Nostalgia & History > Best source for Whitcomb Locomotive info and photos???

Hello to All,

I need to look at some photos of how Whitcomb 44 tonners were painted/lettered for the US Army. I'v been digging around the 'Net with little results for the 44 ton model.

Any suggestions for historical groups, books etc that would be useful would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

pilotblue Wrote:
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I'v
> been digging around the 'Net with little results
> for the 44 ton model.

It appears that they may have had only one.

See:http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/modelListRR.aspx?id=usax

Cheers
Jack

Buy the Whitcomb book, now let's see if the memory comes up with
something. Was it Jim Eakin that did the Whitcomb/Plymouth stuff.
I know I've seen Whitcomb specific publications at train shows, like
Railhead Publications or the like.

There is a chapter on Whitcomb locomotives in the book Critters, Dinkys & Centercabs by Jay Reed.

Hi,

The Army (and its contractors) had about 8 or 9 Whitcomb 44tonners during WW2.

Whitcomb also built a lot of other centercab switchers of other weights for the Army. Sometimes these are mis-captioned generically as 44tonners.

The Whitcomb records, including construction dockets and some builders photos are at the California State RR Museum library in Sacramento. I'm not sure how accessible they currently are unless you're there in person.

At least three x Army 44ton units are preserved:

Hoosier Valley RR Museum in Judson, Indiana has Army # 7307. see: http://hvrm.railfan.net/roster2.html

Army # 7044 is displayed in a mining museum in Galena, Kansas.

National RR Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin had one, x Army # V-1209, I understand it was sold for display in Florida. (I'm not sure when or where).

Hope this helps,

Don