In September 2010,
CRRC Ziyang won a 100 million
yuan order to supply
SCT Logistics with six locomotives for use on transcontinental trains in Australia. This was the first export of a Chinese-built locomotive to Australia. Four more locomotives were ordered in March 2011. The first locomotive was unveiled on 22 July 2011 at Ziyang. Initial specifications for the locomotives (manufacturer's code SDA1) were for a dual cab,
Co-Co locomotive, with a mass of , powered by a
MTU Friedrichshafen 20V4000R43L engine, with
AC traction controlled by
IGBT based converters (sourced from
Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric), and a
Wabtec braking system. Testing started in early 2012, which included hauling a large iron ore train at up to between
Port Augusta and
Adelaide. The locomotives passed their introductory tests on 5 March 2012, allowing operations on mainline routes in Australia to commence. On 16 March 2012 two locomotives successfully hauled a train on a 1% grade, completing SCT's tests.
Bradken ordered two locomotives in December 2011 for haulage of
iron ore. The order was later increased to four. After a period of storage at
East Greta, they were then moved to
Broadmeadow yard to be used on
Qube Logistics container trains from
Sandgate to
Port Botany with the
1100s. Both were sold to SCT Logistics in January 2017.
Qube Logistics ordered six in January 2013 as the QBX class with all delivered in March 2015. locomotive at
Bowmans in March 2020 In October 2013, the entire fleet was withdrawn from service and quarantined, after
white asbestos was found in the engine area. This is despite the locomotives being certified as asbestos free. By January 2014, remediation work had been carried out and most of the class was already back in service. In mid 2021
SCT Logistics ordered 12 more SDA1s from CRRC Ziyang with the first two being delivered in July and two more in December. ==Summary==