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BROOKLYN EASTERN DISTRICT TERMINAL,
EAST RIVER TERMINAL RAILROAD
& PALMER'S DOCK

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Steam & Diesel Locomotive, Non- Revenue Equipment & Marine Equipment Specifications & Rosters

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INDEX

ROSTERS, SPECIFICATIONS & INFORMATION              for Locomotives, Marine Equipment & Non-Revenue Equipment including: builder, modification, past & current ownership data: Steam Locomotive Overview Steam Locomotive Roster Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification Sheets H. K. Porter Catalog Specification Page & Blueprints Steam Locomotive Footnotes Prior Owners of BEDT Steam Locomotives Diesel Locomotive Overview Diesel Locomotive Roster Diesel Locomotive Footnotes w/ Variant chart A Visitor to Kent Avenue Tugboat Overview Tugboat Roster Carfloat & Scow Overview Carfloat & Scow Roster Non-Revenue Equipment Roster Misc. Equipment  Footnotes
	IMAGES & FILM
Locomotives: .... July 2, 1957 Robert B. Hart ca. 1958-1962 Gerald Landau
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Marine Equipment:						Non-Revenue Equipment:

Steam Locomotive Overview

   This chapter touches upon the various nuances of the the locomotives used by the BEDT. It will outline similarities and the basic histories of the designs. If you desire in depth information of all or any one locomotive, I recommend you visit the roster pages below as well as footnotes, where the technical details and specifications are listed.


   BEDT operated a fleet of compact but powerful Steam Locomotives known as "sidetankers" and "saddletankers". These locomotives were also known as "Drill Engines", "Docksiders", and in Europe, they are known as "Tank Engines"; (e.g: Thomas the Tank Engine). Over the period of its 113 year existence, Palmer's Dock, East River Terminal and the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal would come to own sixteen steam locomotives, comprised of 0-4-0T and 0-6-0T side and saddletankers:

  Frederick Havemeyer, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, and #16

   All of BEDT's locomotives had the distinction of being able to operate without a tender (as all tank engines do). As regular steam locomotives hauled a tender behind the engine which carried fuel (wood, coal or oil) and water for the locomotive. Since operating space on carfloats and the tight radii (curves) of yard & street trackage was at a premium, a small bunker on the rear of the locomotive carried the fuel and a water tank was mounted on the sides of, or "draped" over the top of the boiler (like a horse saddle); hence the name "saddletank".

   Furthermore, as the locomotives were to remain within a short distance to the shop, they could be refueled more frequently, and therefore it was not necessary for the locomotive to carry a large supply of fuel and / or water as it would  have to were it to go long distances between refueling. Lots of yard and shop locomotives for the larger railroads used this saddletank arrangement to much success. Due to this configuration, unlike conventional steam locomotives which required a engineer to run the locomotive and a fireman to feed fuel, the oil fired steam switchers used on the BEDT were equipped for one man operation.


   The earliest of these locomotives ("Frederick Havemeyer", and #2 through 7) that ran for Palmer's Dock, East River Terminal and then the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal, as stated earlier; were equipped with dummy street car shells over the locomotive. Hence the name "Dummy Engines", "Street Dummies" or "Steam Dummies". This design was to prevent frightening of horses, as horses were supposedly comfortable with and used to streetcars / trolleys, but were easily frightened by steam locomotives. Go figure!


   Naturally as the internal combustion engine replaced horses, (and as they aren't afraid of steam locomotives) the street dummies were no longer necessary. It is now known, by referencing the image of the East River Terminal / Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal that appeared in April 6, 1914 issue of "Greater New York" (a weekly bulletin published by the Merchants Association of New York); a locomotive can be seen without the street car shell operating for the East River Terminal Railroad / Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal. Whether all of the ERT / BEDT locomotives had their street car shells removed by this date, or only a select few retained their street car shells and likewise to what date, remains undetermined at this time. This image may be viewed in the East River Terminal chapter on the main website under the subchapter "ERT Property Photo". By the time the Terminal was reconstructed in 1918, as evidenced by the W. R. Harrison series of images, the steam dummy carbodies were no longer in use on any of the locomotives, despite the fact that horses were still prevalent for pulling wagons and many are on property attached to wagons seen being loaded or unloaded.


   The following images are zoom & crops taken from the W. R. Harrison Reconstruction Photos, taken 1918 through 1919. While the locomotives were in the background of the images, the large size of the image (7" x 9) permitted some use. Unfortunately, the locomotive numbers cannot be discerned, but on least one, the 0-6-0T wheel arrangement and shape of the numeral is #8. Also all appear to be coal fired but the low, open style of bunker, and none of the locomotives are "wearing" a steam dummy carbody.

