Australian National CB class railcar

The CB class railcar were a type of Budd Rail Diesel Cars operated by the Commonwealth Railways and Australian National in Australia from 1951 until 1990.

CB class railcar
CB1 at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide in April 2014
ManufacturerBudd Company
Built atPhiladelphia, United States
Entered service1951
Number built3
Number scrapped1
Fleet numbersCB1-CB3
Operator(s)Commonwealth Railways
Specifications
Car length25.91 m (85 ft 0 in)
Traction systemDiesel mechanical
Prime mover(s)General Motors 110
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

History

In October 1950, Commonwealth Railways placed an order for three Budd RDC-1 railcars.[1][2] They were the first stainless steel carriages in Australia. After being trialled on the Trans-Australian Railway between Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie they entered service in May 1951 between Port Pirie Junction and Pimba, being extended to Woomera and Tarcoola in 1952.[3][4][5] Four second-hand Brill carriages from the Reading Company were imported for use as trailers.[6]

All were delivered with twin General Motors engines. In the mid-1960s, CB3 received Rolls-Royce engines.[7]

In January 1961, the services were cut back to Woomera.[8] Following the extension of the standard gauge line from Port Augusta to Marree in 1957 and Whyalla in 1972, the Budd cars began to operate to these destinations.[9]

All three passed to Australian National in July 1975 who withdrew them shortly after and placed them in store at Port Augusta. After refurbishment, they returned to service to operate the Iron Triangle Limited between Adelaide, Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla from April 1986, and the Silver City Limited between Adelaide and Broken Hill from December 1986.[10][11]

In February 1988, CB3 was damaged in a level crossing accident in Penfield and not repaired while the other two were withdrawn in December 1990 and placed in store at Port Pirie after Australian National withdrew all of its South Australian passenger services.[12][13] CB1 was donated to the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide in August 1996 while the other two were included in the sale of Australian National to Australian Southern Railroad in August 1997, being sold to Bluebird Engineering in 1999.[14]

CB2 is now privately owned and was transferred from Adelaide back to Port Augusta by road in October 2008. CB3 has been scrapped.

References
  1. Notes & News Diesel Railway Traction January 1951 page 110
  2. Contracts & Tenders Railway Gazette January 1951 page 25
  3. Diesel Rail Cars Bring New Era to Desert Country Railway Transportation October 1951 pages 26-28
  4. Stainless Steel Railcars Diesel Railway Traction February 1956 page 68
  5. Dunn, John (2006). Comeng: A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 1: 1921-1955. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 215–217. ISBN 1877058424.
  6. New Trailers for CR Budd Cars from US Service Railway Transportation November 1951 page 10
  7. Luke, Monte (1997). Riders of the Steel Highways: The History of Australia's Commonwealth Railways 1912-1975. Port Augusta: VM & BM Luke. pp. 487/488. ISBN 0 646 34652 0.
  8. Crouse, Chuck (1990). Budd Car, The RDC Story. Mineola: Weekend Chief Publishing Company. pp. 79–83. ISBN 0 9612814 2 1.
  9. Budd Working The Recorder June 1973 page 19
  10. Passenger revival picks-up in South Australia Network July 1986 pages 38/39
  11. Western Report Railway Digest February 1987 page 52
  12. Accidents The Recorder April 1988 page 106
  13. Axed train limps to its ow funeral Adelaide Advertiser 1 January 1991 page 7
  14. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 707 September 1996 page 270

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