Prototype information for the modeler

Did F units ever make it to branchline service with some railroads?  Also can a yard switcher serve as a branchline diesel (depending on short train/short distance of course) or are they not capable of 'traveling beyond the yard' so to speak?

 While I can't speak of 'F' units, I do know that the Maine Central ran SW-7's and 9's out of Bartlett, NH on the old Mountain Subdivision to Beecher's Falls, Vermont.  That was certainly "beyond the yard," approximately 90 miles away.

The New York Ontario and Western put footboards on its F units and used them singly on branchlines.  Poor visibility and the need to turn the units at the end of branches discouraged mors railroads from using them on branches.  The EMD 'BL' series, 'GP' series;  Alco's 'RS' series and others were intended for this service.

SWs rode on AAR trucks that restricted them to low speeds (I'm not sure how low).  That was the only mechanical reason to keep them off main lines. 

IIRC after a certain date, F's were not allowed to be used as road switchers. A regular switcher could be used. I grew up on a branchline that used Baldwin VO-1000 and FM H-10-44 / H-12-44 switchers by themselves on trains, and later used back to back GM SW-1200's and SW-1500's.

I know the Southern Used F units on the Branch from Huntingburg IN. to French Lick In. into the early 70's .

 Lehigh Valley actually had SW-8s equipped with dynamic brakes for uses on it's coal branches.

Nick

There is no Federal prohibition of a unit with regard to what service it can perform, only possibly some local labor agreement.

The ATSF had FT's equipped with footboards for local service.  They eventually converted their F's into GP type, creating the CF7's.

F7's were probably used for local work  but it was not very common.  Remember that when they were new they were primo road power and the management would want them out on the high iron pulling trains.

BillD53A:

The New York Ontario and Western put footboards on its F units and used them singly on branchlines.  Poor visibility and the need to turn the units at the end of branches discouraged mors railroads from using them on branches.  The EMD 'BL' series, 'GP' series;  Alco's 'RS' series and others were intended for this service.

SWs rode on AAR trucks that restricted them to low speeds (I'm not sure how low).  That was the only mechanical reason to keep them off main lines. 

 

MILW-RODR:

What is a branchline? I don't know this

A branch line is whatever the railroad wants it to be.

A branch line is typically a lower volume, secondary line that has less (or no)  through trains.  But not always.

The Reading considered the line between St. Clair and Philadelphia, and between Philadelphia to Bound Brook, NJ as the "main line" and everything else was a branch regardless of its traffic volume.  By the time the RDG was folded into Conrail several branches carried more tonnage than the main lines did.

On the other end the MP called all its lines "subdivisions" and had no formal branches, but the people still referred to secondary routes as "branches".

 The little word "ever" makes this an easy question. Some little roads only bought second-hand F units for power. Some industrial types used them to load/unload coal & ore trains. Easy to get parts to keep them running.

A yard switcher geared for 40mph could be fine for branchline service. You could find some coal lines that only bought switchers. Some units were built with road trucks. Many switchers held the local mixed train service. Passengers if any got to ride in an old combine. 

upjake:

Also can a yard switcher serve as a branchline diesel (depending on short train/short distance of course) or are they not capable of 'traveling beyond the yard' so to speak?

Most definitely.  The SP used some for local industrial switching and branchline service.  They were usually easy to spot.  Some were MU-ed equipped, and they had number boards to identify the train number.

Mark

dehusman:

There is no Federal prohibition of a unit with regard to what service it can perform, only possibly some local labor agreement.

The ATSF had FT's equipped with footboards for local service.  They eventually converted their F's into GP type, creating the CF7's.

F7's were probably used for local work  but it was not very common.  Remember that when they were new they were primo road power and the management would want them out on the high iron pulling trains.

I'm pretty sure I remember MR or Trains publishing a  pic of an F-unit working a branchline like a road switcher, and the caption mentioning something about the RR risking getting into trouble, since F's were forbidden for use as switchers or road-switchers. I got the impression it was a regulation, not a contractural thing.

I think the CF7's were made up of later F's, like the F-7's that Santa Fe had. I think like many RR's the ATSF traded in their FT's back to GM in the early sixties.
 

The Aberdeen & Rockfish -- a short line rather than a branch line -- used a single F unit for years.  I don't know if there are regulations about it but there are certainly practical problems using an F unit for switching especially on tight curves or where you have less than a full crew working the train.  That is why EMD created the BL2 -- esentially an F innards with the exterior rounded off and squeezed in.  And the BL stood for Branch Line by the way, so don't forget the BL2 if the era fits. 

One practical issue for many railroads is that often branchlines had weight restrictions due to old bridges.  On many railroads the EMD SW1 was used for the sole reason that it was the lightest SW unit EMD offered.  On some railroads weight restrictions kept certain steam locomotives in service even when the rest of the railroad went diesel.

Dave Nelson

Burlington had numerous branch lines and a variety of units were used. GP7's were common. EMD yard switchers were very common, too, and they would have marker lamps in place while on branch lines. Small switchers were also used such as GE 44 ton locos. Gas electric motor cars (doodlebugs) were often used as branch line locomotives, too. F units on the Burlington seldom operated as single units, and I am not aware if they were ever used on branch lines.

I use my 44 tonner on a branch line on my layout because one of the tracks at an industry has only enough length for that loco plus one 40' box car.

The "Astoria" or "A Line" of the Spokane Portland & Seattle used FA units in earlier years. There was the Seaside Turn out of Astoria that used a RS3. Alco RS3's became the main power in the early 1960's on the line.  After BN took over F units were occasionally used but mostly as trailing units. The line was 118 miles long and had lots of industries on it. A yard switcher wouldn't have been enough to power the train.

There is also the labour contracts with the union and the company to consider. Depending on the length of the run and the work to be performed a road engine might be required.

The "A Line" now belongs to the Portland & Western and usual power is GP39's or GP40's