I heard from someone that the two Baldwin Sharks in Escanaba were seen outside in the daylight this summer. Any truth to this, or just another in a LONG line of rumors?
If true, I hope somebody at least got pictures. Even better would be why they’re outside (maybe a move to a museum, but not meant to start a rumor).
Who knows… Stranger things have happened. I would definatly have to have some form of evidence to back this one up.
Phil
I highly doubt it is true…here is my reasoning why:
if it was true, we would have seen pictures on the internet! 
because there are no pictures, conclusion = not true.
Scot
I don’t know. Where they are stored has big signs about railfans not wanted and to stay out. They are several hundred yards from where the engines were and it could have been a move just to sweep the place and and relube the bearings and they were back inside after a couple of hours
I doubt that.
Ok, i talked to the fellow who claimed the Sharks were out in the open recently. It turns out that there was a mis-dated photo from the '80’s floating around dated June 2006…which was when it was posted, not taken. Sigh…I guess the saga continues in darkness.
There is a good sized roundhouse in wells michigan ten chances to one they are in that roundhouse trust me.
I have been to the roundhouse up there in wells back in 1998.
The Sharks (along with other unique and rare equipment owned by John Larkin) are stored in the old Harnishfenger plant, which is west of the roundhouse’s location. The location can be identified by the large “ESCANABA and LAKE SUPERIOR” sign on the south side of the plant, and there are (or were) 4 ex-VIA Rail sleepers sitting on the west side of the building. My dad saw the Sharks sitting in the open in 1984 on the east side of the building. Although this is not his picture (I never got around to scanning most his collection), this is just like what he saw…
SHARKS IN THE OPEN
HARNISHFENGER PLANT
Phil
Thanks for the info wgnrr
Guys, for those that know, a couple of questions.
Why is this company so “hard bent” on not allowing railfans to photograph the equipment? Not by trespassing and creating a liability issue, but by granting permission for persons to come onto the property escorted by security…take a few shots.
Has TRAINS magazine staff asked to be allowed to come onto the property? (Bergie can you tell us anything)
I do understand the right of the owner to say “NO, now go away!”, but The owners have to know that with units as rare as RF-16 sharks being kept away from view, and a seemingly unfriendly public relations attitude it does make one wonder “Why the J.Edgar Hoover attitude?”
You answered your own question in the first paragraph. “Escorted by security” still does not relieve the company of the liability issue. The industry is still active and any number of things can happen, even to people that work there. Also, who is going to pay for additional security to do this, or cover when the regular security people are doing the escorting? To the owners of the industry, these may just be old machines in storage.
The owner of the E&LS, who owns the Sharks and 20+ other rare pieces of equipment, is a railfan of sorts. He does enjoy trains, and of course knows how rare those sharks are.
He was very hurt and angry when those railfans broke into his shops and stole all that stuff. From then on it has been a closed door railroad.
I doubt Trains would be allowed in there.
Back in the day the E&LS and Mr.Larkin was the best railroad you could railfan as far as hospitality and public relations went. He allowed us to run some excursions over his line with our cars ( NP Oservation Lounge, DM&IR executive Business Car, GN coaches, DM&IR coaches, etc) and his units ( one GP38-2 and one Baldwin) for a fundraiser for the musuem and was very active down at the LSRM.
You can rest in peace however, that one day that equipment will be restored and on display. I can not tell you where, or when, becasue that is all up to Mr. Larkin. But it will be.
Thank you, Coborn.
Now that makes a lot of sense. What a trajedy that some people would do this! The owner’s actions are understandable. It’s a shame that because a few dirt bag thugs that everyone suffers as a result.
It’s a consolation to know that the sharks will be around for some time. I do hope that day comes when we’ll be able to see them run again.
Peace and High Greens
You can these Baldwin Sharks in their original D and H colors at railpictures.net.How old is the guy who owns these 2 locomotives?