Baldwin Lima Hamilton Sharks On Parade!

 Greetings All,

In an article in the Penn Central Historical Society POST magazine volume 22, number 3 author David L. Hadley reported seeing New York Central Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Shark nosed diesels hauling a Super Van train. This article was the inspiration for me to get out my NYC Sharks and Flexi-Vans.

An A-B-A set of NYC RF16 Sharks from Bachmann get fueled up in the Terminal Yard engine terminal.

The Sharks have coupled up to the Flexi-Vans.

The NYC Sharks are ready to depart Terminal Yard with a Flexi-Van train which is known as a Super Van or SV Train in NYC parlance.

A previously released video showing the SV Train on the move!!!

With my interest in the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton RF16s rekindled I turned to the below books in my home library to remind myself of some fun facts about the distinctive shark nosed locomotives.

David R. Sweetland's Lightning Stripes provides some nice photos and information on the NYC RF16s. The Penn Central Bi-Annual features a section called "Scenario of Sharks" with many photos of PRR and NYC Sharks. 

RF16 Fun Facts 

Baldwin Lima Hamilton built 109 RF16As and 51 RF16Bs between 1950 and 1953. The RF16s featured an inline 8 cylinder prime mover putting out 1600HP, dynamic brakes, B-B trucks and quickly gained a reputation as a reliable rugged hauler. A negative for the BLH RF16s was its inability to multiple unit with other locomotive makes due to its air powered throttle.

The only RRs to purchase the RF16s were the B&O, PRR and NYC. 

The B&O bought 19 RF16As and 12 RF16Bs. The B&O retired their entire class of RF16s in 1962. (Wikipedia)

The NYC purchased 20 RF16As that were numbered 3804-3821 and then renumbered for the pending merger to 1204-1221. The NYCs 8 B units retained their original 3702-3709 numbers. (Penn Central Bi Annual)

All NYC RF16s continued in service until 1966 when the first group was retired in September. By May 1967 all were removed from the roster and traded to GE on new U30Bs. (NYC Lightning Stripes)

Eight were reactivated in December 1967 and sold to the Monongahela Railway for coal service. (NYC Lightning Stripes)

MRY #1205 and #1216 worked for the Monongahela Railway into 1974. (Penn Central Bi-Annual)

The D&H purchased the 1205 and 1216 in 1974 and they continued in revenue freight service and passenger excursion service wearing the D&H war bonnet paint scheme (Classic Trains, Winter 2009.)

Enjoy the view from the cab of #1205!

The 1205 and 1216 were sold to Castolite Corporation in 1978 and leased to the Michigan & Northern RR in 1979. (Wikipedia)

In 2020 Trains Magazine reported the1205 and 1216, now the property of John Larkin, President of the Escanaba and Lake Superior RR, will be donated to a museum upon his passing. The units have been stored inside since the mid 1980s with both suffering from mechanical issues. (Trains News Wire) 

 

The PRR purchased 72 BLH RF16As and 30 RF16Bs in 1951 and 1952. The PRR RF16As and Bs were numbered in four groups. 2000-2027, 9594-9599, 9632-9633, 9708-9745.(Penn Central Bi-Annual)

 

All PRR RF16s were retired prior to the merger. (Penn Central Bi Annual) 

As keeper of the trains I thought now would be a fine time to get out the PRR and B&O Sharks that belong to my sons who now live on their own but foolishly left their trains behind 😉.

The three sets of Sharks pose at North Side Yard in Empire City.

B&O Sharks hustle a TOFCEE Train towards Terminal Yard.

The Sharks excelled in mineral service like these PRR RF16s lugging a coal train thru Bedford. 

 

Even the jaded  NYCTL commuters at Bedford Station pause to look over the NYC A-B-A set of sharks as they lug an empty coal hopper train towards Terminal Yard. 

As newer motive power arrived on the New York Central the Baldwin RF16 Sharks were relegated to yard and transfer runs like this one from Terminal Yard towards North Side in Empire City.

See the Sharks on Parade!

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!