Queensland AC16 class locomotive
Encyclopedia
The Queensland AC16 class locomotive is a 2-8-2
steam locomotive
of the Queensland Railways (QR). The locomotives operated on 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge.
The Second World War and the occupation by Japanese forces of Pacific Islands
and islands to the north of Australia
saw Queensland
and the north of Australia placed under the threat of imminent attack. This placed a great strain on Queensland Railway’s resources in the movement of wartime supplies and troops.
A request was made in 1941 for further, new C17 Class
steam locomotives and the specifications were forwarded to the United States where the United States Army Transportation Corps
(USATC) drew up plans for a 2-8-2 with specifications similar to a C17 Class. The locomotives in are also known is United States of America as USATC S118 Class
steam locomotives. These locomotives were intended as a standard design for use on narrow gauge railways in other parts of the world as a war-time measure.
There were twenty engines obtained during World War 2 from USA under “lend lease” arrangements and later purchased. They were the only ones of their type to come to Australia out of a total of 741 similar engines built for US Army Transportation Corps.
With eight coupled wheels the suffix “C” should be first and with sixteen inch diameter cylinders locomotives should have been classified C16 Class steam locomotive
but to distinguish them from that existing class they were called American C16 i.e. AC16. The American steam locomotive earned it the nickname of Yank. The engines entered traffic with their US Army road numbers but had “A” appended to differentiate them from existing engines with the same numbers. Road numbers; 216A to 235A.
The engines were supplied with conical profile tyres. These were altered to QR standard cylindrical profile and pressed one-sixteenth of an inch inwards on the wheels to reduce wear. In 1943 the decision was taken to alter the second and third coupled wheels to thin flanges. A number of other modifications were carried out over the years.
The engines were fitted with Walschaerts valve gear. The steam locomotives supplied to Queensland Railway are from Baldwin Locomotive Works
, Philadelphia, USA. The original tenders rode poorly and resulted in a speed limit of 30 mph being imposed with a prohibition on passenger train working. The axle load of these tenders also restricted the engines to main line usage. The floor level shovelling plate made the fireman’s work more difficult. One feature that did proved popular was the use of louvre coal boards and these subsequently became standard on all QR steam engines. The headlight mounted on the smokebox door proved to have advantages and was later adopted for some other classes.
In 1958, No. 217A was fitted with a C16 Class steam locomotive type tender taken from a withdrawn locomotive. The previous restrictions were then lifted. All 19 members of the class then remaining in service had been similarly treated by 1963.
After being fitted with these tenders, seven of the class was attached to Alpha where they had a brief period of glory in the early 1960s when they replaced the C17 Class hauling the air-conditioned “Midlander” between Alpha
Queensland and Longreach. The American engines with a larger boiler capacity were able to reduce running times in the sections that contained many long banks. 60-ton Diesel Electric Locomotive took over the working in 1963.
The last engine in service was N°218A at Rockhampton
. This engine is now at Zig Zag Railway
Lithgow.
No. 221A was retained by QR and fitted with a new boiler and restored to working order in 2003. In the course of the overhaul it was fitted with a new tender. Although the external appearance of the tender is similar to the original design, internally it is similar to a standard type with raised shovelling plate.
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
of the Queensland Railways (QR). The locomotives operated on 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge.
The Second World War and the occupation by Japanese forces of Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
and islands to the north of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
saw Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and the north of Australia placed under the threat of imminent attack. This placed a great strain on Queensland Railway’s resources in the movement of wartime supplies and troops.
A request was made in 1941 for further, new C17 Class
Queensland C17 class locomotive
The C17 class locomotive was a 4-8-0 locomotive of the Queensland Railways. . The locomotives operated on narrow gauge.The design was so successful that 227 locomotives were built from 1920 when the first engine N° 15 entering service through until 1953 when N° 1000 was delivered. The 22 NM...
steam locomotives and the specifications were forwarded to the United States where the United States Army Transportation Corps
United States Army Transportation Corps
The Transportation Corps was established 31 July 1942 by Executive Order 9082. The Transportation Corps is a combat service support branch of the U.S. Army, and was headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia, but has now moved to Fort Lee, Virginia. The Transportation Corps is responsible for the...
(USATC) drew up plans for a 2-8-2 with specifications similar to a C17 Class. The locomotives in are also known is United States of America as USATC S118 Class
USATC S118 Class
The United States Army Transportation Corps S118 Class is a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotive. Built to either or Cape gauge, they were used in at least 24 different countries across the World....
steam locomotives. These locomotives were intended as a standard design for use on narrow gauge railways in other parts of the world as a war-time measure.
There were twenty engines obtained during World War 2 from USA under “lend lease” arrangements and later purchased. They were the only ones of their type to come to Australia out of a total of 741 similar engines built for US Army Transportation Corps.
With eight coupled wheels the suffix “C” should be first and with sixteen inch diameter cylinders locomotives should have been classified C16 Class steam locomotive
Queensland C16 class locomotive
The C16 class steam locomotive is a 4-8-0 locomotive of the Queensland Railways QR. The locomotives operated on 1,067 mm gauge. The “C”, is used to identify the number of coupled wheels, being eight coupled wheels for the C16 class, followed by numerals indicating the cylinder diameter of sixteen...
but to distinguish them from that existing class they were called American C16 i.e. AC16. The American steam locomotive earned it the nickname of Yank. The engines entered traffic with their US Army road numbers but had “A” appended to differentiate them from existing engines with the same numbers. Road numbers; 216A to 235A.
The engines were supplied with conical profile tyres. These were altered to QR standard cylindrical profile and pressed one-sixteenth of an inch inwards on the wheels to reduce wear. In 1943 the decision was taken to alter the second and third coupled wheels to thin flanges. A number of other modifications were carried out over the years.
The engines were fitted with Walschaerts valve gear. The steam locomotives supplied to Queensland Railway are from Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
, Philadelphia, USA. The original tenders rode poorly and resulted in a speed limit of 30 mph being imposed with a prohibition on passenger train working. The axle load of these tenders also restricted the engines to main line usage. The floor level shovelling plate made the fireman’s work more difficult. One feature that did proved popular was the use of louvre coal boards and these subsequently became standard on all QR steam engines. The headlight mounted on the smokebox door proved to have advantages and was later adopted for some other classes.
In 1958, No. 217A was fitted with a C16 Class steam locomotive type tender taken from a withdrawn locomotive. The previous restrictions were then lifted. All 19 members of the class then remaining in service had been similarly treated by 1963.
After being fitted with these tenders, seven of the class was attached to Alpha where they had a brief period of glory in the early 1960s when they replaced the C17 Class hauling the air-conditioned “Midlander” between Alpha
Alpha, Queensland
The township of Alpha is located in central western Queensland, Australia. The Capricorn Highway passes through the town, which lies on Alpha Creek. At the 2006 census, Alpha had a population of 402....
Queensland and Longreach. The American engines with a larger boiler capacity were able to reduce running times in the sections that contained many long banks. 60-ton Diesel Electric Locomotive took over the working in 1963.
The last engine in service was N°218A at Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
. This engine is now at Zig Zag Railway
Zig Zag Railway
The Zig Zag Railway is a heritage railway at Lithgow in New South Wales, Australia on the site of the famous Great or Lithgow Zig Zag which operated between 1869 and 1910. As built, the line formed part of the Main West line from Sydney across the Blue Mountains and served to lower the line from...
Lithgow.
No. 221A was retained by QR and fitted with a new boiler and restored to working order in 2003. In the course of the overhaul it was fitted with a new tender. Although the external appearance of the tender is similar to the original design, internally it is similar to a standard type with raised shovelling plate.