A couple of times now I've heard NYC's London built GP9s referred to as their "little black horrors". I find this surprising as this model was universally liked by both crews and the bean counters.. have really never heard of anyone else or group who specifically disliked the GP9. Were NYC's batch somehow different or defective in some way?
I suggest contacing the NYC Historical Society regarding this matter. I have seen one photo of a London built GP9, short nose forward, for Canadian service. They were nicknamed "Queens Geeps".
Ed Burns
This is the first I've heard of this was well, the Geeps were well-liked on American railroads once everyone got used to them. New technology and all.
Does this mean Harmon became "The Little Shop Of Horrors?"
I've never heard of this moniker, either. Perhaps the OP could tell us where he heard it, so that we could have a reference point.
Backshop I've never heard of this moniker, either. Perhaps the OP could tell us where he heard it, so that we could have a reference point.
Read it on a Facebook forum a couple of times.. I forget which group it was. I asked about it there but received no response.. not really urgent to know.. just curious. Maybe i will contact the NYC historical society if it continues to interest me.
Let us know what they tell you.
FWIW I've been a member of the NYCS Hist. Soc. for about 25 years, and have several books about the Canada Southern, but I've never heard the term used. I suspect whoever is using it on that other forum either made it up, or it refers to something else and they are mistaken.
(edit) OK I did find a post where someone claims Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo railroaders used that term for NYC/CS early GPs.
http://www.railpictures.ca/upload/here-are-all-three-of-the-nyc-7400s-that-normally-haunted-the-starlight-or-kinnear-we-have-7430-7429-7431-easbound-at-aldershot-east-in-the-best-order-with-7430-leading-with-new-york-central-o
With just one unnamed person making the claim, without being able to find any other reference to it, leads me to believe it is not reliable. I would disregard it.
Reading the whole comment, it sounds like the TH&B didn't think much of CASO-NYC maintenance practices. I guess that's the difference between a huge sytem with engines that spent a lot of time in outlying locations and one where they are put to bed every night in a central location.
Perhaps some not so friendly rivalry going on between NYC and TH&B... NYC was at one time part owner of the TH&B..
BackshopReading the whole comment, it sounds like the TH&B didn't think much of CASONYC maintenance practices.
Reminds me of Norfolk-Southern's people calling their newly-aquired ex-Conrail Dash-8's "Trash 8's" due to the indifferent maintainance of the same.
Might have been that TH&B had attractive paint as well as good maintenance practices... and when did they give up their Hudsons? Of course, by comparison with PC dip-black on the same locomotive type, those were practically wearing tuxedoes...
Speaking of Hudsons, Staufer had a story in Thoroughbreds (p.295) about acceleration time to 60mph on the grade out of Owosso, MI. The substitute Geep (GP7) was tried, too... but never got to 60mph before they had to shut off for the next station. Horrors!
Flintlock76Reminds me of Norfolk-Southern's people calling their newly-aquired ex-Conrail Dash-8's "Trash 8's" due to the indifferent maintainance of the same.
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BigJim Flintlock76 Reminds me of Norfolk-Southern's people calling their newly-aquired ex-Conrail Dash-8's "Trash 8's" due to the indifferent maintainance of the same. Dash-8's were trash no matter who owned them!!!
Flintlock76 Reminds me of Norfolk-Southern's people calling their newly-aquired ex-Conrail Dash-8's "Trash 8's" due to the indifferent maintainance of the same.
Dash-8's were trash no matter who owned them!!!
That surprises me to hear. Conrail used to be held in high regard for their maintenance practices.
I wonder if it slipped in the late days a bit when they started to consider line sales (~4,000 miles went on the market in 1995) followed by NS/CSX starting to court them.
Leo_Ames Flintlock76 Reminds me of Norfolk-Southern's people calling their newly-aquired ex-Conrail Dash-8's "Trash 8's" due to the indifferent maintainance of the same. That surprises me to hear. Conrail used to be held in high regard for their maintenance practices. I wonder if it slipped in the late days a bit when they started to consider line sales (~4,000 miles went on the market in 1995) followed by NS/CSX starting to court them.
CSX crews on my territory were much less than complementary on the condition and operation of former CR power in the days following the split.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Given we have an anonymous online post quoting an unnamed individual, with absolutely nothing else to go on, I will assume it's nonsense unless and until someone can come up with actual documentation (like a book or magazine article with a named THB railroader's quote).
wjstix Given we have an anonymous online post quoting an unnamed individual, with absolutely nothing else to go on, I will assume it's nonsense unless and until someone can come up with actual documentation (like a book or magazine article with a named THB railroader's quote).
yeah.. actual documentation. Apart from what I read on Facebook and what you provided earlier we don't have much to go on. But its been upwards of 50 years and even horrors tend to be forgotten in that length of time. Maybe something else will come up.. maybe not.
When CSX was operating Dash 8's as their primere power - they were operating 90 car coal trains from the Northern coal fields through Atlanta to Waycross and beyond to multiple destinations. The standard was 2 Dash 8's and 90 loads. If the weather was DRY the trains could make it over the multiple grades between Tilford Yard and Manchester - if it was raining, Atlanta had instructions to add a third unit to the engine consist. If it was 'dry' but there was a heavy dew at dawn approached the trains routinely stalled on one or more of those grades between Tilford and Manchester. Fun times before AC's became the standard power.
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