Evolution of Diesel Power on Long Island RR
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Long Island Rail Road acquired its first diesel locomotive, a little over 100 hundred years ago (December 1925). The purchase was heavily influenced by New York City's smoke abatement law of 1923 (the Kaufman Act). The New York state declaration was meant to improve transportation safety as well as reduce the presence of heavy smoke layers in residential and commercial areas adjacent to industry and railroad yards. (Note: The new laws were arguably a fore-runner of the "green" and "sustainable design" movement that took hold a half century later.) In 1968, the LIRR was re-branded as the Metropolitan Transit Agency, and by the close of the 20th Century, the commuter-based rail line's diesel fleet had taken on a whole new character. A marked contrast to the past, the present day roster consists of 24 DE30AC diesel-electrics and 20 DM30AC dual-mode units, along with nearly two dozen MP15ACs that handle work trains and yard duties. All three models came from the assembly hall of a single manufacturer -- EMD. That practice is in marked contrast to the railway's pre-MTA days which saw an interesting mix of locomotives which carried a builder plate from either Alco, BLW, FM, GE or EMD. It should be noted that the commuter railroad had also previously provided freight service, which dictated a more diverse motive power fleet. An all-time diesel roster accompanies this railroad profile.
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American Locomotive Company (Alco) |
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 S1 #413 at Sunnyside Quenns, NY in September 1970 (Philip Goldstein photo) |
 S2 #449 at Flushing, NY on 2 September 1972 (R. Craig photo) |
 RS1 #469 at Sunnyside Queens, NY in September 1970 (Philip Goldstein photo) |
 RS2 #1520 at Morris Park, NY during 1977 (Tim Darnell photo) |
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 RS3 #1556 at Flushing, New York on 2 September 1971 (R.Craig photo) |
 C420 #216 at Port Jefferson, NY on 2 September 1968 (George Turnbull photo) |
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 FA2 Power Pack at Flushing, NY station on 3 September 1971. (R. Craig photo) |
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Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) |
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 VO-660 #403 Morris Oark, NY in February 1961 (Matt Herson photo) collection) |
 DS44-660 #412 at Richmond Hill, NY -- date & photographer unknown |
 DS44-1000 #450 at Hollis, NY 24 March 1963. (Dave Keller collection) |
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Electro-Motive Division/GMC (EMD) |
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 SW1001 #104 at Morris Park, NY on 6 April 1992. (Paul DeLuca photo) |
 MP15AC #150 at Ronkonkoma, NY on 1 March 1980. (Thomas L. Seiler) |
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 GP38-2 #255 at Mineola, New York on 8 February 1975 (Paul DeLuca photo) |
 Power Pack #619 at Partchogue, NY on 23 March 1999 (Thomas L. Seiler) |
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 DME30 #501 at Locust Valley, New York on 29 April 2007 (Paul DeLuca photo) |
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Fairbanks, Morse & Company. (FM) |
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 CPA 24-5 #2401 at Richmond Hill, NY in 1957 (Steven Lynch collection) |
 CPA 20-5 #2006 at Green Port, NY - date unknown (Richard Wallin collection) |
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 H16-44 #1504 at Morris Park, NY in December 1961 (Matt Herson photo) |
 Ex-FM Demonstrator 1503, upgraded to 1600 hp prior to LIRR sale |
General Electric (GE) |
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 GE 25-ton at Morris Park, NY on 6 April 1992 (Paul DeLuca photo) |
 GE 44-Ton #400 at Morris Park, NY in September 1955 (Art Huneke photo) |
Acknowledgements:
** Note: If you know the name of a missing photographer, please let me know; so proper credit can be assigned. |
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| Rebuilt: 11 February 2026 | Reporting Mark: LI | |||
