Escanaba & Lake Superior

We would like to thank John Schumann for providing us with the status of the ELS Baldwins
as of the summer of 2026 and for recent photos of the existing units.


E&LS article pages:
  • E&LS Private Passenger Trains - Photos and Story by Michael Koprowicz, 2018
  • Chasing a Daydream - Photos and Story by Michael Koprowicz, 2017
  • E&LS Baldwins - Photos and Story by Pete Jensen, 2005

    The E&LS was an original owner, it acquired these models new from Baldwin:
    VO1000, DS4-4-660, S8
    Other models were acquired from other sources.

    VO1000

    E&LS 100
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - July 4, 1972     		100

    VO1000
    c/n 72227, b/d 6/46

    - built for the Escanaba & Lake Superior as #100
    - scrapped 1974

    DS4-4-660

    E&LS 101
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - August 21, 2026     		101

    DS4-4-660
    c/n 73367, b/d 11/47

    - built for the Escanaba & Lake Superior as #101
    - up for sale as of the summer of 2026     		E&LS 101
    photo by: Mark Jorgensen
    Wells, MI - July 2, 2004     		E&LS 101 photo by: Unknown
    - collection of Mark Laundry

    S8

    E&LS 102
    photo by: C. Henkels
    - Jim Aldridge collection via David Baer
    Escanaba, MI - 7/5/67     		102

    S8
    c/n 75700, b/d 8/52

    - built for the Escanaba & Lake Superior as #102
    - scrapped 2025, see this: Facebook page
    		E&LS 102
    photo by: Craig Levine
    Wells, MI - Sept 2004

    DS4-4-1000(SC)

    E&LS 201
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - August 21, 2026     		201

    DS4-4-1000(SC)
    c/n 73956, b/d 8/48

    - built for the Calumet & Hecla as #201
    - up for sale as of the summer of 2026     		E&LS 201
    photo by: Mark Jorgensen
    Wells, MI - July 2, 2004     		E&LS 201
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Marinette, WI - March 18, 1992


    E&LS 202
    photo by: Larry Nast
    - collection of Thomas Hillebrant
    Green Bay, WI - Aug. 1982     		202

    DS4-4-1000(SC)
    c/n 73957, b/d 8/48

    - built for the Calumet & Hecla as #202
    - scrapped in 2024 or 2025

    E&LS 202 E&LS 202 E&LS 202
    photos by: Mark Jorgensen
    Menominee, MI - March 31, 2004


    E&LS 204
    photo by: Unknown
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - May 25, 1974     		204

    DS4-4-1000(SC)
    c/n 74777, b/d 5/50

    - built for US Army Corps of Engineers as #L-4
    - to Calumet & Hecla as #204
    - to E&LS in 1971
    - as of the summer of 2026 remains, back in the weeds, on a backtrack in Wells     		E&LS 204
    photo by: Craig Levine
    Wells, MI - Sept 2004

    RS12

    all ex. SAL/SCL

  • see the SAL RS12 Roster and History page

    E&LS 207
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - August 21, 2026     		207

    RS12
    c/n 75475, b/d 5/52

    - built for SAL as #1466
    - became SCL #207
    - to OC&E as #7908
    - to E&LS, Dec. 1984
    - leased to the Nicolet Badger Northern Railroad in the early '90s, then returned
    - up for sale as of the summer of 2026     		E&LS 207
    photo by: Mark Jorgensen
    Wells, MI - July 2, 2004     		E&LS 207
    photo by: Pat Monahan
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells MI. - Dec. 20, 1996


    E&LS 209
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Sept. 25, 2007     		209

    RS12
    c/n 75477, b/d 5/52

    - built for SAL as #1468
    - became SCL #209
    - to OC&E as #7909
    - to E&LS, May 1984
    - scrapped in the summer of 2026     		E&LS 209
    photo by: Mark Jorgensen
    Wells, MI - July 2, 2004     		E&LS 209
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - Dec. 9, 1989


    E&LS 210
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Sept. 25, 2007     		210

    RS12
    c/n 75478, b/d 5/52

    - built for SAL as #1469
    - became SCL #210
    - to OC&E as #7910
    - to E&LS, Dec. 1984
    - scrapped in the summer of 2026     		E&LS 210
    photo by: Craig Levine
    Wells, MI - Sept 2004


    E&LS 211
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Sept. 25, 2007     		211

