Converted to Internal Combustion

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For various reasons, a small number of geared steam locomotives were converted by their owners to utilize an internal combustion (IC) engine (diesel or gasoline).   The conversion was typically done after the locomotive had many years of service.  The boiler and steam cylinders were typically removed, with other original parts (such as frame, gearing, transmission,  trucks, cab) possibly being kept depending on the ingenuity or requirements of the conversion.   With the conversions depending on the ingenuity of the owner's maintenance staff or that of a nearby machine shop,  the end results of each were quite unique. 

John A. Taubeneck of Seattle, Washington,  has compiled a roster of Climax, Heisler, and Shay locomotives that were converted to IC engines.  Those noted with C/N or S/N in bold, still exist as of this writing.    Those with the C/N or S/N underlined and in a color other than black are linked to a photo.  Should you have additions or updates to the list, please contact John directly at his address below.


Climax		Jump to  | Heisler | Shay

C/N

Built

Weight
(tons)

Class /
Trucks

Owners

399
?
  15 A 36" gauge
Wild Goose RR Nome, AK
Nome-Arctic RR " 1903
Seward Peninsula RR " 1906 (not used after 1911)
Maine Northwestern Development Co. Nome, AK 1913
Pioneer Mining & Ditch Co. Nome, AK (leased 1913, purchased 1920)
Territory of Alaska Nome, AK 1921
Mr. Kenney (loaned) " 1926
    Converted to "Diesel" engine (photographs show Gas engine)
    Abandoned at Nome
    Parts dug up 1983
    Trucks, engine, and other parts still here 1994
804 1907 20 A Cascade Lbr. Co. #1 Easton, WA
Cabin Creek Lbr. Co. " 1916
    Converted to Gas engine 1944+ still has 2 speed transmission
    White 4 cylinder gas engine installed as replacement by 1961
    New wood frame, cab and fake boiler 1976+
    lettered Cabin Creek & Carefree RR "HOOT 1"
    Still here September 2000
1505 08-1920 45 2 trk Beaver Cove Lbr. & Pulp Co. #1 Beaver Cove, BC
Canadian Forest Products #7 (1st) Englewood, BC 1926
   Converted to Diesel engine in 1952 by CFP
   Renumbered to 252 1957
   Scrapped 1973
1672 09-1925 80 3 trk Manley-Moore Lbr. Co. #1672 -  Fairfax, WA
Eatonville, Lbr. Co. " 1934
Ben Goldstein (D) Aberdeen, WA 01-41
Western Log. Co. Valsetz, OR
    Converted to Diesel with 300 Cummins engine 1953
    Still in use 06-59
?Alaska Junk Co.?
Scrapped

Heisler		Jump to ^ top  | Climax | Shay

S/N

Built

Weight
(tons)

Trucks

Owners

1009 1896  20 Unknown
McKean Chemical Co. (Dahoga & Highland RR) #1 Dahoga, PA
Kinzua Valley Chemical Co. Morrison, PA 1916+
Morrison Chemical Co. "
    Converted to Gas engine with truck hood and cab 1948
    Scrapped 1949
1092 08-1906  28 A. H. Kneeland Shelton, WA
Minard & Co. (Elma Lbr. Co.) Elma, WA
Vance Lbr. Co. Malone, WA
Buffelen Lbr. & Mfg. Co. Eagle Gorge, WA
Libby, McNeal & Libby (Yakutat & Southern RR) #1 Yakutat, AK
    Trucks only to Skagit Steel & Iron Works, used to construct Gas
    locomotive C/N 102
Village of Yakutat (display) (here 2000)
1445 1921  26 2 Belgrade Lbr. Co. #3 Louise, MS
Green Brothers Gravel Co. (Washington & Western RR) #3 Jenkins, LA
    Converted to Gas with a Ford V8 engine 1947+
    Scrapped 1957 
1546 02-1927 28 2 Elk River Mill & Lbr. Co. #3 Falk, CA
Mutual Plywood Corp. #1954 Fairhaven, CA 1954?
    Converted to Diesel with a Murphy engine 1954
    Original cab & water tank were kept
U. S. Plywood Corp. #54 Fairhaven, CA (this company by 05-16-64)
Simpson Tbr. Co. "
Frank Bayless (Alton & Pacific Ry) (display) Alton, CA
Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Assn. Eureka, CA 1992
Stored at Blue Lake, CA operable
			
