McHugh Locomotive & Equipment has completed a restoration of a 3-foot-gauge diesel locomotive for the Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission of Flint Michigan. The restored locomotive will be operated at the Crossroads Village by the Huckleberry Railroad. The completed locomotive left the McHugh shop on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.

The GE 50-ton center-cab locomotive was built for Bethlehem Steel and operated at a mill in Los Angeles, California as their unit #12. The locomotive was acquired by the Roaring Camp & Big Trees RR in Felton, California and then the Georgetown Loop Railroad in Silver Plume, Colorado.

As with all major restorations at the McHugh Company, we remove every component from a locomotive. The locomotive was completely disassembled and every part was restored. This unit’s operator's cab was also removed, and the frame was then turned over to expose the underside of the unit. During this process the fuel tank was removed, cleaned internally and externally, inspected and repaired as necessary, then installed back onto the frame with all new piping.

When the cab was reinstalled onto the locomotive our welders completed various structural and cosmetic repairs to the cab. Insulation was installed between the outer steel wall and the inner wall to reduce engine noise for the locomotive crew. All new handrails and steps have been installed to improve safety for and provide better personnel access.

The unit’s two replacement diesel engines were restored. The two main generators and two traction motors were also completely reconditioned. The entire electrical system was restored with all-new wiring and modern electrical components. All mechanical parts and components were reconditioned. The 3-foot-gauge truck assemblies were also reconditioned with new roller bearings and new wheelsets and a special gear ratio was provided in the rebuilt drive gear boxes to maintain the railroads track speed requirements.

This restoration of this locomotive is better than new and will provide many years of dependable service for the Huckleberry Railroad. I didn’t work on this project myself but I have seen it come together and can attest to the incredible quality of the workmanship. The McHugh staff is incredibly talented and capable.

This pretty much speaks for itself, another old engine that will outlive us all, and look good doing it. Of course, I'm really looking forward to seeing them finish the next locomotive they're working on...

Yet another great job by McHugh.

Impressive company, they do great work.

Nice to see another 50 ton center can get some attention. Well done.

This is just like our 40 ton GE at CRRM. Any chance you took a photo of the instruments panel? I see it has k14 where is the distributing valve and reservoir?

Shiny!

I would love to know why the decision was made to use Detroits vs Cummins or some other more modern engine. Not that I am against Detroits. I have always thought they were the most robust, reliable light diesel ever built. Having just repowered and rewired a 50 ton GE I have a good Idea what is involved. Good looking unit.

Were the 6-71s installed as part of this rebuild, or did they come to McHugh with them already in. I assume GE never installed GM engines originally?

Greg

I have only ever seen Cummins or Cat diesels in GE critters. I have to believe that GE would not have installed a Detroit from the factory since GM was a competitor in the locomotive industry.

The 6-71's and the 6V71's are bulletproof, and there are still a lot of people out there that know how to work on them, plus there is still a healthy aftermarket supply of replacement parts.

Before the La Grange plant opened, GE built locomotives under contract for GM's EMC and put GM Winton 201A's in them. DL&W 426 comes to mind (now with a 567).

Phil Mulligan

I don't know if it's true today, but 40 years ago, Cummins parts for railroad locomotive use were very expensive. When McHugh Bros. rebuilt a General Electric 45 ton locomotive from the Trenton, New Jersey plant of American Bridge Co., Jimmy McHugh (Sr.) said that a replacement General Motors Detroit Diesel engine was cheaper than what Cummins wanted for a new fuel pump for the original engine! For compatibility, both engines were replaced. It's now Tyburn RR 395.
While the General Electric main generator is made for a Cummins Diesel and won't fit on a competing model, GE will supply you with plans to make an adaptor, which McHugh did.

With such a heavy rebuild and repower, how did you get around EPA emissions requirements?

I don't know a lot about EPA emissions requirements, but my understanding is that the requirements only apply to locomotives that were originally manufactured in 1973 and later.

Wikipedia says GE stopped building 50-ton switchers in 1956.

Been told that if you want to save money on Cat and Cummins parts, don't tell the order desk that it is for a Locomotive, but from a Standby Generator. The parts are the same as GE used standard Standby Generator configured motors.

Rich C.