The Baldwin S-12 or BLH S12 is a diesel-electric

switcher locomotive A switcher locomotive (American English), shunter locomotive (British English), station pilot (British English), or shifter locomotive (Pennsylvania Railroad terminology) is a locomotive used for maneuvering railway vehicles over short distanc ...

. Utilizing a

turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...

6-cylinder version of the powerful 606A

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine ...

prime mover Prime mover may refer to: Philosophy *Unmoved mover, a concept in Aristotle's writings Engineering * Prime mover (engine or motor), a machine that converts various other forms of energy (chemical, electrical, fluid pressure/flow, etc.) into ener ...

, S12s were known for their "lugging" power, despite being temperamental. Like most BLH switchers, the S12 had

AAR The Aare () or Aar () is the main tributary of the High Rhine (its discharge even exceeds that of the latter at their confluence) and the longest river that both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland. Its total length from its source to i ...

Type-A switcher

trucks A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

in a B-B wheel arrangement. 451 units were built between 1951 and 1956, when BLH left the locomotive market.

Previous models

Baldwin made a number of switchers with similar dimensions and body styles. The first body style, used in VO models, had a slightly pointed nose with a round radiator opening. The second and third body style, almost indistinguishable and used interchangeably, had a flat nose and rectangular radiator opening. Various exhaust stacks were used, and are not an effective spotting feature, except that turbocharged models always had one large stack offset to the side. The VO-660 was built between April 1939 and May 1946. It was powered by a naturally aspirated six cylinder engine rated at . 142 were built. Baldwin replaced the VO-660 with the model DS-4-4-660 in 1946. The VO-1000 was built between January 1939 and December 1946. It was powered by a naturally aspirated eight cylinder engine rated at . Some had the

Batz truck Batz may refer to: People *Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan ( - 1673), famous French Musketeer of the Guard * Jean Pierre de Batz, Baron de Sainte-Croix (1754-1822), also known as Baron de Batz, French Royalist who attempted to restore the Fre ...

originally developed by the

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...

as a leading truck for

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, Fuel oil, oil or, rarely, Wood fuel, wood) to heat ...

s. 548 VO-1000s were built. The DS-4-4-660 was built between 1946 and 1949. It replaced the VO-660 as the low power companion to the DS-4-4-1000 models. 139 were built. The DS-4-4-1000 was a model built between 1946 and 1951. The first units (56 locomotives) were powered by an 8-cylinder normally aspirated prime mover, but from 1948 a change was made to a 6-cylinder turbocharged engine. A total of 502 were built.

Original buyers

Surviving units

At least 9 intact examples (as well as 1 conversion) of the S12 are known to survive at railroad museums and freight operations. SMS Lines owns 9 S12's and operates #301 at the Penn Warner

industrial park An industrial park, also known as industrial estate or trading estate, is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more heavyweight version of a business park or office par ...

in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, as well as #304 on the

Woodstown Central SMS Rail Lines is a shortline railroad based at Pureland Industrial Park in Bridgeport, New Jersey. The company handles all freight car delivery to businesses located within the industrial park. It also operates lines in Morrisville, Pennsylvani ...

Salem County, New Jersey Salem County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western boundary is formed by the Delaware River, and it has the eastern terminus of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which connects the county with New Castle, Delaw ...

with 7 others in storage or awaiting restoration. One unit that was converted from a

Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 The Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 were two models of four-axle diesel–electric switcher locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railway locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Or ...

is in service on the

Whitewater Valley Railroad The Whitewater Valley Railroad is a heritage railway, heritage railroad in southeastern Indiana between Connersville, Indiana, Connersville and Metamora, Indiana, Metamora. The railroad is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of a 1950s ...

. The US Navy operates two S12's (nos. 65-00367 and 65-00368) at

Naval Weapons Station Earle Naval Weapons Station Earle, originally known as the Naval Ammunition Depot Earle, is a United States Navy base in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Its distinguishing feature is a pier in Sandy Hook Bay where ammunition can be loaded ...

Monmouth County Monmouth County () is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County, to its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to its north by ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

References

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External links

Baldwin S-12
{{Diesel_Switchers B-B locomotives S-12 Diesel–electric locomotives of the United States Railway locomotives introduced in 1951 Standard-gauge locomotives of the United States Shunting locomotives Baltimore and Ohio locomotives Chicago and North Western Railway locomotives Chicago, Burlington and Quincy locomotives Erie Railroad locomotives Great Northern Railway (United States) locomotives Milwaukee Road locomotives New York Central Railroad locomotives Pennsylvania Railroad locomotives Diesel locomotives of Southern Railway (U.S.) Southern Pacific Railroad locomotives