Queensland D17 class locomotive

Queensland Railways D17 class
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Builder Walkers Limited (10),
Ipswich Workshops (20)
Build date 1924–1942
Total produced 30
Specifications
Configuration 4-6-4T
UIC class 2′C2′ h2t
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Driver dia. 51 in (1.295 m)
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity 3 t (3.0 long tons; 3.3 short tons)
Water cap 1,200 imp gal (5,500 l; 1,400 US gal)
Boiler pressure 160 or 170 lbf/in2 (1,103 or 1,172 kPa)
Cylinders Two
Cylinder size 17 in × 22 in (432 mm × 559 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort 16,940 or 18,000 lbf (75.35 or 80.07 kN)
Career
Operators Queensland Railways
Number in class 30
Withdrawn 1961–1968
Preserved 2

The D17 class steam locomotive was a 4-6-4T locomotive of the Queensland Railways (QR).

The locomotives operated on 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge. The significance of the first "D" is in line with the QR loco classing system where the letter referred to the number of coupled wheels. The “D”, is used to identify the locomotive as a Tank Engine, followed by numerals indicating the cylinder diameter of seventeen inches (432 mm), the number “6” was used to denote the number of coupled wheels before the “D”. As time went by the only tank locomotives in operation only had “6” coupled and the “D” was adopted to donate tank locomotives in Queensland Rail.

These superheated engines were built to assist the 6D16 class with increasing suburban traffic. They were the only Queensland Railways class to be fitted as a whole, from new, with two sand-domes. They were restricted to the Brisbane suburban area with boundaries of Ipswich, Ferny Grove, Pinkenba, Shorncliffe, Petrie, Kingston and Lota. This area was later extended beyond Ipswich to Grandchester. Initially, all were attached to Mayne depot but later several were transferred to Wooloongabba.

Cylinder and steam chest castings are identical to C17 Class. The ‘6’ was dropped from the classification in 1937. The engines were often unofficially referred to as ‘black tanks’ after the introduction of the DD17 class. Engines constructed in 1937 had boilers with a pressure of 170 pounds-force per square inch (1,172 kPa). Earlier engines were altered to that pressure as they passed through workshops. A wooden crate was fixed to the centre of the bunker to slightly increase the coal capacity from the original 3 long tons (3.0 t; 3.4 short tons).

Engines of this class were some of the last to receive electric headlights due to them being restricted to running in the Brisbane suburban area. Fitting of electric headlights commenced in 1951.

The entire class was displaced from suburban duties by diesels during the 1960s. The first was withdrawn in November 1961 with the bulk of the class withdrawn during 1967 and 1968. No. 268 is preserved at the Ravenshoe Steam Railway and restored to operation. No. 855 is preserved by the Australian Railway Historical Society and stored at the Rosewood Railway Museum.

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