   Also discovered; if one takes the time to compare the Baldwin builder photo of BEDT #11 and then the picture directly below it; you will notice that in the builders photo, #11 has a short style open topped coal bunker. In the second photo, it is clearly obvious that #11 had been modified to have a tall style closed top bunker to hold oil! Likewise, the picture of #8 shows her being scrapped as a coal burner in 1933. Yet the photo of #7 has a high style oil bunker at the same usage period (1933/1934). The photo of #9 as well shows a tall style oil bunker, yet was built prior to #10 and #11; of which #11 was already discussed being seen with both coal and oil.


   So, all things being considered, Baldwin built locomotives "Frederick Havemeyer", and 2 through 11 appear to have been originally built by Baldwin as coal fired; and at the least, numbers 6, 7, 9, 10 & 11 were converted to burn oil by BEDT (with 8 being scrapped as a coal burner) sometime after the turn of the century.


   H. K. Porter Boiler Record documents recently coming to light, show that H. K. Porter built numbers 12 and 13 (c/n 6368 and 6369) were built as coal fired for their first owner, the US Navy Fleet Supply Base in South Brooklyn (not the Navy Yard). As some point in their life, most likely (but unconfirmed) they were converted to oil when BEDT purchased them or shortly thereafter. Numbers 14 and 15, were built as coal fired when built for Mesta Machine Works and converted to oil fired by BEDT when they were purchased as well. The builders picture of #16 shows a tapered style coal bunker as well. Considering that Astoria Light, Heat & Power utilized coal for their gasification plants, it only seem logical their locomotives were fired by coal as well, but it is unknown whether it was converted to oil fired by its second owner (Fleischmanns Yeast of Peekskill, NY) or by BEDT. In all likelihood, the locomotive was converted by BEDT as they had the experienced shop forces to modify the locomotive.


   Those BEDT steam locomotives that were converted to burn oil, utilized Bunker-C oil. While Bunker-C is considered a "heavy" type of oil, (when compared to #2 fuel oil or diesel fuel), there is a sound reasoning for it's use. The second generation of steam powered tugboats of which the BEDT operated, were also fired with Bunker-C. It was cheap and widely available, so it was naturally cost efficient to run all the equipment tugboats and locomotives alike, with one fuel. The use of Bunker-C oil in their locomotives also allowed the railroads to eliminate the fireman's position in locomotive operation, as an employee was no longer needed to shovel coal into the firebox. The oil could be controlled via the use of simple valves.


    Bunker Fuel received its name from the containers or tanks on ships which are known as "Bunkers", of which the fuel is stored in. In the days of steam power, the bunkers originally held coal, and these bunkers were either converted by enclosing or built from the start to hold liquid fuel as those liquid fuels became more common. Bunker-C oil, which got its name from the Navy fuel specification, is also known as "Number 6 Fuel Oil", "Residual Fuel Oil (RFO)", or by the Pacific Specification of "PS-400".


   A residual oil is an oil product that remains after the more valuable "cuts" of crude oil such as naphtha, gasoline, etc; have boiled off. This oil residue may contain various undesirable impurities including 2 percent water and ½ percent mineral soil. Residual oils also contain relatively high amounts of pollutants, particularly sulfur; which forms sulfur dioxide upon combustion. Despite this, Bunker-C is still a cleaner burning fuel than coal. Even due to those undesirable properties, Bunker Fuels are very cheap, and in fact it is the cheapest liquid fuel available.


   However, there are downsides to using Bunker-C oil. It must be pre-heated to 150° F to 250° F before it can be pumped easily. This requires a correctly designed system for storage, pumping and burning, as in cooler temperatures the Bunker-C oil can congeal into a tar-like semi-solid. Keeping Bunker-C Fuel flowing is usually accomplished by a recirculated low pressure steam system which pre-heated the fuel to allow it flow easier.


   This necessary pre-heating precluded this fuels' use in smaller vehicles such as automobiles or boats, as the pre-heating equipment would take up valuable space and make the vehicle heavier. Therefore, Bunker-C oil was better suited as a fuel for steam boilers (for making heat and/or generating electricity), steamships, and steam locomotives. As these large applications both generated heat and could take that heat from the combustion process to heat the fuel prior to firing and if necessary, be large enough to house the pre-heating equipment and piping necessary for keeping Bunker-C oil fluid, it was a sensible fuel choice. The BEDT had a small steam powered boilerhouse just outside the enginehouse, for both steam heating of the enginehouse, and to provide steam so the Bunker-C storage cars could be kept warm as well.


   By comparison, while Bunker-C oil releases up to 11% more BTU's (British Thermal Units) than the equivalent amount of Number 2 Fuel Oil; Number 2 Fuel Oil does not need to be pre-heated, so it is better suited for use as a fuel for smaller, more mobile applications; such as diesel-electric locomotives, cars, trucks and smaller marine vessels. As Number 2 Fuel Oil is also cleaner burning as it is more refined the Bunker C oil, it releases less pollutants than Bunker-C; and this helped lead to the elimination of Bunker-C Fuel as a locomotive fuel.


