Lima, OH: Locomotive Works

(Satellite)
The Lima Locomotive Works was located in between the B&O's Cincinnati-Toledo line (east side) and Nickel Plate's main line and shops (northish side). I assume they were served by both railroads. The following photos are facing West.

Christopher Bost shared, builders
John Bazan Any idea when the old buildings were demolished?
Scott Jordan I believe 1998.
Troy Kleman last building was demolished two years ago. [2014]
[The railyard has expanded, otherwise it is still vacant. Is the lack of development due to Lima's economy or the land is polluted or both? (I assume railroads don't care about "brown land" because their yards are also considered "brown land.")]

Scott Jordan posted his photos again and got a different set of comments.

In one of the postings, someone asked about the Erie-Lackawanna's routing in the area and Scott answered:

Scott Jordan commented

CTR

Super-Power citadel

The Lima Locomotive Works plant in Lima, Ohio, birthplace of hundreds of advanced “Super-Power” steam locomotives, occupied a triangular site on the city’s south side between B&O and Nickel Plate lines.
Classic Trains coll.

Daniel Allor posted
My family`s connection to the railroad industry goes a bit deeper than most as my grandfather retired as the president of the Hamilton Division of the Baldwin Lima Hamilton Corporation in 1955. Grandfather had for years been on the Board of Directors of the General Machinery Co. which became BLH. Thank you for adding me to the site.
Stephen Phillips This is taken at the Lima Works ... Wed. Sept. 12, 1951... a significant day , as this locomotive , Pennsylvania Railroad No. 5683. was the very last locomotive built by Lima

Md Joy Khan posted
Brian Rasmussen posted
In August 1950 plans were announced for the merger of Baldwin Locomotive Works and the Lima-Hamilton Corporation. The merger became effective November 30, 1950 with the creation of the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation. No new orders were taken for the Lima-Hamilton line of locomotives. The last Lima-Hamilton diesel delivered was PRR 5683, a 2500 hp transfer unit, in September 1951.

Brian Rasmussen posted
PRR 5676 was built by "Lima - Hamilton" (Lima Ohio) in May-July 1950, a couple months before the BLH reorganization.
PRR Class LS-25. Retired May 1965.
Craig Garver Collection, Public Domain

After the locomotive business died, they retooled to build cranes and shovels.

Steve Robinson posted 13 photos with the comment: "LIMA Crane & Shovel Photo's
There is no specific information on the photos except that they date from the mid-1950s to the mid 1960s."

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Amos Clifford shared
M4 production in Lima Locomotive Works, Lima, Ohio, 1942
Tom Davidson Note that Lima did not build M4 tanks. They built the variant M4A1, which had a monolithic cast, contoured, curved hull instead of the angular welded hull. Lima was the first builder to get its production line in operation, and built the very first Sherman, which was named “Michael” in honor of Micheal Dewar, head of the British Tank Commission. “Michael” was completed in January, 1942, and still exists at the tank museum in Bovington.
Charles Michael Bork Sad to say this tank did not stand a chance against the German tanks.
Amos Clifford The sheer numbers did but not one on one.
[To this day, Lima builds tanks for America. ALCO was building Big Boys and tanks during the war. [Ian Hollida and Mark Locke comments on a post]]

ClassicStreamliners
[The web page has a history and more photos. Lima transitioned from Shays to "Super Power" 2-8-4 Berkshire locomotives developed in the 1920s. NKP was one of the customers of these high horsepower freight engines that could run fast.]

Donal Matson posted
The last steam trains coming out of Lima, Ohio.
Mark Locke Not even close, the last Shay was Western Maryland #6, now at Cass, built in 1945. The last steam locomotive built by Lima was Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #779. It is on display in Lima, Ohio.
Donald Matson I get a chance I’ll take a few photos of #779. I live a few miles from Lima.
Dennis DeBruler Donald Matson what are the street names for an intersection close to the #777 display?
[#779 was built in 1949. [ClassicStreamliners]]

Mike Lusher posted
A Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company H-8 Allegheny being constructed at the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio. This view shows how massive the firebox was.

Jim Kreider posted 14 photos with the comment:

We are focused in this group on the Berkshire steam locomotives built for the NKP, and their details and characteristics which also apply to their brethren of like design, and to the SuperPower era of steam locomotive design in general. Somewhere along the line I wondered where these magnificent machines were created, at least in Lima, and fortunately I had the opportunity to find out. Over about a ten year period from the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties I visited what remained of the hallowed halls and offices of the Lima Locomotive Works on about a half-dozen occasions. The first time was with my good friend Bob Keller who was also a member of the 765 crew and had worked at Lima in the stores department in his younger days. The stores department was were all the goodies and appliances which appear on a completed locomotive are received, stored, and distributed so that they magically appear on the erecting shop floor when needed. Bob knew the security people on the plant grounds so we did not have any trouble gaining access. Some of the buildings, particularly in the tender shop area, were still leased out to businesses. 765 even found a home here for at least a couple of winters.When I was living in Columbus in the mid-nineties, the city of Lima held several concerts in the north machine shop in an effort to raise money to save at least part of “The Loco”. I attended all of them and got to park my car in either the erecting hall or the south machine shop. Alas, their attempts to save any part of the city’s famous landmark were to no avail. Hope the accompanying photos will invoke some visions of the glory days. And of course let’s not forget all the Shays that were built at Lima.

