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Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

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Posted by SD70Dude on Sunday, June 23, 2019 6:18 PM

A fairly common diesel switcher weighed a specific amount to skirt what we would now consider a rather archaic rule. 

At the time the locomotive builder did not produce its own diesel engines, and these locomotives could be ordered with several different engine designs.  The vast majority of these locomotives were built with one engine type from a very prominent diesel engine manufacturer, and the last 4 locomotives were built with a different engine type from the same manufacturer.

What is the locomotive model?

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Posted by rcdrye on Sunday, June 23, 2019 7:42 AM

CN already had the H-12-46s on order before the RDC demo, didn't get their first RDCs until 1953.  The M&SC's light rail between Marieville and Granby was the impetus for the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement.  Apparently no public trips withthe RDC were run, only trips for CN officials.

The Baltimore & Annapolis was trying to lure some public investment in restored rail service.  Like similar attempts in the 1950s and 1960s, the attempt went nowhere.  The tests were successful in the sense that passengers liked the RDC, but B&A certainly couldn't afford any on its own.  Like later "tests" in Michigan (DSS&A) and California (SP), The RDC wasn't quite enough to save local services.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Sunday, June 23, 2019 12:45 AM

In early 1951 Canadian National tested the RDC demonstator on a number of routes, including interurban subsiduary Montreal & Southern Counties.  Later in 1951 electrified operations south of Marieville ceased, with diesels (including the CN-only FM/CLC H-12-46) taking over. 

https://www.exporail.org/can_rail/Canadian%20Rail_no491_2002.pdf

Late in the year the 2960 came to the Baltimore & Annapolis for 18 days, B&A had previously abandoned passenger rail service (the company switched to buses) and ceased electrified operations in February 1950.  The test must not have been successful as no RDC's were ordered and the company never resumed passenger rail service.

http://ctr.trains.com/photo-of-the-day/2018/07/rdc-test-on-baltimore-and-annapolis#12

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Posted by SD70Dude on Saturday, June 22, 2019 12:05 AM

I will answer tomorrow evening if no one else does by then, but would prefer not to (don't have any good questions ready).

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Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, June 20, 2019 6:25 AM

MoPac's AA only had one powered truck, as well.  The Rock's AB6s did get the E7's side windows and the red/silver paint scheme, and didn't get their second trucks powered until the second 567 was installed.

Though not an E-unit, CB&Q's General Pershing Zephyr power car 9908 "Silver Charger" was also a 567 engined model AA.

 

The Budd Company's RDC demonstrator 2960 toured the country widely between 1949 and 1951.  Among other lines it ran demonstration trips on were two interurbans.  One had recently ceased passenger service, considering the RDC as a way to offer it without wires, the other was still active, though some of its service would be replaced by diesel-hauled trains (not RDCs) the same year the test was run.

Name the interurbans.

 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 10:19 AM

The AB6's had their distinctive appearance in order to blend in behind the lead E6A on the "Rocky Mountain Rocket" between Chicago and Limon, CO, where the train split for Denver and Colorado Springs.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 9:40 AM

The single AA6 is what I was thinking of.  Half the powertrain of an E-unit but it kept all the good looks, unlike Rock Island's pair.

With only one powered truck I don't imagine Seaboard's railcars would have done very well pulling anything else besides themselves.

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Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 8:31 AM

MoPac's AA6 7100. CRI&P's AB6s tied at 1000 HP, but to call them streamlined... I guess the cab windows qualified.

The two Seaboard railcars (2027 and 2028) were built with 201-A engines but got a 567A each for 600 HP.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 12:36 AM

Of all the EMD 567-engined streamlined passenger locomotives, which one produced the least horsepower?

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Posted by Miningman on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 7:52 PM

Yes Sir, that's it! Of all railroads the Algoma Central. US production ceased in 1959.. Canadian orders trickled in for a while past that but these 2 in 1963 were really built long after that. So 1949 to 1963 and then all the rebuilds and new designations. Many still going, in service. 

 

This was the very last GP9 built in North America, long after production ended. GMD A2019 8/1963
Note the GP20 style frame and fuel tanks on this and 171. Steelton, May 27, 1974. Ted Ellis
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Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 7:33 PM

I'm not a brand-new participant, but to keep things moving here goes.

Algoma Central 171 and 172 were built by GMD London in 1963, several years after regular GP9 production ended.

Many years later GMD would build another post-production order, for CP this time.  SD40-2F's 9000-9024 were built in SD60F carbodies, and shared the shop floor with other 60 series models while under construction.

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Posted by Miningman on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 5:57 PM

OK.. I shall ask the question. This is an easy-peasy one in the hopes of attracting more participants. 

So don't be afraid to give it a go!

The EMD GP7 was introduced in 1949 and the succeeded by the GP9 in 1954. ( background chorus ..." booooo, hisssss "). Well whaddya gonna do, it was inevitable, and it happened that these Mikado killers resulted in long lines of steam designated for the scrap lines all over North America. Together there were more than 5,000 produced. 

When was the last of these successful locomotives rolled of the line and  for who?  Hint-- It was an order of 2 that actually came some time after production had stopped. GM was quite accommodating and they rolled off the line late in the game. Despite some upgraded components here and there they were GP9's! 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, June 17, 2019 10:22 AM

I'm going to pass.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Miningman on Sunday, June 16, 2019 1:22 AM

Have a question ready if CSSHEGEWISCH wishes to pass, otherwise it's his.

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, June 14, 2019 12:07 PM

Bump - to line this up with the other quiz.

