With some discussion of Alco RS-1 locomotives on RYPN recently, I will just mention that I recently came across some notes showing a price of $112,000.00 in 1952. For information or amusement as you see fit. If you have better info, please share, original price info is hard to find.

PC

.

In 1952, those would have been Bretton Woods dollars, pegged at $35 to an ounce of gold.

That $112,000 therefore translates into 3200 ounces of gold (they are troy ounces, but for this calculation, the actual 'weight' doesn't factor in).

At the spot price of gold this morning, that makes the price of a comparable RS1 today $7, 366,400, a little more than a modern 125mph dual-mode diesel and electric passenger locomotive like an ALP45DP.

Someone check the prices of EMD passenger locomotives as quoted in Kiefer's survey of motive power (1947). I recall the "Niagara-equivalent" consist being something like $625,000. Now THAT equivalent today (north of $41 million!) is starting to get into CAHSR territory... this puts Brown's paper on steam economy in the early 1960s in a little better perspective.

In New York Central Steam Power West of Buffalo, Vol. 1 (Edward L. May, Richard R. Stoving), I recall that it mentioned the price of NYC's lone S2a 4-8-4 #5500 was $292,242.

Adjusting for inflation according to the CPI, that would be nearly $4.9 million today.

S&C 103, original 1925 invoice from Baldwin Locomotive. About $301,500 in 2024 dollars.

Howard P.

Brooks consolidations built for Buffalo & Susquehanna. To B&O 1/1/32. Then to WAG in 1956. Scrapped shortly thereafter. From Ron Stafford collection.

There was pretty high inflation in the late 1940s, and E7 A-units finished up at $220,000 each, with B-units at $207,000.

PC

At the turn of the 19th/20th Centuries, H K Porter was getting more or less $2,000 for a little plantation locomotive weighing more or less 10 tons.

In 1929 Safe Harbor Power Company paid $4,566.25 for HK Porter 0-6-0T. It is number 65 that is currently at Wanamaker Kempton & Southern Railroad.

If you're gonna go there, I'll go there too.

1919
-Ford Model T: US $500
-Gold: $20 an oz
-25 oz of gold to buy the Ford Model T

2019
-Ford Mustang: US $37,500
-Gold: $1500 an oz
-25 ounces of gold to buy the Ford Mustang...

You forgot that Bretton Woods was abandoned when Nixon took us off the 'gold standard' circa 1971.

By 2019 you're nearly half a century into fiat 'funny money' territory, so only the 'inflation calculator' sort of adjustment makes any diffference.

The number of 'ounces of gold' represented by that Mustang price would be $37,500 divided by the average spot price of gold in 2019 -- what is interesting is what the 'Bretton Woods' equivalent of that price in $35-the-ounce dollars would be. Very much reflecting the increased effectiveness of modern manufacturing design and production technology...

Ooh, now do it compared to some other industrial materials.

Coal? Iron ore? Lumber? Manure?

Another example.

Sierra Ry. 65 ton Shay 12 (Lima no. 789) was billed at $11,600.00 that included the option of a steel cab. There were a few other extras added, but these are mixed in with sister 2T Shay 11 (Lima 788) parts.

This was a 1903 product and went to Pickering Lbr. Corp later. She survives today at Niles Canyon, CA.

Recently found a 1938 Form A for an Alco HH1000, it shows $83,900 dollars.

PC

The Alaska Railroad bought a total of 12 "S-160" War Department Consolidations. As best as I can tell, four were bought initially on the government contract (The ARR was owned by the Federal government at that time.) They were purchased new and modified at BLW from the export configuration to the U.S. configuration. Modifications included knuckle couplers, generator and electric lighting, power reverse, bell, air operated firebox door, and without steam or vacuum brakes. (The Army got a few similarly configured for use at Camp Claiborne and Ft. Eustis.) It appears that the ARR followed up with the purchase of two more under the same contract.

USATC 3523/ARR-557 was also modified by BLW and obtained new, but may have been war surplus.

Prices for the first four and 557 are given on the attached images. The source is a long list of material that the ARR purchased from the Army from July, 1942 to January 1946 which included rolling stock, new and used track materials, and machine tools.