Les's post on Davenport got me thinking back to a trip I took to Fort Benning, Georgia in November 2006. While I was there, I visited the Infantry Museum in Bradley Hall and I was surprised to see this little guy sitting outside:



It was built for trench warfare during World War I, but apparently it never saw action overseas. It was one of one hundred built by Davenport (based on a Baldwin design). By the way, if anyone is ever in that part of Georgia, its worth stopping by the Infantry Museum. They have quite a few fascinating pieces of military history there!

Nice photo! For whatever it may be worth, here's a link to a map that shows the locomotive's location at the infantry museum:

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/mappage.cfm?disval=369

Regards,
Doug

Bob -

Nice photo. Interesting engine.

I ran across a website which talked about the USA tank engines built during the Second World War. These engines were built by Vulcan, Porter and, because Davenport had delivered 80 "light" engines for ammunition hauling in France during World War I, they also produced some of these 0-6-0T's (I assume that the engine in your photo Bob, is one of those "light" engines, perhaps one that never made it over to France.)

A total of 120 of these U. S. built 0-6-0T's were sent to Yugoslavia after the end of WWII where they were numbered 62-001 through 62-106 (the other 14 were apparently only used for parts.) The engines were so well liked that 90 copies were produced between 1951 and 1961 by a company in Croatia. Although more than 100 of these 0-6-0T's of both U.S. and Croatian construction apparently exist today, there was no breakdown as to exactly how many of them might be former Davenport built engines.

Les

There is an excellent book on the 60cm "trench" railroads of WWI by Richard Dunn:

[qb]Narrow Gauge to No Man's Land: U.S. Army 60 Cm Gauge Railways of the First World War in France[/qb]

During the later stages of WWI there was over thousand miles of 60cm logistic track from rear areas to the front lines almost the full length of France. The little Prairie engines were designed by BLW and the design was modified slightly by Vulcan and Davenport. Most of the Baldwins made it to France but almost none of the Davenports or Vulcans were shipped over seas. As originally built, they had kerosene lights, the generators and electric lights were late adoption for the engines that stayed in the U.S. They were used on several Army forts or camps all the way through WWII. The British and French had some 60 cm Ten Wheelers and the French had a large number of Farlie (sp?) double ended engines built by BLW for their war effort.

I also discovered that my copy of Dunn’s book needs to be moved under glass, Amazon was listing it for $245. I'll get some of the stats out of tonight when I get home.

Two of the Davenport variety were rebuilt into much larger tender engines (with creamery boilers, I believe) by an Iowa steamfitter, Byron Hiatt, and were operated as a tourist outfit in the '50s/'60s. They later turned up in Monroe, WA, and a more recent listing puts at least one of them in Watertown, NY, apparently owned by Ron Trottier of Railstar/Georgetown Loop fame (see here). I seem to recall that the homebuilt 2' Prairie used at the old Erie Canal Village in Rome, NY, also being built up from "donor" trench lokie running gear.

The number plate on 2968, and maybe even the headlight, almost look as if they came from a Burlington engine. What think yee Don?

Les

Fort Benning had an extensive 60cm railroad after the war. This base is quite large and the railroad provided transport. I have seen several photos from those days which showed 7-8 engines in service. The car behind the loco was homebuilt from parts of the cars.

In an interesting twist the rails survived till the late 80's or early 90' and were sold at auction for scrap. A friend of mine bought them for use on his private 3' loop.

BLW built 195 2-6-2s of which 190 went to France. U.S. Army numbers were 5001 through 5195.

Davenport built 80, numbered 5196 - 5275, to the same design, none went to France and Vulcan built 30, numbered 5401 - 5430 and none shipped over seas.

Dunn reports that the Ft. Benning had 27 miles of 60 cm track and boasted a roster of 20 engines in 1923. In 1946, the last year of the 60 cm operations, 10 steam locomotives, 32 passenger cars, 15 flat cars 15 gondolas, 4 tank cars, 2 work cars one boxcar, one observation car and 1 motor section care were turned over to the War Assets Administration for sale. At the last minute, one engine and the observation car were withdrawn and are now on display.

Les,
As I remember, one of these locomotives, maybe the one you pictured, was sold in the last couple of years and it was modified to look like a "Q" engine. If the number plate is not an original off of a "Q" 4-6-2, then it appears to be a darned good reproduction. Chances are good that the headlight is also off of a Burlington locomotive.

Don C.

Don - Gee, you don't think that the guy bought the whole CB&Q 4-6-2 and then found out it was too big to run on his property, do you? Maybe he's still got the carcas of 2968 in the shed that's pictured behind the engine, or out in the weeds behind it!

Les

Les,
We could only hope that the 2968 was still with us. I'd like to see her intact just to anger the people who seem to hate the looks of older Burlington power! I used "anger" instead of the real term....."P.O."

Don C.

If any of you have seen the "War Trains" DVD, I highly recommend it. There is a chapter featuring the WWl Trench locos and even includes shots of the Baldwind Gas/Mechanicals that were used in France.
Amazon has the DVD for a decent price.

Also the Leighton Buzzard Railway in the UK recently restored on of the Baldwin's seen here.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Baldwin_Inaugural_run.jpg

And there are two of the Alco's restored with one on the Festiniog, another on the Froissy Dompierre in France.

Jeff -

Thanks very much for the information, and the link to the photo.

According to Leighton Buzzard Railway's website, the 4-6-0T was Baldwin c/n 44656 built in 1917. After the First World War ended, it was one of a number of locomotives sent to the North Western Railway of India where it was their #16. It later worked for the Daraula Light Railway and eventually ended up in the service of the Upper India Sugar Company. An interesting career for this WWI veteran, and a very nice restoration by the folks at Leighton Buzzard Ry.

Les