HISTORIC WARTIME STEAM LOCO BACK IN BUSINESS WITH QR

A steam locomotive that helped the Allies in the Pacific has re-entered service with Queensland Rail.

Officially classified as AC16 number 221A - but better known as a Yank - it was one of 20 such units that were built in Philadelphia and shipped to Queensland in 1943 to help with the Allied war effort.

The Yank has been totally restored by QR's Heritage Rollingstock Maintenance Section which is adjacent to the Workshops Rail Museum at North Ipswich.

At 8.30 am today The Yank steamed out of the workshop where QR's specialist craftsmen have painstakingly restored it over the past three years.

It was accepted back into QR's Passenger Service Division by QR Chief Executive Officer, Bob Scheuber.

Member for Ipswich West Don Livingstone and Member for Ipswich Rachel Nolan, representing Transport and Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer, were on hand for the occasion.

Mr Livingstone congratulated all those associated with the restoration project, especially the tradesmen whose specialist skills and experience were essential to the success of the project.

Ms Nolan said The Yank would make a valuable addition to QR's heritage fleet - both as a great example of steam transport and as a reminder of one of the most challenging times in Australia's history.

The Yank was taken out of service in 1968 and then placed in the open air Redbank Railway Museum.

The Yank - known to American rail enthusiasts as a Macarthur in honour of the famous wartime general who for a time made his headquarters in Brisbane - was designed for the United States Army Transportation Corps and constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

When delivered, it bore a US Army number, 221, to which QR added an A to distinguish it from an existing QR locomotive which already bore the same number.

It underwent final assembly at North Ipswich railway workshops and entered service with QR on July 9, 1943.

The Yank's first working assignment will be an excursion to Goomeri this weekend for the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival. It leaves Platform 2, Roma Street Station on Saturday at 8.10am and is due to return on Monday at 4.50pm.

During the Pumpkin festival on Sunday it will operate a shuttle service throughout the day between Goomeri and Murgon.

For further information, phone Marie Low on 3237 1944 or Gary Stubbs on 0418 194 729