   Despite the disadvantages; the use of Bunker-C by the BEDT must have been a consideration through the 1950's, as the BEDT continued to fire their steam switchers on Bunker-C oil even when diesel locomotives were gaining popularity. But, once the newer tugboats equipped with diesel engines arrived, the diesel-electric locomotives couldn't be far behind, and eventually found their way to the BEDT in 1962.


   

Also of interest is the fact that BEDT shops did almost all of their own repairs on the locomotives with few and far between exceptions.     Short of heavy repairs such as a new firebox, it is now obvious that BEDT's mechanical shop forces were experienced, knowledgeable and equipped for most steam locomotive repairs. Several photos now part of this websites collection, show different locomotives in various states of disassembly, repair & refurbishment.    Mechanically speaking, it appears the BEDT steam locomotives were extremely well maintained right up until the end of steam locomotive operations. No spit & baling wire repairs or leaky, wheezy steam chests or cylinders on this equipment!    Nor was the paint ever flaking or faded, nor were there broken windows in the cabs. Obviously not only were locomotives well maintained mechanically, but superficially as well. Even during the declining rail traffic years of the 1970's, the diesel locomotives were mechanically in good repair.	#15 - April 1961 D. Plowden photo .
#13 - ca. 1958 unknown photographer (B. Stiles?) authors collection
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unknown date - Presumably taken January 1963 when #14 was last shopped by BEDT for 23B and Hydrostatic tests. Note: no tires! unknown photographer G. Mahlkov collection	unknown date - Presumably taken January 1963 when #14 was last shopped by BEDT for 23B and Hydrostatic tests. Note new tires A. Huneke photo A. Huneke collection
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#16 - unknown date - stripped down to boiler and running gear. Note front two axles are without tires, rear axle has tires! S. Meyers photo D. Keller archives authors collection
.    Referencing the image immediately above, BEDT maintenance records reflect that #16 received flues, lagging, hydrostatic test and 23B on March 1, 1962. As Interstate Commerce Commission regulations require inspections and maintenance every four years, therefore it would make sense that #16 would have been shopped four years prior in 1958. As the bottom of the saddletank is still round in the second photo below, it is believed that the photos are of the locomotive being overhauled in late 1958 or early 1959, as it was at this time around 1960 that the square bottoms on the saddletank were welded on.
S. Meyers photo D. Keller archives authors collection

   These locomotives appear to be efficient as well, because if you take note; there are very few images of the locomotives showing smoke, and consider that we've all seen "modern" diesel switchers and road engines from Class 1 railroads with more emissions!


   Until that sad and fateful day that the diesels took over, BEDT enjoyed the use of steam locomotives later than any other railroad in the Northeast (for everyday freight hauling), with steam locomotive operations officially concluding on October 25, 1963. When you take into consideration that New York City essentially banned the use of steam locomotives within the city limits in 1923, one must wonder how BEDT kept steam locomotive operations around for so long!   


   Needless to say, the BEDT with it's late usage of steam locomotives, its easy metropolitan access and railfan friendly atmosphere made it very popular with railfans and photographers. Try that now in this age of homeland security paranoia! Just imagine; taking pictures of steam locomotives all day, then "jumping" across the Williamsburg Bridge to get a salami on club and Dr. Browns black cherry soda at Katz's Delicatessen.


   I also am left to wonder, if BEDT had survived long enough to benefit from TOFC (Trailer on Flat Car) and COFC (Container on Flat Car) traffic, would the venture be known as "BEDTIME"? Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal InterModal Exchange - get it? Haha!  :o)  


   Unfortunately, all Baldwin built sidetankers (the Frederick C. Havemeyer, and numbers 2 through 11) were scrapped by BEDT, with 10 & 11 being scrapped as late as 1962 and 1963. However; the remaining five H. K. Porter built locomotives (numbers 12 through 16) have all been saved and subsequently sold into private hands, and are currently in various states of restoration, storage and display. One (#15) is even in operation at Strasburg RR "dressed" as Thomas the Tank Engine !

   In the process of doing some research on Viscose #6, an 0-4-0T built by Baldwin Locomotive Works; I posted a question on Railway Preservation News. One of the responses to my question suggested the information I sought might be found in the Southern Methodist University - DeGolyer Library Digital Archives, which is a significant repository for photos and records from the Baldwin Locomotive Works. I had visited the digital collection more than a decade ago (2008? 2009?) but the specification sheets had not been digitized until 2010, and therefore I missed them.

   Naturally, after obtaining the information for Viscose 6, I commenced to look up the Baldwin built locomotives constructed for the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal. This first required learning how to cross reference the Baldwin index with the corresponding albums and pages. And there are 83 albums, dating back to 1869, but some years of large production take up several albums, so it does not correlate to one year = one album. Also, the pages are not continuously numbered unbroken. If there was a revision or replacement part or extra order, that page was slipped in. So, if a locomotive is listed as Album 12, Sheet 154, it will be in Album 12, but Sheet 154 might be 190 pages in!

