25 ton GE Locos

[XG01X]

Is there still 25ton GE working on a railroad? 

[Jetrock]

I still see the blue GE 25 tonner working at the Simsmetal scrap yard in Sacramento, CA. Admittedly, I haven't ever caught it in action, but it moves around the yard (I see it in different spots) so I assume that it is still being used. Typically these engines were not used by railroads but by industries who needed a low-cost switcher to spot cars within their own property. I'm a great fan of small locomotives and the 25 tonner is a favorite.

Here's a shot of the critter in question from 2003.

[rtstasiak]

There are two (2) little GE's (25 ton or 35 ton, not really sure) still working at the ADM facilities in Buffalo, NY.  One unit is orange, the other yellow, and both marked for Standard Elevator Company.  Have a look at one at George Ellwood's site

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-s/secx001ars.jpg

The orange one supposedly has a REALLY LOUD whistle, for safety's sake.

Rich

[rrandb]

The GE 35 ton switchers were built with the hood almost as tall as the cab. The other side of the coin is did any GE 25 tonners ever wear a railroads colors or were they all privatly owned for switching operations?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Off the top of my head, the only 25-tonners that carried a railroad name were Long Island 398-399, and they served as shop switchers.  A 25-tonner is really too light to serve as anything other than a plant switcher.

[rrandb]

What's amazing is that these little engines were/are able to do what they do. By its very name (25 ton) it only weights 50,000 lbs which is less than half the weight of a loaded railcar when it was built. It's Cummins HBI engine produced only 150 HP about the same as a modern small to mid-size car. Quite a testament to the concept of a diesel-elecric switcher. David moving Goliath on a daily basis. I wonder what it's abilities were (how many) to move loaded cars on flat track?

[joseph2]

I am employed at a grain elevator that has a 35 Ton GE,sometimes I work as an engineer or a brakeman.Ours was built in 1957 and recently re-engined with a turbo charged Cummins,maybe 275 hp.It's capacity is 13 empty or 4 loaded covered hoppers on our worst grades, 8 loaded cars on a level grade. It is conventionly equalized. We are considering leasing a SW1.   Joe

[rrandb]

I would be interseted to know if yours was built with the conventional equlized suspension or the more unusual independent axel suspension. The side plates would be notched for the independent axels as oppossed to open under the frame with the axels connected by equalizers simular to the photos above?

[NS2591]

 The Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railway, Now the Great Lakes Central has one that is used for alot of different things, I have seen it running, It is in the TSBY Colors.

[rn204]

One of them is used her at SGB . In Goes, Holland.

Groetjes  Franz

[Dave-the-Train]

I still see the blue GE 25 tonner working at the Simsmetal scrap yard in Sacramento, CA. Admittedly, I haven't ever caught it in action, but it moves around the yard (I see it in different spots) so I assume that it is still being used. Typically these engines were not used by railroads but by industries who needed a low-cost switcher to spot cars within their own property. I'm a great fan of small locomotives and the 25 tonner is a favorite.

Here's a shot of the critter in question from 2003.

A bit off topic but... interesting use of dead gons as skips in that pic

[Jetrock]

noted. I have a couple of beat-to-near-worthlessness toy-train gondola bodies (originally from talgo-trucked trainset stock from my youth) which are slated to become those skips once I get this darn mini layout finished...once I get my train stuff out of boxes!!!

[wedudler]

I'm very interested in these little critters. I've build the Keystone kit of a GE 44-ton. I had someone for a new driving unit. So this engine is now a gem:
http://www.westportterminal.de/video/Henry1.wmv 4 MB


Now I want to build such a 25-ton. What's the top speed this engine can make?

[joseph2]

20  mph is the max for our 35 Ton GE.I will assume a 25 Ton is the same.Grandt Line might make a kit of that model.  Joe

[SSW9389]

The Arkansas Railroad Museum (ARM) has a pair of them to hostle equipment around the Museum. The ARM has a pair of the GE 25 Ton Locomotives in its collection. The 1940s model is in service as of January 13th and the 1953 model is being worked on to get it operational. The ARM is located in Pine Bluff Arkansas and is operated by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society CBRHS. The ARM will have its Annual Railroadiana and Model Show on Saturday April 14th. The 25 Ton GE will have its work cut out for it moving the display equipment out of the old Cotton Belt Backshop so that the Show can be set up inside.

 

Ed Cooper

CBRHS #111

 

 

[GAPPLEG]

One is in use , of course at the GE plant in Erie PA. It's used by the test dept. to move unit around near the shipping scales.

[Anonymous]

Petaluma Trolley has a restored April 1948 GE 25 Ton locomotive, serial number 29354, operating in it's yard at Copeland and Washington Streets in Petaluma California. This locomotive carries Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad No. 5, continuing the P&SR's Diesel engine numbering sequence.

This engine is lettered for Petaluma Trolley, as well as for the Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad. Petaluma Trolley is a railway museum whose mission is to preserve and interpret to the public and it's members the rights of way, structures, rolling stock, arts and traditions of the Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad.

The P&SR ran electric passenger service from 1904 until 1932. Their best year was 1912, when they carried 250,000 passengers. The P&SR electric feight service ran from 1904 until 1946 and continued with GE 44 Ton Diesel Electric locomotives until 1976. The P&SR operated two sternwheel steamboats, connecting the railroad at Petaluma with the rest of the world in San Francisco. These boats were run continuously from 1904 until 1950.

This 25 Ton GE engine was last owned by Murphy Contractors and operated by the Central New England Railroad in West Hartford, Conneticut. While working the CNE, on one of their short lines, it switched a 4 state Home Depot warehouse.

The engineer and conductor that ran it on the CNE told me, "You are going to be amazed at how much guts this little guy has." It has proven to be a very smooth and powerful unit, a very willing piece of equipment.

I have taken some photos of the little loco if we can figure out how to show them.

[billybobjoe]

I know this is a very, very late reply, but I just saw this thread now and thought some may be interested. 

My Local railroad, the Providence Worcester, has a GE 25 ton switcher built in 1945 which is both still in use and also bears the railroads livery. A quick Google Image search for "providence and worcester 25 ton ge" shows some great pictures.

[joe323]

There is one in Hawaii I remember on the Plantation ride I think we rode in Kaui.

[carknocker1]

We have one we use in Mobile ,AL. at the Frascatti shops . It dosn't get used like it use to because of the new track mobile but about twice a month it still earns its keep