Was just wondering if any locomotive manufacturing plants offer tours? Thanks!!
I doubt it. Based on what I saw at EMD at the various open houses, it isn't all that different from an auto assembly plant, just bigger products and a slower production rate.
Perhaps not what you had in mind...
at least it's a peek inside.
Regards, Ed
Got a time machine?
http://www.umvphotoarchive.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/scdpl/id/3807/rv/singleitem/rec/15
Frink Sno-Plow plant was about seven miles from where I live - I knew a number of the fellows who built them.
There's a hotel there, now.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
You can find videos on You Tube.
A few shows on cable TV have shown how diesels are built. Quite dangerous environment.
About five years ago I was on a tour of the roundhouse and backshops at Steamtown and they watched you very carefully. No wandering.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I have been on three or four tours of the EMD plant in McCook (LaGrange P.O.). All but one were during open houses (the one was a private tour for a house guest of ours who had been with the military in Central America; I was invited along). They were interesting. To me the neatest thing was the number of different orders on the erecting bay at once.One tour had an amazing variety of museum-owned locomotives on the property as well, many of which were open to go through. I think the high point of tha for me was being in the very cramped cab of the Monon BL2... BL2s were the common locomotive around my hometown in my preteen years (just a little bit before I could have wangled a cab ride).However, the last public open house there was after production had been moved to London. At that time, I wondered, "What's the point?" It was just another parts factory by then. Now, most of the plant that had been most exciting has been leveled.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Through a friend of my dads brother in law,,, me and my brother toured the Melbourne shops in the mid 80s. Then the RR was government owned. I don't know if it's still government owned. It was not a normal thing for them to do. Seeing Diesel engines the length of a pickup, superchargers the size of a garden tractor, and Turbo chargers the size of one person hot tub was impressive.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
CBT Was just wondering if any locomotive manufacturing plants offer tours? Thanks!! I once toured CR's and later NS's major loco servicing facility in Altoona, PA. At that time, NS was assembling locos from kits for itself and various other roads mostly Class IIs. I doubt they offer such insider views post 9/11.
I once toured CR's and later NS's major loco servicing facility in Altoona, PA. At that time, NS was assembling locos from kits for itself and various other roads mostly Class IIs. I doubt they offer such insider views post 9/11.
I was able to go on a private tour of the Sacramento Seimens plant while they were building the first ACS-64s. very very cool.
Not something you can regularly do though.
Not too likely in this lawsuit-happy age we live in, the company lawyers would have an attack of the vapors at the mere suggestion. What if something, anything, happens?
Can't blame them though, they're supposed to be the worrywarts, that's what they're paid for.
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