Old abandoned engine in Cutis Bay / Hawkins Point area

While driving on 695 in Baltimore this afternoon I caught a glimpse of an small old abandoned engine. I did not have the chance to stop and take a picture, but I did find it on Google.

Google:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hne ... 4&t=h&z=20

Bing:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qj0ymz ... 4736&sty=b

I cant tell if there are still any track to it from the pics.

Duncan-I believe that this is the location of the Striegel Supply Company that had a business in dealing used and refurbished locomotive parts.

Way back in 1975, I was on a Coast Guard cutter going through an extended yard period at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay. Route 695 was being built at that time and it was an easy walk following the old B&O branch (Visible in the photo) from the CG yard under Fort Smallwood Road and 695 to explore all the locomotives and various types of MOW equipment, particularly cranes, that were in the yard at that time. In fact, Reading T-1 2101 was there, in sad shape, before she was pulled out and restored for use on the American Freedom Train.

Doing a Google search I was able to find this article regarding the environmental problems at the site:

http://www.mde.state.md.us/assets/docum ... riegel.pdf

Google also turned up a Striegel Supply, also dealing in railway parts, in Washington State. No idea if the two are somehow related.

As to the remaining locomotive, I have no idea what it is, or why it was left when everything else was moved out, but can confirm that there was a yard in this area 35 years ago that was full of old locomotives and other equipment.

Looks like an early diesel switcher. Maybe a GE 44Ton.

Aa3rt wrote: As to the remaining locomotive, I have no idea what it is, or why it was left when everything else was moved out, but can confirm that there was a yard in this area 35 years ago that was full of old locomotives and other equipment.

I can also confirm there was a yard there that was viewable from I-695 (then MD-695) after that road opened. My memory, though, was that the yard was inside the adjacent fence, between the fence and the building. The switcher is well outside that fence.

Definitely looks like a 44 tonner. Both the B&O and Western Maryland operated 44 tonners in the Port area -- WM at Port Covington and the B&O mostly up in the Locust Point area but that's not to say that a B&O unit couldn't have found its way down to Curtis Bay. Might be worth a call or e-mail to the B&O Museum to see if they are aware of the equipment sitting out there in the trees. Who knows but that they might be interested in adding it to the pile of old equipment sitting out behind the restoration shop if it has truly been abandoned.

Poppyl

I remember seeing that yard many years ago. If I had to put a date on the sighting, I'd have to say the mid to late '80s. At the time there were a few Es or Fs sitting there. I recall that there were about five or six locos on site.

Later!
Mr. Ed

"Mr. Ed"
I remember seeing that yard many years ago. If I had to put a date on the sighting, I'd have to say the mid to late '80s. At the time there were a few Es or Fs sitting there. I recall that there were about five or six locos on site.

I went inside one of the Es, the engine had been remove along with most of the other stuff in the engine room. I also recall seeing some MP54s there to.

I finally got a chance to go and take a closer peak at the old engine.


Here is a sample pic:


The rest can be found here:
http://www.thequarterdeck.info/hostedpi ... isbayloco/

The engine is sitting on rails.

Any idea on who the manufacturer was? Since it is in the remains of a scrap yard, we have to presume it was already junk when it arrived.

Later!
Mr. Ed

It looks like a Davenport 44-ton. Compare this photo with the one on page 378 of Louis A. Marre's "Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years." The photo caption in the book reads: "In 1953 Davenport built 20 44-ton center-cabs for the U.S. Army, numbered 1216-1235. Their husky lines differ markedly from wartime 44-tonners." The faded black paint scheme also leads me to believe it's one of the ex-Army locomotives from Davenport.

RailVet wrote:It looks like a Davenport 44-ton. ...... The faded black paint scheme also leads me to believe it's one of the ex-Army locomotives from Davenport.

I believe you've nailed it RailVet! Here are some photos of USA and ex-USA Davenport 44 tonners from NortheastRailfan.net, Railpictures.net and rrpicturearchives.net that show some very similiar, if not almost identical, locomotives, albeit in a much healthier state.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/usa/usa1216ags.jpg

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/usa1216a.jpg

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1612295

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=37294

I feel like the right blockhead. I grew up in Dundalk just across the way and been driving past that old yard on 695 for like 30 years...even driven up past the locale to WR Grace and the loading facility next to the Key bridge. Never imagined what old davenport was lurking in the woods mere yards from my travels. Doh!

What is really sad is that we all know the government will get rid of stuff just because it would reach a certain age. So there is the possibilty that there was nothing wrong with it when it arrived other than they just didn't wasnt it any more. Probably a nice unit to save. But that's just me, I want to save them all. After all, you can't 1-800-Davenport to order a new one, now can you?

Later!
Mr. Ed

It's very possible this locomotive was no longer owned by the government when it arrived at this location. Most old Army locomotives typically have buyers that put them to use for years after they leave government ownership. If we're able to determine this one's number, we might be able to trace its ownership to the point it reached this location.

Ken Ardinger in FL has informed me that the locomotive is probably ex-USA 1234, which was privately owned in Baltimore.