SSR’s famous ghost loco ‘Casper’ in Junee

SOUTHERN Shorthaul Railroad’s famous ghost loco CLP12 – better known as “Casper” – was seen hauling a grain train out of Junee this afternoon, looking a little less white these days than when it first rolled out five years ago.

Originally painted in primer white to fast-track its return to service in 2020, Casper got its nickname thanks to Junee driver Kev Schultz – and the name and colour stuck!

Speaking with the Junee Bulletin in 2023, Schultz said: “CLP12 aka ‘Casper’ was named by myself as a bit of fun, with permission from Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR).”

Built by Clyde Engineering for the Commonwealth Railways in the early ’70s, CLP12 (originally CL15) is one of the last locos in the world to feature the iconic EMD bulldog nose.

After being retired in 2013, CLP12 and three of its siblings, CLF1, CLF3, and CLP9, were rescued by SSR in 2019.

Three of the locomotives were painted in white undercoat to get them straight into service.

But as Kev explained to the Junee Bulletin in 2023, Casper was the only one to keep the colour for “a bit of fun and public interest”.

“CLP12 was named ‘Casper’, CLF3 was named ‘Space Ghost’ by another SSR employee – I was going to name it ‘Snoopy’ if no one else did it,” he joked.

Since then, CLF3 has received a sharp black and yellow makeover and now honours SSR founder Jason Ferguson, but Casper still rocks the ghostly white, turning heads wherever it goes — but not for much longer!

Kev tells us the last ghost loco will soon be repainted, “but SSR’s horsepower requirements are at a premium at the moment due to plenty of work”.

“The old brute will head into the paint booth at some stage to get its new colours,” he said.