A Roseville
Tech Remembers
The Collection of Otto Baumgartner
The Collection of Otto Baumgartner
Shortly
after putting up this website, we heard from a Bavarian named Franz
Wunschik, who has always had a keen interest in American railroading --
and who lives in K-M's home town. He said he knew a group of K-M
retirees and might be able to find a gentleman or two who remembered
the "Ameriloks" for us.
He introduced us to Otto Baumgartner.
Otto was a young lad working for K-M who was chosen to accompany the Prototype (Cab) units on testing, both in the Alps and in the U.S. Eventually he relocated to Roseville, California and began working there on the track devoted to SP Krauss-Maffeis and their German mechanics.
He took quite a few photographs during test runs, rebuildings, and regular operations, and has been able to share a number of fascinating documents and diagrams with us too. Otto is part of an enthusiastic group of SP 9010 supporters in Europe and elsewhere, and without them our restoration efforts would be so much more difficult, and would be only one-half of the total picture.
Otto in the Cab
This is the 'other side' of the Richard Oed "Memories" page, since Otto was not only aboard the first delivery of K-M "Serienloks" to the port at Bremen, but snapped a photo at nearly the exact instant that Richard Oed, standing on the platform with his family, snapped Otto leaning out of 9005's cab! These two photographs are reunited in time, four and a half decades later!
Otto at the Docks
Here's a rare shot, of SP 9007 being lifted aboard the m.s. Bärenfels in Bremen, 1964. Richard G. Oed provided a copy of the artwork inspired by this scene, and also noted (on close inspection of the original photo) that SP 9007 clearly has the rear number boards bblanking plates and grab iron footings once thought to be exclusive to SP 9003-9005. (See "A Life of Changes", "The 'Krauts' Leaving Munich.")
Operations
Otto captured the K-M "Series" units during various phases of testing, both in Roseville and elsewhere. Here you can see the "R7" rebuilds (we call them the "Humpies" for the square radiator tank extensions) testing by themselves, and with various unmodified brothers and sisters.
The photo below shows 9107 and 9120 with Dynamometer test car SP 137 and an unidentified SP prewar sleeping car used for MOW and crew service, on of ten cars of 10 roomette - 5 bedroom floor plan built in 1941 for the SF-LA overnight "Lark". The photo was taken November 11th, 1966 as the train moves past the Roseville refrigerator car icing docks. SP 9120 had been on the road after rebuilding for a couple months longer than the trailing 9107, and you can see a little more wear in the fresh paint.
SP 137 is in the collection of the California State Railroad Museum, and several critical parts saved from the nose of SP 9107 are soon to join the restoration of SP 9010 -- while SP 9120 figures prominently in the history of the Pacific Locomotive Association. (See below.)
The photo below shows four "Series" units testing in a single consist -- a relatively uncommon sight in normal operations. Four units and as much horsepower as many 21st Century locomotive consists, but in the ancient days of 1967!
Here, the 9004 works through Indio, California with an EMD Test Car as well as SP crew and test cars. The consist is on the way North to Roseville and on to Oregon; for accounting or tax purposes, the Second Series locomotives were assigned to the Oregon Division for the first few weeks of service.
Pilot Program
It's possible that we're looking at the first K-M to receive the distinctive cab sunshades -- and the unit is our very own SP 9010!
Here, Roseville techs (Including a couple of Bavarian observers) install a set of sheet metal visors, then test them on the road over Donner. These were never adopted in the manner shown, but were refined into a more structurally-integrated form and adapted to most of the other 14 Series units. (See "A Life of Changes" and "SP Modifications.")
No more panoramic sky view for the crews. But also no more San Joaquin Valley heat stroke and sunburn. (Or less, anyway.)
Maintenance and Shopping
Otto Baumgartner also photographed K-M action in the SP's Sacramento General Shops and the Roseville engine facility. Here we have a number of units either awaiting service and repair, or in the case of SP 9120, stripped to the frame and ready for a full "R7". (More about the R7 rebuild in "A Life of Changes.")
A Floor Full of Maybachs
At least one EMD 567 and one ALCo 251 (distant) are also in this shot of five Maybach Mercedes-Benz MD 870 two-thousand horsepower twin-turbo V-16's being readied for repair, rebuilding, or exchange. This picture taken by Otto Baumgartner shows the gray paint on the MD's, in stark contrast to the standard Sea Foam Green of the EMD and ALCo blocks (and the cradles holding the MD 870's). That bilious shade of green was SP's standard diesel locomotive interior color in the 1960's, but part of our restoration process on SP 9010 is being helped by pictures such as this, which show K-M variations from the presumptive SP standards.
