WK&S: An Operating Veteran
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- On Memorial Day Weekend, the WK&S Railroad decided to operate thier rare 70-ton Witcombe switcher #602.
It was built as part of an order for 99 similar locomotives for the US Army Transportation Corps in 1944. These locomotives were numbered in the 8400-8498 series, bearing Whitcomb serial numbers 60406-60504. They were classified by Whitcomb as 65-DE-19a, the 65 standing for the gross weight in tons, the DE standing for diesel electric drive, and the 19a believed to bear a relationship concerning the production run number from the first run of that particular model. The Army specifications called for a locomotive to be able to run on any european main line, have a top speed of at least 45 mph, and must be capable of operating in multiple unit with similar locomotives.
It was constructed with serial number 60473and bore the number USATC #8467. While no definite information has surfaced, it is believed that #602 was shipped to France or Belgium for use during the war. These locomotives were shipped overseas in three large crates, one each for each assembled truck and one large crate containing the locomotive frame and carbody, totally assembled. From information in a Whitcomb locomotive manual, apparently the locomotives were equipped with standard AAR couplers for shipment to the Port of Embarkation, removed prior to shipment and european couplers applied upon delivery in Europe.
The locomotives served the military well during World War II. Whitcomb received an Army-Navy E Award in January, 1944, for outstanding production of these military locomotives. These locomotives were used to pull the first train into the city of Rome after it was taken from the Germans. They pulled the first train across the Rhine River after the Corp of Engineers rebuilt a bombed out bridge. Whitcomb 65 tonners pulled the first train into Paris after it was liberated by the Allies and pulled the first supply trains and hospital trains into Belgium after that country was taken back by the Allies. While they were cantankerous and somewhat a maintenance headache, particularly the Buda diesel engines, they ran and often ran well.
After VE day in 1945, the USATC decided that many of these Whitcombs were worth rehabilitating and being shipped to the Far East to fight in the war against Japan. 118 of these locomotives were shipped back to the US. By the time the locomotives arrived in the US, the hostilities ended in Japan. They arrived at Hawkins Point, near Baltimore, MD, and were stored pending disposition. With the war over, the US government disposed of these locomotives beginning in 1947. Most of the locomotives were sold through brokers to industrial operations or shortlines. The only modification that occurred to these locomotives was the removal of the european couplers and the installation of bolt-on AAR coupler pockets and couplers. Whitcomb, however, repurchased some of the locomotives. These locomotives were rebuilt and reclassified to 70-DE-26. These rebuilt locomotives now weighed 70 tons and were equipped with wider cabs, side walkway extensions, side handrails, a larger oil reservoir, and spring-equipped draft gear couplers. Most of the rebuilds also had their MU gear removed.
Upon return to the US, #602 was repurchased by Whitcomb and rebuilt to a 70 ton configuration. Gulf Oil Corp. purchased two of these locomotives around 1950 for use at its Port Arthur, Texas refinery. They were numbered 7 and 8. Sometime around 1960, #7 was shipped to Philadelphia, PA to replace a smaller locomotive. It was used to move salt and catalyst cars along Pennypacker Avenue and the package departments black oil rack. In 1979, #8 was shipped to Philadelphia. This was done because parts were becoming scarce, and hence expensive, for Whitcomb locomotives. #8 would be used as a parts engine and never operated in Philadelphia. In 1983, #7 was out of service for an extended period of time and Gulf rented another locomotive. Finally, in 1984, Gulf purchased a Trackmobile and retired #7 permanently. Both locomotives were subsequently donated to the Cornell Railway Historical Society of Cornell, NY, for preservation. Unfortunately, the cost of moving both engines was well beyond the means of the Society and they were offered to the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society, due to the L&NE/Whitcomb connection. In 1987, the WK&S was approached about the possibility of leasing #7. #8 would be scrapped in place as it was partially disassembled. Any salvageable parts from #8 could be removed before scrapping. It was agreed to paint the locomotive in an L&NE paint scheme and renumber the locomotive 602. It was moved to Kempton in the fall of 1988 and rehabilitated for operation in 1989.
A nice piece of history preserved there, now I know what these locomotives sounded like.
A bit more history on the 20 Dutch locomotives; They were bought by Dutch state railways (NS) on an army surplus auction in Paris in 1946, to replace steam locomotives lost during the war.
Initialy they got the numbers NS 601-619 (2 locomotives were used for spares).
They were used on crude oil trains from the north east oilfields to the refineries in Rotterdam, first solo, but double headed later, when trains became heavier.
Because of the troublesome nature of the Buda engines they were replaced with Dutch Stork-Thomassen engines in 1953, and renumbered as 2001-2018 (one loco already withdrawn), the whole class was withdrawn between 1958-1960 as more of the new class 2200 became available.
Man that engine sounds awesome I wish Lehigh and New England railroad were still around awesome video WK&S rocks
sorry I just read description and it answers my question!
good video, thats quite a history.
Thanks for that video. Excellent description. Lot of infos.
In the 80' there was one in industrial use in Beauharnois, close to Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Don´t know what happened with her.
Just saw her yesterday. Shes's sitting on a siding with her stacks capped.
I've just bought a USATC model version with sound for my UK WWII exhibition layout.
Im from the kingston trolley museum of new york.We have that same type of locomotive.It has two buda engines as well.Im restoring it and may need a few tips to get it started.
One returned to The Netherlands this year. It will be restored in running order by VSM, a historic working railwaymuseum.
There are 2 of them in the Netherlands now, Goes-Borsele have 1 also, both of them went to holland this year, within a month of each other. The 1 from VSM is repainted now into a dark green color, been there today at the Terug naar Toen yearly event there.
The one at SGB is painted dark grey / black, I believe to resemble the way they looked when they arrived in the Netherlands.
My great grandpa and my grandpa used to taking lathe used to do to Ohio and Decatur and plus up north of fort Wayne to back down here in Decatur
That is me at 5:35 with my dad I was so young back then lol
It's a spring switch.
The Italian State Railways (FS) called this engines Ne 120 (Naphtha Electric) but the 2 Buda-Lanova engines had a lot of problems,so they were replaced by two Fiat engines.
After this,all the Ne 120 were radically transformed to became D 143 "Truman" (because they have American origins),with a single big italian OM engine built specifically for this locomotive.
They were still in use in 2007,now the retirement is arriving because there aren't any more replacement parts.
what Budas are in this? 6 or 8 cylinders? supercharged?
Lots of exhaust smoke from just a cold start. That's how you know she's ready to work. Much less than can be said for even my favorites of EMD's
is that good for what happened at 3:37?
DDDDAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMM, that is one old looking engine. They need to repaint it.
Now offered in HO scale.
r they diesel?
I have heard of some petrol budda engines.
dose it have pony motor star?
Wauw ! Great video.20 of these loco's were bought in 1946 by the Dutch railroad and they served until 1960.They were all scraped , so I never heard one firing up / ride.Being a model railroader I would like to build one in O ( 1:45) scale. Does anyone know where I can find drawing or pictures of these machines ?
I know who invented the spring switch, Bob Soule, former president of Tennessee Valley Railroad, he invented them for our line, but sold them to other railroads as well, and we have three of them on the wye at Grand Junction. If it weren't for those spring switches, we would have to stop at each of the points to re-align them. Sadley, he passed away in Febuary 2006.
Quite the smoker
Just throw your BBQ ribs in the stack, and taste the magic ✨. Welcome to flavour country.
Two Budda engines.