   Making things more complicated, was that some of the page numbers (printed in the corners of the sheets) in the albums were missing or illegible due to dog ears, or age. This would require looking through an applicable album page by page. Sure enough with due diligence, I was able to find all the spec sheets for all eleven of the Baldwin locomotives built for and used by the BEDT.

   As usual, there were some revelations! The Frederick C. Havemeyer was purchased by Havemeyer & Elder, as was #9. Numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 were purchased by Lowell M. Palmer. Numbers 10 and 11 were purchased by Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal. The Frederick C. Havemeyer was painted - a yellow exterior (!), drab interior & tank, black underside, no pinstriping except on the cylinders and the cab marked "FREDERICK C. HAVEMEYER" and "1876" in no less than 12" lettering. Following locomotives however were painted two shades of brown exterior and interior, cylinders brown with black undersides. Other details worth noting: no headlight and no whistle, on the Frederick as well as following locomotives.

   Just about every detail regarding the part and construction of these locomotives is listed. They contain significantly more information that that listed on the reverse of the Builders Cards. I am still rereading the entries and that ornate penmanship can be hard to read! Also there are paint codes (E6, E11) that I have to learn.

   As requested in the main file description, utmost thanks and gratitude must go to the Southern Methodist University for making these documents available, and additional thanks to Richard Dunn of Castro Valley, California for providing the grant in 1982 that allowed these written records to be photographed to microfiche for railroad historians to use.

The above and following drawings are the authors renderings of the Frederick C. Havemeyer and subsequent locomotives.
They are based on a line drawing of a Baldwin Locomotive Works "Steam Dummy" 0-4-0T by Joshua Moldover,
heavily modified to the specifications and by the colors and letters contained in the Baldwin Locomotive Work Specification Sheets as defined for these locomotive.
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While not 100 percent accurate without seeing an actual image, it does give the viewer a fairly decent representation of the style of locomotive
utilized by Palmer's Dock and the East River Terminal Railroad at the beginning of operations.

While the Frederick C. Havemeyer was specified with a yellow body, following orders for locomotives #2 through #9 specified two tone brown on the all over cab.

"Frederick C. Havemeyer" (#1)

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#2 "Florence"

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#3 "Grace"

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#4 "Lily" and #5 "Arthur"

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#6 "Ethel"

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. #7 "Chester" and #8 "Carleton"

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#9

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#10

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#11

B.E.D.T. Steam Locomotive Movies

   In this chapter, there are now two films (converted to digital format) of the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal in action!


   The first video was originally 16mm with no sound, and taken by Bob Hart on July 2, 1957. I met Mr. Hart at the Clark, NJ "Mother Seton H.S." Train Show on 06 March 2011, and he informed me he had this footage. Mr. Hart mailed me the DVD and I received it 15 March 2011. In this video, we have #11 and #16 in operation.


   The second video clip which was originally 8mm and no sound; was acquired by me back in 2006. It was taken by Gerald Landau, and I acquired it from Norm & Marie Wright. Unfortunately, the date that the original film was "shot" is not known. Upon viewing the video however, #10 is still in service and #11 is already out of service and being cannibalized. This would place the date of the video after September 1958 (when #11 was taken out of service) and before October 1962 (when #10 was taken out of service).

   This video shows #10 and #12 in operation with #11 out of service.

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July 2, 1957 B. Hart		ca. 1958-1962 Gerald Landau

Palmer's Dock / East River Terminal / Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal
Steam Locomotive Roster

Specifications, Locations & Owner Information, Condition & Restoration Reports

I have yet to find ANY photographs of the Frederick C. Havemeyer, or #2 through 5 anywhere in either Palmer's Dock, East River Terminal or Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal livery.
If you have a picture or image of the Frederick Havemeyer, or numbers 2, 3, 4 or 5 that you can share or any picture of ERT / BEDT locomotives,
I'll be pleased to place on this website with all due credit & provenance. Thank You!

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Steam Locomotive Footnotes

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Numbering / Age

Baldwin built #8 was built before and is chronologically older that #7, even though it was assigned a higher road number. This can possibly be explained as #7 and #8 were ordered on the same specification sheet.

H. K. Porter construction numbers and dates are out of sequence for #12, 13 and 14:
#12 and #13 were both built 3/1919 and are numbered 6368 and 6369 respectively.
#14 was built over a year later in 8/1920; yet has a lower construction number of 6260.
This data is accurate upon referencing H. K. Porter build records.

H. K. Porter built numbers 12, 13, 14, 15 are chronologically older the Baldwin built number 11.

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New vs. Pre-Owned Locomotive Purchases

Baldwin built locomotives, "Frederick C. Havemeyer" through number 11, were purchased new.

H. K. Porter built locomotives, numbers 12 through 16, were purchased pre-owned.

All new locomotives purchased were owned by either Lowell M. Palmer or the Havemeyer & Elder Co. Inc, (parent company) and were leased to the East River Terminal Railroad or Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal for exclusive operation.

