Grain Elevator Switchers (lots of pics!)

[88gta350]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

He has probably rearranged the site (with new file names) or has taken the pictures down. He originally posted them almost a year ago.

ah, didn't notice the date on the original post. My bad.

[ericsp]

He has probably rearranged the site (with new file names) or has taken the pictures down. He originally posted them almost a year ago.

[espeefoamer]

I can't get pictures from any site that has a red x in the corner. It doesn't matter if I left click, right click, or both at the same time, I still get nothing[:(!].

[88gta350]

I can't see any pics either, what's up?

[mudchicken]

The boxy cabs were designed and fabricated at Topeka, hence Topeka Cabs. San Bernardino built most of the SF30C's and the 7200 (one of a kind SF30B/U23Bm...where is that rascal now ? and odd that the Beep outlasted it)..The SF30C's happened after they closed the shops at Cleburne.

[ShaunCN]

i can't see any pics whats the deal?

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NightCrawler

ell, i was sitting here bored as usual, trying to motivate myself to finish up the details on a couple models. so i decided to go through my pictures and do some organizing. i got to looking at all the different grain elevator switchers that i have captured and i decided to post them here. some of them are quite interesting, and some are pretty plain. but i figure we need something to look at besides all the snow and the "i hate UP" threads.

we'll start off in California. all of these switchers are located along the UP line that runs beside Hwy 99 between Bakersfield and Sacramento. there is one CF7 south of Fresno that i keep trying to catch in the open...no luck so far.







this one is actually just east of Ontario on the old SP line. right next to I-15





all these switchers can be found along the UP line across Nebraska and can be seen from Highway 30.


















and these last 2 are on galveston Island. when i was there back in March there were quite a few different types around. galveston Railroad runs a fleet od SW1001's. the giant grain elevators there use a few of these white switchers. and there were a bunch of old SP and SSW SW1500's there also. along with this yellow one and some different ones at the railroad museum. if you love switchers, i would highly recommend a trip to Galveston Texas.





now for the fun part. i have absolutely no idea what type of locomotive most of these are. if you know, please reply and let the rest of us know[:D][:D]

Is that CF7 that you are trying to get a picture of the one at Zacky Farms in Traver? A few years ago it actually had the Zacky Farms logo and a number (2631) on it. They have removed it from the side that is visible from 99. I believe I saw the over side back in Janaury 2002, but I do not remember if the markings were still on that side. They have another locomotive now. It is a GP9 or GP7 with a new cab. It is numbered 1636 if I remember correctly

Here is a list of grain elevators by 99 that I can think of that have switchers.
O.H. Krause Grain between Tipton and Pixley.
Western Milling on the north side of Goshen.
Zacky Farms on the south side of Traver (2 switchers).
Miller Milling in Fresno (1/2 mile east of the Freeway at North Avenue).
Foster Farms north of Livingston.
A. C. Gilbert at Keyes.

Also, Pacific Ethanol/Pacific Ag Products at the BNSF tracks and Avenue 12 in Madera County has a switcher. There is a fairly new grain elevator in Denair (BNSF) that has a switcher.

[foamer4000]

The FEC 7558 is a gp-9 (or a 7) and is located in Chappel Nebraska.
Foam on!

[edblysard]

Econorail has a mini fleet of them,
There is two of them working the Arco coker plant down here, Cargil grain had one for a while at Jacintoport.
Pretty useful machine, for the cost.
Ed

[corwinda]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard
[Still see these things all over, anywhere a medium size switch motor is needed.
Ed

There's one here in Springfield, OR as a plant switcher. WATCO marks.[:)]


Richard Reid

[Anonymous]

Ok then. Here's a nother quiz what does SSB stand for?????????

