Davenport #481. 44-ton ex-US Army center cab.
Davenport #481 is on FEVR property. She arrived via Union Pacific on a flatcar on Tuesday, April 27th 1999. She was craned off onto our rails the following Saturday. A preliminary decision to repaint into the original army colours has been made. Want to help out with this historic piece of railroading? Hit the mail link at the bottom of the page for info.
We're in the process of restoring the Davenport. See the photos here! Davenport restoration page.
She is powered by twin Caterpiller D-17000, diesel engines.
The #481 was built in Davenport, Iowa in 1953 by the Davenport-Besler corporation as part of a 20 unit order for the US army. The original unit numbers were 1216 to 1235. They have low cabs and short wheelbase to allow them to be used in tight clearance operations in the US and overseas. The #481 appears to be the original 1219. Its last base assignment appears to have been at the Iowa Army Ammuntion Plant near Des Moines, IA.
We have had an extra bit of luck as to the original designation of the unit. Still in the card case from April/May 1965 were the original army "Blue Cards" for the unit. Or in this case the "Monthly Inspection and Repair Report of Locomotives and Locomotive Cranes Other Than Steam."
The Number/Serial Number it carried for its life on the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant was 1219 at least according to these documents. The back side of the document signed by a Richard Roach states that the 1219(Davenport) was out of service for the entire month of April 1965.
The Davenport 44 ton at Algona,IA was acquired by Cargill in summer of 1974, the Army number had always been in question to locomotive historians. This loco was built in 1953, and the Army is known to move their locomotives around to different bases over the years. The last inspection card dated in 1965 at the IAAP may not mean that this was the orig base assignment.
Two of these 44 ton units were acquired by Cargill at the same time, one for Alta,IA and one for Algona. The Alta unit should be USA 1232 which came from a dealer in Baltimore,MD. (Note: I personally verified this on the Army "blue card" in the Alta locomotive in 2003 ~ jeff.)
Mason & Hanger, Silas Mason Company, Inc. was the actual operator of the munitions factory, under contract with the US Army. This would have included the rail operations in addition to the usual production activities. We believe they operated several other munitions plants including McAlester, OK; Sunflower (near DeSoto), KS; and possibly the former plant at Grand Island.
All photos this page Copyright ©1999 - 2006 to Derek Schlapfer. Web Page Design to Jeff Blackmore ©1999 - 2006.
If you know of or own a locomotive or other piece of railroad equipment in operating, repairable, or even just movable condition; email me at fevr@oocities.com. We are a registered non-profit corporation so All donations are deductible from Federal and State income taxes.
