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May 7, 2022December 30, 2025 vintagedieseldesign1 Comment

Summer 2025 Update – The book has sold out! Thank you to everyone who supported this project! The book can still be found on ebay and other online sellers. Volume II will be coming down the road.

After several years, my comprehensive book on Diesel Railroad Tugboats is now available for preorder! This book will cover chapters on all the major designs on the East coast such as Tams Incorporated, Thomas Bowes, General Managers Association, and early oil-electric designs.

Over 75 tugs and their original owners are covered, as well as a vast section documenting what happened to these tugs, the last operations of railroad tugs, subsequent owners, and final dispositions. More then 250+ tugs will be pictured, along with numerous blueprints, drawings and technical data.

Operations and owners that will be covered include New York Harbor, Delaware River (Philadelphia and Wilmington), Norfolk (Hampton Roads, Sewell’s Point and Little Creek area operations) and Baltimore Harbor. Railroads featured include: Erie, PRR, BEDT, NYC, RDG, LIRR, LV, NH, B&O, CNJ, Dalzell, BTRR, NYD, DL&W, C&O/Chessie, VGN, SOU, V&M/ESHR and NYCH.

A little more insight as to just what is inside – Sections will cover: What’s inside a railroad tug: engines, propulsion systems, construction elements, how steering works, interior layouts, etc. Oil-Electrics: The original Diesel tugboats designed for railroads. Tams Inc. & the GM powered tugs. Tugs by Thomas Bowes & powered by Fairbanks -Morse. The railroads own design – General Managers Association tugs. Tugs for Norfolk, covering the C&O, Chessie, PRR/V&M, Virginian and Southern. The last stand, featuring the last original owners of railroad tugs on the Brooklyn waterfront. A huge photo gallery covering railroad tugs after railroad ownership. And finally, a large appendix with dispositions of every boat and a large amount of technical data and extras.

Railroad tugboat operations were unique, and the designs of these boats were specific to the needs of the railroads they served. This book appeals not only to railroad enthusiasts, but to maritime historians interested in this unexplored chapter of tugboat design and operation.

Pictured on the cover is the Erie Lackawanna tug Marion, photographed by Charlie Berkemeyer in 1975, in one of the most recognizable scenes in Hoboken, New Jersey. On the rear cover is a wonderful painting by noted maritime artist Dave Boone of the New York Dock Railway tug Brooklyn, Southbound on the North River. This is going to be a big book! Over 400 photos, numerous blueprints and drawings and a great deal of history of each of the designs. Be sure to get your preorder in!

Tugs featured in this book include (subject to change): Fred A. Cassidy, Olean, Long Island, Integrity, Intrepid, Rochester, Elizabeth, NYC #34, Elmira, PRR No. 18, PRR No. 15, PRR No. 16, Wicomico, Cleveland, Hornell, Marion, Akron, Elmira, Binghamton, Paterson, Lehigh, Bethlehem, Capmoore, Cornell, Wilkes Barre, Hazleton, Bumble Bee, Cordelia, Transfer 23, Transfer 24, Carol Moran, Altoona, Chicago, Roy B. White, Howard E. Simpson, William C. Baker, Walter L. Price, J.W. Phipps, Liberty, Communipaw, Sandy Hook, Sound Shore, Dalzell 1, Dalzell 2, Dalzell 3, Lacey 2, Lehigh, Delaware, Brandywine, Schuylkill, Tamaqua, Shamokin, Irving T. Bush, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Syracuse, Hoboken, Nazareth, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Trenton, Indianapolis, Jersey City, Newark, Buffalo, W.R. Coe, R.B. Claytor, Accomack, M.I. Dunn, Walter J. Tuohy, J. Speed Grey, Howard E. Simpson, Brooklyn III (NYD), Brooklyn III (BEDT), Cross Harbor I, New Jersey, New York, Roy B. White (NYC), Williamsburgh, Petro Arrow, Petro Flame, James M. Witte, Cornell, Hercules, Pleon, Karen Tibbetts, Kyle Smith, Ned Ferry, Texas, Florida, G. Shelby Freidrichs, Margaret F. Cooper, Glenn Smith, James McAllister, Staten Island, Catherine McAllister, Yemetzis, Commander, Scandinavian, Fort Fisher, Bradenton, Tumbador I, Eric M. McAllister, Palmetto, Elizabeth, Thomas E. Moran, NYC No. 34, St Phillip, Timothy McAllister, Big Daddy, Edith Thornton, Carol Wales, David McAllister, Jeanne C., Elizabeth, Theresa S. Krause, Brandywine, Leo, Shamokin, Fall River, Mack Point, Blue B., Leonard J., Russel B. Murray, J. L. Krause, Narragansett, Cornell, Christopher B. Turecamo, Patrick R. McAllister, Virginia, Hawkins Point, Julia C. Moran, Marie Moran, Deborah Quinn, Neptune, Steven McAllister, Swan Point, Captain Bill, Blacksmith III, Nancy McAllister, Mobile Power, Fort Caswell.

