The Baldwin Locomotive Works of Eddystone, Pa. was the world's foremost builder of steam locomotives for almost 100 years when the diesel locomotive started making inroads into the locomotive market in the late 1930's. Baldwin did not see the diesel revolution that was coming. After WWII, Baldwin scrambled to catch up, but they had serious problems. There were design problems. For example, Early cab units had the electrical gear directly under the radiators. Any small water leak led to a big electrical problem. They tried to build diesels like they were used to building steam locomotives, in small custom orders for each railroad. They could not seem to produce any two locomotives the same, while GM led the way to standardization. Baldwin built it's last locomotive for the US market in 1957. Two years later it would end locomotive production altogether.
Conrail inherited only 31 Baldwin products on April 1, 1976. Of these, 14 had been rebuilt without their original DeLaVergne Diesel engines. All of the true Baldwins were retired by the end of 1977, making photos of them exceptionally rare.
VO-1000m
In the early 1960's the Reading had 14 VO-1000's rebuilt by EMD to SW-900 specifications. Unlike the VO-660's "rebuilt" at the same time, these locomotives kept their original frames, cabs, and most of their carbodies. Conrail inherited all 14 of the Reading's VO-1000m's. They lasted only until 1982.
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Ex-Reading VO-1000m 9307 in the dead line at Altoona, Pa. on July 7, 1979 |