The Queensland Railways C17 Class was a class of 4-8-0 steam locomotive operated by Queensland Government Railways.



Statistics:

Build dates: 1920-1953

Total Built: 227

Total Scrapped: 202

Total Preserved: 25

Wheel arrangement: 4-8-0

Boiler PSI: 175 PSI

Top Speed: 80 km/h (49 mph)

Weight: 81.21 tonnes (82.9 tons)

Length: 16.305 metres (53 feet)

Cylinder Size(diameter x length): 432mm x 559 mm (17 inches x 22 inches)

Tender: 8.13 tonnes (7.35 tons) of Coal, 13,865 litres (3,050 gallons) of water.

Tractive Effort: 93.5 kN (21,017 lbf)



The Queensland Railways (QR) C17 Class was the workhorse of the QR fleet. It was a superheated version of the earlier C16 Class. C representing the 4 driving axles and 16 representing the cylinder diameter in inches. The C17 was designed during WWI but it was introduced in 1920, and soon became the backbone of QR.



The design was so successful that 227 locomotives were built from 1920 when the first engine Nº 15 entering service through until 1953 when Nº 1000 was delivered. The Commonwealth Railways NM Class was of the same design.



They were used to haul Mail trains on lines could not accommodate heavier B18 1/4, also suburban passenger, mixed, goods and branch line trains. Until 1948 they were the heaviest engines that could work north of Mackay. Prior to the introduction of 60 long tons (67 short tons; 61 t) diesel-electric locomotives, they were responsible for hauling the air-conditioned Inlander, Midlaner, and Westlander trains for parts of their respective journeys.



First engines had large steam domes, open cabs, and C16 style tenders. Those built from 1938 onwards, commencing with N°858, had small steam domes, sedan cabs with welded tenders and also larger diameter (9 ¹⁄₂ in or 241 mm) piston valves. The two types of boilers were occasionally interchanged at overhauls and by later years most of the old-style ones had been replaced. The last 40 engines, Nº961 to Nº1000, were fitted with Timken Roller Bearings and painted brown. They acquired the nickname of Brown Bombers after American boxer Joe Louis. Those overhauled in the last years of steam operations were repainted black. A number of modifications were carried out over their life including the fitting of large mushroom air snifting valves. Several had additional sandboxes and/or rear headlights fitted at various times for working lines where no turning facilities were available.



During WWII, QR had wanted to produce more C17 locomotives to support the Allied war effort against the Axis Powers, however the Commonwealth Land Transport Board (CLTB, formed in 1939 after the outbreak of WWII, it was to take responsibility for Australia's land transport networks, it had the power to override the state's decision) forced QR to buy Australian Standard Garratts which footplate crews despised, which caused worker unions to place a ban on them in September of 1945.



On 5 May 1947, C17 class locomotive 824 left the rails near Camp Mountain on the Dayboro line claiming the lives of 16 people and 38 injured. The Commonwealth Department of Trade & Customs Recreation and Social Club had chartered the train for a picnic at Closeburn. Negotiating a sharp curve at excessive speed caused the tragedy. The locomotive was repaired and continued in service until May 1967 when it was transferred to Injune along the recently closed line.