| Posted by Dana M. on April 10, 2014 | |
Information for those who view this photo: I recently came upon this photo, and another one on RP.net with the information that this is the oldest operating Diesel locomotive in the U.S., and I just had to comment. This being the oldest operational Diesel in the U.S. is true, as it was most likely built between 1930 - 1936. However, this is not a "Baldwin"-Westinghouse locomotive - this is simply a Westinghouse locomotive. Westinghouse created their own Railway Engineering Department in East Pittsburgh in 1926 and Baldwin supplied mechanical portions for diesel engines and the designs of the trucks on Westinghouse locomotives until 1928. In 1928 Westinghouse selected a Scottish company, Beardmore, to supply their WWII German designed engine for Westinghouse locomotives. Starting in late 1928, Westinghouse obtained the rights to produce the Beardmore engine here in the U.S. That lasted up until 1936 when Baldwin came back and struck a deal with Westinghouse to cease making locomotives altogether, and that they would be more profitable focusing only on the brake and electrical systems for the railroad industry, (Baldwin tried to get an exclusive deal - but Westinghouse had already been making the brake and electrical systems available industry wide so that restriction was never pursued). Also, as for this model of Locomotive and type, Westinghouse made only 12 from 1930 - 1936. Overall, Westinghouse built only 29 locomotives between 1926-1936. Only TWO of this Westinghouse model survive, one (ARMCO B-71) is non-operational and practically in scrapping condition at the Minnesota Transportation Museum (a photo of this unit can be found at: http://yardlimit.railfan.net/early/wh/index.html), and the ARMCO B-73 pictured here!
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