The museum was fortunate to obtain a second donation of a historic locomotive from the Eastman Kodak Company. EK #9 was purchased by the Eastman Kodak Company in 1971 and was delivered to the Kodak Park Railroad in November of that year. On October 14, 1997, the locomotive was given to the museum by Kodak in an official ceremony at the museum. The #9 joins former Eastman Kodak Company GE 80-tonner #6 which has served as the backbone of the museum's diesel fleet for nearly 20 years.
The unit was originally built for the Chicago & Western Indiana in 1950. The C&WI was the terminal railroad for Dearborn Station in Chicago. Dearborn Station was home to several railroads including the Erie and the Santa Fe. The #9 has probably switched the Erie Limited more than once in its lifetime as part of its duties as a terminal railroad locomotive. In 1971, the unit was purchased by the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad who quickly resold it to the Eastman Kodak Company for its Kodak Park Railroad.
The unit is fully serviceable and sees limited service on the museum's railroad during the warmer months until being drained for the winter. The Rochester Chapter NRHS would like to thank the Eastman Kodak Company for their generous donation and continued support of our organization and museum. Thanks!
Technical Data
- ALCO RS-1
- 1000 HP roadswitcher
- Built 1950
Listen
- Eastman Kodak #9 Starting
All is quiet until we hear the click of the Control switch followed by the fuel pump switch. After the fuel pressure is up, the engine start button is pressed and EK9's Alco 539 engine roars to life. Having already run this day (June 21, 2003), the engine is warm, starts quickly, and idles smoothly. - Eastman Kodak #9 Departing Industry Yard
We find Eastman Kodak Company Kodak Park Railroad Alco RS-1 #9 idling in the Industry Yard in the summer of 2002. After three horn blasts and to the sound of the bell, EK9 lifts itself out of the yard. As it clears the points on Switch #5, you can hear the engine throttle up and the turbo whine as the engine accelerates up the hill out of the museum's yard. - Eastman Kodak #9 Passing Switch #6
After climbing the hill of our Industry Yard, EK#9 clears the points at Switch #6 and begins to accelerate down the museum's mainline. After climbing a short grade, the engine throttles down only to have to throttle back up to climb the next small grade. At the crest of the second small grade, you can really hear the turbo whine! - Eastman Kodak #9 Idling
Listen to our Alco RS-1, Eastman Kodak #9, idle as it sits in the R&GV Railroad Museum's Industry yard waiting for its next assignment. You can hear the classic Alco sound of the six cylinder 539 diesel with the 'whistle' of the turbocharger.
