Converted to Internal Combustion |
Geared Steam Locomotive Works ©
For various reasons, a small number of geared steam locomotives were converted by their owners to utilize an internal combustion (IC) engine (diesel or gasoline). The conversion was typically done after the locomotive had many years of service. The boiler and steam cylinders were typically removed, with other original parts (such as frame, gearing, transmission, trucks, cab) possibly being kept depending on the ingenuity or requirements of the conversion. With the conversions depending on the ingenuity of the owner's maintenance staff or that of a nearby machine shop, the end results of each were quite unique.
John A. Taubeneck of Seattle, Washington, has compiled a roster of Climax, Heisler, and Shay locomotives that were converted to IC engines. Those noted with C/N or S/N in bold, still exist as of this writing. Those with the C/N or S/N underlined and in a color other than black are linked to a photo. Should you have additions or updates to the list, please contact John directly at his address below.
Climax Jump to | Heisler | Shay
|
C/N |
Built |
Weight |
Class / |
Owners |
| 399 ? |
15 | A | 36" gauge Wild Goose RR Nome, AK Nome-Arctic RR " 1903 Seward Peninsula RR " 1906 (not used after 1911) Maine Northwestern Development Co. Nome, AK 1913 Pioneer Mining & Ditch Co. Nome, AK (leased 1913, purchased 1920) Territory of Alaska Nome, AK 1921 Mr. Kenney (loaned) " 1926 Converted to "Diesel" engine (photographs show Gas engine) Abandoned at Nome Parts dug up 1983 Trucks, engine, and other parts still here 1994 |
|
| 804 | 1907 | 20 | A | Cascade Lbr. Co. #1 Easton, WA Cabin Creek Lbr. Co. " 1916 Converted to Gas engine 1944+ still has 2 speed transmission White 4 cylinder gas engine installed as replacement by 1961 New wood frame, cab and fake boiler 1976+ lettered Cabin Creek & Carefree RR "HOOT 1" Still here September 2000 |
| 1505 | 08-1920 | 45 | 2 trk | Beaver Cove Lbr. & Pulp Co. #1 Beaver
Cove, BC Canadian Forest Products #7 (1st) Englewood, BC 1926 Converted to Diesel engine in 1952 by CFP Renumbered to 252 1957 Scrapped 1973 |
| 1672 | 09-1925 | 80 | 3 trk | Manley-Moore Lbr. Co. #1672 - Fairfax, WA Eatonville, Lbr. Co. " 1934 Ben Goldstein (D) Aberdeen, WA 01-41 Western Log. Co. Valsetz, OR Converted to Diesel with 300 Cummins engine 1953 Still in use 06-59 ?Alaska Junk Co.? Scrapped |
Heisler Jump to ^ top | Climax | Shay
|
S/N |
Built |
Weight |
Trucks |
Owners |
| 1009 | 1896 | 20 | 2 | Unknown McKean Chemical Co. (Dahoga & Highland RR) #1 Dahoga, PA Kinzua Valley Chemical Co. Morrison, PA 1916+ Morrison Chemical Co. " Converted to Gas engine with truck hood and cab 1948 Scrapped 1949 |
| 1092 | 08-1906 | 28 | 2 | A. H. Kneeland Shelton, WA Minard & Co. (Elma Lbr. Co.) Elma, WA Vance Lbr. Co. Malone, WA Buffelen Lbr. & Mfg. Co. Eagle Gorge, WA Libby, McNeal & Libby (Yakutat & Southern RR) #1 Yakutat, AK Trucks only to Skagit Steel & Iron Works, used to construct Gas locomotive C/N 102 Village of Yakutat (display) (here 2000) |
| 1445 | 1921 | 26 | 2 | Belgrade Lbr. Co. #3 Louise, MS Green Brothers Gravel Co. (Washington & Western RR) #3 Jenkins, LA Converted to Gas with a Ford V8 engine 1947+ Scrapped 1957 |
