PRESS RELEASE
JANUARY 3, 2015
PORT HURON & DETROIT RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
We are pleased to announce that the Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Historical Society has acquired the American Locomotive Company engine #52 from Knoxville Locomotive Works, a subsidiary of the Gulf and Ohio Railroad. A generous anonymous donor stepped in to make this incredible and important acquisition possible.
This engine was one of two ALCO engines delivered brand new to the Port Huron & Detroit Railroad in August of 1945. The original cost was just over $62,000.00. The engine will join its original numbered caboose #52 (now #62) when it returns to Michigan. Currently, Knoxville Locomotive Works will store the engine for two years or until a suitable storage facility is ready to accept this engine. Plans are to cosmetically restore the engine to pre-sale 1984 condition as a static display.
Engine #52 is an S-1 class ALCO and is a first generation diesel switch engine. Delivery of these two engines (the other numbered #51) made the PH&D the first railroad in Michigan to become totally “dieselized”. Upon arrival, management began to scrap all existing steam switch engines on its roster.
ALCO S-1 engines are becoming rare and having one return to its original home to join its original assigned caboose is most unusual. Rail fans, transportation history scholars, and the community will be proud to have these two pieces of rolling stock back together once again after 30 years.
The Society expresses its appreciation to the president of Gulf and Ohio Railroad Peter Claussen who made it possible for this transaction, Tom German of Knoxville Locomotive Works, who allowed access to the engine back in 2012, and to board member Aaron Farmer who first alerted our board of directors that the engine might be for sale.
The Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Historical Society was formed in 2007 with its headquarters located in the former office building of the PH&DRR. Its purpose is to collect, archive, preserve, and present, all for the education of the community, historical documents, photographs, drawings, artifacts and equipment relating to The Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Company and its predecessors, The Port Huron Southern Railway and The Detroit Bay City & Western Railroad, as well as the Grand Trunk Western/Canadian National, and the Pere Marquette/Chesapeake and Ohio.
