SOUDERTON, Pa. — The effort to restore the last surviving Lehigh & New England diesel locomotive has announced a milestone: the shipment of all four of the Alco S2’s traction motors to an Altoona, Pa., company for rehabilitation.
The Railroad & Industrial Preservation Society said today (Oct. 31, 2025) that the traction motors of L&NE No. 611 have been shipped to Electric Motor & Supply in Altoona for the critical step in returning the locomotive to operation. The traction-motor project has been a collaborative effort, with the Allentown & Auburn Railroad — current home of the locomotive — and the Wilmington & Western Railroad doing the work to remove the traction motors. The traction-motor rehabilitation is possible thanks to a Thriving Communities grant from Norfolk Southern and a grant from the Berkheimer Foundation arranged by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
“This milestone marks one of the four critical systems needed to return #611 to life,” said RIPS President Dave Organek. “With the traction motors now in professional hands, we’re one big step closer to seeing this remarkable locomotive come to life again.”
Other project priorities for 2025-26 include continuing restoration of components of the unit’s deisel engine; preparations for generator rehabilitation, estimated to cost more than $20,000, and sourcing and refurbishing electrical components and missing parts.
The society has launched an end-of-the-year fundraising campaign to maintain the project’s momentum. Donations can be made online at this web page, or by mail to:
Railroad & Industrial Preservation Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 636
Souderton, PA 18964
More information on the locomotive and project are available at the society website.
