The Victorian Railways used a variety of both 4-wheel and bogie open wagons for the transport of a wide range of loads.
[5] From 1954, approximately 350 I/IA wagons were converted for tippler traffic, to carry coal between Yallourn and Newport Power Station.
Later tippler traffic was between the Maddingley Mine at Bacchus Marsh and the APM paper mill at Fairfield.
The wagons were modified by removing the doors and replacing them with a steel plate welded into place.
Due to reporting problems, since IO could be mistaken for 10 (ten), these wagons were again recoded - this time to HY.
It is likely that the design was inspired by the bogie E wagons of 1925, though door widths and side heights are slightly different.
With derailment problems in 1963/1964, the IZ wagons were modified and derated to 22 tons capacity, and coded RY.
To avoid mistaken identity, the GY, GZ, and G bulk grain wagons received diagonal yellow stripes painted on one corner of each side (oxide red stripes for wagons later painted yellow).
[14] The first 1 HZ was convertedfrom horsebox 25 F during December 1954, to provide a weed spraying van for the Weedex train.
[15] From 1959 to 1961, seventy IZ wagons were rebuilt with welded bodies using components from the HY (non grain-proof GY) design.
Apart from the rebuilt wagons coded HY, the IZ, HZ, and RY conversions involved replacing the old rivetted superstructure with a welded one.
Bogie vehicles could run at higher speeds and, with more wheels, had a better axle-loading, meaning that they could carry a larger load.
In 1925, the South Australian Railways placed a large order for rolling stock with the American Car and Foundry Company, USA.
[18][19] As the tests in both states proved successful, the Victorian Railways constructed a further 200 E-type open wagons between 1927 and 1928.
In the late 1950s the riveted bodies of the E wagons were wearing out, so welded components similar to those used in the ELX program were used as required.
13 wagons were reclassed EF and fitted with roller bearing bogies and grade control equipment for use on the new standard gauge interstate line.
The vehicles retained their E wagon numbers, but when made suitable for bogie exchange, they were recoded to EX and renumbered in the new series 1-13.
The Victorian Railways' second foray into bogie open wagons, these six vehicles were very different from their R-type predecessors.
The wagon was supposed to be used on locomotive coal traffic from South Gippsland to Melbourne, but could not be easily unloaded.
Peter Vincent[20] believes that all six had been built as a batch, but after the failure of the first vehicle the remainder were kept in storage until they could be made useful.
In addition to unloading problems, the wagons were difficult to manoeuvre around the yards of the coal mines in the South Gippsland region.
At the turn of the century, the Korumburra, Jumbunna and Outtrim mines were producing over 4,000 tons of coal per week, equivalent to 45-65 wagon loads per day (excluding Sundays).
At least three more of the OO trucks made it to the mines, but stayed empty in sidings because the managers "flatly refused" to load them.
They were then allocated to breakdown trains around the state as mobile tool kits, to store much of the necessary equipment for re-railing of locomotives and other rolling stock.
[26] The vehicles were initially distinctive in their use of plate-frame bogies (otherwise used on heavier flat wagons, like the QB series), and were rated at 30 LT 0 cwt 0 qtr (30.48 t) load.
The 1919 General Appendix indicated that only QR trucks with strengthened draw gear (no's 202-351) were permitted on express trains, and even then they had to be attached immediately behind the engine.
[25] The 1936 General Appendix specified that QR wagons 394 and 396 "have been specially prepared for the conveyance of theatrical scenery, &c., by Passenger trains.
"[29] In 1979, the class was recoded from QR to VOWA, translated respectively as Victorian, Open, Wood, and Low Speed.
Works wagons were also generally had a 30 cm-wide vertical green stripe applied to the right-most door, to help yard workers identify them.
Their last years in traffic saw the wagons modified and used as mobile coal stages for refuelling of steam locomotives.