The 2100 class is a class of diesel locomotives built by

Clyde Engineering Clyde Engineering was an Australian manufacturer of locomotives, rolling stock, and other industrial products. It was founded in September 1898 by a syndicate of Sydney businessmen buying the Granville factory of timber merchants Huds ...

Eagle Farm Eagle Farm is an eastern industrial suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Eagle Farm had a population of 0 people. The neighbourhood of Whinstanes is located in Eagle Farm (). Geography Eagle Farm is situated no ...

for

Queensland Rail Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Owned by the Queensland Government, it operates local and long-distance passenger services, as well as owning and maintaining approximately 6,600 kilometres of track and relate ...

ways between 1970 and 1973.

History

The 2100 class were built to haul coals trains on the

Goonyella railway line The Goonyella railway system is located in Central Queensland, Australia. It services the coal mining area of the Bowen Basin, carrying coal to the Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminals 20 km southeast of Mackay, as well as products t ...

. Because the new line had been built to a heavier standard than existing

ways lines, the 2100 class weighed in at fully laden, a increase on that previously permissible. To allow them to operate over existing lines, the tank had a compartment that could be blocked to bring their weight down to the required level. The first 10 were financed by the developers of the

Goonyella Riverside Mine Goonyella Riverside Mine is a large open cut coking coal mine in the Bowen Basin. It is one of many coal mines in Central Queensland, Australia and is located at Moranbah about 30 km north of the township. The mine produced 12.4 mi ...

, with another two purchased by Queensland Rail. Because the mine didn't open until 1971, the first deliveries entered service hauling

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

area freight and suburban passenger services. A further 12 were purchased for the

Peak Downs Mine Peak Downs Mine is a large open cut coking coal mine in Queensland located 31 km SSE of Moranbah. Peak Downs is one of seven mines in Bowen Basin owned by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, Australia's largest coal miner and exporter. Productio ...

. In the final few months of the diesel drawn passenger service, the Capricornian; perated 1970 - 1989 as diesel locomotive hauled servicethe passenger service linked, Brisbane with the central Queensland city of Rockhampton; several 2100 class locomotives hauled these services. 2112 leading 2450 hauled the service on 16 May 1989. 2113 hauled the northbound working train number #3371 on 22 June 1989. 2114 was a subject of a filming event where the locomotive hauled the Capricornian on 13 June 1989 whilst being filmed on a parallel run with a Special Light Engine movement between Mayne and Northgate stations. 2115 departed Roma Street Station, in Brisbane for the north bound run on 15 May 1989. On 15 June 1989, 2116 hauled the Rockhampton bound service. 2117 made two appearances on the Capricornian in the final weeks. On 19 May 1989, 2117 hauled train number #3371, the Capricornian headed north out of Roma Street Station. The final diesel drawn Capricornian service on 30 June 1989 was hauled by 2117 on the overnight run to Rockhampton arriving on 1 July 1989. In the early 2000s, many were withdrawn. In September 2001, ten were sold to

Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia (British company name: Antofagasta (Chili) & Bolivia Railway or FCAB for short) is a private railway operating in the northern provinces of Chile. It is notable in that it was one of the earliest rai ...

, Chile, and one (2177) in August 2013 to South Africa. Five were transferred to Queensland Rail subsidiary

Australian Railroad Group Australian Railroad Group (ARG) was an Australian rail freight operator. It began operations in Western Australia on 17 December 2000 following its purchase of the Westrail freight business. It was purchased by QR National in June 2006. The mai ...

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

after being overhauled by

Downer Rail Downer Rail is a business unit within the Downer Group. As well as manufacturing and maintaining railway rolling stock it holds maintenance contracts to maintain rail infrastructure. The head office is located in North Ryde. History The E ...

Port Pirie Port Pirie is a small city on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, north of the state capital, Adelaide. The city has an expansive history which dates back to 1845. Port Pirie was the first proclaimed regional city in South A ...

.DD Class (ARG)
Railpage

References

{{QueenslandLocos, state=collapsed Aurizon diesel locomotives Clyde Engineering locomotives Co-Co locomotives Diesel locomotives of Queensland Queensland Rail locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1970 Diesel-electric locomotives of Australia 3 ft 6 in gauge locomotives of Australia