The Baldwin DS-4-4-1000, along with its DS-4-4-660 counterpart was meant to replace the earlier VO1000. While the model name was complicated enough Baldwin also built two versions of the DS-4-4-1000, which used different prime movers and ultimately resulted in being one of the company's most successful small switchers it ever cataloged. Interestingly, Baldwin's more powerful designs sold relatively well while smaller switchers like the DS-4-4-600, VO-660, and DS-4-4-750 were not nearly as popular with railroads. Unfortunately, the company's switchers were its only bright spot during the diesel era. Like rival American Locomotive, Baldwin struggled to produce a rugged and reliable road-switcher due to reliability issues. It was here where manufacturers made their money, locomotives aimed at daily freight service.
The rigors required to produce such a machine were significant and only Electro-Motive proved very successful at such. In later years General Electric would as well. In the end, the mighty Baldwin Locomotive Works, a bastion of the railroad industry since its inception, exited the locomotive market in the 1950's after its acquisition by another company.
The Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 followed its predecessor model the VO-1000 in 1946 originally using the company's 608NA prime mover which could produce 1,000 horsepower using a B-B truck arrangement (two axles per truck). Aside from the updated prime mover the model was virtually identical to the VO1000 with all internal components outsourced to Westinghouse and continued to carry a length of 48 feet, 10 inches. The only noticeable difference was the DS-4-4-1000's increased starting tractive effort of 72,000 pounds. This first version of the model was built through January of 1951 and sold rather poorly as only 56 were ever built for a handful of Class I railroads (the Reading would come to own the most, 14).
Baldwin's First Model, The Modestly Successful VO-660
The Company's Bestselling Diesel Model, The VO-1000
The Modestly Successful DS-4-4-660
The 750 Horsepower DS-4-4-750
A New Generation Of Switcher, The S-8
Baldwin's Last Standard Line Switcher, The S-12
The Unique Transfer Model, The DT-6-6-2000
Baldwin's Late-Era Transfer Design, The Unsuccessful RT624
However, the second version, which used the company's somewhat more reliable 606SC prime mover produced the same 1,000 horsepower while also offering turbocharging, the first ever Baldwin switcher to feature such an option. Interestingly, production on the updated DS-4-4-100 lasted only until November of the same year, 1951. However, in just 11 months Baldwin was able to sell some 446 DS-4-4-1000s to several Class Is (like the Union Pacific, Chicago & North Western, Reading, Seaboard, Frisco, B&O, and others), smaller railroads, and industries. This time, Baldwin also found interest in Canadian lines, notably the Canadian Pacific Railway. Once again, the company's best customer proved to be the Pennsylvania Railroad which bought 136 examples alone.
As with the DS-4-4-750, the DS-4-4-1000 ended Baldwin's use of its dizzying classification system. In its place, the builder introduced a more standard classification after 1951. For instance, the S-8 and S-12 models, which replaced the DS-4-4-750 and DS-4-4-1000, used the "S" to signify they were switchers and the numbers designated their horsepower rating, abbreviated (800 and 1,200 horsepower). Because so many DS-4-4-1000s were built several are preserved today across the country including; AT&SF #2260, CP #7069, Katy #106, Oakland Terminal #101, and Reading #702. Additionally, shortline SMS Lines, which fleets a large collection of Baldwins preferring their incredible ability to pull operations former Copper Range #101 and PRR #9069. Finally, for more information about the DS-4-4-1000s please refer to the chart below for a complete production roster.
