photo by Jim Shaw

September 1971.  Oakland, California

Second TS 744 served for only a few months before going to a new owner.  Reasons are unclear, but it is likely that either the RS-1 duo proved more than capable of handling the traffic assisted by just one S2, or second 744 was having mechanical issues.  The ex-WP 554 was shipped off to the little Oakland Terminal, jointly owned by the WP and the Santa Fe.  OT's Baldwin DS 4-4-1000 proved to be more reliable than the Alco, however, (lend credence to the idea that TS had mechanical issues with it) and the OT 102 was sold to Levin Metals for scrap.  Reports indicate that Levin did not scrap the engine right away.  Instead it rebuilt the well-travelled unit for use in its facility in Richmond.  Following the rebuild, a worker mistook the engine for one going to scrap and did indeed cut it up, although this story has yet to be verified.

Tidewater Southern Railway

Alco S2 744:2