Commonwealth Railways CB class railcar

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Commonwealth Railways CB class railcars were three Budd Rail Diesel Cars built in the United States. They were the first stainless steel passenger cars in Australia. The three units—CB1, CB2 and CB3—were built by Budd in Philadelphia and entered service in 1951. Each car was about 25.9 meters long, ran on standard gauge (1,435 mm), and used twin General Motors diesel engines (CB3 later got Rolls-Royce engines). Four second-hand Brill trailers from the Reading Company were used with them.

They began on the Port Pirie Junction to Pimba route, entering service in May 1951, and were extended to Woomera and Tarcoola in 1952. After the standard gauge expansion, they also ran to Marree (1957) and Whyalla (1972). Australian National took over in 1975.

In the 1980s they ran the Iron Triangle Limited and Silver City Limited. In February 1988, CB3 was damaged in a level crossing accident at Penfield and not repaired; the other two were withdrawn in December 1990 and stored at Port Pirie.

Fate: CB1 was donated to the National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide in August 1996. CB2 and CB3 were sold with Australian National to Australian Southern Railroad in August 1997; CB2 later went to Bluebird Engineering in 1999 and is privately owned, stored at Port Augusta and visible from the Commercial Road crossing. CB3 was scrapped in September 2011 at Port Pirie. CB2 was moved to Port Augusta by road in October 2008 and remains in storage there.