PTM’s second diesel locomotive acquisition also reflects products of the Keystone State, and of the Pittsburgh region in particular. Between 1867 and 1950, the H.K. Porter Company built more than 7,800 locomotives at its factory in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Porter specialized in smaller locomotives for mines, mills and, especially during World War II, the U.S. military.

Locomotive 1311 was built for the U.S. Navy in 1942 and delivered to a facility in New Jersey, where it worked until declared surplus in 1955 and sold to a used equipment dealer. The following year, it was purchased by Pennsylvania Transformer Company in nearby Canonsburg, PA. It worked there in relative obscurity until displaced by a larger diesel about 1990, when it was placed in storage. PTM approached the successor, Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc. (PTT), in 1998 and requested donation of the locomotive. PTT agreed, and not only gave 1311 to PTM but also allowed us to keep it at their plant while PTM volunteers repaired and repainted it. Transportation to the Museum was donated by the Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad in May 2002.

Locomotive 1311 weighs 43 tons and is powered by twin 150hp Cummins Diesel engines. Each engine drives a Westinghouse Electric generator, which in turn powers an electric motor in one of the trucks. As designed for slow switching service, 1311 is powerful for its size but is limited to a top speed of 20mph. It remains functional at PTM and, like B73, is occasionally operated for special events and to shift our storage boxcars when required.