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Fuel & Fuel Conversions

• The "Frederick C. Havemeyer", and numbers 2 through 11 were built as coal fired (anthracite).
• H. K. Porter #12 through 16 were originally built as coal fired.
  
• Baldwin built #7, 9, 10 & 11 and H. K. Porter built 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 were all converted to oil fired; (Bunker-C) during operation at BEDT.

A document from George Hart dated 1967, states that he understands that #14 was converted to oil from coal in 1935 or 1936 (about the time BEDT acquired the locomotives). No other documentation exists regarding these conversions nor has any resemblance or remnants of an ash pan been seen on 14. However, the firebox bottom currently in place is of welded construction, and not cast steel like the surrounding flange or other fixtures under the locomotive. This firebox bottom is attached to the frame with a number of bolts around the perimeter of the firebox and appears to be removable.

The builders picture of #16 (as Astoria Light, Heat and Power #5) shows a tapered style coal bunker as well. Considering Astoria Light, Heat & Power utilized coal for their gasification plants, it only seem logical the locomotive was fired by coal as well when operated by them.

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Cabs

• Baldwin built locos "Frederick C. Havemeyer" through #9 were built as "steam dummy' locomotives, also known as "cab all over". Baldwin built #10 and #11 were built from the start as conventional locomotives, as were all the H.K. Porter locomotives.
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• Baldwin built locomotives #6 through 9 and #11 were rebuilt with steel "European" style cabs with doors across the back, but #10 was built with an enclosed wood cab with doors on the side; which BEDT converted to a steel cab to match #11.
  

• H. K. Porter built #12 through 16 were built with enclosed steel cabs with doors on the sides of the cab.
  

• Also, the 1914 photo clearly shows a non steam dummy locomotive in the yard. It is unknown if the dummy shell was removed from some or all of the locomotives by that time.
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Wheel Arrangements

• Baldwin built "Frederick C. Havemeyer" and numbers 2 through #6, were of 0-4-0T wheel arrangement.
  
• Baldwin built #7 through #11 and H. K. Porter #12 through #16 were of 0-6-0T wheel arrangement.

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Driver Diameters

Only the Frederick C. Havemeyer had 45" drivers. All other Baldwin built locomotives were specified for 46" drivers.
Many published and internet documents state that H. K. Porter built locomotives #12 through 16 had 40" drivers. The H.K. Porter catalog calls for 46" drivers for this model locomotive with this corresponding cylinder size, boiler pressure and traction effort combinations.

BEDT maintenance records for BEDT steam locomotives prior to 1963 show 46" diameter, but the BEDT steam locomotive sales prospectus dated 1963 has that 40" measurement.

Current measurements of #13, #14 and #16 show 44.5" (allowance for wear), 46" and 46" respectively.

The source of this confusion may arise from the wheel specifications, which denote 40" wheel, 46" tire. This can be viewed in the Baldwin Specification Sheets. But, as one can see, even as far back as the construction of #2, wheels were specified as 46", and remained so through all locomotives. Recent (May 2019) acquistion of the blueprints for H. K. Porter c/n 6368, 6369 (BEDT #12 & #13), 5966 (BEDT #15) and 6780 (BEDT #16) all show 46" overall diameter for drivers.

It is therefore concluded that 46" drivers are the correct size and that the locomotive specifications and information published since 1963 by various historians was unfortunately referenced & copied from that erroneous BEDT document and handed down through the years, and are incorrect since that 1963 document.

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Flanges

• Baldwin built 0-6-0T:  #6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 were specified to have blind center drivers (see above).
• H. K. Porter built 0-6-0T:  #12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 had blind (non-flanged) center drivers.

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Switch De-icers

Thanks to the keen eyes of Paul Strubeck, there are what appears to be steam jets on the front of locomotives #12, 13 and 16. These steam jet affairs appear to be plumbed into a steam line and were aimed at the rails just in front of the steam chest. Two photos of #16 in February 1961 show massive amounts of steam issuing out from under the locomotive. It is believed that these were used for deicing switch points with live steam. Further review of pictures in this websites archives, show that these steam jets were only installed for winter months, as pictures taken during summer months do not show these jets, and the pipe is capped off. Current inspection of #14 and #16, shows that #14 has two pipes in front of the steam chests, connected to a single pipe running along side the boiler to the fireman's side of the cab. The tee and fingers at the end of the down leaders at the steam chests have been removed and a petcock on each side is installed. #16 has one pipe in front of the steam chest on engineers side, but that is capped off without a tee and fingers.

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Couplers

BEDT used "eared" couplers on all their locomotives, both front and rear. These couplers has "extensions" cast onto the top and bottoms of the normal knuckle part of the coupler. (The knuckle was cast in one piece at one time and were available as a special part, not as a recast). The purpose of this was that in maneuvering up and down on the floatbridges, in where you would have a sharp horizontal angle change between the land and float bridge or float bridge and carfloat, the ears would provide more room for vertical movement of the car coupler (which was of normal style) in the locomotives coupler without becoming detached.

