Reminisce: Lima-built locomotives pull ‘Daylight’ train

Nineteen thirty-six had been a very good year at the Lima Locomotive Works. In its review of the year past on New Year’s Day 1937 the Lima News judged the plant’s resurgence second in importance only to the arrival of Westinghouse in Lima.

“As the locomotive works closed its 1936 books with the year’s orders totaling 96 locomotives, it is interesting to note that orders for 64 of these engines were received during the past month,” the News wrote.

Although the largest of those orders came from the New York Central Railroad for 50 switch engines, it was an order from the Southern Pacific Railroad for 20 gigantic, streamlined locomotives that received the most notice. When the first two were rolled out for public viewing on a Sunday in mid-December 1936, nearly 10,000 people showed up to see them.

The train the Lima-built locomotives were built to pull was as beautiful as the landscape it would carry passengers through on its route along the west coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco, a trip it would make in under 10 hours. In March 1937, ads and stories about the Southern Pacific Railway’s new “Daylights” appeared in newspapers all along the route.

An ad which appeared in many West Coast newspapers in March 1937, hailed the “Daylight” as “the most beautiful train in the West,” adding that, when it was put into service on March 21, 1937, the “sleek crimson, orange and black unit” would make the 471-mile trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco entirely “by daylight.”

The Colton (California) Daily Courier reported March 8, 1937, that “two new million-dollar ‘Daylight’ streamliners have arrived on the coast and are undergoing trial runs. The new trains, pulled by the world’s most powerful streamlined steam locomotives, feature a color scheme of wide black, orange and red stripes sweeping their entire length. They each carry 12 cars, embodying many original comfort and luxury features, and are reported capable of 90 miles an hour.”

Three days later, on March 11, 1937, a three-hour visit by the “Daylight” to the Colton railroad station drew more than 5,000 people. “A thorough inspection of the train, the latest in rail transportation speed and comfort, was made by thousands who came from miles around to view the new equipment,” the Courier wrote.

Lima area residents, however, had the first opportunity to see the colorful locomotives when two were rolled out for public viewing at the locomotive works on December 13, 1936. “Thousands of persons are expected to inspect the 410-ton engine and tender during the day,” the Lima News reported. “Arrangements have been made with news-reel men to photograph the event.

“Unusual in appearance due to the unique style of streamlining which is enhanced by the color scheme used in the decorative plan, the new type locomotive presents a blazing appearance,” the newspaper added.

The day after the display, the news got better for the locomotive works. “An order for 14 giant streamlined locomotives and 24 tenders was placed with the Lima Locomotive Works, Inc., Monday by the Southern Pacific Railway Co.,” the News wrote December 14, 1936. The order, the News added, “calls for locomotives larger than the six ordered by the same line several months ago, two of which were viewed by nearly 10,000 persons Sunday when they were exhibited at the Fourth Street entrance to the locomotive works.”

Although few matched the star power of the rollout of the Southern Pacific engines, other events at the plant rivaled it in importance if not publicity.

On July 30, 1945, not quite three months after the end of World War II in Europe, the steam locomotive “Liberation” was delivered to a delegation from war-ravaged France in a ceremony at the plant. The locomotive “is a symbol of international good will and, as such, will spread friendship throughout France, Robert LeGuille told an audience of several hundred Monday afternoon as he accepted the 125-ton engine on behalf of his government at the Lima Locomotive Works,” the News wrote.

The “Liberation” was the first of 180 locomotives the Lima plant was to build to help rehabilitate the French rail system after World War II.

“American and French national anthems and a medley of United Nations’ airs were contributed by the Locomotive Works band, and Mrs. L.A. Larsen, wife of the company’s senior vice president and chairman of the AWVS (American Women’s Voluntary Services) Canteen here for the past three years, christened the locomotive with champagne,” the News wrote. “As the bottle shattered on the pilot, sprinkling Mrs. Larsen’s uniform liberally, the engine rolled smoothly through the paper bunting, which had concealed it in the doorway of the plant’s assembly room, into view of the spectators for the first time.”

A little more than six years later, a more somber event was held at the plant, now known as B-L-H, as the last engine ever produced in Lima was rolled out. “A sleek 2,500 horsepower diesel road switcher will rumble from the Lima yards of the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corp. Tuesday. There won’t be any crepe-hanging, but a handful of old-timers will be there – for sentimental reasons,” the News wrote September 9, 1951.

“When the Pennsylvania railroad takes delivery of the last engine, a powerful chapter in the city’s industrial history will be closed with a happy ending – an expected ending,” the News added. “The death knell of locomotive manufacture sounded here more than a year ago. It wasn’t audible. It was lost in the bustle of a plant that has been revitalized – a plant that has been given a new lease on life through diversification of products – shovels, cranes, draglines, stone crushers, road-building equipment.”

The last steam locomotive produced by the plant was No. 779 built for the Nickel Plate Railroad in 1949. It was donated to the city in 1966 and is now on display at Lincoln Park.

“So, when that last sleek locomotive rumbles from the yards Tuesday there won’t be many tears,” the News wrote in 1951. “The checks are still coming. The prospects are good that they will continue to come.”

Company records showed the plant had turned out 7,828 locomotives since the No. 1 Shay locomotive was created in the old Lima Machine Works on the southwest corner of Market and Jackson streets in 1880, the News noted.

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Head-on view of one of two locomotives rolled out at the Lima Locomotive Works in December 1936 for public viewing. The streamlined locomotives were built to pull the Southern Pacific’s “Daylight” passenger train between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
https://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2022/03/web1_Reminisce1.jpgHead-on view of one of two locomotives rolled out at the Lima Locomotive Works in December 1936 for public viewing. The streamlined locomotives were built to pull the Southern Pacific’s “Daylight” passenger train between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

By Greg Hoersten

For The Lima News

SOURCE

This feature is a cooperative effort between the newspaper and the Allen County Museum and Historical Society.

LEARN MORE

See past Reminisce stories at limaohio.com/tag/reminisce

Reach Greg Hoersten at [email protected].