Engine
PRR #Unknown
Baldwin "B units" typically refer to the cabless booster locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, most famously the RF-16 "Sharknose" diesel locomotive. Unlike "A units" which have a control cab, B units lack a crew compartment and are designed to be coupled with an A unit to provide additional power, functioning as a booster. Baldwin produced 51 cabless B units out of a total of 160 RF-16 locomotives, which were used by railroads like the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), Baltimore & Ohio (B&O), and New York Central (NYC). Function: A cabless booster unit that is operated in tandem with a cab-equipped "A unit". The most well-known example is the RF-16 "Sharknose" diesel locomotive, produced between 1950 and 1953. 51 cabless B units were built in addition to 109 A units for the RF-16 model. They were often used for hauling heavy freight like ore and coal, though they were known to have a shorter service life than other locomotives like the F7. They share the distinctive "sharknose" styling of the A units, designed by Raymond Loewy.