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	Rahway Valley Railroad #17
Type:	B=B (70 tonner)
Builder:	General Electric
Construction #:	32130
Year Built:	01/1954
Horspower:	600
Engine:	Cooper-Bessemer FWL-6T Prime Mover. Six cylinder.
Weight:	140,000 lbs.
Notes:	Purchased new in 1954. Removed from the RVRR in 1989 and worked for the NYS&W. Donated in 1995 to United Railway Historical Society. On display at the Whippany Railway Museum in Whippany, NJ.

17

Engine #17 at Aldene. November, 1971.. Photo by Paul Carpenito. #17 was the last locomotive ever purchased by the Rahway Valley Railroad. In late-1953 the railroad placed an order with General Electric for its second 70 tonner. Churned out of the plant in January, 1954, #17 arrived on February 2, 1954. With its arrival, all subsequent steam-powered movements over the RVRR were discontinued. The last fire had been dropped on #15 that past November. From then on the RVRR was a diesel only line. The locomotive arrived in forest green paint with yellow striping, contrasting the red and yellow #16, paint schemes they would retain until 1975 when Bernie Cahill had them repainted in their identical maroon and white paint schemes. Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, these two little switch engines more than paid for themselves on the little Rahway Valley, hauling ton after ton of freight over the line. They even hauled a special passenger train to Baltusrol for the US Open in 1980. After the RVRR lost its liability insurance, operations over the railroad were assumed by the Delaware Otsego Corporation in April of 1986. The new operator went on to purchase the line that December. #16 and 17 went on to serve their new owner, on home rails, for a few more years. By the end of 1989 #17, as well as #16, were removed from their old home to perform other duties for Delaware Otsego. #17 even went on to serve on the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad in upstate-New York. Both #16 and 17 were subsequently donated to the United Railway Historical Society in 1995. Today #17, as well as her sister #16, can be seen on display at the Whippany Railway Museum in Whippany, NJ. See what #17 looks like today. #17 builder's photo at the GE Plant in Erie, PA Just weeks after being delivered, #17 is seen here at Aldene with Caboose 102. 2/1954. #16 nudges #17 into the engine shed at Kenilworth. #16 and 17 at Kenilworth. Collection of Patty Clark Gilbride. #17 switches cars at the Lehigh Valley interchange. Note the Roselle Park High School in the background. 6/1967. Collection of Paul Carpenito. Hey look! It's ol' Frank Froat leaning out of the cab, with #17 sandwiched between a cut of cars. 6/1968. Collection of Paul Carpenito. Frank Froat eases #17 through Kenilworth, with cars coupled to both ends of the locomotive. Before 1971. #17 coming through the woods after picking up cars at the Lehigh Valley interchange. 10/1969. Collection of Paul Carpenito. On the same day, in the same spot, #17 has passed us and continues on. Look it's Froat up in the cab! 10/1969. Collection of Paul Carpenito. The always busy #17 eases her train underneath the Parkway bridge at the CNJ interchange at Aldene. 7/1970. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 in Kenilworth. 1970. Photo taken by Tom Piccirillo. #17 in Kenilworth, crossing the Boulevard. 1970. Photo taken by Tom Piccirillo. #17 at the Aldene interchange. 2/11/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. #17 in Kenilworth, crossing the Boulevard. 2/11/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. #17 in Kenilworth. 2/11/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. In the woods, #17 heads north towards the Route 22 crossing. 3/1/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. #17 crosses Route 22 eastbound. 3/1/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. George Davis eases #17 out of the engine shed in Kenilworth on this warm Summer's Day. 7/8/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly #17 crosses Route 22 westbound. 10/12/1971. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. #17 works the CNJ interchange at Aldene. 1/1/1972. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 works the CNJ interchange at Aldene. 1/1/1972. Collection of Paul Carpenito. Bound for Monsanto, #17 trundles across N. Michigan Ave. along the old Can Branch. 2/4/1972. Photo taken by Frank Reilly. #17 in Roselle Park. 5/1972. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 backs towards Westfield Ave. in Roselle Park as the flagman halts traffic. #17 crosses Westfield Ave. and heads towards the CNJ interchange at Aldene. #17 is seen here switching a cut of cars at Aldene. 6/1973. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 is seen here switching a cut of cars at Aldene. 6/1973. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 is seen here switching a cut of cars, under the Garden State Parkway, at Aldene. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 crosses Westfield Ave. and heads towards the CNJ interchange at Aldene. post-1975. Photo taken by Richard Dunbar. #17 crosses Route 22 eastbound in this view. 9/1979. Collection of Paul Carpenito. #17 in Kenilworth #17 in Kenilworth #17 in Kenilworth, along the Galloping Hill Golf Course. #17 in Kenilworth, note the burned Kenilworth Station in the background. 1977. #17 in Kenilworth #17 in Kenilworth, note the RVRR's Passenger Coach offices in the background. 1977. #17 at the ex-Lehigh Valley interchange. 7/21/1982.  Collection of Donald Albertson. #17 is seen here at Kenilworth in 1988. #17 leaves the interchange with Conrail with three carloads of lumber and a hopper, most likely filled with plastics for Monsanto Corp. in Kenilworth. 3/1988. Photo by Carl Perelman. #17 heads up a freight out of Kenilworth. 2/1988. Photo taken by Carl Perelman. #17, on its way back from the Conrail interchange, heads north to Kenilworth along the Lehigh Valley Branch and is about to cross West Colfax Avenue. The stadium lights for the Roselle Park High School Football field can be seen in the top left. 7/1988. Collection of Carl Perelman. #17 is seen here in Cranford, switching the former CNJ interchange. 11/1989. Photo taken by Carl Perelman. In this amazing fall foliage shot, we peer out along the track ahead from #17's fireman's side catwalk. Just ahead is the Rahway River Trestle, the crossing into Springfield. We'll be heading up to Summit and the Lackawanna interchange. Photo taken by Walt Switz.

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