Your Rarest Locomotive Sighting

[dldance]

I don't know the original manufacturer of this locomotive, but I suspect it was a GE 90 tonner. It had been fitted with lead and steel shielding for moving nuclear reactor experiments between "hot" shop facilities at the Idaho National Engineering Labs in the late 1950's when they were working on a nuclear powered airplane. The engineer had a clear view out of the forward set of windows, but the rear facing windows were blanked out by the shielding. The only way that the engineer could see that direction was through a lead and barium glass shielded periscope. The coupler on that end was remotely controlled and they did not bother with brake glad hands.

The experiments were moved on heavy duty flat cars that were double wide. The whole assemblage ran on two parallel sets of standard guage tracks that were set 4' 8.5" apart. The flat cars had two sets of trucks on each end to fit the parallel tracks.

I was not able to photograph it due to security restrictions, nor do I know what the markings were - but knowning the US government - it had a number.

After all of this was built, the airplane program was cancelled - so I don't think the engine and cars ever made more than a few test moves.

dd

[Anonymous]

I saw a clean ESPEE locomotive once...

No, sorry, I made that up. It never happened.

[Anonymous]

i havn't seen to many locomotives. my rarest locomotive sighting would be an EMD F9.

[bnsfkline]

Mine is no longer the GP40X, but a Ex SP Commute GP40P-2