January 29, 2014
Hol Wagner, reference the West Burlington Shops image of the
5626, recently commented:
"Note the painted plate on the side of the smokebox. I'd love to know
what it says, but it is in all likelihood a Baldwin extra order plate, since
Baldwin built and furnished the boilers of all the O-5-A's assembled at West
Burlington. The plate will be removed before the smokebox is
graphited."
Hol, since the plate you mention on the 5626's smokebox is rectangular in
shape, I do not think it is a Baldwin extra order plate. I have such a plate and
it is circular in shape:
The above plate was removed from an O-5-A in the Galesburg Dead Line for my
father who wanted one for his collection. I do not recall what locomotive it was
removed from. Perhaps, someone on this List can identify the 4-8-4 from the
plate's construction number.
Maybe, there was only one builder's plate on O-5-A locomotives and it was
on the engineer's side. If so, then I, too, wonder what the rectangular plate
was on the fireman's side of the 5626's smokebox?
I have gone through my picture archives of O-5-A's and I can see
builder's plates on the engineer's side of the smokebox, but I can not see
any on the fireman's side. Can anyone elaborate?
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
