Steam & Excursion > Less Than 2 Years In The Army Did Little To Improve This Engine!

The war years of WW-2 were certainly hard on the railroad rolling stock and motive power in the U.S. as the wartime demands for freight tested that rail system to it's limits at times.  This was especially true for railroad equipment requisitioned by the US for service in the Army.

An example of such heave service can be seen when comparing the before and after photos of Colorado & Southern #70.  This 1890 Baldwin built narrow gauge 2-8-0 had been well cared for by the C&S as seen in the top photo of her in Denver in September 1939.  She had been carefully converted to burn oil in about 1930 and she still was a picture of neat and clean efficiency even though she was nearly 50 years old.

However, in mid-1943 the US Army needed more motive power for the wartime demands on the White Pass & Yukon RR out of Skagway.  The Army descended on Colorado as the narrow gauge capital of the US and found several engines, including #70 that it could use immediately on the WP&Y. 

#70 was shipped to Alaska in the summer of 1943 and was immediately put into service for the Army for the next year and a half.  That service must have been hard on #70 as we see her condition when she was returned to Auburn, Washington in March 1945.  Gone was the sheen and shine of her days on the C&S.  In it's place was the dirt and grime obtained in less than 2 years of steady hard wartime service.  Thanks to Al Farrow for saving this last image of her.

While her service for her Country was appreciated by those who operated her in Alaska, she found no one willing to save her from scrapping when she returned to The States.  What a way to treat an Army veteran.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/17 03:50 by LoggerHogger.

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I'm surprised Colorado & Southern 70 made it back to the States after its WW II Alaska service.  Appreciate your post on this little gem!

The engine behind her is former Silverton Northern #3.

Thought I read somewhere that some ended up being landfill up there for some reason.
Anyone?