First Auburn NY diesel

In Karl Borntrager's book "Keeping The Railroads Running - Fifty Years on the New York Central" he tells of events leading to the first diesel assigned to Auburn NY. The Owasco River RR (joint LV-NYC ownership) had a very weak bridge and could only handle light loads. They had a very old steam loco there which broke down frequently. The LV Superintendent and the author decided to explore diesel power, with the result that on July 1, 1940, the new diesel arrived there for service.

Now in detailing the discussions leading to its purchase, the author briefly mentions General Motors. He also mentions "one of the large steam locomotive builders who now was building diesel switch engines also". Baldwin?? But he had extensive discussions with "Central Motors". Who the heck was that - I'm guessing Alco but he had the name wrong?

Anyway, he states that the 70-ton loco they needed finally was built by Fairbanks Morse (along with two other such units for other parts of the system). Was this correct - did FM build 3 diesels to custom specs and very light weight? Anybody know details of what Auburn's first diesel actually was?

I have a book entitled New York Central System Diesel Locomotives. The units that Borntrager describes appear to match (more or less) the NYC's classes DES-1A, DES-1B, and DES-1C, which together comprised a total of eight units. The first, engine number 506, was delivered in July 1940, and the remaining seven were delivered in November and December of 1942.

They were GE 70 ton center cabs, with Cummins engines. There does not appear to be any connection to F-M, or any of the traditional steam builders. For reference, the first three of this batch (506, 507, and 508), went to Despatch Shops Inc, in 1954. They became DSI # 3, 1, and 2, respectively.

JR

Thanks JR. F-M just didn't sound right, and since we know GE made 70-tonners that is quite likely what it was - especially with that July 1940 delivery date. Any disposition on those locos?

506 - Sold 9/54 DSI 3
507 - Sold 7/54 DSI 1
508 - Sold 7/54 DSI 2, PC 2
509 - Retired 7/64, Sold for scrap 1/65
510 - Retired 12/60, Sold for scrap 9/62
511 - Sold 12/52 Ortner Slag
512 - Sold 10/52 Ortner Slag
513 - Sold 11/52 Ortner Slag


JR

512 and 513 survive today..

512 will be used for parts and scrapped..
513 will be preserved at the Tod Engine Foundation in Youngstown, Ohio

more info:

http://rypn.sunserver.com/forum/viewtop ... _view=flat

http://www.todengine.org/6114B

Scot

Pic of NYC 510 for sale on e-bay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-York-Centra ... 0257149975

Taken September 1962 at Cleveland, apparently shortly before it was scrapped.

Beleive ( subject to correction) from old memories of the late '40's that one of these 70T GE locomotives found its way to the M&OL ( Marcellus & Otisco Lake) RR for use when the Owasco River RR folded. The M&OL ran a psgr train Labor Day weekends called the 'Black Panther Express' with a couple of borrowed NYC gons w/benches for seating and one coach. This train operated between the station at Marcellus and Martisco on frequent headway during the day. Back then there were alleged black panther sighting in southern Onondaga County and the name for the train came from this hysteria.

Previous post is incorrect. M&OL locomotive mentioned above was a Vulcan 65T numbered #7025.