North Carolina Transportation Museum and an FP-7 cab ride.

[SilverSpike]

We were able to tour the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC this past Sunday. And we rode in the cab of the Southern #6133 EMD FP-7 for the 25 minute ride though the grounds. Here are a few photos:

Southern #6133 EMD FP-7

In the cab with Paul the Engineer

That's me at the controls

Along the ride!

More Southern cars in the yard!

Back at the station Engineer Paul let us walk through the engine room, 1600 hp with 16 cylinders. That's Ben and Monique at the back end of the engine.

A little history about - Southern Railway #6133--- The locomotive was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in 1950. This FP-7, operated by the Southern Railway, was the property of the CNO&TP (Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific). The FP designation meant the locomotive could be used for passenger or freight trains, using a 567-B 16 cylinder prime mover, generating 1500 horsepower. These were F-7 freight locomotives with a steam generator placed at the rear of the locomotive, increasing body length by four feet. FP-7 locomotives were used on small branch-line passenger trains throughout the Southern Railway System. By the late 1970s, there were very few FP-7s left on the roster due to Southern eliminating many passenger trains. The 5-8 left were used for excursion trains as part of the Steam Program begun in 1966. The 6133 was donated to the NCTHC in 1980, and restored by the volunteers to its original green/ imitation aluminum paint scheme. It is used to pull the train ride around the property when needed. Another mechanical and paint restoration was performed by the Ohio Central Railroad in 2006.

Also, a few pics from other exhibits at the museum!

A little history about - Southern #49 - Railway Post Office --- This car was built by the American Car and Foundry in 1922. Railway Post Office (RPO) cars were first used in the United States on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad in 1864. Postal employees would receive mail either stopped in a station or on the fly using mail bag poles, be able to sort the mail by towns or cities and deliver the mail at regular station stops. Up to 10 people could work in a single car, though 5 was normally assigned. This car was owned by the Southern Railway, but operated by US Post Office employees only. In the 1960s the decision was made by the Post Office to use air mail and highway trucks to move the mail instead of railroads. The last RPO cars were used on the Illinois Central Railroad in the mid 1970s. The car was sold to the NCTHC in 1978, and is currently on display in the Robert Julian Roundhouse.

A little history about - Atlantic Coast Line #501 --- This locomotive was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1939. Beginning in the late 1930s, EMD developed a passenger diesel locomotive known as the E series. This E3 was one of the first high production models. The ACL ordered two, numbered 500 and 501, for service on The Champion between New York City and Miami, Florida. Each locomotive produces 2,000 horsepower from two 567-A 12-cylinder prime movers. The ACL chose purple and silver to decorate these locomotives, partly due to the long-time use of purple on ACL timetables. The 501 remained in service until 1970, operating over 6 million miles. This distinction made the 501 the most traveled E unit in US history! The NC DOT Rail Division purchased the 501 in 1998, and placed the locomotive on long term loan to the museum.

A little history about - Southern Railway #2601--- The locomotive was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in 1963. The GP-30 diesel was produced from 1961 to 1963, selling 948 units to railroads throughout the United States. All GP-30s were equipped with 567-D3 16 cylinder prime movers connected to turbochargers generating 2250 horsepower. Many railroads, including Southern, used 4-5 GP-30s together to pull fast time limited freight trains. Southern continued to use their units until the late 1980s, with most retired off the roster by 1993. Norfolk Southern Corporation donated the locomotive to NCTHC in 1992, and later took the engine to Chattanooga, TN in 1995 for an exterior cosmetic restoration to Southern Railway early 1980s paint scheme. It is used to pull the train ride around the property when needed.

Notice the SOU #6133 FP-7 made it back to the roundhouse after its last run at around 4:30 PM that afternoon. It was spotted just behind the SOU #2601.

[CAZEPHYR]

Thanks for sharing the experience.  I ran a GP9E at Portola twice in the pass two years and it was a fun filled two days for sure.

CAZEPHYR

[SilverSpike]

I just uploaded a video to You Tube of a portion of the cab ride in the Southern #6133 FP-7, enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swzbc35cv6g