Museumsbanen in Maribo, Denmark has a 1921 swedish DEVA build diesel electric locomotive with a 120 HP ATLAS diesel engine. We belive it is the oldest diesel electric engine in working order in the world. Does anyone in US know older working engines?http://www.museumsbanen.dk/materiel/lj-m1.htm
Dan Patch #100 is not a diesel electric. It has a gas engine.
LJ M 1 still have its original engine fron 1921. As far as I can see Dan Patch 100 was rebuild to electric and first got a diesel engine in 1957
Have a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_locomotive
There is nothing concrete other than the bulb engine.
But it looks like its really quite late in the 1900s when the first commercial unit went online.
Dan Patch RR was intended to be an electrified interurban, but when they built it, they did not have enough money for the wire, so they generated the electricity onboard. It was a gaoline engine, but Dan Patch is said to be the father of the diesel-electric locomotive.
Thank you for the information. I know LJ M1 isn’t the first diesel-electric but it is the oldest still running.
Have look 9 minits inside this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMhbuafIyD4&feature=related