my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Texas and New Orleans S-12

T&NO 105 - 107 (2121 - 2123)

SP 1498, 1505 (T&NO 121, 122) SP 2124, 2125

59 units delivered

The three T&NO units eventually migrated to Los Angeles shortly before retirement in 1969.

Two Pacific Lines units SP 1498 and 1505 were transferred to the T&NO in 1956 and renumbered 121 and 122, to replace two FM H12-44's (T&NO 119, 120) that were to be delivered to T&NO, but never were, SP decided to keep all the H12-44's on the west coast. In 1965 #121 and 122 were renumbered SP 2124, 2125, and in 1969 moved to LA with the 3 other T&NO S-12's.

There were a number of detail variations over the years:

• Train indicator numberboards appearing about halfway down the hood, later moved to be in front of the cab.
• Single blat horns, and later chimes mounted on the hood, to chimes on the front of the cab roof.
• Exhaust stacks on early units were a round tapered type, some had extensions fitted.
• Radio antenna varied with a whip type (DA 1802) and Firecracker (DA 1805, DW157) evident in photo's.
• Some units had an early Rotary Beacon mounted on a stalk.
• Steam Era type classification lights appear on early units.
• The small oval hood side number board was later plated over with sheet metal.
• Although these units had one large round headlight, it contained two bulbs.

see also the SP FAQ Baldwin Switcher Overview

and Nelson Kennedy's Athearn S-12 detailing article

Prototype References:

• SP Motive Power Annual 1970 - Built by Baldwin article.
• SP Motive Power Review 1983-85 - SP Baldwin Diesels, The S-12's page 18.
• SP Dieselization by John Bonds Garmany.

Additional S Scale info courtesy James Baglien.