The 2141 class were an evolution of the 2100 class. They differed by having ACalternators instead of DCgenerators. They were financed by the developers of the Greenvale nickel mine and were initially confined to the 229-kilometre (142 mi) Townsville to Greenvale line. They were initially numbered as the 2200 class, before being renumbered as the 2141 class in May 1982 to make the series available for the 2170 class.[1][2][3]
Between 2005 and 2007, all were rebuilt as 2250 class locomotives.[4][5]