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  • Information needed about Burnham Williams Locomotive Plate

  • Discussion related to Baldwin Locomotive Works, Lima Locomotive Works, Lima-Hamilton Corporation, and Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton.
Discussion related to Baldwin Locomotive Works, Lima Locomotive Works, Lima-Hamilton Corporation, and Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton.

Moderator: lumpy72

 #1024104  by Plate Lover
 
Greetings:

I just purchase a brass locomotive builders plate and need help in identifying, if possible, the steam engine from which it was removed.

It is 12" across and around the edge reads "BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS PHILADELPHIA U.S.A." In the middle section is "BURNHAM WILLIAMS & CO. 31496" and "AUGUST 1907". On the back this is stamped: 10 38 E 3026. I have searched all the internet resources I could find and cannot pin this one down. The number is correct for the month, but that is all I could confirm. One guess is that it came off a Santa Fe 1600 Series locomotive, but I cannot confirm that (or any other engine or railroad).

Any and all information, surmises and hints would be most welcome. Also, the plate is quite dirty and missing a chunk along the edge (most of the "W" in "WORKS". Any suggestions on a professional who is competent to clean up the plate and repair the missing chunk also would be most welcome.

Thanks!
 #1024521  by Marty Feldner
 
"10 38 E 3026"

This is the Baldwin class number. The 'E' signifies four pairs of driving wheels, the initial '10' is the total number of wheels under the locomotive (if a fraction followed the total number- '1/4' was used to signify that a trailing truck was present in addition to a lead truck; '1/3' signified no lead truck, but a trailing truck was present)- so this was a 2-8-0 consolidation. The '38' is the cylinder diameter, but not in inches; 38 translated to 22" diameter (I have no idea why, or how it came about, but- divide the Baldwin number by two and add three). The '3026' means this is number 3026 of the class '10 38 E' built by Baldwin. The build date and serial number match each other and fit in with some numbers I have.

Baldwin was the only one to use this classification system; the commonly used Whyte system was much simpler to understand.

Beyond that I can't help much...
 #1024679  by Plate Lover
 
The information you provided is very helpful indeed.

Thanks very much!

I understand that BALDWIN'S "Register of Locomotives Built" now resides at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. With the information on the plate itself and that you provided, I should be able to trace the engine and tie it to a railroad. I will report if that proves possible. Then the challenge will be to try to find a photo of the engine in question (or ones of its series).