By M.T. Burkhart

FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. – On April 24, the latest ground-up restoration emerged from the McHugh Locomotive & Equipment shop in Pennsylvania – a narrow-gauge center cab for a Michigan tourist railroad.

Huckleberry Railroad GE 50-tonner 12 was built for Bethlehem Steel in 1957. It served the steel maker in Vernon, Calif., before heading to Roaring Camp & Big Trees and later Georgetown Loop. The critter, which had not run in decades, was acquired by McHugh in 2019. Once in Michigan, it will replace Huckleberry’s former National Tube Works GE 50-tonner 7.

“As with all major restorations at the McHugh Company, we remove every component from a locomotive,” the company said.

Items – including the fuel tank and cab – were detached, cleaned, inspected, repaired, and then installed back onto the frame. The unit received various upgrades to the deck walkway and engine compartment doors, with all new handrails and steps to make the locomotive safer for personnel to access and walk around it, the company said. The unit’s two diesel engines, traction motors and trucks were also rebuilt and it received roller bearings and new wheels.

The restoration included some extras – like LED step lights, engine block heaters, and hand-painted lettering instead of vinyl. It was shipped to Michigan on a 12-axle heavy duty truck and trailer as one piece, allowing Huckleberry to unload it without the expense of renting a crane. The locomotive arrived safely in Flint, Mich., on April 29.

Huckleberry, owned by the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission, is best known for its narrow-gauge steam locomotives. The diesel is expected to be used on work trains and when the steam locomotives are down for maintenance.

Largely used in tight confines of steel mills and other industrial operations, a handful of similar narrow-gauge GE’s in the 45- to 50-ton range are in running condition at museums and tourist lines including East Broad Top, Pine Creek Railroad in New Jersey, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic, and Durango & Silverton.

McHugh has done many ground-up restorations for tourist lines and museums over the years, including Baltimore & Ohio EMD SW1 8408 for the Wilmington & Western, GE 80-tonner 1934 for the Georgetown Loop, and 44-tonner 7069 for the Georgia State Railroad Museum.