Know Thy Early Mohawks

First of the mainline L-2D’s, and formerly No. 2450, is at Elkhart, IN in the 1930’s, with her original
Serif lettering and a Big Four tender. (NYCSHS)

Buffalo is almost four main line Divisions east of this photo, taken at Waterloo, IN in the late 1940’s. No. 2952 is
headed west with a general freight. The ambience of this scene makes it a visual delight. (NYCSHS)

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Mohawk No. 2954 was one of the last six L-2’s on the roster, and ended her days in the Cincinnati, OH area in early 1959.
Here we see her a decade earlier, sporting a Hudson style tender, and ready for an assignment at Elkhart, IN. There is no
date on the negative sleeve, but a close look at the stencil on the Elesco heater drum tells us that she had maintenance at
Airline Junction in Toledo, OH on October 11, 1948. (NYCSHS-RS)

Mohawk 2958 shares trackage near the Elkhart coal dock with H-6A No. 1862 and U-2D No. 7352, in
this scene from the 1940’s. The railroad’s steam facilities were neglected after the war, as exemplified
by the condition of the coal dock. (NYCSHS-RS)

Several L-2D Mohawks were equipped with a pilot in lieu of footboards, and these ap-
plications consisted of a steel pilot that did not include a drop coupler. No. 2962, shown
here at Weehawken, NJ on June 18, 1950 is one such example. (NYCSHS-JH)

Sister engine 2967, also with a pilot, was at Harmon, NY on June 25, 1950. (NYCSHS-JH)

A multiple of Mohawks occupied the engine leads of Shelby Street in Indianapolis, IN in this scene. The image is
undated, but is prior to December of 1954 when L-2D No. 2969 was retired. The two other attendees on this day
were L-4B’s No. 3125 on the left, and 3137 with Scullin drivers. (NYCSHS-JKT)

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Certainly not the cleanest Mohawk, but still capable of a full day’s work, No. 2976 poses at DeWitt, NY on
July 17, 1950. Her loaded tender included considerable “slack” coal, and assured the crew of a smoky trip.
She would last until December of 1955. (NYCSHS-DTH-JH)

Unusually clean L-2D No. 2982 rests at the Elkhart coal dock in the company of Mohawk 3011.
Image is undated but is most likely post 1948, since 2982 has no booster. (NYCSHS-RS)

Missing her main rod but still with her bell, Mohawk 2983 was evidently serving as a source of
steam on a project in the Bronx, NY on March, 1955. This may have been a relatively long-term
project, since she was retired in October, 1955. (NYCSHS-JH)

This image of L-2D No. 2987 is at Elkhart, IN. There is no date on the file, but the stencil on the Elesco heater drum
tells us that maintenance was performed at “RT”, which was Elkhart, on November 15, 1941. After eleven years of
service, the Mohawk appearance is largely “as-delivered”, except for the lettering and numbering style. (NYCSHS-RS)

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Beautifully turned out Mohawk 2992, with a pilot and not footboards, takes a train of
box cars by the GE Locomotive Plant in Erie, PA. on August 28, 1948. (RFC-TRG)

No. 2992, reversed to take slack, pauses at the entrance to Wesleyville Yard on August 28, 1948.
At this late date for L-2 upgrades, No. 2992 still has her small sand dome and sunbeam head-
light, although her booster has been removed. (RFC-TRG)