scrapping locomotives

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

Several years ago I found a government form granting permission to scrap a steam locomotive during WWII. Has anyone else ever found any of these forms? If they are archived somewhere they would be a treasure trove of information.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

no, and I hope I don't see any more of them forms today either....

and keep them away from the rail trail guyz...

6-18003 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 17, 2010 9:31 am **Posts:** 728

The Gov't stepped in and halted the closing of some of Scranton Transit's trolley lines in PA during WW2, probably the same reason that they would require you to seek permission before destroying a steam locomotive; anything that moved people effectively was preserved until the close of the war.

pwkrueger · **Joined:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:46 pm **Posts:** 72

If you remember the name of the agency, you could probably poke around the National Archive and see if they have any of these records.

Paul

Paul Krueger
Seattle, WA

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

during the war time metal was going for the war, you just couldnt go out and yank any steam engine and scrap it, thats what this sounds like. The steam engine was needed for the movement of goods which was of value.

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:23 pm

pwkrueger wrote:

If you remember the name of the agency, you could probably poke around the National Archive and see if they have any of these records.

Paul

Paul Krueger
Seattle, WA

It was most likely the War Assets Administration or the War Production Board. One of the archivists in the 2nd Floor Reading Room at College Park can probably get you right to them.

I suggest looking at the NARA.gov website and consulting the online finding aids before asking for human help.

GME

Becky Morgan · **Joined:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:22 pm **Posts:** 495

Unfortunately, one of the best ways of getting scrapping dates will likely be to look up bad wrecks. I think you'll find a locomotive would have had to be irreparable during the early and middle part of the war. After V-E Day, I'd bet they got a lot more lax about it.

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

The form asking permission to scrap a locomotive is WPB-2002 formerly PD-747
"APPLICATION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO DISPOSE OF USED LOCOMOTIVES UNDER ORDER L-97 AMENDED"

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

WPB would be War Production Board.

I looked through my Northern Pacific Railway Roster stuff and found they did scrap several locomotive during the war, mostly turn of the century, early 1900s locomotives.

They also sold several to other RRs.

-Hudson

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

I tryed the form number and name in the search field at the National Archives site and came up dry.

pwkrueger · **Joined:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:46 pm **Posts:** 72

Maybe they are in this haystack?

http://www.archives.gov/research/guide- ... s/179.html

Paul

Paul Krueger
Seattle, WA

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

Thanks for the tip Paul. Nothing jumps out as a likely place to start looking. Since I haven't been to College Park since 1971 and probibly will never go there again it will have to remain a mystery.

Bob Davis · **Joined:** Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:25 am **Posts:** 1025

I'm reminded of the story about a 42" gauge locomotive that operated on a short line south of Ontario, Calif. As I recall, the line was bought from a local entrepreneur and standard-gauged by the SP. The former owner apparently did not include the locomotive in the sale price and tucked it away in a barn. It sat there until the war started, then (since the only other 42" gauge operation in Southern Calif. was the Los Angeles Railway streetcar system) it fell victim to a scrap drive.