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"The Sharknose Diesels"
Baldwin Sharknose RF-16 Freight Diesels
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When America's Railroads began the
wholesale replacement of steam power after World War II, one of the most
lucrative portions of the huge diesel locomotive market was the streamlined,
four-axle cab and booster unit for mainline freight operation. Baldwin Locomotive Company in Philadelphia was not to be
left out of this market and in 1948 brought in the Pennsylvania Railroad's
favorite industrial designer, Raymond Lowey, to redesign their DR4-4-1500
freight locomotive. The result was the
famous "Shark Nose" freight design that reached it's zenith with the
160 RF-16 cab and booster unit diesels built between 1949 and 1952.
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The RF-16's featured the
Lowey designed nose and soon became known as "Hauling Fools" by their
owners. The PRR owned 102 cab and
booster units, with B&O and NYC weighing in with 32 and 26 additional
combinations respectively. Each was
delivered in their owner's best freight schemes, schemes with names like:
"Five-stripes", "Lightning Stripes" and "Blue and
Gray". Each railroad used their
units in all types of freight service, but they were especially popular for
hauling heavy trains in difficult terrain and tough conditions. All three owners used their
"Sharks" in constant service in New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana into the mid-60's. During summers in the
late 50's, some NYC Sharks went further west in a lease agreement with the Rock Island for grain service. Several of the NYC units refused to become
extinct and went on to service on the Monongahela, D&H (in another famous
paint scheme!), Michigan Northern and Escanaba & Lake Superior. The last two Sharks, Baldwin's
only surviving streamlined diesels, are in storage today on the E&LS.
Production Models are in -- please see the In Stock page for current availability and pricing
Here are some photos of the production models (click any thumbnail to see a larger photo):
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The models were built by Boo Rim Precision and include the quality that you have grown to expect from River Raisin Models.
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Click any photograph on this page to see a larger image |
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3/16ths Brass Model Trains - S Scale models that are built by fellow modelers that care to bring
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