Last EMD Streamliner in the world needs a Turbo Repair

Please contribute to this campaign to save the very last of the great EMD Streamliners.

Ex Commonwealth Railways CLP10 (Formally CL17)

The Team at Streamliners Australia are making a call to arms to help save the very last EMD Streamliner built in the world.

CLP10 is no longer used and stored at Goulburn NSW Australia, through contact with the owners of the locomotive a figure of $150,000.00 has been placed for sale of the asset to Streamliners Australia.

Part of the fundraising cost his project is for the purchasing price of CLP10 plus restoration back to CL17 configuration. Streamliners Australia plans to have the locomotive returned to active service by our next event Streamliners 2021 at Goulburn NSW, Australia on the 23rd to 26th January 2021.

Here is the story.

In 1937 the first of Electro Motive Divisions (EMD) iconic streamlined locomotive hit the rails in the USA. Designated the FT model and deigned by Dick Dilworth this four-unit locomotive set impressed many railroads. Over the ensuing years hundreds of various models would be built with the famous round nose design. Clyde Engineering were also impressed with the reliability of these General Motors powered locomotives and in a partnership with EMD constructed locomotives using the same design (albeit narrower, lower and lighter) for Australian Railways.

Clyde Engineering would construct 131 locomotives using Dilworth’s design. The first , GM1 would roll out of their Granville factory in 1951. 21 years later history would be made when the last of this design would exit the factory – CL17.

The CL class were unique. While they maintained a nose design from 1937 behind the cab roared a General Motors turbo charged 16 cylinder 3000hp engine. This design alone made them unique on the world locomotive stage.

CL17 was not only the last one built at Clyde with the famous streamlined design, but the last unit built in anywhere in the world. CL17 was built eight years after EMD built the last E unit for Union Pacific and its ours and ours to save.

The Commonwealth Railways (CR) took delivery of CL17 in 1972 just in time for the opening of the Port Augusta to Whyalla railway. Following the Commonwealth Governments practice, the locomotive was named after a Prime Minster and that being William McMahon. (PM 1971-1972)

CL17 earned its keep working CR freight and passenger trains. In 1993 US based Morrison Knudsen offered to rebuild the CL’s for the then Australian National. The rebuilt locomotives would be split into two groups. Seven CLF’s for freight and ten CLP’s for passenger service. The CLPs were fitted with separate generator sets for passenger trains (known as head end power). As all of them were rebuilt the numbering process took a twist. The CL’s that were sidelined for major failures were rebuilt first, followed by those in no particular order. Because of this the rebuilt units appeared renumbered. For example, CLF1 used to be CL2. By default, CLF6 would be the only one to retain its original number from when it was CL6. CL17 would become CLP10.

Genesee and Wyoming would become the new owners with the purchase of what was left of Australian National in 1997. GWA partnered with Wesfarmers to purchase Westrail in 2000. Now known as ARG and partnership would last six years before being broken up with QR National taking on the ARG brand and some locomotives, including ten CLF/CLP classes. CLP10 was included in the split.

QR National then got busy buying new locomotives as well as rebranding to Aurizon. New locomotive orders would see many older units stored. CLP10 has been in store at Goulburn and in the hands of a South African broker. With a five year moratorium lifted the CLP10 can now be sold to Australian Interests.

The broker has to either sell or move all stored locomotives as soon as possible. Scrapping is being considered for those locomotives not sold. With your help we only want to save one – CLP10.