Baldwin "S-8" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, Data Sheet

Last revised: December 31, 2024

The S-8 was Baldwin's first diesel switcher as part of its latest Standard Line. It specifically replaced the earlier "DS" line and the DS-4-4-750. The latest model offered a slight increase in horsepower (50 hp).

The switcher itself was not considerably different from its earlier counterpart although it did feature an upgraded prime mover of the same version used in the DS-4-4-750. Baldwin simply dropped the "Normally Aspirated" (NA) title.

Perhaps the most noticeable change was merely the S-8's designation, as the Baldwin looked to simplify its earlier classification system of complicated numbers, dashes, and letters. Overall, the S-8 was not particularly successful although its successor, the S-12, did see decent sales.

One railroad which never wavered on Baldwin was the Pennsylvania; the PRR was a loyal buyer of steam locomotives practically from its inception and continued supporting the company until the end. It acquired a small roster of six S-8's.

Photos

Oliver Iron Mining Company S-8's #1201-A and #1200-B push a string of side dump cars up the slope and toward the mine at Virginia, Minnesota on August 18, 1970. Jim Jeffery photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Overview

The S-8 switcher line debuted in 1951 featuring Baldwin's updated 606 prime mover. The locomotive could produce 800 horsepower using a B-B truck arrangement (two axles per truck).

Overall Baldwin designed the S-8 as a standard yard switcher although sales never truly materialized. Railroads still preferred more powerful models and the company had a difficult time finding orders for any of its lightly powered designs like the VO660, DS-4-4-750, and the S-8.

Of course, this was not unique to Baldwin. The American Locomotive Company, for instance, also saw only lukewarm sales for its small switchers such as the S-1, S-3, and S-6.

At 48 feet in length the S-8 was nearly identical to the DS-4-4-750 using the same basic frame and design (end cab and long trailing hood).

The one operational standout, aside from its extra 50 horsepower was the additional tractive effort; 59,550 pounds starting and 34,000 pounds continuous.

This gave the locomotive the ability to pull a string of loaded cars with relative ease while being agile and light enough (just 100 tons) to be used almost anywhere. Because of this, several industries found the S-8 to their liking.

Reception

By the time production had ended Baldwin was able to sell 65 total units (56 A units and 9 B units/calves) to a wide range of buyers.

While Class I railroads purchased the S-8, such as the Pennsylvania and Rock Island, many buyers turned out to be industrial operations like mining and steel companies.

These included:

American Rolling Mill Company

Oliver Iron Mining Company

Sharon Steel Corporation

Sloss-Sheffield Steel

US Pipe and Foundry

US Steel

Weyerhaeuser Company

Youngstown Sheet and Tube

Interestingly, before the Cuban trade embargo was implemented Baldwin also sold two S-8s to United Railways of Havana.

As John Kirkland notes in his book, "The Diesel Builder: Volume Two," the S-8 was essentially the DS-4-4-750 with an additional 50 horsepower and dropping the prime mover's designation from 606NA to simply 606.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	3/22/1951 (Pennsylvania #8994)
Years Produced	3/22/1951-7/28/1953
Baldwin Class	S-8
Engine	606, 6-Cylinder In-Line
Engine Builder	De La Vergne
Horsepower	800
RPM	625
Carbody Styling	Baldwin
Length (Between Coupler Pulling Faces)	48'
Weight	200,000 Lbs
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	14'
Width	10'
Trucks	B-B
Truck Type	GSC Rigid Bolster, Drop-Side Equalizer
Truck Wheelbase	8'
Wheel Size	40"
Traction Motors	362D (4), Westinghouse
Traction Generator	480F, Westinghouse
Auxiliary Generator	YG42A, Westinghouse
Gear Ratio	16:76
Tractive Effort Rating	33,600 Lbs at 8.3 MPH.
Top Speed	45 MPH

Production Roster

Total Built = 63

(53 "A" Units and 10 "B" units)

