Commonwealth Railways C class
| Company type | Steam locomotive class |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Predecessor | New South Wales C36 class |
| Founded | 1938 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Steam locomotives |
Number of employees | 8 (units built) |
The Commonwealth Railways C class consisted of eight 4-6-0 steam locomotives designed for passenger service, constructed in 1938 by Walkers Limited in Maryborough for use by Australia's Commonwealth Railways.
History
In response to the 1937 extension of the standard gauge track from Port Augusta to Port Pirie, along with rising freight requirements on the Trans-Australian Railway, Commonwealth Railways commissioned eight locomotives modeled after the New South Wales Government Railways' New South Wales C36 class locomotive design. These units featured enlarged tenders to increase fuel and water capacity.
Arriving between January and April 1938, these engines contributed to shortening the Trans Australian route duration by approximately ten hours. During the 1949 coal strike, four locomotives were temporarily adapted to burn oil before reverting to coal firing once the strike concluded.
The gradual introduction of diesel-powered Commonwealth Railways GM class locomotives initiated the withdrawal process of the C class, beginning with the first unit retired in January 1952. By early 1953, only two remained operational, and the last locomotive was decommissioned in September 1957. Although all engines were dismantled, their tenders were retained and converted into water carriers used for weed control trains, serving until the early 1980s.
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