Southern Pacific was a loyal Baldwin customer in steam days and after Baldwin started building diesel locomotives Southern Pacific bough several models. The VO-1000 and S-10 preceded the S-12. The S-12's were delivered in three batches. The first were "Plain Jane" with only numberboards on thee hood ahead of the cab. The second batch introduced the big signal light box, and as with the first batch had numberboards on the hood ahead of the cab. The third batch was "deluxe" models with the signal light box, full side handrails, MU and numberboards like the first two batches of S-12's
Oh, yeah. In my much younger days, I ran one of those. My "job" was to start it and have it warmed up for the crew. I ran it through city street trackage until we came across the "yard limit" sign, and then I had to move. After that I rode in the cupola. I can still remember starting it. Twist the big barrel switch with both hands until it "snapped" into place. Hold the start button and don't let go. whump. whump, kawhump. Whump, whump, whump... Whump, whump, whump, whump ROAR! Then you got you head out of the cabinet (firewall of the cab), and quick looked at the cab windows, if they were open, you ran over to close them as the smoke and exhaust cloud enveloped the cab. Sander lever, bell lever.....fun days. Dave
I wonder how 2153's side sill got all scraped up like that. I mean, what the heck could it have run up against? There was an S-12 on the Milwaukee Road in my hometown and I used to listen to it at night switching cars. The super charger (EDIT: Oops, I mean turbocharger) whistled. Doug
I guess I thought that's what the turbocharger was. Years later, it didn't whistle anymore and I realized the turbo must have failed and they removed or disabled it. Doug
If you see a Baldwin with an entire row of exhaust stacks, often six of them, it's been "hot rodded". When they did that, you could hear it easily as they'd operate. There would be a 'poppety-pop-pop' sound.
