Locomotive 5917 is a two-cylinder, simple, non-condensing, superheated, coal-fired, 2-8-2 ‘Mikado' steam locomotive and one of five D59 class

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...

s that were preserved. As of June 2021, it is the main steam locomotive used for the Picnic Train, mainly running between Sydney and Kiama.

In service

Locomotive 5917 was built in the United States by the

Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railroad locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in the early 20th century. The company was for decades t ...

for the New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) entering service on 12 March 1953 as an oil-burning locomotive, this was in the NSWGR's original plan when it was submitted to the builder during a coal shortage in New South Wales. It was later converted to a coal burner. 5917 was used for freight haulage during its NSWGR service right up to its withdrawal and spent some of its last years at Bathurst banking diesel hauled trains up Raglan and Tumulla banks. 5917 still carries the specially modified buffers to this day 5917 at South Maitland Railway yards, 5

Demise and preservation

On 16 August 1972, the locomotive was withdrawn from service and stored at Enfield Locomotive Depot. 5917 was stored in the open on the east side of Enfield No 3 turntable until mid-1974 when it was moved into Enfield No 1 Shed for preliminary work following purchase by a syndicate of enthusiasts. Ownership passed to the '5917 Society' being operated and maintained by the Lachlan Valley Railway. It was moved out of storage at Enfield on 22 October 1974 when it hauled 3046 and 3090T to the Rhondda Colliery site of the Hunter Valley Steam Railway & Museum. During 1976 5917 steamed to

Peterborough, South Australia Peterborough is a town in the mid north of South Australia, in wheat country, just off the Barrier Highway. At the , Peterborough had a population of 1,419. It was originally named Petersburg after the landowner, Peter Doecke, who sold land to c ...

for an important anniversary there. In January 1978, 5917 was used on Festival of Sydney trains to Kiama. It was withdrawn in the late 1980s and restored at Cowra returning to service in September 2007. It was leased to

3801 Limited East Coast Heritage Rail is a not for profit company limited by guarantee formed in June 1985 as 3801 Limited to operate steam locomotive 3801 and its associated rolling stock. The company operated heritage train tours from 1986 until 2017, with ...

for some steam tours during 2008/09, then was taken out of service during April 2009 for major boiler work and running repairs on the locomotive at which were done at Eveleigh Railway Workshops. A boiler inspection and steam test was held at Eveleigh in November 2013, 5917 passed the test and had a successful trial in the early hours of 4 April 2014 and expected to have returned to service on 5 April 2014 for a private charter. In 2017, the locomotive was withdrawn from service due to condition of the driving wheel tyres. It returned to service in 2019 and now runs under Sydney Rail Services as the primary locomotive for the Picnic Train. 5917 at Coolalie NSW

References

External links

{{NSWLocos 2-8-2 locomotives Baldwin locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1953 Preserved steam locomotives of New South Wales Individual locomotives of Australia Standard gauge locomotives of Australia