Hi everyone. I was looking at some pictures online recently, specifically of Baldwin Sharks. These are some really sharp looking locomotives, in my opinion just as ascetically pleasing as the EMD F's and E's. It really is a shame there aren't more around. I remember hearing that there are only something like one or two units left, and are privately stored somewhere. Is this correct? I wonder if they are beyond an operational restoration? Any thoughts? Seth

sethajackson@hotmail.com

I remember hearing that there are
> only something like one or two units left,
> and are privately stored somewhere. Is this
> correct? I wonder if they are beyond an
> operational restoration? Any thoughts? Seth

Joshua Blay, author of last's months cover story, lists the two as the former D&H 1205 and 1216, both ex Monongahela and NYC. He reports them stored in a building on the Escabana and Lake Superior in Michigan.

eledbetter@mail.rypn.org

Gents:

Erik is right on the current disposition of the Baldwin Sharks on the E&LS. One word of warning. The railroad management there is extremely hostile towards the average railfan (some yahoos stole stuff and did other dumb stunts during the 80's). If a approach is made from the preservation community, you might have luck.
One of the engines reputedly had an electrical fire or major engine malfunction. The locomotives have been stored inoperable for the last 25 years. Many Baldwin fans would give their eyeteeth to see them running again.

Michael Seitz, Missoula Montana

> I remember hearing that there are

> Joshua Blay, author of last's months cover
> story, lists the two as the former D&H
> 1205 and 1216, both ex Monongahela and NYC.
> He reports them stored in a building on the
> Escabana and Lake Superior in Michigan.


mikefrommontana@juno.com

Correction: One of them (1205, I think) has a badly-scored crankshaft, according to my sourdes.

The rumors in the rail preservation community in the Midwest seem to all say that the Sharks will eventually go to the Illinois Railway Museum when a certain party at the railroad retires. However, sources close to the railroad have indicated that this is a complete fallacy, and that the future of the Sharks are as uncertain as, say, the east Broad Top or C&O 614. They are the private property of an individual at this point (if my sources are correct) and the individual has the right to do as he wishes with his property.

That being said, however, please remember that there are a good number of other Baldwins stashed at the Wells enginehouse (including former SCL switchers and Weyerhauseur and Oregon, California & Eastern road switchers, all in decrepit condition and sitting on friction-bearing trucks.

Good future home(s) for the Sharks? Think a minute: Built in Pennsylvania, operated in Pennsylvania by NYC and momongahela and then D&H, a model also used by PRR and B&O........ The natural home for one is the RR Museum of Pennsylvania, which does need D&H/NYC/Monongahela representation. As for the other, how about letting the Baldwin collectors at SMS Services in New Jersey play with it (and the rest of the fleet) for a while?

LNER4472@gateway.net