Photos courtesy Ron Hatch; taken by Kenneth C. Ziegler

     For some time, there has been a degree of controversy as to the existence of a second Whitcomb diesel switcher on the Galesburg & Great Eastern Railroad. A photograph of No. 6 appeared in The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide by Jerry A. Pinkepank, but photos of the other Whitcomb diesel operated by the G&GE are not as well known. Here, in an "Elvis Seen at Local K-Mart" series of photographs, is proof of the second diesel. G&GE locomotive No. 5 was a B-B diesel electric; a Whitcomb 80DE8 model, (frame 60089) built in November, 1941.

     Both locomotives have been described by Paul Stringham as being "very dark green -- almost Pullman green", with "gold lettering". Although both engines are 80-ton Whitcombs, there are subtle differences between the two. The G&GE No. 5 (2nd) was originally Alcoa Terminal #3. After the G&GE closed in the early 1960's, No. 5 and its sister No. 6 went to the Allendale Mine, a Central Indiana Coal operation located near Wyoming, Illinois. The CIC was in turn bought by Peabody Coal, and the No. 5 was later Peabody Coal No. #5, operating at Jasonville shops, Indiana. Jasonville is located in a major coal field in southwestern Indiana; Central Indiana Coal had mines located at nearby Dugger, Indiana. Final disposition of this locomotive is not known at this time.

Roster information courtesy Jay Reed, Paul Stringham

Photos courtesy Ron Hatch

     The last sighting of the No. 5 locomotive was at a Peabody Coal facility in Jasonville, Indiana. Pictured here, the engine may have still been in serviceable condition.

Photo courtesy Doug Kroll