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William Smith posted
This photograph, from a 4x5 negative, was taken from the inside of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad (Nickle Plate Road) roundhouse in Lima, Ohio. On the turntable is NKP road number 500 (renumbered 950 in 1956) a H-5a, 2-8-2 built in 1917. She was the first in an order of ten locomotives from The Lima Locomotive Works which can be seen at the rear of this photograph.  This engine was scraped in 1962.

 

Richard Shulby commented on William's post
GREAT PHOTO! Thanks for posting! It might be worthy to note that this roundhouse was the 2nd in this location, built in 1918 under the auspices of the USRA when the LE&W was under control of the NYC (1900-1922) before being sold to the NKP. The first roundhouse faced north, and this view is to the south (1950 Sanborn map attached).

(new window) Have you noticed that you don't see obese people in the 1800s and early 1900s? One reason is that processed foods and fast food joints had not been developed. (I was at a Taco Bell last week and they had a $5 box of food whose calorie count was more than my daily allotment of 1200!) And there were no TVs and video games to cause one to sit for hours. But another reason for little obesity was that work was WORK. That is, it was physical exercise.


A new plant was built to the southwest that still builds/refurbishes military vehicles even if the military doesn't need them.

Chicago, IL: C&WI's 47th Street Depot

(Update: see 47th Street Yard for the context of this depot.)

Terminal railroads like the C&WI and B&OCT used to offer commuter service. One of C&WI's depots was in the 47th Street Yard. It is now trees and "storage." (street view)

Bill Molony posted
The Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's 47th Street Station was just 4.6 miles south of Dearborn Station, but it once was a regular stop for the passenger trains of the Wabash, the Erie, Chicago & Eastern Illinois, the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville, the Grand Trunk Western and the Chesapeake & Ohio, as well as the C&WI's own commuter trains.
The comments indicate it was used as a commuter station until the late 1970s, then as an office. Of particular interest:
David Daruszka I believe it was in use as railroad offices into the mid-70's. When I started at the C&NW in 1974, I was called out as an extra brakeman on a Proviso to Grand Trunk transfer. On our way back the C&WI found out that the Engineer and Conductor were not rules qualified on their territory. That had to go to the station to take a rules test so we could continue back to home tracks.

BRHS posted
The Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's 47th Street Station was served by the trains of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville, the Wabash, the Erie, the Grand Trunk Western and the Chicago & Western Indiana railroads.

BRHS posted
The Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad built this station - circa 1903 - at 47th Street on the south side of Chicago to serve the railroads using its tracks to reach Dearborn Station.
For decades, it was a scheduled stop for the intercity passenger trains of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, the Wabash, the Erie, the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville and the Grand Trunk Western railroads, as well as the C&WI's suburban trains operating between Dolton and Chicago.

David Daruszka commented on the post
Another view.

In response to someone saying it was in Englewood, David commented:
"The neighborhood is officially known as "New City". "

David's view allowed me to find it in an old aerial photo.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

1929 Englewood Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

Scott Griffith posted some architectural drawings of details of the station. Please access the "posted" link for those photos.
David Daruszka Frost and Granger! They did a great deal of work for the C&NW including the CPT on Madison Street. I've never seen them listed as the architects for this building. Great find.

David Daruszka commented on Scott Griffith's posting

David Daruszka commented on Scott Griffith's posting
Sanborn map

You can see the shadow of the peaked roof at the top of this photo.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Dennis DeBruler How did people access this station? We can still see the cantilevered platforms. https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m6!1e1!3m4...

Bob Lalich answered my question with this comment on Scott's posting
There was a stairway off 47th St.

David Daruszka commented on Scott Griffith's posting
More train than station, but another photo.
Bill Molony also posted
Wabash Railroad class M 4-8-2 Mountain-type #2823, arriving at the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's 47th Street station with a six-car passenger train - circa 1935. .

Bill Molonhy posted a lighter exposure
Wabash Railroad class M 4-8-2 Mountain-type #2823 arriving at the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's 47th Street Station with an intercity passenger train - undated.
Bill Molony posted
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad class K2 4-6-2 Pacific-type #1016 and a helper arriving with a passenger train at the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's 47th Street station.
Bill Molony posted
Bill Molony: The 2823 was one of 25 4-8-2's built for the Wabash by Baldwin in 1930.
James Holzmeier: Wow...a Mountain pulling a passenger train. Just...wow!!!
Richard Fiedler: I've seen pictures of Mountains pulling passenger trains on the Chicago line. Maybe during the war or some rush or convention.
As the normal power was Pacifics that could only do 5-7 cars.