    RS12
    c/n 75479, b/d 5/52

    - built for SAL as #1470
    - became SCL #211
    - to OC&E as #7911
    - to E&LS, Dec. 1985
    - scrapped in the summer of 2026     		E&LS 211
    photo by: Eddie Gross
    Wells, MI


    E&LS 212
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Sept. 25, 2007     		212

    RS12
    c/n 75480, b/d 5/52

    - built for SAL as #1471
    - became SCL #212
    - to Michigan Northern as #212
    - to E&LS, 1980
    - scrapped in the summer of 2026     		E&LS 212
    photo by: Craig Levine
    Wells, MI - Sept 2004


    E&LS 213
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Sept. 25, 2007     		213

    RS12
    c/n 75765, b/d 1/53

    - built for SAL as #1472
    - became SCL #213
    - to Michigan Northern as #213
    - to E&LS, 1980
    - scrapped in the summer of 2026     		E&LS 213
    photo by: Mark Jorgensen
    Wells, MI - July 2, 2004     		E&LS 213
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - May 11, 1981


    E&LS 214
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Sept. 25, 2007     		214

    RS12
    c/n 75766, b/d 1/53

    - built for SAL as #1473
    - became SCL #214
    - to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive
    - leased to Neosho Constuction as #6494, 1979
    - to E&LS, 1983
    - scrapped in the summer of 2026     		E&LS 214
    photo by: Craig Levine
    Wells, MI - Sept 2004

    ELS 711
    photo by: Robert Lambrecht
    Roundout, IL - May 1983 red     		E&LS 214
    photo by: Tom Golden -collection of Sam Beck
    B&OCT's Barr Yard, Riverdale, Illinois - June of 1983



    E&LS 300
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Oct. 7, 2026     		300

    RS12
    c/n 75767 b/d 1/53

    - built for SAL as # 1474
    - became SCL #215
    - to Michigan Northern as #215
    - to E&LS as #300, 1980
    - rebuilt 1982
    - reported to be in service during the summer of 2026 otherwise it is kept in storage     		E&LS 300
    photo by: John Schumann
    Wells, MI - Oct. 7, 2026

    E&LS 300 E&LS 300
    photos by: Michael Koprowicz
    Wells, MI - August 23, 2018

    E&LS 300 E&LS 300 E&LS 300
    photos by: Peter Jobe
    Escanaba MI. - Aug. 3, 2003

    ELS 32
    photo by: Tom Trencansky
    Escanaba, MI - Sept. 19, 1985     		E&LS 300 & 210
    photo by: Unknown
    - collection of Mark Laundry

    RF16

    E&LS: The Last Remaining Sharks

    E&LS 1205
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - March 11, 1983     		1205

    RF16
    c/n 75361, b/d 12/1951

    - to E&LS in 1979
    - in 1988 moved to indoor storage at the E&LS shops in Wells, MI.
    - follow the complete history below     		E&LS 1205
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - March 11, 1983

    E&LS 1216
    photo by: J. M. Seidl
    - collection of Mark Laundry
    Wells, MI - April 27, 1982     		1216

    RF16
    c/n 75372, b/d 1/1952

    - to E&LS in 1979
    - operated in 1979 & 1982
    - in 2021 moved from the E&LS car shop in Escanaba to Wells, MI.
    - follow the complete history below     		E&LS 1216
    photo by: Richard Adams
    Wells, MI - 5/26/1982

    1205 & 1216 History:

    - built for the NYC as 3805 & 3816, renumbered 1205 & 1216 in 1966, traded to GE
    - resold by GE to the Monongahela in 1967
    - sold to locomotive/scrap metal dealer D.J Joseph, 1974
    - resold to the Delaware & Hudson in 1974
    - sold to John Kunzie / Castolite Corp. in 1978 and kept on the E&LS
    - leased to the Michigan Northern. See the Michigan Northern Gallery Page for a more detailed history
    - to the E&LS, 1216 operated in 1979 & 1982. Both currently stored indoors at Wells, MI.


    On Dec. 2, 2021 Shark 1216 was moved from the E&LS car shop in Escanaba. It will be moved to a heated shop in Wells.

    More info available at:
    - ELS Facebook page: Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad
    - Trains Magazine: News Wire / Baldwin Sharknose moved in Michigan

    Thanks to Jim Schwake for allowing us to re-post his photos of the move:
    E&LS 1216 E&LS 1216
    E&LS 1216 E&LS 1216
    photos by: Jim Schwake
    Escanaba, MI - Dec. 2, 2021




    data source: bibliography [3], [4] & [5]


    The copyrights for all photos are assumed to rest with the photographers.
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