MN&S DIESELS

[aricat]

When did MN&S dieselize its highline; as a small child I always remembered it was worked by diesels. I remember that engine No.2 worked the line. Was this engine a Baldwin AS-616. Baldwin Center Cabs only worked the MN&S mainline, correct ?

[wjstix]

The Minneapolis Northfield and Southern was one of the first railroads to go all-diesel, I think it's last steam engine was retired or sold off by 1950 IIRC. My family moved along the "high line" in April 1951. I was born after that but I did ask the older family members and they agreed they never saw steam on the line after 4/51. I suspect it probably had already been using diesels for a while, since that allowed them to eliminate the turntable they once had at the end of the line.

I'm not sure if MNS had a no. 2?? I'd have to check out a roster. The Baldwin you're talking about was a DRS 6-6-1500, No. 15. I think that was the biggest engine on the high line, I don't recall the centercabs or the SD-39's ever running on that line. I also remember the MNS FM and Baldwin VO switchers. Maybe you're thinking of no. 12, which I think was a VO-1000??

Anyway, Railfan and Railroad did a two-part story on the MNS in I think 1982 or 1983, you might try to track those back issues down. It had a lot of info. Plus I'm sure you could find a roster on the web...in fact I did a quick search on "Minneapolis Northfield and Southern roster" and found this:

http://www.thedieselshop.us/MN&S.HTML