| 1546 | 02-1927 | 28 | 2 | Elk River Mill & Lbr. Co. #3 Falk, CA Mutual Plywood Corp. #1954 Fairhaven, CA 1954? Converted to Diesel with a Murphy engine 1954 Original cab & water tank were kept U. S. Plywood Corp. #54 Fairhaven, CA (this company by 05-16-64) Simpson Tbr. Co. " Frank Bayless (Alton & Pacific Ry) (display) Alton, CA Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Assn. Eureka, CA 1992 Stored at Blue Lake, CA operable |
Shay Jump to ^ top | Climax | Heisler
|
S/N |
Built |
Weight |
Trucks |
Owners |
| 847 | 01-1904 | 65 | 3 | Escanaba & Lake Superior RR #7 Wells, MI J. M. Wells Lbr. Co. #7 Menominee, MI 06-20 Southern Iron & Equipment Co. (D) #1953 Atlanta, GA 04-25 Verdi Lbr. Co. #7 Verdi, NV 1926 United Bank of Nevada (receiver) Carson City, NV 10-23-30 Clover Valley Lbr. Co. #7 Loyalton, CA Unsuccessful attempted conversion to Diesel Scrapped 1940 |
| 949 | 11-1904 | 35 | 2 | W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1, Mortimer, NC W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. (Linville River Ry) #1 Saginaw, NC 1905 W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1 Welch, WV 1913 W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1 Fremont, VA 1919 W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1 McClure, VA 1928 Clinchfield Coal Corp. McClure, WV 08-48 McClure Lbr. & Builder's Supply Co. #1 McClure, VA Converted to Diesel with Cat engine 1950+ Display McClure, VA (here 1969) Will Harris display Goshen, VA (here 2000) |
| 1509 | 04-12-1905 | 45 | 2 | W. D. Hofius & Co. (D) #1509, Seattle, WA (4-1905) Exhibited at 1905 Lewis & Clark Exhibition, Portland, OR Doty Lumber & Shingle Co., Elk Creek & Gray's Harbor RY #3 (1st), Doty, WA (by 1947) Dulien Steel Products Co. (D), Seattle, WA Rebuilt to 2-truck diesel-hydraulic loco (1947) Marona Mill Co., Acme, WA; used as yard switcher (1955) Dulien Steel Products Co. (D), Seattle, WA, (seen at this location) |
| 1590 | 11-1905 | 24 | 2 | Burton Swartz Cypress Co. #3 Carbur, FL Lee Cypress Co. #3 Perry, FL 1943 Lee Cypress Co. #3 Copeland, FL Lee Tidewater Cypress Co. #3 Copeland, FL Converted to Diesel with 2 GMC 371 engines Howard & Ed Nelson for logging on Turio River, Columbia 1957 Empresa Maderera del Atrato "ANGELITA" Barran Ovilla, Columbia (here 03-61) |
| 2324 | 06-1910 | 60 | 2 | Newport Tbr. Co. #1 Squamish, BC Grant-Smith & McDonell Construction Co. Victoria, BC 1917 Merrill-Ring & Moore #1 John Straits, BC 1918 Merrill & Ring Lbr. Co. #1 Theodosia Arm, BC 1921 Comox Log. & Ry. Co. Ladysmith, BC 05-42 (for parts) Converted to Gas self propelled log dumper #3 "HUMDURGIN" with 140 HP 8 cylinder Chrysler engine. 1945 Crown Zellerbach Canada, Ltd. 1953 Crown Forest Industries Ladysmith, BC 1983 Ladysmith Ry Museum " 1986 City of Ladysmith, BC (stored) 1991 (still here 03-98) |
| 3163 | 02-1921 | 50 | 2 | Pacific Mills, Ltd. #3 Dean Channel, BC Mayo Lbr. Co. (D) Paldi, BC Export Log. Co. #3 Sahtam, BC Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Co., Ltd. #3 Great Central, BC Great Central Sawmills #3 (leased) Great Central, BC 1930's Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Co., Ltd. #3 Great Central, BC Deep Bay Log. Co. #2 Fanny Bay, BC 1939 Canadian Forest Products, Ltd. #98 Englewood, BC 1941 Converted to Diesel with 400 HP Cummins engine by Tyee Machinery Co. of Vancouver, BC 1951 Renumbered to 251 1957 Scrapped 1973 |
Jump to ^ top | Climax | Heisler | Shay
John A. Taubeneck October 2, 2000
This page changed March 10, 2020 01:59:13 PM