The MD's are often called 'compact'. In this photo it can be seen how much of the motor's bulk is cylinder and block, versus how much is their twin turbos and charge air intercooling system. The Maybachs were ill-suited to SP practices, but performed admirably elsewhere in the world, and are still cataloged and serviced in similar configuration and under a different model number today. Like EMD and ALCo prime movers, the motors found widespread service in merchant and navy marine operations in addition to railroading assignments.
The R7 rebuildings
In 1966 and 1967, four K-M "Series" locomotives hit the Sacramento General Shops floor for a trucks-up rebuilding. 9120 was first in June, then 9107 in September, followed by our own SP 9010 (as 9113) in December, and finally 9116 in January of '67.
Most distinctive were the square extensions to the radiator header tanks. New paint covered a number of other modifications to running gear (K-M's white handrails everywhere were a casualty of that new paint), and the Maybachs were renewed with improved fuel injectors and better turbo cooling. Otto took a number of photographs of these 'graduates' -- the 'Final Four' -- both fresh from the paint shop and over the road.
Below (in the center two pictures) SP9120 sits on the "Firing Line" after rebuilding, undoubtedly undergoing final testing. This building (which is still there in 2009) housed a system called "SEARCH", a punch tape computer diagnostic and testing system. The K-M's weren't equipped for this function, but still underwent final testing here, since there was ready access to air, water, sand, diesel fuel and exhaust monitoring equipment.
One of our favorite shots of Otto's is of SP 9120 on the point of a PLA 'great circle' excursion through Niles Canyon in 1967 -- the only instance of a K-M "Series" unit in passenger service. (That they were suited to the quick acceleration and tractive effort needed for passenger operations and might have made very good San Francisco commute engines is a discussion for another time!)
Uplifting Information
Otto also provided some interesting diagrams which he helped prepare, showing the weights and clearance minimums when lifting hood sections, components, and whole locomotives.
The 'Dead Line" -- and another instance of Photo D‚j… Vu
By 1967 a line of unserviceable or retired K-Ms began forming alongside the Roseville main line, easily visible from passing SP trains. Otto Baumgartner took the shot on the left, and our friend Duane Chism took the right hand shot of the other side of the lineup, somewhere very near the same time. Again, two photos, same experience, different photographers, coming together after four decades from both sides of the ocean!
Thanks, Otto, for taking these photos and saving this information. And thanks to all of our friends in Germany, Austria, England, and other bastions of diesel-hydraulic appreciation here and abroad for helping us tell this story, and helping us to restore our own SP 9010 to the greatest accuracy possible.
He introduced us to Otto Baumgartner.
 |
Otto was a young lad working for K-M who was chosen to accompany the Prototype (Cab) units on testing, both in the Alps and in the U.S. Eventually he relocated to Roseville, California and began working there on the track devoted to SP Krauss-Maffeis and their German mechanics.
He took quite a few photographs during test runs, rebuildings, and regular operations, and has been able to share a number of fascinating documents and diagrams with us too. Otto is part of an enthusiastic group of SP 9010 supporters in Europe and elsewhere, and without them our restoration efforts would be so much more difficult, and would be only one-half of the total picture.
Otto in the Cab
This is the 'other side' of the Richard Oed "Memories" page, since Otto was not only aboard the first delivery of K-M "Serienloks" to the port at Bremen, but snapped a photo at nearly the exact instant that Richard Oed, standing on the platform with his family, snapped Otto leaning out of 9005's cab! These two photographs are reunited in time, four and a half decades later!
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Richard
Oed Photo
|
Otto at the Docks
Here's a rare shot, of SP 9007 being lifted aboard the m.s. Bärenfels in Bremen, 1964. Richard G. Oed provided a copy of the artwork inspired by this scene, and also noted (on close inspection of the original photo) that SP 9007 clearly has the rear number boards bblanking plates and grab iron footings once thought to be exclusive to SP 9003-9005. (See "A Life of Changes", "The 'Krauts' Leaving Munich.")
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Richard
Oed Collection
|
Operations
Otto captured the K-M "Series" units during various phases of testing, both in Roseville and elsewhere. Here you can see the "R7" rebuilds (we call them the "Humpies" for the square radiator tank extensions) testing by themselves, and with various unmodified brothers and sisters.
The photo below shows 9107 and 9120 with Dynamometer test car SP 137 and an unidentified SP prewar sleeping car used for MOW and crew service, on of ten cars of 10 roomette - 5 bedroom floor plan built in 1941 for the SF-LA overnight "Lark". The photo was taken November 11th, 1966 as the train moves past the Roseville refrigerator car icing docks. SP 9120 had been on the road after rebuilding for a couple months longer than the trailing 9107, and you can see a little more wear in the fresh paint.
SP 137 is in the collection of the California State Railroad Museum, and several critical parts saved from the nose of SP 9107 are soon to join the restoration of SP 9010 -- while SP 9120 figures prominently in the history of the Pacific Locomotive Association. (See below.)
