| Collection |
Hawley, Brooks |
| Description |
SVRy. Engine # 251 at Red Bridge.
Brooks Hawley notes: Nos. 250 and 251 were sister Mallet locomotives with two cylinders on each side, converted to oil burning. Formerly from Colorado Used from 1940 to 1947, then sent to Anquita, Guatemala, to haul bananas for the United Fruit Co.
It was thought that the original photo was taken by Lucius Beebe of Virgina City, Nevada, fame, or quite famous in general for New York and good living. Now, in 1965, we find that Henry Griffiths of Boise, Idaho, a railroad authority, took this photo and many others of the SVRy.
Data on the two Mallets Nos. 250 and 251 from Earl Emlaw:
They were Baldwin locomotives, the biggest and only Mallets made for narrow guage. Wheels 2-6-6-2, diameter 42", cylinders 15" x 22", steam 210 lbs, light weight engin 218,000 lbs., tender 82,000 lbs, tender capacity 3500 gal. water, 1800 gal. oil.
Bought second hand March 22, 1940, retired June 30, 1947, cost $19,273 each.
Before coming here, in Colorado they were coal burning and did not have a tender, being used on a short run, the coal bin being built on the cab, and the water tanks being straddle mounted around the boiler. Tenders on Nos. 19 and 20 were used for the Mallets.
The two Mallets were sold for $65,000 July 14, 1947, to Hyman-Michaels Co., Chicago, to go to United Fruit Co., Anguita, Guatemala.
No. 250 hauled its last train of lumber from Bates to Baker April 14, 1947.
No. 251 hauled tis last train of lumber from Bates to Baker April 16, 1947.
Trucks No. 1 and No. 2 with trailers No. 10 and No. 11 hauled first lumber April 1, 1947.
Technically these were not Malets. They were high pressure articulated locomotives, but about everybody called them Mallets on the theory that anything with two cylinders on each side were Mallets. Evidently the magnificent locomotives on the main line at Baker, the Union Pacific, were true Mallets.
The locomotive was built in April 1928, first used in Colorado on the Uintah Railway Co., when it still had the water tanks along side of the boiler.
When the SVRy quit, the last rails were taken up July 1948.
A narrow guage railroad means 3 feet between rails. Main line guage is 4 ft. 8 1/2 in.
Sometimes, when I dream the trains still come by the ranch, I never rode on the train beyond Sumpter, wish I had. Never at Austin station. |
| Object ID |
1992.1.732 |
| Place |
Boulder Gorge |
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