Owner | Road Number(s) | Quantity | Date Built |
---|---|---|---|
Belt Railway Of Chicago | 405 | 1 | 1947 |
Columbia-Geneva Steel Division (U.S. Steel) | 21-26 | 6 | 1947 |
Copper Range Railroad | 100-101 | 2 | 1947 |
Detroit Terminal | 103 | 1 | 1947 |
Erie Railroad | 600-601 | 2 | 1946 |
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (Katy) | 1000-1010 | 11 | 1946-1947 |
Nickel Plate Road | 100-101 | 2 | 1947 |
Norfolk Southern (Original) | 1001-1002 | 2 | 1947 |
Reading | 26-39 | 14 | 1946-1947 |
St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt/SP) | 1023-1027 | 5 | 1947-1948 |
Seaboard Air Line | 1417-1424 | 8 | 1946 |
Western Maryland | 133-134 | 2 | 1946 |
Owner | Road Number(s) | Quantity | Date Built |
---|---|---|---|
Akron & Barberton Belt Railroad | 26 | 1 | 1948 |
American Smelting & Refining Company | 101-102 | 2 | 1948-1950 |
Atlanta & West Point | 676-677 | 2 | 1949 |
Baltimore & Ohio | 376-399, 438-462 | 49 | 1948-1950 |
Bessemer & Lake Erie | 282 | 1 | 1949 |
Calumet & Hecla Railroad | 201-202 | 2 | 1948 |
Canadian Pacific | 7065-7075 | 11 | 1948 |
Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation | 74-76 | 3 | 1948 |
Central Of Georgia | 36-37 | 2 | 1949 |
Central Railroad Of New Jersey (CNJ) | 1072-1074 | 3 | 1950 |
Chicago & North Western | 1018-1022 | 5 | 1949 |
Chicago Great Western | 32-41 | 10 | 1949 |
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha (C&NW) | 99-100 | 2 | 1949 |
Columbia-Geneva Steel Division (U.S. Steel) | 27-32 | 6 | 1948 |
Erie Railroad | 602-616 | 15 | 1948-1949 |
Georgia Railroad | 921 | 1 | 1949 |
Ironton Railroad | 750-751 | 2 | 1948-1949 |
Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad | 53-54 | 2 | 1948 |
Lehigh Valley | 140-148 | 9 | 1949-1950 |
Long Island Rail Road | 450 | 1 | 1948 |
Milwaukee Road | 1692-1697, 1901-1904 | 10 | 1948-1949 |
Missouri Pacific | 9120-9127, 9133-9141 | 17 | 1948-1949 |
Oakland Terminal | 101 | 1 | 1948 |
Oliver Iron Mining Company | 928-932 | 5 | 1949 |
Patapsco & Back Rivers Railroad | 337-344 | 8 | 1948-1949 |
Pennsylvania | 5550-5590, 5967-5979, 9050-9079, 9122-9136, 9177-9183, 9251-9275, 9429- 9434 | 127 | 1948-1950 |
Reading | 700-729 | 30 | 1948-1949 |
Santa Fe | 2200, 2260-2299 | 41 | 1948-1949 |
Soo Line | 311-312 | 2 | 1949 |
St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railroad (MP) | 9148-9149, 9162-9167 | 8 | 1949-1950 |
St. Louis San Francisco Railway (Frisco) | 238-241 | 4 | 1948 |
Seaboard Air Line | 1435-1461 | 27 | 1950-1951 |
Southern Pacific | 1393-1402 | 10 | 1948 |
Southern Railway | 2285-2289 | 5 | 1948 |
Terminal Railroad Association Of St. Louis (TRRA) | 602-603 | 2 | 1949 |
Union Pacific | 1206-1210 | 5 | 1948 |
U.S. Army Corp Of Engineers | L-4, W-8380 | 2 | 1949-1950 |
Wabash Railroad | 304 | 1 | 1949 |
Western Railway Of Alabama | 630 | 1 | 1948 |
For more information on Baldwin locomotives the book by the same name, a Brian Solomon title, provides an in-depth history of the company from its earliest days beginning in the 1930s to its final years constructing diesels during the mid-20th century. It 160 pages in length and, as with every Solomon book, offers a rich collection of large, sharp photos to enjoy. Another title of interest, also written by Mr. Solomon, is Vintage Diesel Power, which generally highlights several classic models from many of the noted builders of first-generation power such as Electro-Motive, Baldwin, and the American Locomotive Company.
Header Photo: Drew Jacksich
A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer. It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page!
You will be hard pressed at finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives than Craig Rutherford's TheDieselShop.us. The website contains everything from historic (fallen flags) to contemporary (Class I's, regionals, short lines, and even some museums/tourist lines) rosters, locomotive production information, technical data, all notable models cataloged by the five major builders (American Locomotive, Electro-Motive, General Electric, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin), and much more. A highly recommended database!
In 1998 a gentleman by the name of Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. Alas, in 2013 the site closed by thankfully Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his UtahRails.net site (another fine resource). If you are researching anything EMD related please visit this page first. The information includes original numbers, serials, and order numbers.