military Locomotives

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

The GE 45-ton was probably used at the Detroit Army Tank Plant, which was
down to 2.5 miles of track and two GE 80-ton locomotives by the time rail
operations ceased in 1997.

USA 4005, a 60-ton Baldwin RS4TC built in 1954, was last used by the
Defense Logistics Agency at its Columbus depot as its #54436.  DLA closed
its remaining rail operations in the early 1990s after, according to one
DLA employee working with rail matters, connecting Class I carriers were
so unresponsive during the Gulf War mobilization.  DLA rail had been
retained mainly in case of "the big one" and when a "big one" came along,
trucks were largely used instead.  All DLA equipment was secondhand from
the various military services, usually the Army.  Locomotives were sold
off and rolling stock, which was usually of WW II and Korean War-era
vintage, was typically scrapped in place, and then the rails were pulled
up.

USA 8465, a Whitcomb 65-ton, was indeed built in 1944 and was used by the
East Washington Railway as its #102.  After the line's demise in 1978, it
went on to become the first motive power for the Maryland Midland Railway,
and later went to a quarry operation in Ohio.

USA 8122, also a Whitcomb 65-ton, was one of two such locomotives used by
the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, an interurban that dieselized for a
short while before ceasing operations entirely.  The 8122 also went to
quarry service in Ohio.

The trail for both locomotives can be confusing, since each may have been
used in more than one location, and they may have been at the same
location at one point.  Changes in corporate names, through locomotive
sales or the purchase of an entire company by another, can also muddy the
waters.  In any case, the 8122 was reportedly scrapped by 2000, while the
8465 was donated by Cargill in Bloomingburg, OH, to the Hocking Valley
Scenic Railway on December 16, 2001.

There appears to be some confusion as to the identify of this Whitcomb at
the HVSR.  Because the railway found a wiring diagram for the 8122, the
HVSR assumes it has the 8122.  The 8465 has a significant, distinguishing
dent on the front left side, right by the letter F, and if the locomotive
on the HVSR has that identical dent, it's a good bet it's the 8465, not
the 8122.

Tim Moriarty
==========
Just to let you know that on the scenic railway that my Dad and I
volunteer on which is the Hocking Valley Scenic Railroad.  We have three
diesel Locomotives that were originally military.  They are a 45-ton GE,
#7318, switcher built in 1943 and used at one time to switch flat cars
with tanks in Michigan.  We also have a 65-ton Baldwin Lima Hamilton
engine built for the US ARMY and it is #4005.  We also have a Whitcomb
65-ton center cab built about 1944 and it was originally USA 8465 (it is
running on our line as  8122).

You can find pictures of these on the Hocking Valley website. and if you
have any info about these I am one of the historians on the HVSR.