ComEng (Commonwealth Engineering) 18 ton and 21 ton Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives

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18 ton ComEng

18 ton ComEng locomotive

18 ton ComEng locomotive

 18 ton ComEng locomotives, approximately 250 horsepower.  Mackay Sugar only operates three of these on cane haulage duties. 

There are however another 8 used for track maintenance duties or decommissioned awaiting conversion into brake vans.

18 ton ComEng 'Dalymple'

Dalrymple is an 0-6-0 Com-Eng locomotive weighing 18tonne and is typical of the cane rail locomotives Com-Eng built. This loco is named after Dalrymple which is the highest peak in the Mackay District. This locomotive is now decommissioned and stored at the old North Eton mill site.
18 ton ComEng 'Pinnacle'

Pinnacle is another 18tonne Com-Eng locomotive. This loco is named after Pinnacle, a small township to the east of Finch Hatton. Pinnacle has been fitted with a soundproof cab and new engine and is still in service at Mackay Sugar’s Marian mill.
18 ton ComEng ex 'Tannalo' now Cattle Creek

This loco is another 18tonne Com-Eng and is now called Cattle Creek. The name Tannalo is worn by a 94 class locomotive at Marian mill. Cattle Creek loco is also decommissioned and stored at the old North Eton mill site.
Lower portion of ComEng console

Lower portion of ComEng console. Basic pressure and temperature gauges and air operated direction change in upper centre of photo.
Upper and lower console Viewed through the rear window of the cab.   Upper and lower console can be seen and to the right, driving controls. Starting from left they are throttle, air sander and service brake.   Also a GPS speedo attached above controls.

With most ComEng and Clyde locomotives, driving controls are duplicated on the driver assistant’s side of the locomotive as well.

21t ComEng 'Finch Hatton' 

Bogie ComEng 21 ton 'Finch Hatton'

Bogie ComEng 21 ton 'Finch Hatton'

 This is the one that nearly got away.  A bit of an anomaly.  This is a bogie ComEng, the only one ever built for the sugar industry. It is 21 tonnes in weight and basically runs the same drive train as a Baldwin, but a lighter version, hence the lower weight and reduced horsepower. 
This is only rated at about 350 horsepower.   ComEng built this at about the same time that Baldwin basically had cornered the market with their bogie locomotives. 
Therefore only one was ever ordered.   It was purchased by Cattle Creek sugar mill (closed after the 1990 crushing season as part of Mackay Sugar’s milling rationalization) in Finch Hatton Township, hence the name.
Loco is still in service at Mackay Sugar’s Racecourse mill.