Switchers as mainline engines!

[FJ and G]

Twice in the last few weeks, I saw a CSX MP-18 switcher in lashup with Dash-8s and other big, modern motive power.

At first I thought they were merely moving the switcher to another place for switching duties or to scrap it; but a group of railfans at Alexandria station told me it is common to run them with mainline engines and that the engine was reworked.

I was surprised.

Dave Vergun

[Noah Hofrichter]

I saw this too awhile ago in a picture of the WSOR and I didn't rally realize they ever did that as well, untill I saw the picture. It's an interesting thing.

Noah

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Back in 1982, I was spending an enjoyable day watching trains at Jamaica on the LIRR and saw MP15AC's in suburban service. There was a power car (former FA's and F7A's) on the other end to provide HEP and push-pull capabilities.

[Anonymous]

Dave, Ive seen that same switcher here in MD probably. Somewhat of a common sight around here. what surprised me was a yard slug I saw lashed to a road slug that were in front of it once.

[Anonymous]

That's a little surprising, you wouldn't think those things would be worth putting into the consist.....they sure wouldn't be very comfortable as the leading loco for the RTEs.... I would assume they weren't on the head end.

SRY in BC uses switchers on their mainline al the time, but it's just a little shortline in the first place.

[enr2099]

Canadian Forest Products' Englewood Railway has a fleet of four SW1200's equipped with Dynamic Brakes that are used to haul logs. Numbers 301-304 with the 303 as standby power. Canfor's Englewood Railway operates 100 miles of track in the Nimpkish Valley, based out of Woss Camp, BC. Woss, BC is about 60-70 miles north of the E&N's northern terminus at Courtenay, BC.

[Train Guy 3]

Hey when you need a loco you use what's avaliable right?

[daveklepper]

An option from EMD for a long time was switchers with Blount (road) trucks so they would ride better in road service. Also you could get them with and without mu capability. I assume this is still the case.

[wabash1]

these switchers are probley dead in tow meaning not being used for power . if they are being used they have a switch inside the cab call series forestalling . which means it will only put power to the rails to notch 7. go to notch 8 and it isolates itself. this is so it wont burn up the traction motors. also you wont see these units in the lead at track speed as most dont have event recorders on them.

[FJ and G]

The MP-15 was the 3rd locomotive back and smoke was coming from the stack. It seems that it is routinely used for mainline service.

Is this a recent phenomenon or were switchers used this way in the 60s?

[dknelson]

Well horsepower is horsepower I guess. Every once in a while I used to see switchers in C&NW freights -- and not dead in tow either. But obviously it would have to be a switcher with MU capability. A railroad crewman on the BN once told me the main reason they did not use a switcher on one of their low traffic runs was -- lack of a toilet!. My understanding is that the standard switcher trucks under, say, an EMD SW-7 or whatever were rated at only about 35 to 40 mph. I believe this is true whether the engine is powered or being towed. MP15s with Blomberg type trucks obviously could go much faster. One night I was railfanning the Milwaukee Road when a local freight headed by an MP15 came through like a bat out of hades. Not long afterwards it became clear why -- he was rushing to clear the blocks of a fast intermodal.
Dave Nelson

[CShaveRR]

The Blunt truck was an ordinary truck used by Alco under its switchers (S1 and S2) before Alco switched to the conventional AAR truck (S3 and S4). The two-axle Flexicoil truck is the one you're thinking of, used under some EMD switchers.

The Grand Trunk Western dieselized some of its last steam-powered locals in 1960 with eight SW1200s intended for road service. GTW 1512-1519 were classified "GR-12za", with the "R" standing for "Road". They were painted in CN's olive green (a real switcher would have been black), and were equipped with m.u., Flexicoil trucks, full-length handrails along the walkways (not standard on switchers), 65-m.p.h. gearing (the switchers were 40), and triple-chime horns instad of the one-note honkers usually found on switchers.

The runs I was familiar with took these engines between Durand and Grand Haven, Michigan, 121 miles. When SD40s arrived on GTW in about 1970, GP9s and GP18s finally came to this line. Occasionally a "real" switcher would sub for these things...I remember SW9s, SW900s, SW1200s, and NW2s (including at least one prewar unit). We did have Alco S2s on a couple of occasions (with Blunt trucks!), but my favorite pinch-hitters were GTW's pair of 1957-built RS-1s.

[AltonFan]

IIRC, the MP-15s were designed so they could help with mainline trains as required.

[Kozzie]

Hey everyone...[:)]...I'm still catching on to all the different switchers used "up over".[:O]
I ask this question to understand FJ and G's post better.
Can you tell me what the MP series of switchers were, i.e. what the MP stands for? Who made them? I really only know about the EMD GPs and the Alco Yard and Road switchers.[:)] [;)]

Thanks! [;)]

Dave

[mudchicken]

Kozzie:

MP's are EMD's product, started after the SW-1000's and SW 1500's in the Mid '70's with the MP standing for Multi Purpose. (never have a DSG around when I need one, never seen in Colorado when they were new)

I thought they were MP-15DC's and MP-15 designations and were supposed to be interchangeable with road units (therefore having reduced coupler swings)

Alco/MLW had a similar, but unsuccessful M420TR in their catalog (2 built)

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Dave:
The MP does indeed stand for Multi Purpose, and is EMD's last switcher design. It comes in three varieties: MP15DC has a DC generator, MP15AC has an alternator, and the MP15T comes with a turbocharged V-8 (the other two versions have V-12's). All are equipped with Blomberg road trucks and are suitable for yard or light road service.

GE offered a comparable design with the U18BT, but none were built. MLW offered the M420TR, which came in two varieties, and were sold only to Roberval & Saguenay in Canada and FC del Pacifico in Mexico.

The GP15D and GP20D are designed and built by Motive Power Industries and are marketed and sold by EMD under agreement.

Paul