Builder's Plate - AC16 Locomotive
Production date
Apr 1943
Country
USA
State/Province
Philadelphia
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Object detail
Description
A rectangular shaped metal plate with four holes, one in each corner. The plate has been painted black.
Classification
TRANSPORT Railways Manufacturer's Plate
Maker
Production date
Apr 1943
Production place
Measurements
H192 x W323 x D23mm
Media/Materials description
Metal
Signature/Marks
CORPS OF ENGINEERS \ U.S. ARMY \ 222 \ C. OF E. SPEC NO. T-1554 \ P.O. NO. 57584 \ MANUFACTURED BY \ THE BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS \ NO. 69457 APR. 1943
History and use
In 1941, Queensland Railways required more locomotives to help meet the additional demand for its services due to the war. Unable to source Australian or British made engines, Queensland looked to America to source new locomotives.
Originally hoping to purchase more C17s, Queensland was told by the federal government that they had to cooperate with the Commonwealth Land Transport Board which had been formed to help coordinate Australia’s war-time transport issues.
Numerous countries were reliant on American-produced engines during this time, and as a result, Queensland were required to accept a 2-8-2 locomotive, rather than a C17 like 4-8-0 arrangement, which could be used on various railways around the world.
Five American builders produced this locomotive design for both 3ft 6 inch and metre gauge railways. Over 20 countries including India, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines and Australia were all supplied with locomotives during the war through Lend Lease programs.
The locomotives were often referred to as ‘MacArthurs’ instead of the commonly used name ‘Mikados’, a title bestowed on a Japanese Emperor, which had previously used to name locomotives with 2-8-2 arrangements.
Baldwin Locomotive Company supplied the 20 AC16s that were allocated to Queensland. The order for AC16s was originally larger, but after the Commonwealth Land Transport Board decided to produce the Australian Standard Garratt, orders for American-produced AC16s were reduced.
The AC16s begin to arrive in Australia in batches in 1943. ‘A’s’ were added to the running numbers in Queensland to differentiate them from existing QR locomotives with the same numbers.
This builder’s plate is from locomotive No.222A. The Baldwin works number for this locomotive was 69457 with a build date of April 1943. No.222A was put into service in Queensland in September 1943 and was written off in March 1967.
AC16 locomotives were often referred to as 'Yanks' by Queenslanders.
Originally hoping to purchase more C17s, Queensland was told by the federal government that they had to cooperate with the Commonwealth Land Transport Board which had been formed to help coordinate Australia’s war-time transport issues.
Numerous countries were reliant on American-produced engines during this time, and as a result, Queensland were required to accept a 2-8-2 locomotive, rather than a C17 like 4-8-0 arrangement, which could be used on various railways around the world.
Five American builders produced this locomotive design for both 3ft 6 inch and metre gauge railways. Over 20 countries including India, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines and Australia were all supplied with locomotives during the war through Lend Lease programs.
The locomotives were often referred to as ‘MacArthurs’ instead of the commonly used name ‘Mikados’, a title bestowed on a Japanese Emperor, which had previously used to name locomotives with 2-8-2 arrangements.
Baldwin Locomotive Company supplied the 20 AC16s that were allocated to Queensland. The order for AC16s was originally larger, but after the Commonwealth Land Transport Board decided to produce the Australian Standard Garratt, orders for American-produced AC16s were reduced.
The AC16s begin to arrive in Australia in batches in 1943. ‘A’s’ were added to the running numbers in Queensland to differentiate them from existing QR locomotives with the same numbers.
This builder’s plate is from locomotive No.222A. The Baldwin works number for this locomotive was 69457 with a build date of April 1943. No.222A was put into service in Queensland in September 1943 and was written off in March 1967.
AC16 locomotives were often referred to as 'Yanks' by Queenslanders.
Registration number
R345
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