An odd sight

[ericsp]

Now I have seen everything. Here is an intermodal train with two SW1500s in the consist.
http://www.donsdarkroom.com/images/SP%20Photos/sp%209766%20east-sunset.jpg

[chad thomas]

At least they were not in the lead !!!

But seriously, I used to see that from time to time on the Sunset over Beaumont pass. They must be heading to the shop for there 90 day or for more serious maintainance. Probably headed for Taylor shops.

[Anonymous]

Well its not UP... 2 years later it would be UP

[Anonymous]

Yes, I agree, seeing an SW-1500 in a consist is an odd sight out on the mainline. Just the other day I found that the Union Pacific was doing the same thing. There's was a MP15DC.

[ericsp]

Seeing a switcher on a train on the mainline is not necesarily odd, they do have to transfer from a yard to a maintence facility and vice versa. It is seeing them on an intermodal train that is odd.

What is the point in pointing out that two years after the picture was taken UP bought out SP?

[daveklepper]

If you are going to move power from one point to another for maintenance or any other reason, and use of the power on the train, intermodal or anything else, even Amtrak, won't restrict the maximum speed, why not have the power used instead of being just dead weight? If they did anything else it would be wasting money.

[Randy Stahl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper

If you are going to move power from one point to another for maintenance or any other reason, and use of the power on the train, intermodal or anything else, even Amtrak, won't restrict the maximum speed, why not have the power used instead of being just dead weight? If they did anything else it would be wasting money.

Most likely the switchers are isolated, SWs have a bad habit of overheating if the airflow into the radiators is resticted ,like coupling another engine in front of it.
Randy

[edbenton]

Yes they do but with the UP so power short right now I would not have been amazed if they were not under power. The old SP SW1500 were gear4ed for 74 MPH so they could run road speed.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

An even odder sight was found by me at Jamaica on LIRR in 1982. An MP15AC was on the head end of a suburban train with an HEP control cab rebuilt from an F7A on the other end. It was apparently standard practice.

[broncoman]

I didn't know the layout of BNSF in Seattle but I was staying at a hotel along the water front that was all of 500 feet from a double track mainline and I saw 2 SW1500s moving a cut of about 50 or so double stacks with a caboose on the end. I know the container port was to the south and I am assuming that the classification yard was to the north? But to see the 2 little guys giving it there all was pretty impressive seeing as almost all other movements were being done with BNSF or CN 6 axles. They were probably holding about 20 MPH or so.

Dave

[espeefoamer]

I saw a train in 1973,near West Colton yard,that was headed by 5 SW 1500s.
SW1500s were sometimes used in freight consists. I saw them on more than one occasion.

[DPD1]

In the early days, SWs use to get put in with the road power fairly often. I remember seeing that happen on the EJ&E a few times when I was a kid. They were hooked up with SD38-2s, and they were trying so hard to keep up, they sounded like they were going to explode. A typical early diesel consist on that RR was one center cab and an SW. Crazy mix.

Dave

-DPD Productions - Featuring the TrainTenna RR Radio Monitoring Antennas-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

[techguy57]

On the flip side of the coin, I have generally seen geeps and MP15's on UP's HArvard Sub here in Crystal Lake. With the exception of a few regulars auto trains that run to and from Janesville, WI most of the the rest of the service is local switching. Interestingly enough lately have seen what would typically be road power, Dash-9's and AC4400's even UP 3300 Sd40-2 in United Way Red White and Blue Paint scheme running through with some frequency. Just a bizarre change of pace for a line that has not seen heavy freight traffic for some time.

Mike

[oltmannd]

The AAR type one (switcher) truck had no real lateral suspension. Running switchers at higher speeds is a BAAAAD idea! (even if they're geared for it!)

The flexicoil switcher truck does have lateral suspension and is OK for soeed.

[cpbloom]

The first thing I thought when I saw the photo is they are probably isolated but would they put them in the middle of the locos and not at the end???

I seem to remember a Pentrex video of Conrail where they had a switcher in a train and it WAS online with the SDs! [:O]

[BaltACD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cpbloom

The first thing I thought when I saw the photo is they are probably isolated but would they put them in the middle of the locos and not at the end???

I seem to remember a Pentrex video of Conrail where they had a switcher in a train and it WAS online with the SDs! [:O]

Looking at the smoke images from the picture, the switchers are either isolated or being handled DIT (Dead in Tow) as they are not blowing smoke. The lead engine and the trailing road engines can be seen blowing smoke.

[chad thomas]

When I used to see SP SWs going over Beaumont pass they would be working right along with the GP/SDs.