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KiwiRail DXC 5293

(Based on the real DXC 5293 as she looks today).

DXC 5293 was built as DX 2627 by General Electric in 1975, entering service in February 1976. As with all other DX's, this one first carried the unusual Clockwork Orange, which was never carried by any class other than the DX. Late in 1978, DX 2627 was renumbered as 5293 to comply with the then-new Traffic Monitoring System.

When they were first introduced, the DX class was deployed in the North Island as a more powerful and efficient alternative to the class DA class, which entered service between 1955 and 1967. Many DX's - including 5293 - retained Clockwork Orange into the 1980's. It wasn't until December 1985 when she was repainted into the International Orange livery, otherwise known as Fruit Salad.

In 1988 the electrification of the central section of the North Island Main Trunk (between Palmerston North and Hamilton) resulted in a lot of DX's being transferred to the South Island. 5293 was one of these engines. Towards the end of the 1980's, the entire DX class had their original two-piece windscreen on the front of the cab replaced by a large one-piece design. This was part of NZ Rail's efforts to improve visibility for the driver, as single-man crews were being introduced at the time.

In 1995, DX 5293 was repainted in the New Zealand Rail blue livery. Essentially this was the same as Fruit Salad but with blue instead of red. Two years prior to 5293's repaint, New Zealand had begun its flirtation with rail privatisation.

Sometime in the early 2000's, DX 5293 was sent to Hillside Workshops to be modified for service on the 'coal route', otherwise known as the Midland Line from Christchurch to the West Coast of the South Island, the latter being strong coal-mining territory. The most notable addition to 'coal-route' DX's were/still are the air intakes or 'chutes' fitted to each side of the locomotive. These were necessary to help the crew avoid suffocating as the locomotives travelled through the 8.5 kilometre long Otira Tunnel, which lies between Otira and Arthur's Pass.

A few years before the 'chute' fitting, DX 5293 had been repainted again. This time she was in Tranz Rail blue, a livery she would retain for at least 10 years.

5293 was one of the lucky DX's that never received the unsightly Toll Rail livery. Toll Rail was another private rail operator in New Zealand, owned by Toll Holdings and lasting only from 2003 to 2008. In July 2008, New Zealand's rail network was re-nationalised and re-named KiwiRail. It wasn't long after when DX 5293 was repainted into KiwiRail colours.

DX 5293 - now DXC 5293 - was one of only five DX's to receive the early KiwiRail livery, which was only ever carried by 7 locomotives (five DX's, one DFT and one DC). 5293 was repainted in December 2008, very soon after renationalisation. For whatever reason, the locomotive has been incorrectly labelled as DXB 5293, despite - very clearly - being a DXC. This mistake has been carried over to the model in Rolling Line.

In December 2010, DXC's 5293 and 5039 hauled a 'Miners Special' train to the West Coast of the South Island. This was a memorial train to honour the 29 people who sadly lost their lives in the Pike River mine disaster.

Today DXC 5293 is still going strong despite being 45 years old. As with all other surviving DX's, 5293 is now allocated to the South Island, and sometimes ventures down the line from Christchurch to Dunedin instead of taking the coal trains.