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This page last revised 2/21/2025
| Number: 19 | Name: none | |
|---|---|---|
| Date Built: 1/1946 | Date Purchased: 2024 | Date Sold: none |
| Line Built for: US Gypsum | Disposition: Serviceable | |
| Builder: H. K. Porter | Model: DE75CT | Serial Number: 8096 |
| Style: diesel-electric | Type: Road Switcher | Wheel Arrangement: C-C |
| Track Gauge: 3' | Tractive Effort: | Pressure/Power: 800-1200hp |
| Valve Gear/Transmission: Electrical | Driver Size: | Cylinder Bore: |
| Weight: 160,000 | Engine Weight: | Adhesive Weight: 160,000 |
| Grate: | Fuel Capy.: | Water Capy.: |
This 3' gauge locomotive was built by the H. K. Porter company 1/1946. Depending on the source, it was either built for United States Gypsum Corporation in Palster City, CAG2, or was built for export to Pakistan, and sold to US Gypsum after the export sale fell throughG1. US Gypsum acquired the locomotive to replace aging steam locomotives after acquiring the Plaster City Railroad. The PCRR was constructed by Imperial Valley Gypsum and Oil Corporation to bring material from their quarry to a crusher on the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad. In 1924 it was sold to the Pacific Portland Cement Company from whom US Gypsum purchased it. The railroad had previously owned two Porter steam locomotives, #12 and #14. As built, the locomotive was equipped with a Cooper-Bessemer FWL-6T 4-stroke inline 6-cylinder engine rated at 600 hp.G6 Unusually all the wheels on the locomotive are spoked.
In USG service, #1203 wore silver and blue paint with red stripe and black chevrons on the nose and a red and white ISG herald on the cab.G3 General Electric end-cab 50-tonners #1303 and #1403 were purchased by USG in 5/1956. #1203 continued to serve there until 1979 when it was considered surplus. #1203 was sold to Albert Horne and Associates for around $25,000 in 9/1979. They then loaned it to the Huckleberry Railroad in Flint, MI. The locomotive was later donated to Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission which owns the Huckleberry Railroad. The locomotive operated at "The Huck" until 8/1990 when it threw a rod through the side of its block, which ended its career there. It was placed in storage for many years.
The Sumpter Valley Railroad in McEwen, OR, (another 3' gauge railroad) purchased #1203 from The Huck but it was not transported to Oregon. Meanwhile, in 2004 the Colorado Historical Society ended its 30 year lease of the Georgetown Loop Railroad in Georgetown, CO to Georgetown Loop Railroad, Inc. GLRI owned all the rail equipment at The Loop and took it with them when they departed. CHS was looking for replacement equipment and on 2/2005 purchased #1203 from the Sumpter Valley for operations at the Georgetown Loop, with the arrangement that the locomotive would first be transported to the Sumpter Valley to be rebuilt by their shop. There it was repowered with a replacement Cooper-Bessemer FWL-6T sourced from a standard gauge locomotive. The rebuild was completed in 2007 and the unit transported to the Georegetown Loop 5/2008. The locomotive operated there regularly, acting as their primary diesel power. While at the Loop it was repowered with an Alco 251 engine, a 4-stroke diesel. It is presumed to be an inline-6 251, which would be rated at between 800 and 1,200 hp depending on the 251 model.
In 3/2017 it was traded by the Georgetown Loop to the Durango and Silverton Railroad in Durango, CO in exchange for a GE 92-ton center cab diesel #9.G4 Due to the issues with operating their steam locomotives during dry periods, the D&S was acquiring many diesels during this time including four ex-Algoma Steel 45-tonners from the EBT in 2002. Although lighter than #9, #1203 had six powered axles and was configured as a road unit rather than a switcher. One year after the trade, the large 315 Fire occured adjacent to the D&S tracks, with the federal government blaming the D&S, further pushing the D&S to purchase large 3' gauge diesels.
When the White Pass and Yukon Route in Skagway, AK (yet another 3' gauge) purchased new locomotives from National Railway Equipment Company in 2020, their GE and MLW units from the 1950s-1970s became surplus. 5/2021 the D&S purchased four White Pass 1,200 hp MLW C-14s, rendering #1203 surplus to their needs. #1203 was sold to the East Broad Top Railroad in 2024 but remained at the D&S into 2025. The locomotive was loaded 2/8/2025 for transport from Durango for Rockhill. The trucks from the locomotive arrived in Rockhill 2/11/2025, with the truck departing with an EBT hopper on it as partial payment. The body of the locomotive arrived 2/13/2025 and placed on its trucks. The day of arrival, a press reslease stated the locmotive would be renumberd #19, placing it in the succession of steam locomotive numberings
Prior to #1203, the EBT had never owned a road diesel. M-7, the previous largest diesel, was designed as an industrial plant locomotive. M-7 is substantially limted as to how many passenger cars it can haul over McMullens Summit and how many loaded ballast cars over the newly reopened Jordan Summit for track rebuilding. #1203 has at least 800 hp compared to 340 hp for M-7. Also 1203 has traction motor blowers for mainline service, which M-7 lacks.G5
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