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, June 1, 2019 12:57 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH--- Your up! 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, May 16, 2019 10:13 AM

South Shore bought a total of ten R2's from NYC.  Six of them were rebuilt to CSS 701-706 in 1955-1958 and one more was rebuilt into CSS 707 in 1968.  The three remaining hulks sat at Michigan City for quite a few years in their NYC paint and numbers.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 6:47 PM

I will see if I can open and access the Complete Collection later tonight and read the mid-Sixties story in Trains about the R2s' "second career" on the South Shore.  One of them was the 'cover girl' for that particular issue.

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Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 2:11 PM

Looks like the deal with the South Shore worked out the way it did because the P-Motors already had boilers and tanks and the R-Motors didn't, plus the P-Motors had better ride characteristics and probably top speed.  I can't find what the South Shore paid, but I'm betting they got the R-Motors at a fire sale price, along with the CUT pans. NYC's Q- and R- Motors lived a pretty sheltered life, mostly operating on the West Side Freight line and up to Harmon, though occasionally straying elsewhere.

CUT's overhead was notable for incorporating chain in some pull-offs. 

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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 1:47 PM

That's them!

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 10:10 AM

I'm going to guess that the power in question is the P motors built for Cleveland Union Terminal (overhead wire) rebuilt for service on NYC suburban third-rail operation out of GCT.  The extra parts were used in the rebuilding of the R-2's sold to South Shore.

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 4:13 PM

SPSOT fan
Are you referring to the New Haven railroad EF-4s, formerly Virginian class EL-C electrics, that were sold to the New Haven in 1963 after Norfolk and Western, who bought the Virginian in 1959, discontinued electric operations in 1962?

No.  To my knowledge the EF-4s were built to run on 11kV AC and required little, if any modification to be able to run on the New Haven and the voltage-uprated PRR.  As E33s they certainly had a long and effective service life, even if only the moral 3/4 equivalent of PRR's 'native' E44s.

What I'm thinking of is much more dramatic.  A class of locomotives was extensively rebuilt in the Fifties, leaving a bunch of parts left over from the conversion.  These were used to alter a group of locomotives built for the electrification to which the class of converted locomotives went so they could be used in a service for which, likely, the original locomotives could have served.

It isn't a hard question, and we had quite a thread on the first converted locomotives not long ago.  The key is in finding out what was done with those parts...

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 12:41 PM

Overmod

And if you don't like that one:

A railroad famously figuring in many posts here bought used locomotives that had to be modified to run on their system.  They had the work done by a company that used parts from other locomotives from the original owner that were removed to make the 'other locomotives', which had been originally essentially suitable (with only minor modifications) to be run on the famous railroad, suitable for the original service from which the used locomotives were taken.

What are the famous and original railroads, all the locomotive classes in question, and the reasons for the modifications? Extra credit -- but not much, considering -- for the name of the people that did the work.

Erik in particular should get this without particular delay.

Are you referring to the New Haven railroad EF-4s, formerly Virginian class EL-C electrics that we’re sold to the. New Haven in 1963 after Norfolk and Western, who bought the Virginian in 1959 and discontinued electric operations in 1962.

I’d assume the locomotives had to been modified to run on the New Haven’s electric system, as I expect it would have been different from the Virginian system.

Worth note is the fact that these locos where re-classes E33 following the PRR classification system after the New Haven/Penn Central merger and continued use though Conrail into the 1980s.

Hope I got it right!

Regards, Isaac

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, May 10, 2019 12:04 PM

narig01: you are on the right track but need more detail.  Where did the parts come from?

 

Hint for the other question: New Canaan.

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Posted by narig01 on Thursday, May 9, 2019 1:54 PM

Overmod

And if you don't like that one:

A railroad famously figuring in many posts here bought used locomotives that had to be modified to run on their system.  They had the work done by a company that used parts from other locomotives from the original owner that were removed to make the 'other locomotives', which had been originally essentially suitable (with only minor modifications) to be run on the famous railroad, suitable for the original service from which the used locomotives were taken.

What are the famous and original railroads, all the locomotive classes in question, and the reasons for the modifications? Extra credit -- but not much, considering -- for the name of the people that did the work.

Erik in particular should get this without particular delay.

 

The New York Central R Class Motors and the ones sold to the South Shore?    Was just reading the Wikipedia entry. I'll get some other books out later. All I could think of.

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Posted by Jones1945 on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 11:13 PM

I am interested in both question from Overmod but I have no clue to the answer. I wish Overmod would reveal the answer of them when posting the new question so that reader and I can learn something from it, but it is up to you. Cheers! Coffee

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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 3:00 PM

Hint to the first question: electric locomotives.  The system involved was a pioneer in more than one type of power, and the tested locomotives continued that 'innovation'.  In the years leading up to our entry into a major conflict.

Hint to the second question: it involved locomotives discussed in a fairly major thread a couple of weeks ago.

New question pending if no one shows an interest in either of these two.

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 12:40 PM

Bumping this up since there has been nothing posted here in over 25 days. Could we get a clue or two or even a new question?

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, April 11, 2019 7:21 PM

And if you don't like that one:

A railroad famously figuring in many posts here bought used locomotives that had to be modified to run on their system.  They had the work done by a company that used parts from other locomotives from the original owner that were removed to make the 'other locomotives', which had been originally essentially suitable (with only minor modifications) to be run on the famous railroad, suitable for the original service from which the used locomotives were taken.

What are the famous and original railroads, all the locomotive classes in question, and the reasons for the modifications? Extra credit -- but not much, considering -- for the name of the people that did the work.

Erik in particular should get this without particular delay.

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, April 11, 2019 7:21 PM

.  No double posting.

I am beginning to tire of tech inadequacy.

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