Hi everybody,I am looking for information about the loco on the pictures. They were sold in the early 1920's to Saipan, an island in the West Pacific where they were used for hauling sugarcane. The track was 750mm wide, wheelbase of the loco is 1500mm (~5 ft.)Some folks tell me the locos came from O&K in Germany, some other sources say they were built in Birmingham, AL.Any help is highly apreciated,Claus

they would have to be German then.definately of European, not American, design.lots of little design cues indicate they were built in Europe..the biggest cue being the rounded cab windows,and just the overall "style"..Scot

This looks like the type of engines the Boothbay Railway Museum has. Henchel, I think the builder is. The water supply is carried in a tank under the boiler.LF

Those look like O&K products to me...Not uncommon, even in the US. Several have been imported and run on anything from amusement park operations (ex:Silver Dollar City) to backyard lines (ex:Frank Bayliss' Alton & Pacific)

My Uncle Gerry served in the US Army Air Force during WWII and stationed at Saipan with the B-29`s In my uncles war pictures He has a picture of a steam locomotive that he took while stationed in Saipan. But this locomotive dosen`t look anything like the one you posted. this engine that my uncle took looked more like an old baldwin.My Uncle is still living he`s 80 .Len.

Len, you think you can email me a copy of your uncles picture, or post it here?Anything I can get about this loco will help me and our museum a lot.thank you,Claus

Hi Claus;I have a database of surviving steam engines worldwide. It currently contains nearly 20,000 locomotives, and is the result of roughly a decade of research and colaboration with several sources.I assume this locomotive is the one at Sugar King Park, Garapan, Saipan, Marianas Islands. If so, according to my research, it is an Orenstein & Koppel locomotive. It's appearance confirms that; it appears to be one of the their well tank locomotives, with the tank built into the locomotive frame. I have it's gauge listed as 760mm.Nobody knows it's construction (or serial) number; but I assume you have access to the locomotive. If you will look on the wheels, connecting rods, and other parts; you may find numbers stamped on them. That is usually the number of the locomotive; unless it was kept running using parts from other locomotives; the numbers should be the same.If you do find a number, I would like to know. Also, if you have a photograph that I have permission to publish in a future update of the database, I would appreciate it.There was a large sugar mill on Saipan prior to World War II. Is there any other surviving steam machinery on the island besides this locomotive? I believe the mill was heavily bombed during the war and never rebuilt.-James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a Surviving World Steam Project

James, thank you very much for your info.Yes, this is the loco in in the Sugarking Park on Saipan. I have been shooting plenty of pictures of it these days. I can send them to you. There is another steam engine on display on Tinian (an island in the neighborhood - Enola Gay was based there). But I haven't shot it yet. Too much to see down there ..Thanks for the hint with the numbers,ClausPS: This is the sugarmill at the end of the battle