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
The photo below shows four "Series" units testing in a single consist -- a relatively uncommon sight in normal operations. Four units and as much horsepower as many 21st Century locomotive consists, but in the ancient days of 1967!
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
Here, the 9004 works through Indio, California with an EMD Test Car as well as SP crew and test cars. The consist is on the way North to Roseville and on to Oregon; for accounting or tax purposes, the Second Series locomotives were assigned to the Oregon Division for the first few weeks of service.
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
Pilot Program
It's possible that we're looking at the first K-M to receive the distinctive cab sunshades -- and the unit is our very own SP 9010!
Here, Roseville techs (Including a couple of Bavarian observers) install a set of sheet metal visors, then test them on the road over Donner. These were never adopted in the manner shown, but were refined into a more structurally-integrated form and adapted to most of the other 14 Series units. (See "A Life of Changes" and "SP Modifications.")
No more panoramic sky view for the crews. But also no more San Joaquin Valley heat stroke and sunburn. (Or less, anyway.)
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
Maintenance and Shopping
Otto Baumgartner also photographed K-M action in the SP's Sacramento General Shops and the Roseville engine facility. Here we have a number of units either awaiting service and repair, or in the case of SP 9120, stripped to the frame and ready for a full "R7". (More about the R7 rebuild in "A Life of Changes.")
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
A Floor Full of Maybachs
At least one EMD 567 and one ALCo 251 (distant) are also in this shot of five Maybach Mercedes-Benz MD 870 two-thousand horsepower twin-turbo V-16's being readied for repair, rebuilding, or exchange. This picture taken by Otto Baumgartner shows the gray paint on the MD's, in stark contrast to the standard Sea Foam Green of the EMD and ALCo blocks (and the cradles holding the MD 870's). That bilious shade of green was SP's standard diesel locomotive interior color in the 1960's, but part of our restoration process on SP 9010 is being helped by pictures such as this, which show K-M variations from the presumptive SP standards.
The MD's are often called 'compact'. In this photo it can be seen how much of the motor's bulk is cylinder and block, versus how much is their twin turbos and charge air intercooling system. The Maybachs were ill-suited to SP practices, but performed admirably elsewhere in the world, and are still cataloged and serviced in similar configuration and under a different model number today. Like EMD and ALCo prime movers, the motors found widespread service in merchant and navy marine operations in addition to railroading assignments.
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
The R7 rebuildings
In 1966 and 1967, four K-M "Series" locomotives hit the Sacramento General Shops floor for a trucks-up rebuilding. 9120 was first in June, then 9107 in September, followed by our own SP 9010 (as 9113) in December, and finally 9116 in January of '67.
Most distinctive were the square extensions to the radiator header tanks. New paint covered a number of other modifications to running gear (K-M's white handrails everywhere were a casualty of that new paint), and the Maybachs were renewed with improved fuel injectors and better turbo cooling. Otto took a number of photographs of these 'graduates' -- the 'Final Four' -- both fresh from the paint shop and over the road.
Below (in the center two pictures) SP9120 sits on the "Firing Line" after rebuilding, undoubtedly undergoing final testing. This building (which is still there in 2009) housed a system called "SEARCH", a punch tape computer diagnostic and testing system. The K-M's weren't equipped for this function, but still underwent final testing here, since there was ready access to air, water, sand, diesel fuel and exhaust monitoring equipment.
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
One of our favorite shots of Otto's is of SP 9120 on the point of a PLA 'great circle' excursion through Niles Canyon in 1967 -- the only instance of a K-M "Series" unit in passenger service. (That they were suited to the quick acceleration and tractive effort needed for passenger operations and might have made very good San Francisco commute engines is a discussion for another time!)
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
Uplifting Information
Otto also provided some interesting diagrams which he helped prepare, showing the weights and clearance minimums when lifting hood sections, components, and whole locomotives.
 Otto
Baumgartner Collection
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Collection
|
 Otto
Baumgartner Collection
|
The 'Dead Line" -- and another instance of Photo D‚j… Vu
By 1967 a line of unserviceable or retired K-Ms began forming alongside the Roseville main line, easily visible from passing SP trains. Otto Baumgartner took the shot on the left, and our friend Duane Chism took the right hand shot of the other side of the lineup, somewhere very near the same time. Again, two photos, same experience, different photographers, coming together after four decades from both sides of the ocean!
 Otto
Baumgartner Photo
|
 Duane
Chism Photo
|
Thanks, Otto, for taking these photos and saving this information. And thanks to all of our friends in Germany, Austria, England, and other bastions of diesel-hydraulic appreciation here and abroad for helping us tell this story, and helping us to restore our own SP 9010 to the greatest accuracy possible.
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