Tiny Mack locomotive, at the Black River & Western in New Jersey:http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2005062811484114464.jpg&bydate%3A15

Anybody know the plans for this critter?Thanks,

I saw that thing when I was up there on the 18th. My comment was, "I gotta have that!" I can just see it as a MOW unit on the old Rockton & Rion.Hey, I can dream, can't I?

I don't think the BR&W. Has any plans for it. The last time I saw it run was back in 1962 when the BR&W. Was getting its self started.Ed K.

What's the history behind this? I recall hearing some information about Mack's endeavor into locomotives, but alas my alzheimers is kicking in...Gerald W. Kopiasz

According to a company website, "Mack built rail cars and locomotives from 1905 until 1930. In the period 1951 through 1954, the company built 40 forward control diesel rail cars". The site has a few photos of Mack's railroad equipment.Interesting bit of trivia: In 1924 Jack Mack, one of the company's founders, was killed when his car collided with a trolley car of the Lehigh Valley Transit Company.Mikehttp://www.macktrucks.com.au/index.cfm?MenuID=102

The Lehigh Valley NRHS produced a spiral-bound book on the history of Mack railroad products many years ago (I'm thinking 1960?). I don't have a copy but we have one in the Md. Rail Heritage Library.Mack "locomotive" production was so small as to be barely worth mentioning; I believe the few switchers that were produced were gasoline-powered and used the same engine as the more famous railbuses (of which at least two were preserved--the Lewisburg, Milton & Watsontown unit now at the RR Museum of Pa. (ex, Strasburg, nee-BC&G) and the Chestnut Ridge Railway one now owned by the LV NRHS). They did also build a couple full-sized "doodlebugs", but my thought is that they provided engine units for bodies built by nearby Brill (strictly speculation; feel free to correct me ad nauseaum......).The Ringoes unit is apparently an odd duck; it has apparently been rebuilt during its history, with boxy short hoods replacing what had originally(?) been a version of the classic Mack "bulldog" front grilles similar to what graced the front of the Mack railbuses and trucks of the era.

What is the status of the Lehigh Valley NRHS car? When they acquired it in 1986, it seemed to be in very good condition - coming straight from indoor storage.Tom Cornillie

From what little I actually know, no change, plus or minus, since that acquisition. Still in the same building in the same location.It appears that LV-NRHS regards the bus (rightfully) as a unique piece of both a local shortline and local railroad manufacturing history. Since Strasburg/RR Museum of Pa. has an equivalent unit (built by a Pa. builder, made for a Pa. shortline, etc.), the Chestnut Ridge car is worthier as a LOCAL artifact than just a curio--after all, this unit has more meaning to eastern Penna./Allentown than, say, a Reading GP7 or a Pennsy F7 or a Conrail SD50.

I have the Mack railroad equipment booklet that Sandy mentioned (the WK&S sold it in their gift shop ages ago), but not in front of me at the moment.The BR&W Mack locomotive is a 12-ton gas-electric, originally built in 1927. It was powered by one of Mack's 85HP "Bulldog" truck engines. Previous owners of the this Mack include the Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Company, the Harrison Warehousing Company, and the Crucible Steel Company.During its early years at the BR&W, the Mack was operational. When the tourist line first began its lease on the Ringoes-Flemington portion of the Flemington branch from the PRR, the Mack was sole in-service piece of motive power. I've been told that the little Mack really worked its heart out towing all of the BR&W's equipment, including the weight of 2-8-0 60, to Ringoes from the former storage site (along the CNJ branch) at Flemington. Prior to 60 entering service, the Mack hauled a two car "press" train to Flemington and back, stopping now and then to let the little guy catch its breath! Around the time the railroad opened to the public, the Mack was replaced by a GE 44-ton centercab diesel that was bought from the Long Island RR (around 1970-71 this 44-tonner went to the Valley RR in CT). The Mack has spent most of the time since then sitting in the Ringoes yard. Some 15 to 20 years ago, one BR&W volunteer began his own restoration of the Mack, with an eye to making it operational again. He did some overhaul work on the "prime mover" and IIRC managed to get it started. He also painted it (I think for the last time), but the work stopped when he left the railroad.Regards,Jim Robinson

As a follow up... I looked this locomotive up in the Lehigh Valley Chapter NRHS booklet on Mack Locomotives & Railcars. They list the build date as 1935, not 1927. The BR&W had listed it as being built in 1927, but Mack didn't start locomotive production until two years later. Also it was built as a BR "Standard" model which means it always had its (current) squared-off hoods. The BR "Special" model had the classic "Bulldog" truck hoods. Power came from the same four cylinder 85hp gasoline engine that Mack installed in its chain-drive "Bulldog" trucks of the same era.Regards,Jim Robinson

Here's a similar Mack at the Pine Creek Railway in NJhttp://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/pot_a.jpgI've heard it is available.

The Mack locomotive pictured in the linked photo (and now at the Pine Creek RR in NJ) is a 30-ton unit, much larger than the one at the BR&W RR. This Mack has two 6-cylinder engines and was formerly owned by the Pouch Terminal Company on Staten Island, NY. Today the locomotive looks very much like it does in the linked photo except for some "low clearance" roof and exhaust stack damage that occurred while being trucked to Pine Creek. The Mack is stored in the back corner of their restoration shop, where it does take up valuable shop space, but I'm not sure if they really want to get rid of it. The narrow gauge PC RR is part of the New Jersey Museum of Transportation and this standard gauge Mack is part of NJ railroad / manufacturing history since it (and the other Mack locomotives) were built at Mack's South Plainfield, NJ assembly plant.Regards,Jim Robinson

An update on the Mack. Currently it is under a tree in the Ringoes parking lot. I have replaced the windows, sanded and primed the interior, and I've started on the exterior. I work on her on Saturdays, and unfortunately, we've have rainy Saturdays for about 8 weeks straight.

The goal is to make her look pretty, and she'll be set on a panel track at the entrance to the railroad.

At this point and time, there are no plans to get her running again. There are way too many missing parts, and the motor is locked up.

FYI: Photo from 6/18/17