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Brakes

All BEDT steam locomotives used the "steam jam" brake method, and did not have air compressors mounted. In the case of the pre-owned H. K. Porters, which from all photographic accounts had air compressors mounted by their previous owners (Navy Fleet Supply Base, Mesta, etc. ), these air compressors were subsequently removed upon the locomotives arrival on the BEDT.

Steam jam brakes (steam piping to a cylinder and rigging which applied the brakes on the locomotive wheels only) was used for stopping the train. Once the freight cars were spotted in their respective location, the individual hand brakes on the freight cars were applied to prevent the car from moving. (See Memoirs for further information.)

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Footboards

Early images of the steam locomotives, show that they were equipped with a full width footboard; which ran from engineers side, under the coupler and to the fireman's side.

However, later images of the locomotives, show the locomotives to be equipped with "split" footboards, meaning there was an open space under the coupler. The earliest images in my archives that showing split footboards on locomotives, is #11 in 1945, and #15 in 1946.

In some cases, locomotive photos on this website exhibit significant gaps in the timelines of photos shown, e.g.: I have no photos of #14 between circa 1941 and 1956 or #16 between 1923 and 1950; so it is difficult to pin down exactly when BEDT undertook the initiative to modify the footboards to the "split" design.

Based on the photos of #11 and #15, the best we can approximate this modification taking place is circa 1945.

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Saddletank Repairs & Styles

As the saddletanks rotted out on some of the locomotives due to corrosion (after all, they were filled with water and exposed to salt air climate year round); BEDT would weld "skirts" on the bottom. More than skirts actually, BEDT actually "boxed" the bottoms of the saddletanks with steel plate and welded the seams together. Strangely, when the bottoms of the saddletanks were boxed, no front clean out plugs were reinstalled.

As far as can be told, only #15 and #16 received this square bottom modification. #15 apparently received this modification in an out of service period March 8 - May 31, 1962. #16 received this modification prior to that, sometime between June 1959 and September 1960.

#14 oddly received nothing more than expedient patches here and there as they were needed.

The sidetanks on 12 and 13, we know from photographs in the Dave Plowden / Railroad Magazine article of April 1961; were simply removed from the locomotive prior to a repair.

The saddletank styles on #10 & 11 however were completely changed from their original design, which were round as delivered from Baldwin. After a rebuild around the mid 1930's, both 10 & 11 received square saddletanks with slightly rounded edges. The cab on #10 was rebuilt at this time as well and details are mentioned above in cab styles. #10 & 11 wore these square saddletanks to their demise.

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#14 Temporary Pilot Replacement

In the John P. Gemeasky photo of 1936, #14 can be seen with an unusual wood pilot. This wood pilot is taller than the original cast steel (compare with space around shank & pocket which is different as well.)

Photos dated both before and after the 1936 Gemeasky photo, show the standard H. K. Porter cast steel pilot.

As best as can be discerned, apparently the original pilot suffered some damage and required removal. A temporary wood pilot with sheet steel end caps was installed. Poling pockets were bolted to this end cap by means of a bolt through the entire pilot beam.

The left image below shows the original H. K. Porter cast steel pilot, circa 1931. The right photo shows the temporary wood metal pilot in September 1936.

By a ca. 1941 photo, the pilot is back to original style, and it remained so throughout the rest of the locomotives service life and into display.

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#14 Lettering

Following the printing of several negatives, this author took note of a variant of lettering on the saddletank of BEDT locomotive #14.

From 1945 (the earliest image on this website of locomotive #14 with BEDT letter logo) until April 1956, the letters "B" "E" & "D" and "T" on the saddletank all had the triangle accent on the vertical leg of those letters.

From June / July 1957 through end on steam operations, the letters "E" and "D" do not have the triangle accent while the letters "B" and "T" did.

Please note: It is believed that the 1962 D. Keller photo is dated incorrectly, based on the fact this is the only "post 1957" photo showing the accents on the "E" & "D" on the fireman's side, and the Reading  Railroad gondola has a freshly painted 2/1957 service date stenciled on the side.

Also: the lack of accents on the "E" & "D" applies only to the fireman's side of the locomotive, as photos of the engineers side for all years, shows the letters having accents.

1945 - April 1956	June 1957 - October 1963

However minor this observation may be, it assists us in dating photographs that have no date recorded.

#14 appears to have undergone a shop servicing, which include a complete repaint. It can only be hypothesized that the accents were inadvertently omitted while the lettering was painted.

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#14 Firebox Explosion

This author has learned that BEDT #14 received a new boiler and firebox after an explosion in 1953, after having located this information in an old issue of Locomotive Notes; issue #94, October 1970, published by Roy Linscott, Jr. Prior to this revelation, I had found no references to this incident in any other subsequent historical publications or published sources relating to the BEDT and it's operations and locomotives.

