Back in 1966, a diesel-electric was cut up in Arkansas. The gentleman supervising the operation noted that the unit had a Winton diesel engine and when it was removed, the brass badgeplate on the engine block showed number 136. Is there any way that this engine block number could be linked to the EMD diesel that carried that particular Winton diesel? I know it is a longshot but thought it worth a try.

Les Beckman,
Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum,
North Judson, Indiana

You likely have a digit missing, as Winton #136 was a W28 gas marine engine shipped 12/29/1915.

I do not suppose you have a photo of said plate?

Nova55 -
Thanks for your reply. No, we do not have a photo of said plate. Let me explain as to why Hoosier Valley is interested in trying to find out the diesel that this Winton engine was once a part of. Last September, HVRM received some donated items. One of them was a Pyle-National steam locomotive headlight (see photos). This headlight was on a diesel that had been cut up back in 1966. The unit had been working for a gravel quarry in NW Arkansas, a few miles east of Ashdown which interchanged with the old Graysonia, Nashville & Ashdown Railroad. The gentleman who supervised the scrapping, worked for IMS in Hammond, Indiana. During that operation, the "superintendent of the RR (the GN&A or possibly the quarry railroad) saw the brass badgeplate on the engine block (#136)" and stated he would like that brass plate. The guy supervising the scrapping said that the unit had a front headlight "conventional to EMD construction" but that the rear headlight was a Pyle-National steam locomotive type. He told this superintendent that he could have the brass Winton plate, if he could have the rear steam headlight, and a deal was struck. The donor acquired this pictured headlight at a later date and as stated, donated it to Hoosier Valley this past September.

The GN&A interchanged with Missouri Pacific in Nashville (it's principal connection) and with KCS in Ashdown. The superintendent was under the impression that the diesel that was cut up was a former MP unit. BTW, scrap from this locomotive was sent to a recycling plant in Texarkana, TX, but the truck, main and auxiliary generator, air compressor were loaded in a gondola and shipped up to Hammond.

HVRM would like to eventually display the headlight at the museum and identify the diesel locomotive it had been assigned to, IF it can be determined.

Les