Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad
Another antique engine is now on the rails in Abilene, ready for a new life on the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad.
A renovated 1940 General Electric center cab diesel engine was unveiled Sunday at a special ceremony at Abilene’s Rock Island Depot, becoming the latest member of the heritage railroad’s lineup of antique locomotives.
Rebuilt after sitting idle in the Abilene railyard for over two decades, the 85 year-old engine has a compelling story that is primarily defined by a long career of service that resulted in the locomotive earning a very special name.
“This engine was once a workhorse for the United States Army,” A&SV President and General Manager Ross Boelling explained to a crowd of onlookers gathered to witness the dedication ceremony.
“Considering its military background, we thought it appropriate to name the engine in honor of Abilene’s favorite son, Dwight Eisenhower. So, on this D-Day weekend, the locomotive is being christened ‘Ike’ in the General’s honor.”
Adding to the significance of the christening, Mary Eisenhower of Abilene, President Eisenhower’s granddaughter, broke a bottle of champagne on the bow of the engine to the delight of the crowd.
“Trains were always my grandfather’s mode of operation,” Eisenhower recalled in reminiscing about her famous ancestor’s military and Presidential years. “The fact that this was a World War II engine is really special. This would certainly get my grandfather’s attention and be exciting to him,” she told the gathering.Indeed, “Ike” had a remarkable career before finding its way to the A&SV’s railyard. It was the sixth center cab engine to be manufactured by GE and today, it is the oldest surviving unit of its class.
The Arkansas Valley Interurban Railway in Wichita purchased the engine in 1940 to haul passengers between Wichita and Hutchinson until the line shut down two years later.The locomotive was promptly acquired by the U.S. Army for wartime use and was shipped to San Bernadino, California, for use at the Norton Air Force Base. In 1969, the engine was transferred to the Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah, for storage, until it was purchased the following year by Houston Track and Equipment in Texas.
It was then acquired by Ideal Portland Cement in Superior, Nebraska, where it worked hauling rock trains between quarries and the company’s processing plant for several years.
In 1995, Dan Rohrback, a collector in Wichita, acquired the 44-ton engine from Ideal Cement. Needing a place to store the vehicle, Rohrback worked out an agreement with Joe Minick to store the engine in the A&SV’s Abilene rail yard, with the understanding that the railroad could use the engine for excursion runs as needed.
Rhorback later donated the engine, which was used sparingly until 2002, when sporadic problems forced the railroad to discontinue its use. Interest in restoring the engine began two years ago, as the A&SV began to look for alternative sources of power to back up the railroad’s much-used Alco S-4 switch engine, which has powered most of the A&SV’s trains since 1993.
An examination by technical consultants from the Durango and Silverton in Colorado revealed that the locomotive’s engine could easily be repaired and placed in service. But the wheels, which were manufactured with the engine in 1940, were so badly worn beyond repair, and new ones would be required before the engine could be put into service. The A&SV Board of Directors purchased new wheels last year and restoration work began.
“It was one step after another mechanically, then we started stripping paint off, last summer” said Dr. Steve Schwarting, coordinator of the restoration project.“By the time we got the old paint removed, it was too cold to apply new paint, so we turned out attention to the inside of the cab. When the weather got warmer, we were able to apply new paint and do cosmetic work.”The engine has been painted in maroon and gold, a color scheme that was adopted two years ago to signify the A&SV’s Rock Island Railroad legacy. The engine is numbered 34 to signify Dwight Eisenhower’s status as the 34th President, and “I Like Ike” campaign button decals are featured on the cab doors.
Adding to the locomotive’s historical significance, Schwarting’s crew mounted the type of horn that was used by the Rock Island’s famous passenger train, the Rocket.“We got a Leslie A200 air horn, the type that would have been used on many of the diesels that pulled Rock Island passenger trains,” said staff member Dylan Miller, who collects and assembles air horns and whistles as a hobby.Ike’s refurbishment is being paid for by a combination of grant monies, donations, and bank loans. The engine is expected to be in the A&SV’s regular lineup in a few weeks, and its use will be alternated with the Alco diesel switch engine, which has been powering A&SV trains since 1993.The significance of the engine’s name, its historical significance, and its modernized appearance were noted by comments from spectators.
“I was there when we got it and initially got it running,” said A&SV founder Joe Minick, “it really looks nice.”As the person who donated the engine thirty years ago, Rohrback said seeing the newly named and painted engine was a special feeling.“I’m happy to see that after 30 years on the property here, it’s in good running condition with fresh paint. It really looks great. And I think it’s going to be a credit and of great value to the museum and the Abilene and Smoky Valley.”
For Mary Eisenhower, the engine’s restoration adds to its already special historical aura.“There’s a history lesson involved here. The generation of this engine and what it did during World War II is significant,” she said, “I think the soul of the war years and the legacy of the Greatest Generation that was fighting then and saved the world, that’s an important thing to remember with this engine’s restoration. Its soul has been restored.”