RF-16 Preservation Association

 

The RF-16 (shark nose)—isn’t it just one of the most handsome profiles ever produced on a diesel locomotive? But after 5 decades, they are just about as extinct as a dinosaur. Only 2 continue to survive, hidden away in a P&H storage building in Escanaba, Michigan. We need to do what we can now to preserve these valuable pieces of diesel history.

I’ve always had a penchant for hopeless and totally lost causes. So here we have an RF-16 Preservation Association with no funds and possibly next to no interest. But let’s see how many like kindred may be out there.
 
Therefore, this obscure corner of a humble healthcare website is dedicated to the preservation of the RF-16's and any information and memories about them and their brethern, whether still extant, or totally extinct.
 
May this quest for preservation of the RF-16's be like The Man of la Mancha, even if it goes down in defeat:

To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest:
To follow that star,
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.

To fight for the right,
Without question or pause.
To be willing, to march into Hell,
For a heavenly cause.

And I know, if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm,
When I'm laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.

So, if you can do anything to assist with preserving the memory of the RF-16's, please let us know. Pictures, articles, or funds for the preservation (or hopefully restoration) of the RF-16’s would be appreciated. Restoration to running order for fan trips would be fantastic, but preservation in one of the railroad museums is probably more feasible. Anyone out there care to play along?

Links

Until we get our own pictures (copywrite issues--you know), here are some sites for RF-16's that you may find interesting.

http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/photographs/diesel/photographs_rf-16.htm

http://www.bridge-line.org/blhs/RidingSharks.html

http://www.bridge-line.org/blhs/rf16.html

http://www.bridge-line.org/blhs/BaldwinSharks.html

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?mid=858

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?locomotive=Baldwin%20RF-16

http://baldwindiesels.railfan.net/mign/

 http://www.railroadmichigan.com/escanabalakesuperior.html

http://www.railroadmichigan.com/michigannorthern.html

Care to e-mail us?  info@all-about-wellness.com  Please put RF-16 and your name in the subject line so that it doesn't get deleted as spam.