B&M ALCO S4 1274

What is the strange box located on the right side of 1274's hood right in front of the cab? This is a picture I located on the web:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictur ... '28'72.jpg

I would hazard a guess it is a box to house cab signal equipment.

It also could be for a device called a "Watchman". It was manufactured by Vapor and was a miniature version of the larger models used in the A cabs to keep the engine from freezing during layovers in cold weather.

Sorry to revisit the old thread, but it was either that or create an identically-named new one.

From what I understand, the B&M painted a select few of its Alco switch engines in the McGinnis "Bluebird" blue/white/black scheme. Not all switch engines received this scheme, and within a couple of years it had been simplified. I have seen pictures of #1274 with the front, white cab wall painted black (perhaps to hide the black exhaust stains?). Atlas even released an HO scale model in 2007. (http://archive.atlasrr.com/Images/HOLoc ... 048_TQ.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Is anyone aware of a picture showing the prototype when new with the three colors? I can find pictures of the black/blue but not of the white cab front.

Thanks.

This unit was a S3. It was in a roundhouse fire, and sent back to Alco for a rebuild. It was upgraded to a S4, and also shipped in the bluebird scheme, which was what B&M's new locomotives were delivered in then.

Thanks Spike!

Thanks to William Rogerson for the photo.
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=613741" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To set the record straight and recap what everybody has speculated.

(1) 1274 was originally S-3 1174. Burned in a roundhouse fire at Springfield,Mass. and rebuilt to an S-4 by ALCO in 1957.

(2) 1274 was the ONLY B&M switcher painted in the McGinnis blue, black, and white paint scheme.

(3) Yes, the box in front of the cab on the Engineer's side is a Watchman heater.