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WP GP 20

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  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: South Central Virginia
  • 204 posts
WP GP 20
Posted by VGN Jess on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 5:19 AM

Just curious: any ideas why WP used RS-64 as their in house classification of the GP 20 and what could the 64 stand for? Obviously RS is road switcher but it ran on B trucks (not C) and had 2,000 HP (not 4,000). I could understand RS-42 for that EMD product, but can't figure out RS-64.

  • Member since
    July 2001
  • From: Shelbyville, Kentucky
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Posted by SSW9389 on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 6:45 AM

Road Switcher 64,000 pounds tractive effort. 

Ed in Kentucky

COTTON BELT: Runs like a Blue Streak!
  • Member since
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  • From: South Central Virginia
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Posted by VGN Jess on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 1:52 PM

Thank you, Ed. Never would have thought of TE. I don't think I can recall any other locomotives using TE in their classification; do you?

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Posted by Erik_Mag on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 2:21 PM

D&RGW K-27 had 27,000 lb TE.

  • Member since
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  • From: South Central Virginia
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Posted by VGN Jess on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 12:24 AM

Erik: Thanks. That's 2 more than I thought. It must have been a 1st gen diesel thing as by the 70's didn't all RR's classify by axels and HP?

  • Member since
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  • From: Shelbyville, Kentucky
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Posted by SSW9389 on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 3:40 AM

VGN Jess

Thank you, Ed. Never would have thought of TE. I don't think I can recall any other locomotives using TE in their classification; do you?

 

 
VGN Jess I found an additional seven U S railroads that use or appear to have used TE in their diesel locomotive classification. Because of the source used there may be others. The Railroad Magazine book on diesel rosters was used and it is not all inclusive of railroad diesel locomotive classes.
 
Here are the seven roads: Central of New Jersey and subsidiary Lehigh & New England Railway; Denver & Rio Grande Western; Sacramento Northern (WP subsidiary), Tidewater Southern (WP subsidiary); Union Railroad; and Warren & Ouachita Valley (Arkansas shortline). 
 
Ed in Kentucky
COTTON BELT: Runs like a Blue Streak!
  • Member since
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  • From: South Central Virginia
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Posted by VGN Jess on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 3:47 AM
Ed, Thanks again.

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