and also the RQBY and RQGY codes to a lesser extent) but there has been no modification programme resulting in major recoding and reductions in the number in this class

Colour Scheme:

- Many of the class were not repainted when converted so they carried the vestiges of the original PTC blue or repainted SRA red for some time. Some have been repainted in NRC grey since then.

- At least three wagons (34971, 35043, 35033) were painted sky blue for work with the CRT Cargo Sprinter. There may have been a handful of other repaints into this scheme as well.

Further Modifications:

- Some wagons were modified to take two CRT 30’ containers as well as the normal 20 and 40’ ISO containers

Operation:

- Apart from the CRT traffic mentioned above, the RQGY wagons have been used mainly on interstate intermodal trains

Modelling:

There is no HO scale kit known. It could be modified from a Silvermaz or Powerline OCY. It is a relatively simple wagon to scratchbuild.

RQGY 34346-U showing the shunter’s step handle and jackpads of the Goninan wagons,

Goobang Junction, January 1997.