Mystery Alcos - Carlsbad, NM. October 2004

Carlsbad, New Mexico,
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"Mystery Alcos" - Carlsbad, NM

Click photos below to enlarge.

I photographed these two Alco switchers in Carlsbad, New Mexico on October 8, 2004. They appear to be S2 models, but I have not been able to determine who owns them, or where they might have been headed. Neither locomotive displayed any identifying marks, and I wasn't able to locate a frame number on the outside of either unit. The white unit was un-numbered; the black unit displayed a number " 2 ".

It is unknown if the presence of these locomotives in Carlsbad had anything to do with Southwestern Railroad's takeover of operations of this line (from BNSF) earlier in the month.

My guess is that these locomotives may have been en route to or from one of the potash mines near Carlsbad, but I have been unable to verify an origin or destination.

Please email me if you have information on these locomotives:

email Wes Carr at jornada_del_muerto@1scom.net

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