POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the  undersigned  does hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Robert N.
Tidball,  Stephen  Peary,  J.  Michael  Allgood and David J. Davis,  jointly and
severally,   his  true  and  lawful   attorneys-in-fact,   each  with  power  of
substitution,  for him in any and all  capacities,  to do any and all  acts  and
things and to execute any and all instruments  which said  attorneys,  or any of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable PLM Financial Services, Inc., as
General Partner of PLM Equipment  Growth Fund III, to comply with the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Act"),  and any rules and  regulations
thereunder,  in connection  with the  preparation and filing with the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  of  annual  reports  on Form  10-K on  behalf  of PLM
Equipment  Growth Fund III,  including  specifically,  but without  limiting the
generality  of the  foregoing,  the power and  authority to sign the name of the
undersigned,  in any and all capacities,  to such annual reports, to any and all
amendments thereto,  and to any and all documents or instruments filed as a part
of or in connection therewith;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms
all that each of the said attorneys, or his substitute or substitutes,  shall do
or cause to be done by virtue  hereof.  This  Power of  Attorney  is  limited in
duration  until May 1, 1997 and shall  apply only to the annual  reports and any
amendments  thereto  filed with  respect to the fiscal year ended  December  31,
1996.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
__ day of February, 1997.




/s/ Douglas P. Goodrich
----------------------------------
Douglas P. Goodrich











<PAGE>






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the  undersigned  does hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Robert N.
Tidball,  Stephen  Peary,  J.  Michael  Allgood and David J. Davis,  jointly and
severally,   his  true  and  lawful   attorneys-in-fact,   each  with  power  of
substitution,  for him in any and all  capacities,  to do any and all  acts  and
things and to execute any and all instruments  which said  attorneys,  or any of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable PLM Financial Services, Inc., as
General Partner of PLM Equipment  Growth Fund III, to comply with the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Act"),  and any rules and  regulations
thereunder,  in connection  with the  preparation and filing with the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  of  annual  reports  on Form  10-K on  behalf  of PLM
Equipment  Growth Fund III,  including  specifically,  but without  limiting the
generality  of the  foregoing,  the power and  authority to sign the name of the
undersigned,  in any and all capacities,  to such annual reports, to any and all
amendments thereto,  and to any and all documents or instruments filed as a part
of or in connection therewith;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms
all that each of the said attorneys, or his substitute or substitutes,  shall do
or cause to be done by virtue  hereof.  This  Power of  Attorney  is  limited in
duration  until May 1, 1997 and shall  apply only to the annual  reports and any
amendments  thereto  filed with  respect to the fiscal year ended  December  31,
1996.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
__ day of February, 1997.





/s/ Robert L. Pagel
---------------------------------
Robert L. Pagel










<PAGE>






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the  undersigned  does hereby  constitute  and  appoint  Robert N.
Tidball,  Stephen  Peary,  J.  Michael  Allgood and David J. Davis,  jointly and
severally,   his  true  and  lawful   attorneys-in-fact,   each  with  power  of
substitution,  for him in any and all  capacities,  to do any and all  acts  and
things and to execute any and all instruments  which said  attorneys,  or any of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable PLM Financial Services, Inc., as
General Partner of PLM Equipment  Growth Fund III, to comply with the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Act"),  and any rules and  regulations
thereunder,  in connection  with the  preparation and filing with the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  of  annual  reports  on Form  10-K on  behalf  of PLM
Equipment  Growth Fund III,  including  specifically,  but without  limiting the
generality  of the  foregoing,  the power and  authority to sign the name of the
undersigned,  in any and all capacities,  to such annual reports, to any and all
amendments thereto,  and to any and all documents or instruments filed as a part
of or in connection therewith;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms
all that each of the said attorneys, or his substitute or substitutes,  shall do
or cause to be done by virtue  hereof.  This  Power of  Attorney  is  limited in
duration  until May 1, 1997 and shall  apply only to the annual  reports and any
amendments  thereto  filed with  respect to the fiscal year ended  December  31,
1996.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
__ day of February, 1997.




/s/ J. Alec Merriam
-----------------------------------
J. Alec Merriam