Today I went to photograph an ALCO S1, when I got to the area it was being store I noticed a red SW1, I discovered it was an ex-MILW unit built in 1940. As far as I know this is older then some of the oldest active diesels, such as Cloquet Terminals SW1's built in 1941.
How does this compare to some of the oldest diesels still active or not in a museum
It's close but doesn't Relco still have a couple of high hood Alco's out on lease? There's the pre EMC SC switcher prototype on the Delaware-Lackawanna in Scranton although I think it spends more time on display at neighboring Steamtown than working judging by when I see a picture of it online. And Coors has at least 1 rebuilt EMC switcher still around that once was equipped with a Winton.
RELCO had quite a collection of older switchers for lease at one time but since they changed the main focus of their business from full service locomotive leasing for industrial operators to contract rebuilding/remanufacturing It is my understanding that they have sold off or scrapped most of the older units.
IINM, most of their current lease fleet is EMD power and they are offering rebuilt swicher/roadswitchers with new engine/gnerator packages (essentially single engine "genset" style units).
I have an issue of "Extra 2200 South" Magazine from the mid-to-late 1990's which has a full roster for Relco's then fleet. It amazed me at the time how ancient a lot of their units were but they were knownijhn the industry for having exquisitely well maintained locomotives so could buy units that others would have scrapped and got them into tip-top shape...
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
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