Shay		Jump to ^ top  | Climax | Heisler

S/N

Built

Weight
(tons)

Trucks

Owners

847 01-1904 65 3 Escanaba & Lake Superior RR #7 Wells, MI
J. M. Wells Lbr. Co. #7 Menominee, MI 06-20
Southern Iron & Equipment Co. (D) #1953 Atlanta, GA 04-25
Verdi Lbr. Co. #7 Verdi, NV 1926
United Bank of Nevada (receiver) Carson City, NV 10-23-30
Clover Valley Lbr. Co. #7 Loyalton, CA
    Unsuccessful attempted conversion to Diesel
    Scrapped 1940
949 11-1904 35 2 W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1, Mortimer, NC
W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. (Linville River Ry) #1 Saginaw, NC 1905
W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1 Welch, WV 1913
W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1 Fremont, VA 1919
W. M. Ritter Lbr. Co. #1 McClure, VA 1928
Clinchfield Coal Corp. McClure, WV 08-48
McClure Lbr. & Builder's Supply Co. #1 McClure, VA
    Converted to Diesel with Cat engine 1950+
Display McClure, VA (here 1969)
Will Harris display Goshen, VA (here 2000)
1509 04-12-1905 45 2 W. D. Hofius & Co. (D) #1509, Seattle, WA
(4-1905) Exhibited at 1905 Lewis & Clark Exhibition, Portland, OR
Doty Lumber & Shingle Co., Elk Creek & Gray's Harbor RY #3 (1st), Doty, WA
(by 1947) Dulien Steel Products Co. (D), Seattle, WA
Rebuilt to 2-truck diesel-hydraulic loco
(1947) Marona Mill Co., Acme, WA; used as yard switcher
(1955) Dulien Steel Products Co. (D), Seattle, WA, (seen at this location)
1590 11-1905 24 2 Burton Swartz Cypress Co. #3 Carbur, FL
Lee Cypress Co. #3 Perry, FL 1943
Lee Cypress Co. #3 Copeland, FL
Lee Tidewater Cypress Co. #3 Copeland, FL
    Converted to Diesel with 2 GMC 371 engines
Howard & Ed Nelson for logging on Turio River, Columbia 1957
Empresa Maderera del Atrato "ANGELITA" Barran Ovilla, Columbia
    (here 03-61)
2324 06-1910 60 2 Newport Tbr. Co. #1 Squamish, BC
Grant-Smith & McDonell Construction Co. Victoria, BC 1917
Merrill-Ring & Moore #1 John Straits, BC 1918
Merrill & Ring Lbr. Co. #1 Theodosia Arm, BC 1921
Comox Log. & Ry. Co. Ladysmith, BC 05-42 (for parts)
    Converted to Gas self propelled log dumper #3 "HUMDURGIN"
    with 140 HP 8 cylinder Chrysler engine. 1945
Crown Zellerbach Canada, Ltd. 1953
Crown Forest Industries Ladysmith, BC 1983
Ladysmith Ry Museum " 1986
City of Ladysmith, BC (stored) 1991 (still here 03-98)
3163 02-1921 50 2 Pacific Mills, Ltd. #3 Dean Channel, BC
Mayo Lbr. Co. (D) Paldi, BC
Export Log. Co. #3 Sahtam, BC
Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Co., Ltd. #3 Great Central, BC
Great Central Sawmills #3 (leased) Great Central, BC 1930's
Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Co., Ltd. #3 Great Central, BC
Deep Bay Log. Co. #2 Fanny Bay, BC 1939
Canadian Forest Products, Ltd. #98 Englewood, BC 1941
    Converted to Diesel with 400 HP Cummins engine by
    Tyee Machinery Co. of Vancouver, BC 1951
    Renumbered to 251 1957
    Scrapped 1973
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John A. Taubeneck
October 2, 2000

This page changed March 06, 2020 08:46:27 AM