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Baldwin-Westinghouse Blue Goose

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Baldwin-Westinghouse Blue Goose
Posted by Jerry Pier on Monday, December 1, 2008 6:29 PM

I'm writing a short summary of Gas Turbine powered locomotives, primarily in North America, and am in need of a good photo of the Blue Goose which ran in the early 50's  as a demonstrator. The only photo I have is a Zerox copy that hardly meets the required standard.

Jerry Pier

JERRY PIER
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Posted by Paul Milenkovic on Monday, December 1, 2008 7:16 PM

I have located some photos here

http://lists.railfan.net/erielack-digest/200707/msg00624.html

(follow the top link).  There is a recent e-mail address of someone whom you could contact to ask if you get permission on those photos.

If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?

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Posted by Texas Chief on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 12:20 AM

Jerry Pier

I'm writing a short summary of Gas Turbine powered locomotives, primarily in North America, and am in need of a good photo of the Blue Goose which ran in the early 50's  as a demonstrator. The only photo I have is a Zerox copy that hardly meets the required standard.

Jerry Pier

The Blue Goose was not a "Demonstrator". It was the only streamlined steam engine that Santa Fe owned. It pulled many trains from 1938 through 1953 and was sold for scrap in 1956.

Dick

Texas Chief

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Posted by feltonhill on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 10:08 AM

Westinghouse built  their gas turbine in May 1950.  It was not a Baldwin product AFAIK, but was lettered Baldwin-Westinghuse for marketing purposes.  It resembled a BLW sharknose to some degree.  It was painted light blue and had the nickname Blue Goose, ATSF 3460 notwithstanding.  See Classic Trains, Fall 2004.  This unit was also written up in Trains back around 1950 or so, but I haven't found which issue.  

You may want to e-mail Trains or Classic Trains and see if they can help.

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 9:57 PM

The article about the Westinghouse Blue Goose came out about the mid-fifties. I also do not remember just when, but I began subscribing to Trains with the May 1952 issue, and it was in a subsequent issue. I can still see, in my mind,  a picture of it in the article. If you cannot get any more information, let me know, and I will dig it out.

Johnny

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Posted by M636C on Thursday, December 4, 2008 7:50 AM

The Blue Goose is covered in "Model Railroader Cyclopedia - Volume 2 Diesel Locomotives"  (Kalmbach 1980) on pages 158 and 159. There are Baldwin construction photos and service photos, and a full HO plan.

M636C

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Posted by Johann on Monday, January 14, 2013 8:57 PM

I have a number of photos off the blue goose.  My father was the cheaf engineer for the westinghouse blue goose.  I also have a O gage model and a number of drawings of the locmotive.  I have the original bell and the serial # plate.

Johann

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Posted by WALTER SIMPSON on Thursday, October 11, 2018 8:20 AM

Hi Jerry, I realize that this ten years later but I am just seeing your post about the summary you were preparing about turbine powered locomotives.  I am finishing a book on these locomotives and could share it with you once it is published in a few months - if you are interested.  Please let me know.  Thanks. Walter Simpson, Amherst, NY enconser@buffalo.edu

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Posted by wjstix on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 2:26 PM

I recall reading years back (maybe in Trains?) that the Santa Fe folks actually called their streamlined engine "Bluebird" not "Blue Goose". According to this story, railfans looking back much later inadvertently fused the two nicknames into both being a "Blue Goose".

Stix
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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 8:58 PM

Here again, thinking back to articles many years ago, I have a memory of a brief article on "The Bluebird that Pulled the Chief.

I currently do not have access to my collection of the magazine, but it should be possible for anyone who so desires to find the articles.

Johnny

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