Although capable of hauling passenger services, they tended to be restricted to slower freight trains to minimise track pounding due to their weight.

[1] From July 1990, through working into New South Wales was introduced resulting in ALs operating services beyond Broken Hill to Lithgow.

In August 1992, Australian National awarded Morrison Knudsen Australia a contract to remanufacture the ALs at its Whyalla factory.

[5][6] Aurizon operate the ALF Class locomotives on multiple different trains based out of Adelaide (Motive Power Centre).

On June 14th, 2023 ALF21 along with GWA003 and a handful of wagons, was written off following a level crossing collision with a semi trailer in the outskirts of Katherine, Northern Territory.