Furthermore, I had previously come across several documents from the Elizabethport, NJ shops of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, regarding a new firebox being installed in 1954. This was located in papers sent to me courtesy of Kurt Bell of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania some time ago. I had previously read about the new firebox being installed, but did not know of the explosion. I wrongly assumed it was merely extensive maintenance that had been contracted out by the BEDT and not the result of an "accident".

As the rebuild is dated soon after the explosion, I have concluded that the CRRNJ shops were contracted by BEDT to do the repairs. What has not been ascertained through the documents is whether this explosion is the result of a firebox overheat due to low water and subsequent crown sheet failure or some other combination of events.
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According to Joe Roborecky, it has been alleged to him during his tenure, that at least one firebox explosion on a BEDT steamer was due to a low water condition with crown sheet failure. Joe unfortunately doesn't recall which locomotive this occurred on, so there could be a possibility that there was more than one firebox explosion.

Also, Tom Hendrickson located a newspaper article from the New York Time archives dated July 20, 1953 regarding this incident. Unfortunately, a locomotive number is not mentioned in this article. I have placed an image of the article with the CRRNJ Repair papers, which you can view through the link below.

Fortunately, Robert Brendel forwarded the following:

FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF LOCOMOTIVE INSPECTION
for year ending 6/30/1954:
July 19, 1953
Locomotive 14,
Brooklyn, N.Y..
Crown sheet failure caused by overheating due to low water; gage cock nipples extended into dripper, obstructing clear view of gage cock discharge; one killed, seven injured." 

BEDT 14 Firebox Explosion Documents

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Locomotive Collision

   According to Tom Hendrickson, he recalls reading about a locomotive accident on the BEDT. He states in an email:

"Why was #11 scrapped in 1963? I vividly recall an accident that occurred around this time which I previously mentioned to you. It may have been in late 1962 or early 1963. It occurred during a workshift change about midnight. An article in the NY Daily News will have the title

"1 KILLED, 1 HURT IN RR ACCIDENT"

and will consist of about 4 paragraphs. I remember seeing and reading this article. I recall that my father told me that one of the steam locomotives was damaged so badly in this accident that it was decided to scrap it."

Tom and I have discussed this back and forth now for several emails, and as a result I have laboriously gone through my photo archives examining each locomotive picture and slide. I can determine that #11 was out of service from at least June 1959 (and possibly a few months earlier), as several dated slides and prints have turned up showing #11 sitting on the outdoor "garden track" along the south wall of the enginehouse from this date to February 1961. I have no images after this date, and pictures I thought of #11 being scrapped, were actually of #10. Considering the fact that Ron Ziel, Gerald Landau and a few other noted railfans were practically camped out at BEDT during this time, it strikes me as odd that there are no published or released photos known of this collision event.

So, there is a slim possibility that #10 might have been involved in this collision. One image taken by G. Votava in the Keller archives that is dated June 23, 1962, shows #10 sitting on the south enginehouse track in front of the water plug. So we know it was in service on this date, and there is no damage apparent in this rear left three quarter photo. In this same photo, there is a pile of scrap next to and behind the wood boxcar, which is most likely #11 being scrapped. 

We also know that #10 was scrapped in 1963 by different railfan / photographer accounts. The two photos that I have, which are dated 4/18/1963 and July 1963, and which I thought (erroneously) were of #11 getting scrapped; are actually of #10 being scrapped. Due to the advanced stages of the scrapping process in the two photos I own (saddletank, cab, back head are gone), it cannot be determined if there was any significant damage to the locomotive due to an accident.

There are one or two rays of hope in ascertaining more information about this incident:

1. Is locating the ICC Accident Report (if one exists, and it should), in a trip to the National Archives I am anticipating.

2. Is locating the Daily News article and narrowing down the date, and with any luck, the locomotive number.

H. K. Porter Catalog - Specification Page & Blueprints

   Below is a scan of the appropriate page from the H. K. Porter catalog applicable to BEDT locomotives 12 through 16. There is a lot of very interesting data that has not been previously published, such as:

• radius of sharpest curve, advised;

• radius of sharpest curve, practical;

• haulage capacity on the level and various grades, with both extra good and average condition cars and track;

• lightest advisable rail usage.

 Authors note:
The weight shown is for a coal / wood burning locomotive.
As BEDT locomotives were converted to oil fired; the oil preheaters, oil strainers, injectors, valves and related piping added an additional 2,000 pounds, to bring the total weight of locomotive to 128,000 pounds.

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   On 17 May 2019, this author was most pleased to acquire first generation high resolution digital scans of the H. K. Porter blueprints for locomotive construction numbers 6368, 6369, 5966 and 6780 (US Navy - Fleet Supply Base #1, 2, 3, 4 to become BEDT #12, #13), Mesta Machine Works #4 (to become BEDT #15) and Astoria Light Heat & Power #5 (to become BEDT #16). 

