maxman wrench567 Thank you Maxman. Sounded like he was calling me a lier. I'm not a weatherman or a politician. Pete. Used car salesman?
wrench567 Thank you Maxman. Sounded like he was calling me a lier. I'm not a weatherman or a politician. Pete.
Thank you Maxman. Sounded like he was calling me a lier. I'm not a weatherman or a politician.
Pete.
Used car salesman?
No way. I wish I was a banker. So you can give me a bunch of your money to use to make me rich and I'll pay you .001 percent of the cut.
https://airfloat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Locomotive-Assembly-Case-Study.pdf
(watch out for the blanket)
wrench567I saw a program on TV about building locomotives. At the GE plant they had these platforms where shop air was hooked into and the locomotive was elevated on a cushion of air. The workers would simply push it to the next station. Like an air hockey table. That was neet.
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
I saw a program on TV about building locomotives. At the GE plant they had these platforms where shop air was hooked into and the locomotive was elevated on a cushion of air. The workers would simply push it to the next station. Like an air hockey table. That was neet.
well the answer is that there is no universal method. just about anything you can imagine as a motive source can and will be used
I worked in Southern Railway's shop in Chattanooga in 1973 and they were moving locomotives with the batteries. I got the impression that they had been doing it for some time.
If it's on its own wheels and can roll, another locomotive or TrackMobile type unit can move it around.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
This is what the "shop switching crew" is for, or in some cases, hostlers (and hostler helpers).
Years (and years) ago, I worked on the diesel shop switching crew in New Haven. They'd make the necessary moves with whatever engine was around.
I was also a hostler in the Metro-North Croton Harmon shops in 1983 (one of Metro-North's "forever firemen"). We would work with a hostler helper (a separate position, he was not "a brakeman"), or with another hostler, moving all kinds of equipment in the shop -- engines, MU's, etc.
There was also a shop switching crew on duty, as well. They handled certain moves the hostlers didn't or weren't supposed to make.
I've seen a few "slugs" made from spare locomotive trucks used in various shops:
https://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/photos/cr-0-1
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3842121
Then there's these:
https://rollingstockmover.com/rail-movers/
[edit] I forgot to mention the use of "capstan" car movers. I recall one being used in a C-N shop in Toronto. A slowly truning drum is wrapped with a turn or two of strong rope the other end being hooked into a "pulling staple" or designated eye.
With slight pressure being applied on the free end of the rope the force is multiplied by the geared capstan and the car easily moves.
https://www.carpuller.com/
Regards, Ed
Cranes
Another locomotive
Fork lift
Tractor
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Thanks for your so quick answers !
It's clearer for me now. One question more, I'm curious and very interested in shops organisations : I understood that modern locomotives use battery+ 1 traction motor for short move. How locomotives were moved inside maintenance shops during the 70'/80' ? I suppose that device did'nt exist at this time ?
Best.Francis
Or overhead cranes.
Or another locomotive.
In a big shop there may be multiple pads, so as a spot opens up on one pad the locomotive advances.
At the UP Jenks shop the locomotives were disasembled and the components moved to each pad, then reassembled at the end, from the parts available.
1. most modern locomotives have a form of "spotter control". Basically, the locomotive's battery power is used to power one traction motor to move it short distances without having to fire up the prime mover.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Hi,
I would like to know how locomotives are moved inside modern maintenance shops.
I read in several articles that nowdays, maintenance shops are frequently organised like "assembly lines". That means that locomotives are moved from one dedicated pad to another one (instead worker teams moving from a locomotive to another one). There are inbound entrances and outbound exits for the shop.
1) How are locomotives moved from one "pad" to another ? (I imagine than the diesels engines (prime movers) of the serviced locomotives cant be used inside shop to proceed for 10 meters !). I cant figure how an external yard switcher (locomotive) can do the job : there is a file of several locomotives on the rails beetween the entrance and the exit of the shop ...
2) Are the locomotives in the same line all moved a the same moment ? (synchronouly). Does it mean that all the jobs to perform on the different pads must be achivied in the same timing ? How to exit a locomotive in the middle of the line if the maintenance is completed ? What happend if a job can't be completed for a locomotive in a line ? How are correctly spaced the differents locomotives to be correctly placed on the differents pads ?
Thanks in advance !
Francis