Owner	Road Number	Baldwin Serial Number	Construction Number	Completion Date
Pennsylvania	8994	1	75117	3/22/1951
Pennsylvania	8995	2	75118	3/26/1951
Pennsylvania	8996	3	75119	3/27/1951
Pennsylvania	8997	4	75120	3/29/1951
Pennsylvania	8998	5	75121	4/5/1951
Pennsylvania	8999	6	75122	4/6/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1200A	7	75243	7/29/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1201A	8	75244	7/31/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1202A	9	75245	8/27/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1203A	10	75246	8/27/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1200B	11	74247	7/29/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1201B	12	74248	7/31/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1202B	13	74249	8/27/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1203	14	74250	8/27/1951
Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines	6006	15	75253	5/16/1951
New Orleans Public Belt	50	16	75251	5/10/1951
New Orleans Public Belt	51	17	75252	5/16/1951
Weyerhaeuser Company	103	18	75254	6/30/1951
Weyerhaeuser Company	105	19	75255	6/30/1951
Sharon Steel Corporation	3	20	75421	3/10/1952
Sharon Steel Corporation	4	21	75422	7/31/1952
Sharon Steel Corporation	5	22	75423	8/2/1952
Sharon Steel Corporation	6	23	75424	8/21/1952
Sharon Steel Corporation	7	24	75425	2/13/1953
Sharon Steel Corporation	8	25	75426	2/16/1952
Sharon Steel Corporation	9	26	75427	8/28/1953
Sharon Steel Corporation	10	27	75428	8/28/1953
LaSalle & Bureau County	8	28	75429	10/23/1951
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	703	29	75430	11/30/1951
Medford Corporation	8	30	75481	3/21/1952
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1204A	31	75488	10/31/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1205A	32	75489	11/29/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1206A	33	75490	11/29/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1204B	34	75491	10/31/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1205B	35	75492	11/29/1951
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1206B	36	75493	11/29/1951
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	800	37	75494	3/17/1952
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	801	38	75495	3/15/1952
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	802	39	75496	3/18/1952
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	803	40	75497	3/20/1952
Sloss-Sheffield Steel	33	41	75520	12/18/1951
Sloss-Sheffield Steel	34	42	75521	12/18/1951
Sloss-Sheffield Steel	35	43	75522	3/26/1952
Sloss-Sheffield Steel	36	44	75523	3/26/1952
American Rolling Mill Company	1151	45	75527	12/12/1951
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	802	46	75683	9/9/1952
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	803	47	75684	9/9/1952
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	804	48	75685	9/10/1952
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	805	49	75686	9/10/1952
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	806	50	75687	9/12/1952
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1214A	51	75692	6/5/1952
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1215A	52	75693	6/6/1952
American Rolling Mill Company	1152	53	74988	10/30/1952
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	804	54	75163	2/10/1953
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1214B	55	75696	6/5/1952
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1215B	56	75697	6/16/1952
Youngstown Sheet & Tube	805	57	75332	2/10/1953
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1216A	58	75834	7/1952
Escanaba & Lake Superior	102	59	75700	8/21/1952
United Railways Of Havana	8001	60	75719	6/19/1952
United Railways Of Havana	8002	61	75720	6/19/1952
Oliver Iron Mining Company	1216B	63	75836	7/1952
U.S. Steel	13	65	75399	7/28/1953

Sources

Foster, Gerald. A Field Guide To Trains. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.

Kirkland, John F. Diesel Builders, The: Volume Three, Baldwin Locomotive Works. Pasadena: Interurban Press, 1994.

Pinkepank, Jerry A. Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1967.

Solomon, Brian. Baldwin Locomotives. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2009.

One particular note of interest about the S-8s were the nine cow-calf sets purchased by Oliver Mining. Oliver was the only buyer to request such a setup (it also ordered other cow-calf sets from Baldwin).

The units were numbered 1200A-1206A, 1214A-1215A/1200B-1206B, 1214B-1215B and the mining company had on order a tenth set but later canceled this after it was already completed. Baldwin then retrofitted the B unit with a cab and resold it as a standard S-8.

Preservation

Today, at least two S-8s are preserved:

U.S. Pipe & Foundry #37 at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum

Medford Corporation #8 at the Southern Oregon Chapter, NRHS