Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad

Dorothy! Isn't she pretty??

Dorothy is Whitcomb Model S-3. This model was offered by Whitcomb in their last catalog as Whitcomb Locomotive Works. When Baldwin rolled the Whitcomb subsidiary into itself as the Baldwin Industrial Line in 1953 or 1954 they catalogued the Whitcomb as Baldwin model S-4300. Originally we had no research to indicate whether the Dorothy was constructed at Whitcomb's plant in New Rochelle, Illinois or at Baldwin's plant at Eddystone, Pennsylvania. However we did know that only five of these units were ever constructed.

Dorothy was repowered in 1989 with the then current 390hp Cummins diesel engine.

The ancestry on the Dorothy we now believe to be the following.

Only 5 units of the 50ton Whitcomb design were ever built, all at Eddystone, PA. They carried the rectangular builder's plate of Baldwin Lima Hamilton and even were included into the Baldwin serial numbers.(Note: Some Whitcomb units built at Eddystone had BLH plates too, but used the several different Whitcomb serials to designate different types of locos).

At least 4 of the 5 are known to still exist. The 5th could be lurking out there somewhere undetected so far.

Dorothy has been identified as built new for Standard Slag Co. as #45 for their slag plant at Mingo Jct, Ohio. After they shut down, the unit was next seen at a loco dealer being overhauled, somewhere in Minnesota. Supposedly pictures exist of it on their property. Next it showed up at Cargill and was used at a couple plants. The serial is BLH 76111 4/55.

Of the 5 units built, 3 were used in Ohio. Standard Slag owned another unit and this is the one that has vanished. Babcock Wilcox had a unit at Barberton,Ohio and it is still at work here in Warren,Ohio at present owner Luntz Steel Co., a scrap yard.

I'd like to extend a major thanks to Frank Vollhardt for his invaluable assistance in tracking down Dorothy's family tree.

Curious about the inside of a Whitcomb Switcher??

Yes, that is me in Dorothy's Cab. See if you can recognise me next time you visit us in Fremont. =D

All photos this page ©1995 - 2006 Derek Schlapfer. Web Page and Design to Jeff Blackmore ©1995 - 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@fremontrailroad.com.