And before anyone asks – Volume II down the road will cover Great Lakes, the West Coast and all other Diesel Railroad tugs. After release, a dedicated page will be on this website to maintain an errata as well as any extras.

Please visit https://store.garbelypublishing.com/tugboats1/ for ordering information. Preorders are due July 17th 2022, with a fall delivery. This is a limited run book, so be sure to preorder if you want a copy!

A mistake in identity?

March 13, 2022March 14, 2022 vintagedieseldesign1 Comment

I have two c. 1944 advertisements in my collection – both featuring a Type 327 ST tug, built for the US Army, one from Enterprise, and the other from Busch-Sulzer.

You will note….both advertisements feature the same tug, ST-246! These 86′ Type (design) 327 tugs were built throughout WWII by numerous shipyards across the country and used 3 main types of propulsion, all of which were direct reversing engines:

Enterprise Engine & Foundry Co. – DMG-38: 8 cylinder, 12″ x 15″, 650HP
Busch-Sulzer – 6DFMT-17: 6 cylinder, 13″ x 17″, 650HP
Clark Brothers – MD-6: 6 cylinder, 12 /2″ x 16″, 650HP

It is likely that both of these companies used a stock photo provided by the Army, however it is indeed good for a laugh. A good portion of these tugs went on to postwar careers, many of which would get EMD 567ATL repowers. The Great Lakes region is home to a handful of these, as well as some with original Enterprise engines. The Enterprise seems to have been the better choice of the three. Other classes of ST tugs built during WWII featured a swath of other engine makes, including EMD, Atlas Imperial, Cat, Superior-National, Buda, Kahlenberg, Fairbanks-Morse and others.

According to Dan Friend’s roster – the 246 had the Enterprise (and may still be around!) – https://www.usarmysttugs.com/uploads/3/3/1/4/3314314/ww2_st_st_9_-_937__9_26_2014.pdf

Sarter Marine Towings *Susan L* (ST-709) is still powered by her original Enterprise DMG-38, and is likely one of the only direct reversing tugs still working commercially.

Montana Western 31

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 vintagedieseldesign1 Comment

With the help of Winton, the Electro-Motive Company pioneered and developed gasoline-electric railcars. Hundreds of these cars were built in the 1920’s-1930’s, and were an important stepping stone in the development of the forthcoming Diesel-Electric generation of railcars and locomotives.

Only a small handful of these cars remain, including Montana Western #31, at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin. #31 was donated to the museum in 1965.

The car was built in 1925 for the Great Northern Railway as their #2313, and was sold to shortline Montana Western in 1940. Only the front truck on these cars is powered.

While the date on the plate is 10/1925, the car’s engine was not shipped until 4/1926, leading me to think this may have been a contract date.

Inside, the car is essentially 100% original, including these lush purple velvet walkover seats. A small smoking section is in the compartment forward of this one.

Ahead of the smoking section is a baggage room, as well as being home to the cars heating boiler.

The rear end of the car features a control stand, as well as a small bathroom opposite of it.

Forward of the baggage room is the engine room, home to the 6- Cylinder Winton 106A gasoline engine and control stand.

Stepping back a few feet gives us a better overall view of the engine, showing the central carburetor and intake manifold. These early engines used General Electric electrical gear. The three exhaust pipes head straight up to the roof.

Forward of the engine is the engineers corner with the various controls and brake system, note the use of a “trolley” style controller. My ears bleed just thinking of being this close to the engine!

The engine in #31 is a Winton 106A, a 7 1/4″ bore x 8″ stroke, 4 stoke, 6-cylinder gasoline engine. The engine was rated for 250HP at 1200RPM. Previous model 106 was a slightly smaller, 7″x8″ engine, rated for 200HP at 1000RPM.

What is interesting is the Winton record for this engine lists it as a 106B. It is likely this is simply a typo on the record sheets, as other engines labeled 106A are listed with the same shipping date.

Looking toward the magneto side. While you can access the cab through doors on either side, or by climbing over the generator – it is still an extremely cramped space.

A better view of the engine from the Winton manual for these engines.

Special thanks to Bill B. at Mid-Continent for arranging a look inside this rare piece of equipment. #31 is currently not in operable condition, however the museum does have a 2nd spare parts engine it obtained from Sperry Rail – once a large user of Gas-Electric railcars. Be sure to stop by the museum if you are in the area, they have an amazing collection!

https://www.midcontinent.org/equipment-roster/dieselother-locomotives/montana-western-31/

Video of a Winton 106A engine on youtube, by user Taitset.

Vintage Diesel Design

Documenting some of the most prominent engine designs and uses of the 1930's-1960's

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A mistake in identity?

Montana Western 31