Those of you who are familiar with the history of this locomotive know that this RS-3 was built for the Boston & Maine in 1953; was swapped to the D&H in 1974 to sub in for PA4’s on the Adirondack; made its way to Steamtown (?); sold into private ownership at the Steamtown auction in 1988; ran on the Western Maryland Scenic as WM 199 in the early 90’s; sold to the Railroad Museum of New England in 2005.

My question regarding the history of this locomotive concerns the time it spent at Steamtown. The D&H sold or donated the 4075 to Steamtown? Steamtown in Bellows Falls or Scranton? What year? Did the 4075 ever actually operate at Steamtown? Why did Steamtown put this locomotive on the auction block?

Hoping that someone involved with the old Steamtown Foundation and/or someone with a good memory for details might enlighten me on this.

4075 did indeed operate at Steamtown, as a switcher in Scranton, a helper along the way, and also to shuffle coaches around at the end of the trip before there was a run around.

The engine was saw service on the Adirondack Railway as well, leased I believe.

Quite a boomer Alco!

Joshua

Well, I was a Steamtown Foundation employee, and the 4075 was the first Diesel locomotive that I ever regularly operated.

I think that the locomotive was "loaned" to the Foundation when I first came to Scranton, but I do not know this for sure. Fred Bailey would know the answer to that. They did come to eventually own it, though, because it was sold at the auction of Foundation materiel that the NPS did not want to keep. (I worked as a ringman at that auction) If I remember correctly, it was actually purchased by another museum, and traded to B&K Locomotive Engineering to clear title on a large ex-park steam locomotive that that museum wanted (C&O 2-8-4).

The first year at Scranton, there was no runaround track at Moscow for operations, but there was a single crossover at Elmhurst. That first year Steamtown regularly ran 8-plus car trains. So the 4075 was left idleing at Elmhurst on the main line, the steam loco would pull into the siding, then the fireman would go on the Alco and pull the train by so the steam loco could couple on to the other end. That pull, on an Alco that had been idleing for a couple of hours, could make quite a fireworks show at dusk!

Once the Wabash and NKP diesels showed up, they were used for helper and yard switcher duties, and the 4075 was seldom operated. I seem to remember it had a rather large oil appetite.

Steve Zuiderveen

Steve has a good memory! #4075 came to Steamtown in Scranton in September, 1984 on a lease/purchase agreement. After the 1984 season concluded, Steamtown had to make a decision on whether or not to keep the locomotive; the next season trains would be going to Moscow which had the same single-ended siding arrangement as Elmhurst. Thus, a diesel would be needed for runaround purposes again in 1985, so it was decided to purchase #4075.

Shortly after the l985 season began, #4075 suffered an electrical fire which put the locomotive out-of-service. A Steamtown Foundation volunteer, Bob Patterson, acquired a new electrical harness and rewired the unit. However, by the time he finished the job, Steamtown had acquired the Wabash and NKP units from Norfolk Southern in exchange for a clear title to N&W 2-6-6-4 #1218. Since both of the NS units were in much better shape than #4075, they became Steamtown's regular diesel power. #4075 languished in the Steamtown yard until sold in the auction that disposed of surplus equipment that the National Park Service didn't want.

As Steve mentions, #4075 had a thrust for lube oil while operated at Steamtown. I can recall dumping a five gallon pail or more into the prime mover before beginning a day's operation. A bad front crankshaft seal was the culprit, and that never got reapired while the #4075 was a Steamtown.

By concidence, I happened to find this tonight!
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=703078

And if you click on "DH 4075 (RS3)", it will take you to photos on other Railroads.

Wow, some great information here! I figured this board would come through. I guess if I had searched a little harder earlier, I might have found this picture:

http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/images/dhrr_diesel/ALCO_RS-3/Dave-T-Klutchko/4075-01.jpg

RMNE is documenting some of the history of this locomotive. So I’m a little confused as I’ve been under the impression that the 4075 was purchased at the ’88 auction by Ray Kammer, who then moved the locomotive to Cumberland. Who is this “other museum” and B&K Engineering involved in the line of ownership? I had also heard that the 4075 was used by the Adirondack Railway for the 1980 Winter Olympics service. I seem to recall seeing a picture of a D&H RS-3 sitting in front of Lake Placid station, but I have no idea where I might have seen that picture – can anyone confirm that the 4075 was used in this service?

Regarding the oil consumption and the crankshaft seal problem, this is the first we have heard of this! We’ll have to see what that’s all about once the locomotive is running again. The 1508 suffered a birds-nested traction motor coming east from Michigan, so we are looking to get that repaired/replaced before we can put the locomotive into service.

Thanks to everyone for their comments.

OK, so now this is making sense. Just to clarify, B&K held the title to the 2707 prior to the Steamtown auction? I guess that it is safe to say that this deal was hammered out at the auction as IRM never took possession of the 4075 -- am I correct on this assumption?

Did the Wabash diesel (an SW8, wearing faded Lackawanna colors last I saw it) ever operate after coming to Steamtown?

My own recollection, from attending the auction in 1988, was that I approached the successful bidder on the 4075, and he handed me a "B&K Engineering" business card. 4075, just to clarify, didn't--as far as I can remember--operate on the Western Md. Scenic; that was an ex-C&NW RSD5 that got renumbered "WM 199". That loco later ended up on the Northern Central at New Freedom, Pa. for a spell.

Yes, primarily as a shop switcher. It also powered the overhead crane for a little while until a new rectifier was built to power it.

Someone (not myself, despite rumors; this happened after I was laid off) did not properly drain this locomotive, it froze up, and it has not operated since.

Steve Zuiderveen

Not quite, Sandy,



Steve Zuiderveen

Okay, I stand corrected. But did the RSD5 and this RS3 ever work together? And where is the RSD5 today, dare I ask?

They sure did! Note that the C&NW RSD5 is the middle unit:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=247779

Last I knew, the C&NW Alco was still at the Cuyahoga Valley.

By the way, after the 4075 left Cumberland, it was renumbered back to the 1508 and repainted into a NYC style scheme. It was moved to Michigan were it ran a few times on a short lived operation known as the Chesaning Central & Owosso.

Sandy,
Both the RSD5 and the B&O painted FPA4 went out to Cuyahoga Valley after their time at Northern Central. The RSD was restored a few years ago to its C&NW paint.
http://www.cvsr.com/Templates/roster.shtml
Kevin

Sounds about right, except #4 "location" would be Cumberland, MD.

Howard P.
Distant Memory, CT