The 79 class is a diesel-electric locomotive built by General Electric, Erie, United States for the Department of Railways New South Wales in 1943.

In 1943, during World War II, four diesel-electric industrial shunting type locomotives built by General Electric Company, Erie for the United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC) were imported from the United States of America by the Department of Supply under Lend-Lease conditions for use at the Dunheved munitions factory in Sydney.

[1] Before entering service in New South Wales, the 4 locos were fitted with buffers and chain coupler to NSWGR standards.

[2][3] In 1945, the BHP became interested in the possible dieselisation at its Australian Iron & Steel works in Port Kembla and one unit was loaned to the company in April.

[4] At the end of that war, they were put into use by the New South Wales Department of Railways as shunters at Sydney Central station and Eveleigh Carriage Workshops.