McCloud River Railroad Company Locomotive #31 Baldwin S-12 Mod Built- 1953 c/n- 75913 Horsepower- 800 |
|
The #31 was an oddball locomotive, built as a S-12 but with a steel box in place instead of a turbocharger. Baldwin designated it as an S-12 MOD, but because it only developed 800 horsepower most rosters have listed it as a S-8. McCloud never did add a turbocharger to the unit over its long career on the road. |
|
![]() |
This framed builders photo of the #31 hung in the McCloud depot until it burned. Lee F. Hower. |
|
![]() |
The #31 in the typical service to which the railroad assigned them in their first years, in this case working with the #28 on a log train probably somewhere on the Pondosa line. Travis Berryman collection. |
|
![]() |
The #31 taking a turn on the Burney switcher. Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center. |
|
![]() |
The #31 wearing the later paint scheme. George Landrock collection. |
|
![]() |
Another shot of the #31 from the George Landrock collection. |
|
![]() |
Charles Wherry shot this fine broadside view of the #31 in McCloud in June 1966. |
|
![]() |
The #31 on the service track on 31 March 1969. Lee F. Hower. |
|
![]() |
The #31 at rest in the McCloud yard in June 1969, between the time it was retired following the arrival of the three SD38s and the time it was sold to Chrome Crankshaft. |
|
![]() |
Magma Arizona #9, formerly the MR #31, in Superior, Arizona, on 13 March 1970. C.G. Parsons photo. |
|
![]() |
Magma Arizona #9 in Superior on 14 April 1982. Most non-turbocharged Baldwin locomotives as built had multiple exhaust stacks on the top of the hood. Because Baldwin built the #31 so that it could be equipped with a turbocharger at a later date the unit had the single exhaust stack typical of turbocharged units. After a few years of service in Arizona the MARR removed the single exhaust stack and replaced it with a smaller exhaust stack for each cylinder. This was a common modification to non-turbocharged Baldwin swichers as it reduced back pressure and improved locomotive performance; Baldwin referred to this practice as "hot-rodding". Russell Eslick photo. |
|
![]() |
The MARR #9 at Superior, AZ in April 1981. The #9 is working with Magma Arizona #8, which was built as Medford Corporation #8 for use on their logging railroad east from Medford, OR. Photo by Bart Barton and is from the collection of the Arizona Railway Museum. |
|
![]() |
One last photo of the Magma Arizona #9 in Superior, AZ. Photo from the John Barnhill collection. |
|