Commonwealth Railways CA class

The Commonwealth Railways CA class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives purchased by the Commonwealth Railways, Australia, from the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NH), USA, through Lend-Lease during World War II.

Commonwealth Railways CA class
CA79 at Port Augusta, c. 1945
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Build date 1905, 1907 Total produced 2
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0 Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Driver dia. 73 in (1,854 mm) Length 62 ft 4 in (19.00 m) Axle load 20 long tons 4 cwt (45,200 lb or 20.5 t) Fuel type Coal Water cap. 5,000 imp gal (22,730 L) Tender cap. 9 long tons 0 cwt (20,200 lb or 9.1 t) coal Firebox:  • Firegrate area 34.6 sq ft (3.2 m2) Boiler pressure 190 psi (1.31 MPa) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 400 sq ft (37.2 m2) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 22 in × 26 in (559 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Southern (CA78), Baker (CA79)
Performance figures Tractive effort 27,840 lbf (123.8 kN)
Career Operators Commonwealth Railways Number in class 2 Numbers CA78–CA79 First run August 1943 Withdrawn May 1950 Disposition Both scrapped

The two locomotives in the class, CA78 and CA79, had been built in 1907 and 1905, respectively, by Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, USA, and had been part of NH's G-4a class.[1] They arrived in Australia in August 1943 and were used on the Trans-Australian Railway. CA78 was withdrawn in 1945 and CA79 in 1950. Both were scrapped in 1956.