I was checking out my copy of "Allied Military Locomotives of World War II" the other day and I was reading the chapter on the 2-10-0s we built for the Soviet Union during World War II. These locomotives were nearly identical to those that were built during WWI, but never shipped. The book states that one was damaged during shipment and was sold to the Minneapolis, Northfield, and Southern as their 506. Anybody know what happened to this locmotive? Have any photos?

wilkidm@wku.edu

> I was checking out my copy of "Allied
> Military Locomotives of World War II"
> the other day and I was reading the chapter
> on the 2-10-0s we built for the Soviet Union
> during World War II. These locomotives were
> nearly identical to those that were built
> during WWI, but never shipped. The book
> states that one was damaged during shipment
> and was sold to the Minneapolis, Northfield,
> and Southern as their 506. Anybody know what
> happened to this locmotive? Have any photos?

Here is a picture of a sister of 506, number 500. The roster on the same website says that the engine is ex-Erie.

MN&S 500

The library collection at the RR Museum of PA (which frequent RYPN reader Kurt Bell oversees) features a tremendous amount of photographs of the WWII Russian decapods.

The photos clearly tell a story of the engines being shipped as kits in gondolas from the builders to a location on the Willamette River in OR where they were assembled and tested on a borad guage yard.

The collection has photos of quite a few being loaded on ships, which makes one think at least some were shipped somewhere.

All the photos were taken by the military and show the inside workings of a very interesting war time project.

Rob Davis

trains@robertjohndavis.com

Yeah, most made it to the Soviet Union, unlike their WWI counterparts. It was only the last batch that didnt' make it due to the post war chill in U.S.-Soviet relations (Think Little Joe Electrics). Most were shipped from the West Coast in Soviet Freighters, because the USSR and Japan wern't at war until the end of WWII. A few took the Murmansk route though. According to my source, they went to work in Eastern and Central Russia.

wilkidm@wku.edu

One question I have is regarding their numbering once they were recieved by the Soviets.

It was my understanding that they recieved USATC numbers while being handled on their way to the Soviet Union. When they were recieved, they seem to have become members of the YeA and YeM classes; perhaps depending on who built them?

Did they keep the USATC number, and just add a class designation? For the most part that appears to be what happened when the captured German Kreigloks were numbered in the TE class.

That would be useful to know, because I understand there are books that have the builders information by USATC number; it could be used to at least speculate who built the remaining examples, and what their builder's numbers were.

BTW I believe it was Stalin that used the fact that the Russian Decapods we supplied during WWI were the same as the ones we supplied during WWII to demonstration how "backwards" the USA was!

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net

I think that the Soviets gave them different numbers when they were numbered into their respective classes. Although my reserarch isn't at home, so I will have to take a look over the weekend.

wilkidm@wku.edu

> I think that the Soviets gave them different
> numbers when they were numbered into their
> respective classes. Although my reserarch
> isn't at home, so I will have to take a look
> over the weekend.

David:

A fascinating subject and one I knew nothing about. A couple of questions.

1. You mentioned a book entitled "Allied Military Locomotives of World War II". Who was the author and when was it published?

2. You mentioned one engine as being damaged and sold to the MN&S as their #506 (perhaps not a correct number) but then mention that the "last batch" never made it to the U.S.S.R. Sounds as if there were more that tne one engine that "stayed home." If so, do you know what happened to the other engines in this "last batch?"

Thanks. BTW, how about an update on the 152?

Les


midlandblb@cs.com

1. "Allied Military Locomotives of the Second World War" was written and published by R. Tourret, published in 1995. It is a combination of two previous works on British and American locomotives used in Military service. It is very comprehensive and even gives the shipment and landing dates of the S-160s.

2. The books isn't clear. It is known that they were in storage, but all of a sudden, they wern't available for sale. I think some of this last batch had been purchased by the Finnish Purchasing comission. I think the MN&S locomotive (If the story is true) was probably purchased directly from the builder.

3. I guess the 152 is about ready to roll. I don't know. I have been busy finishing up my senior year in college. I do know that they are painting it now. I had to loan some HO scale Champ decals so they could get the lettering color correct. (Someone wanted to pait it "De Walt" yellow). Also, I think the lettering on the tender is supposed to be placed correctly, as per photographic research, but I don't know. I am the Museum's publications editor now, and it allows me to volunteer from my college dorm room. I will let you know when I find out something concrete.

> David:

> A fascinating subject and one I knew nothing
> about. A couple of questions.

> 1. You mentioned a book entitled
> "Allied Military Locomotives of World
> War II". Who was the author and when
> was it published?

> 2. You mentioned one engine as being damaged
> and sold to the MN&S as their #506
> (perhaps not a correct number) but then
> mention that the "last batch"
> never made it to the U.S.S.R. Sounds as if
> there were more that tne one engine that
> "stayed home." If so, do you know
> what happened to the other engines in this
> "last batch?"

> Thanks. BTW, how about an update on the 152?

> Les


wilkidm@wku.edu

Go to the link below, about halfway down are pictures of "USA-built YEa steam locomotives."

Courtesy of Dennis 'Decapod' Hogan

Russian Railway Pictures

hkading@rypn.org

> Go to the link below, about halfway down are
> pictures of "USA-built YEa steam
> locomotives."

> Courtesy of Dennis 'Decapod' Hogan

About 5 or 6 years ago, I received a letter from a "dealer" in Russia, trying to sell IRM a few spare Decapods. We didn't buy any; one's enough!
By the way, Frisco 1630 is getting her right rear flange cut down in the next week or so, but after that (cross your fingers, toes, and anything else) we HOPE she'll be under steam again.


Kevinmccabe@avenew.com