Monday, August 11, 2014

Baldwin S-8 calf


A "calf" is the term applied to a cabless yard switcher locomotive which is used to supplement the power of a cabbed unit and operated in multiple with it. The same practice applied to first generation road switcher locomotives, but for some reason these were termed A and B units instead. Thus the pair are termed a cow-calf combination.

The Baldwin S-8 was a Bo-Bo type 800-hp (600 kW) yard switcher with a 6-cylinder 1,979 cubic inch (32.4-litre) prime mover. A total of 63 units (61 for U.S. railroads and 2 for use in Cuba) were produced between 1951 and 1953. Of these, nine were"calf" units built for Oliver Iron Mining Company in Minnesota, an example shown in the pic, along with the same number of cows.

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