Robert Daly posted four photos with the comment: "Chicago & Western Indiana 47th St station, Dec. 13 1986. This substantial building was wedged between the C&WI and PRR yards."
Robert Daly The last C&WI commuter train to Dolton was taken off in 1965.
Ean Kahn-Treras If you are driving west on 47th nowadays you'll go under the NS (PRR), and there will be a dirt ramp up to the tracks on your right. The station was in the next empty void between overpasses.
Val Ginter Did the Canadian railroad use this station? Grand Trunk Western?
Robert Daly I have Grand Trunk timetables from 1922 and 1938 showing all trains stopping at 47th St but a 1954 schedule shows only Chicago Lawn (63rd and Central Park) as an in city stop.

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Steven J. Brown posted
Chicago and Western Indiana depot at 47th Street in Chicago. The slide mount is dated May 83 but from the look of the tree it is most likely January or February. The depot didn't last much after this.

Bob Lalich Flickr 1986 Photo
At the time, the old N&W Orland Park commuter train was one of the few (maybe the only) that ran with its power on the inbound side of the train. It is seen passing the old C&WI 47th St station, 6-86.

Bob Lalich 3mo 

The tower was a busy place in the 60s Lou. I first went up there in 1981, where I met C&WI dispatcher John Vaisvil. He was friendly and tolerant of my unending questions. I had many interesting discussions with him about operations on the C&WI over the years.

Bob Lalich commented on a posting
 I'm not certain of the date but I think 47th St Station was closed in the 1960s. The building remained for a long time afterward and was used by the signal department. Here is a shot I took in 1986.

William Shapotkin posted
The 47th St C&WI psgr station in Chicago was still standing (and still served by N&W's Orland Park "Cannonball") when Dr. Robert F. Breese took this photo off the back end of Amtrak's E/B BROADWAY LIMITED on July 13, 1974. View looks N-N/W.
Eric Lorenz The platform still exists at this location.
Lawrence Smith it never dawned on me you could actually see this station from the Pennsy tracks at 47th, but you clearly can. i had thought the C+WI tracks were much further W by 47th.

William Shapotkin posted
The 47th St C&WI psgr station in Chicago was still standing (and still served by N&W's Orland Park "Cannonball") when Dr. Robert F. Breese took this photo off the back end of Amtrak's E/B BROADWAY LIMITED on July 13, 1974. View looks N-N/W.
Bob Lalich William Shapotkin - a friend confirmed that his N&W public timetable from 1971 shows trains 112 and 113 stopping at 47th St. I haven't determined when the stop was discontinued yet. Later today I will post some info regarding GT use of 47th St station.Bob Lalich North side of 47th St.Eric Lorenz The platform still exists at this location.Lawrence Smith it never dawned on me you could actually see this station from the Pennsy tracks at 47th, but you clearly can. i had thought the C+WI tracks were much further W by 47th.

Bob Lalich commented on William Shapotkin's posting

William commented on his posting

Bill Molony posted two photos with the comment: "The Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Company's new station at 47th Street on the south side of Chicago." I have deleted them because the following has more resolution. But I note Bob Lalich's comment on the photo with three semaphores: "Note the dwarf signal on the eave of the station, and the milk platform to the right."

Bill Molony posted the same two photos with the comment: "The Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's station at 47th Street on the south side of Chicago - undated. From the Blackhawk collection."

Steve Malachinski: That station outlived Englewood by quite a bit. M&W and the siginal dept used it and the managers had a speeder they kept parked there.

Joseph Tuch Santucci: The offices were there as well. I took my promotion test in the offices there. All conductors and engineers on the railroads operating over the C&WI had to also be tested on the C&WI rules, signals and physical characteristics.

Bill Molony shared

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Bill Molony: The structure in the center of this photograph is the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad's 47th Street Station on the south side of Chicago.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Bill's share

The first photo must have been of the north side. The second photo is of the south side. This street view from 47th Street is of the south side of what is left.

https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m6!1e1!3m4...

Dennis DeBruler commented on Bill's share

It looks like they built a retaining wall and filled the station's location with dirt. The cantilevered platform along the track still exists.

https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m6!1e1!3m4...

David Daruszka enhanced a photo posted by Bill Molony
This photograph is labeled "WABASH 47th STREET DEPOT CHICAGO,ILL 1957" but I cannot verify that information to be correct.
[There are a lot of comments discussing what this building really was. The comments include track diagrams and  By 1957, Wabash should have been using the C&WI depot. I think the working theory is that this may have been the Wabash depot before the tracks were elevated and then it was moved to the elevated tracks as a yard office.]

Bob Lalich commented on Bill's post
[The current theory is that the building on the far left was the "mystery building."]

Chuck Roth posted two photos with the comment: "CW&I Depot at 47th street seen here in 1988."

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Chuck Roth posted
Chuck Roth it seems the old station was torn down in 1999.

Dennis DeBruler commented on a post
It appears they have backfilled against the south foundation of the station.
https://www.google.com/.../@41.8093383,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3

Dave Arganbright posted two photos with the comment: "Here are a couple cool photos ca. 1905 of the C&WI's 47th St. station from the Steamtown archives."

Bob Lalich: Notice the platform east of the station for unloading milk. I recall the track may have been there in the early 1980s and was still called the milk track.

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[This is cropped differently than Bill's copy above.]

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