I have a Baldwin builder's plate that was given to me as a gift 15-20 years ago that I recently found in my storage boxes. Is there a way to determine the history of this plate - what locomotive did it belong to? I have no information about it aside from what the actual plate says: "The Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, 51649, April 1919."

Can anyone point me to resources that might help me figure out what locomotive had this construction number? (I'm guessing that the loco doesn't exist anymore.)

Many thanks in advance and my apologies if similar questions have been asked here before - I did a search but didn't find what I was looking for.

As one of my last acts as Archivist at the RR Museum of PA, here is an answer to your query, based on Baldwin records in our custody: It appears your plate came off not any Baldwin locomotive but a Baldwin-built ordinance product (a gun, tank or artillery) built for the U.S. Gov't. It was assigned No. 723.

Hope this helps. C'est la vie.

~Kurt

Could you post a picture of your plate? Is it a standard 9 and a quarter inch round Baldwin plate? I have never seen a plate from a Baldwin artillery piece so curious how they look

I would also like to see a photo of the plate as well. I checked my Baldwin records and came up with the same data that Kurt has. I have never seen a plate from any of the wartime equipment that Baldwin built and I have collected plates since 1963.

Kurt,

I am so sorry to hear that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has decided that they do not need to staff the State railroad Museum. I know you have given many years of your time, knowledge a skills to the mmuseum!.

I hope that something good comes your way real soon.

Good Luck!

Ted Miles

Thank you VERY much Mr Bell and Mr Muldowney for looking into your records and providing this information. I am particularly appreciative to Mr Bell for taking the time to research this plate given the current situation at the RR Museum of PA. My best wishes to you and the staff there.

If I can press my luck a little more, can one of you tell me specifically what records you found this info in? I would just like to be able to reference them in the future (and so I don't forget!). Feel free to contact me privately if you prefer.

The plate itself looks just like the round Baldwin plates we are all familiar with, hence my assumption it came off a locomotive. (I'm actually a little disappointed that its not off a locomotive since I'm more interested in railroad history than military history. But I gather this piece might be a little more unusual since it seems like some folks haven't seen one before. It measures 9.25 in diameter. It is stamped on the back 2-0D 23 (the 3 might be an 8 - hard to tell).

Thanks again
-Kevin

Hi Kevin thanks for posting the image of your plate.The only thing unusual about it compared to a standard Baldwin plate of this era is that "USA" is not cast in below the serial number as on most if not all Baldwin plates. Perhaps since it was a military order so as not to confuse USA with United States Army?

Just a guess but might the "OD" on the rear of the plate refer to ordnance?