Livonia, Avon & Lakeville No. 72 was the second Alco diesel acquired by the local shortline railroad in 1978. Built by American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, N.Y., for South Buffalo Railway in July 1941, No. 72 was one of 1,502 similar Alco S-2 units constructed between 1940 and 1950. The 1,000 horsepower diesel switcher served the steel mills along the Buffalo waterfront for more than three decades.

The Livonia, Avon & Lakeville began service on eight miles of former Erie Lackawanna track in 1965 with a steam engine and a 44-ton diesel to handle all trains. As freight traffic grew, the LA&L was looking for something to replace the switcher and spare the steam engine for passenger duty. No. 20 was acquired from the LEF&C in 1972, and became the LA&L’s first Alco diesel. In 1978, Livonia, Avon & Lakeville sold their General Electric 44-tonner No. 10 to Cargill in Toledo, Ohio, and purchased No. 72 to cope with increased traffic.

On the LA&L, No. 72 was often teamed up with Alco RS-1 No. 20 on heavier freight trains. Additional higher-horsepower units were delivered and traffic levels increased after 1981, LA&L 72 could often be found in yard service, a role performed until it was retired in 2022 and donated to the museum in November 2023. It is our goal to restore and operate this significantly historic diesel on our museum grounds for years to come. We enjoy a strong relationship with the LA&L, and we would like to thank everyone who made this donation possible.

Technical Data

• Built by Alco in July 1941
• Serial No. 69535
• 1,000hp Alco 539T prime mover
• Weight: 230,000 lbs.
• South Buffalo Railroad (1941)
• Livonia, Avon & Lakeville (1978)
• Donated to R&GVRRM in 2023