General Discussion

RWIW I remember in the trains article many years ago entitled the diesel d-l that the author a mech supt for BRC iirc saying that the emd switchers would outlast geeps because their frames weren t as long. Also as far as keeping rhe radiatior warm in cold wheather most of the rrs in the midwest used canvas covers over the front grills as a means of keeping the radiator warmer in the winter months.

You might be thinking about the article that mentions the fact that most EMD SW frames were one piece cast frames, as opposed to fabricated or welded up frames...cast frames are stronger and have more flex to them, hence they "live" longer under extreme work load.

I too vaguely remember that.  However, my recollection is that it had more to do with how the coupler pocket and draft gear was attached to the frame - cast into it and in-line with its main axis for the switchers, as opposed to bolted-on and hung below, which causes eccentric loading for the Geeps - but I could be way wrong on that.  Anyway, it was probably one of these 4 articles - I believe Vern Smith was the former Belt Railway of Chicago Mechanical Superintendent who is referenced:

Vernon Smith's book "One Man's Locomotives" is a good one. He started out in the 1920's as a teenage engineer on iron ore mining company 0-6-0s and electric engines on the Mesabi Iron Range here in his native Minnesota, then worked for Lima designing and building steam engines. Later he worked for the Santa Fe IIRC, ending up as noted at the Belt Railway of Chicago.

Back to the original post, I guess I never thought of switchers as being rare. I grew up on a line of the Minneapolis Northfield and Southern that was primarily operated by switchers, first Baldwin VOs and FMs, then EMD SW-1200 and SW-1500s. 40 years later some of the EMD engines are still working on the line, now for Progressive Rail.

MP-15s are basically switcher bodies with road-switcher trucks, so can work in yards or on regular trains. After they took over the Milwaukee Road the Soo Line often paired a Milwaukee "bandit" MP-15 with a high-nose Soo GP on wayfreights.

 You are most certainly correct about those mechanical driven belt fans. I think they are a royal pain in the butt! In my yard Osborn (CSX) in Louisville we have SW1500s, MP15T, and MP15ACs. The locomotives that are in desperate need of some care are the MP15ACs if you can believe that. We had one CSX 1235 last year, that I had the privilege of running RCO that wouldn't load up at all when it was cold and I also could hear the belt slipping on the fan, it was loud!!! When I left it at idle it would cut off at times. There were also times in which I was getting Traction motor stalls when it would attempt to load up. Well I think I was the last one to use it and then it got sent to Nashville for some work. It's been fine ever since.

Many of the switchers in Osborn Yard, here in Louisville have basically bit the dust several times over. I think it's because a lot of guys that run them abuse the heck out of them. I've seen some people run the switchers until they get a short time rating warning come up on the Amp meter or they will use and abuse the heck out of the brakes. I remember working with one engineer that wanted to hurry up and get done and you could see that in his train handling, I would get jerked around all over the place if I was riding a shove. We also use out switchers in short run transfer jobs on the main tracks.

I think that the Class 1's are begining to stray away from the older switchers. A lot of the SW locomotives are going to the industrial market. Although I have seen some class 1's still use them.

As for the life of the switcher it really depends how hard you run them.

Justin

 You will still find an abundance of EMD SW series switchers still in service serving within the larger steel mills in Canada.  I recently spotted a completely rebuilt aand repainted ArcelorMittal Dofasco SW8 in Hamilton, ON, Canada.  This locomotive looked as good as new.  So there must be a company out there somewhere that has the ability and all the necessary parts to rebuild these units. I have also seen US Steel SW's in Hamilton too, although they are still painted in their predecessar colors (Stelco orange).

The EMD SW1200 will always be my favorite locomotive and  I enjoy seeing older pics of these units in the major railroads colors. (Especially CP Rail)
 

            A Halloween Present.

      Ex Southern Pacific S6 1050 finds new home.

     http://www.okanagan.net/ocarc/news/kvralco.jpg

Kootenay Central:

               

            A Halloween Present.

      Ex Southern Pacific S6 1050 finds new home.

     http://www.okanagan.net/ocarc/news/kvralco.jpg

Switchers can last  a long time. Here is a link to a photo on Trainweb of Holly Suger #1 working  at Tracy CA , July 28 2002.  It was built by EMC in February 1939 and sent to the SP for evaluation.  In April '39 it it was purchesed by the SP and became SP #1000. It and ran on the SP and subsidiaries until December 1967. 

I read somewhere that it was the oldest diesel loco on the SP at that time and hand  not not needed more than routine maintenance. 

http://www.trainweb.org/westernrails/ca/holly-1.jpg

DSchmitt:

http://www.trainweb.org/westernrails/ca/holly-1.jpg

OK if it ever needs work that cannot be accomplished on line will it have to be shipped on a flat car? Noted that it may have friction bearings because sometimes when roller bearings installed the friction bearing housing was kept?

Maintaining an SW1 is going to take a lot of scrounging to find parts.  EMD stopped manufacturing parts specific to V-6 engines in the early 1980's, which resulted in the mass retirement of SW1's on several Class 1 roads that still had them, especially Conrail.

My wife and I were at the Kettle Valley Railroad on Saturday, October 10th, and witnessed the KVR crew starting # 803 up for the first time since it had arrived on the property the previous day. I took several photos of the engine as it started but have not yet figured out how to include a photo with this reply.

It was rather chilly in the cars as they have no steam heat (and the # 3716 has no HEP) and it had dropped to -12 deg C overnight. Fortunately the KVR supplied blankets that helped keep us somewhat warm. Despite the cold, we were both happy to ride the train.

Mike