   Unfortunately the blueprints for c/n 6260 (Mesta Machine Works #5 to become BEDT #14) could not be located, but they are listed as part of the archives, so perhaps they are misfiled and will turn up at a later date. Fortunately, as #15 and #14 are pretty much identical, most of the general dimensions for c/n 5966 (BEDT #15) are equally applicable to c/n 6260 (BEDT #14). 

   I am deeply grateful to Ms. Marcia Mordfield; assistant archivist for the Canada Science & Technology Museum in Ottawa, Canada. She was gracious enough to expedite the inter-departmental transfer of the applicable blueprints to the production department; as that department is shutting down in June 2019 for six months for installation of new reprographic and computer equipment. This museum has a substantial collection of the original blueprints of the H. K. Porter Locomotive Works. And all the drawings applicable for the BEDT locomotives totaled 14 blueprints (there were other non-BEDT locomotives I wanted the blueprints for as well). Even though I ordered the complete set, I have only published the side and end elevation drawings (how many of you could really be interested in the rivet, fastener & staybolt patterns?)

   Anyhow, this required a quick outlay of a substantial amount of funds, and with the financial assistance of Benjamin W. Schaeffer; it was made possible to get all the blueprints scanned at once in a single order, and before the 6 month shutdown.

c/n 6366, 6367, 6368 & 6369 (BEDT #12 & #13)	c/n 5966 (BEDT #15)	c/n 6780 (BEDT #16)

   These blueprints may be viewed at the top of each applicable locomotive page. Also, please note these blueprints are as H. K. Porter built the locomotive. They do not reflect changes or modifications made by subsequent owners (if any) or BEDT's conversion to oil, and likewise the coal bunkers are shown on the rear of the locomotive.

A Visitor to Kent Avenue!

   For several years, I had been troubled over the identification and purpose of a centercab switcher of B-B wheel arrangement and siderods on BEDT property, which is barely visible in four pictures that I acquired from the A. Jaeger collection. These photos are dated February 19, 1961:

(photos enlarged and cropped to show loco in question)

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   After having placed this dilemma on the back burner for a while; I once again took out my high power loupe and tried to identify this engine again. This time I enlisted the assistance of my good friend and Brooklyn terminal railroads cohort, Paul Strubeck. We argued over builders, but eventually discovered it was a Whitcomb locomotive. One of the pictures was at just the right angle to show the nose and the Whitcomb name on the front grill. Then inevitably, came more arguing: which model Whitcomb? With many thanks to North East Rails' Whitcomb pages and Jay Reed's "Critters' Dinkys and Centercabs", Paul and I determined this locomotive was either a 45DE27B or a 45DE28. After a little more debating, we settled on 45DE27B.

   Now for the next argument: who in the New York area would have had a Whitcomb loco? Was it an temporary Bush Terminal, New York Dock, or Bronx Terminal unit? A loaner or demonstrator? Or was it just passing through, being shipped from one place or another? (One thing was sure: it certainly was not a BEDT locomotive!) Then, after Paul Strubeck & I discussed it for about 15-20 minutes... It dawned on us... THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD.

   A check of my Whitcomb builders records, showed several Whitcomb Brooklyn Navy Yard entries for both 45DE27B and 45DE28 units. These locomotives was part of multiple orders from the US Navy of Whitcomb 45DE27B units, with this unit going to Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the other units going to other Navy Yards around the US. The Whitcomb Builders Records sent to me by Allen Stanley show the locomotive going to the Brooklyn Navy Yard as:

   In late 2009, I commenced on rescanning my collection to place larger images on this website. When I got to the one of Alfred Jaeger photos of #16, I realized that the USN Whitcomb locomotive was in one of the photos, and even showed the side of the cab with lettering! This is the right most photo above.

   But, I now understand that the conclusion that Paul and I came to in regard to this locomotive being a 45DE27B could be wrong. Upon some scanning and enlarging on the cab seen in the last of the four photos above, yielded this result:

   The four images above are at different magnification and resolutions, with the last two being the same except for contrast and notation.

   Now, I can definitely make out the USN 65-00. It appears that the bottom half of the 1 is missing, but by the spacing to the next digit, (a 6); it is in fact a 1, making the number 65-0016. The last number is where the question lies: To me it appears to be a 5 or possibly a 6, making the number 65-00165 or 65-00166.

   Either of these numbers make this locomotive a 45DE28. If that last number by chance is a 9, then it is a 45DE27B. Now, see that light square above the number? That is the original two digit number painted over. Since only the original order of 45DE28's received the two digit numbers 20, 21, 22; and subsequent locomotives received the 65-00xxx series seven digit numbers, 65-00169 (the 45DE27B) would not have had the original two digit number "painted over".

   Therefore, I feel we are looking at either locomotive #20 / 65-00165 or #21 / 65-00166 which are 45DE28. You draw your own conclusion and decide.

   Now, most of us know; the BEDT carfloated to and for the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The questions that now remains unanswered is; was this BNY Whitcomb at the Kent Avenue enginehouse for: (my thoughts in parenthesis)

   If any of you out there know the answer to these questions, please... shoot me an email!

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