Baldwin S-8
Encyclopedia
The Baldwin S-8 was an 800-horsepower
diesel-electric locomotive
intended for use in yard switching
. The Baldwin Locomotive Works
produced a total of 54 units (61 for United States
railroads and 2 for use in Cuba
) between 1951 and 1953. In addition, nine "calf
" units were built for Oliver Iron Mining Company in Minnesota. A tenth calf had been built for them on a verbal order, but when delivery was refused, it was fitted with a cab, and converted to a regular S-8.
Only two intact examples of the S-8 are known to survive today, one of which is owned by a railroad museum, while the other is the property of a railway historical society.
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
diesel-electric locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
intended for use in yard switching
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
. The Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
produced a total of 54 units (61 for United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
railroads and 2 for use in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) between 1951 and 1953. In addition, nine "calf
Cow-calf
In North American railroading, a cow-calf locomotive is a set of switcher-type diesel locomotives. The set usually is a pair; some 3-unit sets were built, but this was rare. A cow is equipped with a driving cab; a calf is not...
" units were built for Oliver Iron Mining Company in Minnesota. A tenth calf had been built for them on a verbal order, but when delivery was refused, it was fitted with a cab, and converted to a regular S-8.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Rolling Mill Company | |
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| Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad is a privately held shortline railroad that operates in Northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The ELS has expanded from the original 65 miles that was purchased in 1978 to over 235 miles as of 2005.... |
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| La Salle and Bureau County Railroad | |
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| Medford Corporation, (Medford, Oregon Medford, Oregon Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon... ) |
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Only Baldwin switcher built with dynamic brakes; preserved by the Southern Oregan Chapter, NHRS National Railway Historical Society The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and... |
| New Orleans Public Belt Railroad New Orleans Public Belt Railroad The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad is a non-profit terminal switching railroad, owned by the City of New Orleans. It connects with six Class I railroads serving the city, and provides switching and haulage service.... |
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| Oliver Iron Mining Company | |
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"Cow Cow-calf In North American railroading, a cow-calf locomotive is a set of switcher-type diesel locomotives. The set usually is a pair; some 3-unit sets were built, but this was rare. A cow is equipped with a driving cab; a calf is not... " units |
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"Calf Cow-calf In North American railroading, a cow-calf locomotive is a set of switcher-type diesel locomotives. The set usually is a pair; some 3-unit sets were built, but this was rare. A cow is equipped with a driving cab; a calf is not... " units |
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| Pennsylvania Railroad Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
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| Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a railroad that operated in southern New Jersey in the 20th century. It was created as a joint venture of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company .- History :... |
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| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:... |
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| Sharon Steel Corporation Sharon Steel Corporation The Sharon Steel Corporation was once a steel plant, and is notable due to its contribution toward the growth of the iron and steel industry in the Shenango River Valley, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.... |
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| Sloss-Sheffield Steel | |
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| United Railways of Havana, Cuba Cuba The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city... |
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| US Pipe and Foundry | |
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Build as "calf"; fitted with cab before sale to USP&F; preserved by Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum is the official state railroad museum of Alabama. Dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of historically significant railway equipment, the museum is located at 1919 Ninth Street, Calera, Alabama, on I-65 approximately south of Birmingham.The... (Calera, Alabama Calera, Alabama Calera is a city in Chilton and Shelby counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the location of Birmingham's Shelby County Airport. Its population was 3,158 at the 2000 census, but as of 2010 the population had nearly quadrupled to 11,620 making it the fastest growing city in... ) as Jefferson Warrior 37 |
| US Steel | |
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| Weyerhaeuser Company Weyerhaeuser Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber... |
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| Youngstown Sheet and Tube Youngstown Sheet and Tube The Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company, based in Youngstown, Ohio, was one of the largest steel manufacturers in the world. Officially, the company was created on November 23, 1900, when Articles of Incorporation of the Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company were filed with the Ohio Secretary... |
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| Totals | 54 | A unit A unit An A unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive equipped with a driving cab, or crew compartment, and the control system to control other locomotives in a multiple unit, and therefore able to be the lead unit in a consist of several locomotives controlled from a single position... s | |
| 9 | B unit B unit A "B" unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive unit which does not have a driving cab, or crew compartment, and must therefore be controlled from another, coupled locomotive with a driving cab . The term booster unit is also used. The concept was largely confined to North America... s |
Only two intact examples of the S-8 are known to survive today, one of which is owned by a railroad museum, while the other is the property of a railway historical society.