Baldwin VO-660
Encyclopedia
The Baldwin VO-660 was a diesel-electric locomotive switcher
built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
between April, 1939 and May, 1946. The 197,520–203,980 lb (89,600–92,500 kg) units were powered by a six-cylinder
diesel engine
rated at 660 horsepower
(492 kW), and rode on two-axle AAR
Type-A switcher trucks
in a B-B wheel arrangement. 142 examples of this model were built for American
railroads, along with the United States Navy
. Baldwin replaced the VO-660 with the model DS-4-4-660 in 1946.
In the early 1960s the Reading Company
sent all 10 of their VO-660s to General Motors Electro-Motive Division to have them rebuilt to SW900
specifications. These locomotives received new frames, cabs, and carbodies, and reused only the trucks and batteries from the VO-660's. Only three intact examples of the VO-660 are known to survive today, one of which was sold by the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum to SMS Lines to be repaired and put back into operation. The others are Pickens Railway
#2, built in 1946, and Wyandotte Terminal 103, at the Illinois Railway Museum
.
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...
built by 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...
between April, 1939 and May, 1946. The 197,520–203,980 lb (89,600–92,500 kg) units were powered by a six-cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
diesel engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
rated at 660 horsepower
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...
(492 kW), and rode on two-axle AAR
Association of American Railroads
The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of North America . Amtrak and some regional commuter railroads are also members...
Type-A switcher trucks
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
in a B-B wheel arrangement. 142 examples of this model were built for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
railroads, along with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Baldwin replaced the VO-660 with the model DS-4-4-660 in 1946.
In the early 1960s the Reading Company
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
sent all 10 of their VO-660s to General Motors Electro-Motive Division to have them rebuilt to SW900
EMD SW900
An EMD SW900 is a diesel switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between December 1953 and March 1969. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 8-cylinder engine that generated 900 horsepower...
specifications. These locomotives received new frames, cabs, and carbodies, and reused only the trucks and batteries from the VO-660's. Only three intact examples of the VO-660 are known to survive today, one of which was sold by the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum to SMS Lines to be repaired and put back into operation. The others are Pickens Railway
Pickens Railway
Pickens Railway is a shortline railroad operating on two separate divisions in the Upstate Region of South Carolina:* Easley to Pickens: * Anderson, through Belton to Honea Path:...
#2, built in 1946, and Wyandotte Terminal 103, at the Illinois Railway Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
.
Units produced
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... (pre-production units) |
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Used as BLW plant switcher |
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to Reading 60 | |
| Baldwin Locomotive Works (demonstrator) | |
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to Standard Steel Division of Baldwin Locomotive Works 12 |
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to Elgin, Joliet and Eastern 270 | |
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to Central of Georgia Railway | |
| Akron and Barberton Belt Railroad Akron and Barberton Belt Railroad The Akron and Barberton Belt Railroad was a switching railroad that was built to serve various industries around cities of Barberton and Akron in Ohio. The main purpose was to switch chemical cars for Pittsburgh Plate Glass, Babcox and Wilcox Companies as well as O.C. Barber's match works, all in... |
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| American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) | |
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| American Steel and Wire Company | |
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| Basic Magnesium, Inc. | |
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| Central Railroad of New Jersey Central Railroad of New Jersey The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States... |
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| Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, and Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and stayed relatively strong throughout the Great Depression and two World Wars before being purchased by the Missouri Pacific... |
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| Chicago and North Western Railway Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s... |
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| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names... (“Milwaukee Road”) |
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Renumbered 1635, later renumbered 985 |
| Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway or Omaha Road was a railroad in the U.S. states of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota. It was incorporated in 1880 as a consolidation of the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway and the North Wisconsin Railway,. The... (“Omaha Road”) |
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| Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental... |
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| Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway is a Class II railroad that operates in the suburbs surrounding Chicago. The railroad is a link between Class I railroads in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana... |
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| Francisco Sugar Company, (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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| Iowa Ordnance Plant | |
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to US War Dept United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army... 7276 |
| Kansas City Southern Railway Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states... |
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| La Salle and Bureau County Railroad | |
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| Long Island Rail Road Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US... |
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| Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville and Nashville Railroad The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business... |
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| Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway The Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway was an long American short line railroad connecting Minneapolis and Northfield, Minnesota. It was incorporated in 1918 to take over the trackage of the former Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Dubuque Electric Traction Company, also known as... |
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Renumbered 60 |
| Minnesota Western Railway | |
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to MNS Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway The Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway was an long American short line railroad connecting Minneapolis and Northfield, Minnesota. It was incorporated in 1918 to take over the trackage of the former Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Dubuque Electric Traction Company, also known as... 1 |
| Missouri Pacific Railroad Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific... |
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| Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia... |
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| 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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| New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... |
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501–502 renumbered 750–751 |
| Northern Pacific Railway Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in... |
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Renumbered 650–652 |
| Patapsco and Back Rivers Railroad | |
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Renumbered 301–303 |
| 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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| Procter and Gamble Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods.... |
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| Reading Company Reading Company The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states... |
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| St. Louis-San Francisco Railway St. Louis-San Francisco Railway The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:... |
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| Seaboard Air Line Railroad Seaboard Air Line Railroad The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line... |
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| Singer Manufacturing Company | |
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to Pickens Railway Pickens Railway Pickens Railway is a shortline railroad operating on two separate divisions in the Upstate Region of South Carolina:* Easley to Pickens: * Anderson, through Belton to Honea Path:... #2 |
| Southern Pacific Company | |
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| Southern Railway Southern Railway (US) The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894... |
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| Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is a terminal railroad owned by railroads in St. Louis, Missouri which handles traffic through its metropolitan area.-Components:It was founded in 1889 in a deal orchestrated by Jay Gould by:... |
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| Union Terminal Railway of Memphis (Missouri Pacific Railroad Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific... ) |
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| United States Navy United States Navy The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S... |
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| Upper Merion and Plymouth Railroad | |
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| Wabash Railroad Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,... |
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| Warner Company | |
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| Western Maryland Railway Western Maryland Railway The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines... |
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| Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company | |
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| Wyandotte Terminal Railroad | |
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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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| Total | 143 |
External links
- Baldwin VO-660 Roster
- BLW Demonstrators, Prototypes and Test Beds
- CKD Praha 6S310DR diesel engine, and the Baldwin VO and 600 series engines
- Existing Baldwin VO Model Units
- Preserved Baldwin and Lima Locomotives
- PRR Diesel Locomotive diagrams: Baldwin VO-660
- VO-660 — Original Owners
- Illinois Railway Museum roster page for Wyandotte Terminal 103