| Road No. | Model (& Bldr) | Bldr Nmbr | Date | Notes |
| * * * Road Power * * * | ||||
| 100-107 | SW1001 (EMD) | 766042-1 to 8 | 3-4/77 | #101, 105, 106 to New York & Atlantic Rwy |
| 150-172 | MP15AC (EMD) | 766043-1 to 23 | 3/77 | #154, 162, 169 & 170 scrapped; #151, 155, 156, 159 to NY&A |
| 200 | C420 (Alco) | 84722 | 12/63 | To VAMD 200 > MDDE 200 |
| 201-204 | 84723-26 | 12/63-2/64 | To Virginaia Northern 201-203 & -- | |
| 205-207 | 84727-29 | 12/63-2/64 | To ERES 205, RS 40, ERES 207 | |
| 208-211 | 84779-84782 | 2-4/64 | To D&M 976, RS 33, VAMD 210, RS 41 | |
| 212-220 | 84783-84791 | 4-5/64 | -- | |
| 221 | 384-01 | 7/65 | To VAMD 202 > MDDE 202 | |
| 222-229 | 6006-1 to 8 | 8/68 | To ERES 205, RS 40, ERES 207 | |
| 250-257 | GP38-2 (EMD) | 756091-1 to 8 | 1/76 | To LLPX 2251, 2239-40, 246, 2237-38 & 2241-42 |
| 258-264 | 756091-9 to 15 | 1-2/76 | To 2247-48, 2243, NYA 261, LLPX 2236, 2235, & 2244 | |
| 265-271 | 756091-16 to 22 | 2/76 | To LLPX 2234, 2249, 2245, NYA 268, LLPX 2250 & NYA 270-271 | |
| 272-277 | 766041-1 to 6 | 3-4/77 | To LLPX 2256, 2252, 2255, 2253, 2257 & 2254 | |
| 302 | FL9 (EMD) | 21993 | 10/60 | Ex-CR 5047 < PC 5047 < nee NH 2047 |
| 461-465 | RS1 (Alco) | 76220, 22, 26-28 | 12/48-3/49 | #465 to GMRC 465 |
| 466-469 | 77475-78 | 12/48-3/49 | #467 to WTOH 467 | |
| 598 | Power Car | 81067 | 12/48-3/49 | Ex-LIRR 603 < nee FA-2 315 |
| 600 | 79301 | 10/51 | Ex-PC 1302 < PC 1102 < nee NYC FA-2 1102 | |
| 601-618 | -- | -- | See Table A for Data, Lineage & Disposition | |
| 619-622 | -- | -- | See Table B for Data, Lineage & Disposition | |
| 1501 & 1502 | H16-44 (FM) | 16L373, 16L407 | 10/1951 | -- |
| 1503 | H15-44 (FM) | 15L14 | 11/1949 | Ex-FM Demonstrator 1503, upgraded to 1600 hp prior to LIRR sale |
| 1504-1509 | H16-44 (FM) | 16L408-412 | 10/1951 | -- |
| 1519 & 1520 | RS2 (Alco) | 81351, 81360 | 11/1949 | #1520 sold to D&M #977 |
| 1551-1560 | RS3 (Alco) | 81351-81360 | 8-9/1955 | #1553 sold to D&M #1077; #1554 leased by Silicott to Michigan Northern #1554 |
| 2000-2008 | CPA20-5 (FM) | 21L331-338 | 6-7/1950 | -- |
| 2401-2404 | CPA24-5 (FM) | 24L497-500 | 9/1951 | -- |
| * * * Yard Power * * * | ||||
| 397 | 25-Ton (GE) | -- | -- | To Oyster Bay RR Museum for static display restoration |
| 398 | 33030 | 4/58 | To Oyster Bay RR Museum for operational reconditioning | |
| 399 | 33375 | 8/58 | To RR Museum of Long Island | |
| 400 | 44-Ton (GE) | 30854 | 12/50 | To BRW 400 > VALR 400 |
| 401 | Box Cabs | 66085 | 11/25 | AGEIR-built |
| 402 | 222315/23152 | 1/26 | Brill-built | |
| 402 (2nd) | 67330/10465 | 9/28 | AGEIR-built | |
| 403A & B | 60185, 60186 | 1/28 | BLW-built | |
| 403(2nd) | 71578 | 10/45 | To Boston Metals 1(3rd) | |
| 404 & 405 | S1 (Alco) | 74434-35 | 6/46 | To MNF 16 & General Portland Cement 2 |
| 406 | 74434 | 6/46 | -- | |
| 407 & 408 | A73906, 73911 | 6,7/46 | #407 to SIRTOA 407 | |
| 409-412 | D44-660 (BLW) | 73628-31 | 5/48 | #409 to Streigel Metal 53 |
| 413-420 | S1 (Alco) | 76738-45 | 6-7/49 | #419-420 to Missouri Farmers Assoc 419-20 |
| 421 | 76327 | 7/49 | -- | |
| 439, 441 | S2 (Alco) | 6514, 76516 | 12/48, 1/49 | Ex-D&H 3025, 3027 |
| 440 | 76199 | 11/48 | Ex-D&H 3020 | |
| 442 & 443 | 77818, 75551 | 11/49, 12/47 | Ex-D&H 3030, 3013 | |
| 444 & 445 | 72749, 73359 | 9/44, 5/45 | Ex-D&H 3001, 3003 | |
| 446-449 | 77831-34 | 12/49 | -- | |
| 450 | DS44-1000 (BLW) | 73612 | 4/48 | -- |
| 451-460 | S2 (Alco) | 76519, 76572-80 | 12/49 | #452, 454, 456, 457 & 459 to MERW 2, GMRC 454, GETY 54, 57 & 59 |
| * * * Notes * * * | ||||
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Table A - Data, Lineage & Disposition for Alco-built F-units rebuilt by GE into Control Cabs
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Table B - Data, Lineage & Disposition for EMD-built F-units rebuilt by GE into Control Cabs
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| Thanks to the following people for providing roster data: James Abney, Sam Berlin III, Edwin Cooper, Ted Grumbine, John J. Klos, John Komanesky, Steven Lynch, Bill Scanlon, and Tim Darnell. | ||||