[edblysard]

Railpac wins!
Almost impossible to thinks those things started life as F7s.
But, Santa Fe reused the frames, trucks, prime movers and most of the electrical system.
Scratch built the cabs, and re-used old GP7 and GP9 long hoods.
The square, box like cab has also been applied to quite a few Santa Fe GPs.
Excellent example of not throwing away or scraping something that still has a use.
Why buy new GP38s, when you can built them yourself, out of parts you have on hand?
Still see these things all over, anywhere a medium size switch motor is needed.
Ed

[Anonymous]

VERY COOL!!!!!!!

HOPE TO SEE MORE OF YOUR PICTURES

[Anonymous]

The "C" in CF7 stands for "Cleburne", because this is where the WW2 vintage F7's were rebuilt with a roadswitcher type body; at the Santa Fe's Cleburne, Texas shops. Many other rebuilds were done here such as the SF's SSB1200 switchers and Fairbanks Morse switcher with a GP style long hood and EMD 567 engine (only one produced). And correct me if I'm wrong, but wern't Santa Fe's SF30C's rebuilt at Cleburne also?

[espeefoamer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SLIC

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

The "little yellow one" is a ex HBT sw1500.
The two white ones came thru here about 3 years ago, worked out at Cargil in Jacintoport, then went to Galveston.
Note most of them are EMD products?
You have the 65 ton center cab and a Alco, but the old SWs keep on banging away.
Cheap to buy, cheap to fix, and will keep pulling till the wheels burn off.

Side note, who know what the C in the CF7 stands for, and what the locomotive started out as?
Clue, think Santa Fe!
Stay Frosty,
Ed

while lookin at a map of texas i noticed 2 diffrent Santa Fe lines
ATSF & GCSF ATCHISON TOPEKA & SANTAFE - GULF COAST & SANTA FE
I guess this was the same company or was GCSF aquired by ATSF ???

By Texas law,any railroad operated in that state had to be incorperated there. ATSF incorporated the GCSF to operate in that state. Southern Pacific operated the T&NO for the same reason.

[timthechef]

I know the answer, here's a hint, the answer was in MR a few months ago.

[Anonymous]

I was looking at the hand rails to make the ID

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

The "little yellow one" is a ex HBT sw1500.
The two white ones came thru here about 3 years ago, worked out at Cargil in Jacintoport, then went to Galveston.
Note most of them are EMD products?
You have the 65 ton center cab and a Alco, but the old SWs keep on banging away.
Cheap to buy, cheap to fix, and will keep pulling till the wheels burn off.

Side note, who know what the C in the CF7 stands for, and what the locomotive started out as?
Clue, think Santa Fe!
Stay Frosty,
Ed

while lookin at a map of texas i noticed 2 diffrent Santa Fe lines
ATSF & GCSF ATCHISON TOPEKA & SANTAFE - GULF COAST & SANTA FE
I guess this was the same company or was GCSF aquired by ATSF ???

[Mookie]

Ed - does the C stand for Cute?

Mook

[fuzzybroken]

I think the ones identified as "GP9's" are actually GP7s, unless rebuilt or very early GP9's. Most (not the x-BN) look like Santa Fe rebuilds.

-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken
[8D]

[Anonymous]

Oops, I stand very corrected. those are S-5's or S-6's. What could have I been thinking. DUH!!!!! Brain fart !!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by drailed1999

Ok after a few miniuts of research, here's the list.
1) ALCo S-2 ex SP
2) ALCo S-4

No, I am sorry, but neither of those are S-2's or S-4's. On the first one, look at the trucks, all S-2's have ALCo blunt trucks, and look at the position of the exaust stack, this is a 251 powered model (not 539), either a S-5 or S-6 (no MAJOR spotting differences between the two, just HP [S-5 - 800hp.... S-6 - 900hp]). Same with the second ALCo switcher, look at the position of the exaust stack, also a 251 powered model. This one as well is a S-5 or S-6.

[UPTRAIN]

If it happens at night get ya some big shop lights and set em out by the track. [:D]

[Anonymous]

The yellow #771 sure looks a lot like the original Iowa Northern livery. I saw
a switcher that may have been the same model as that parked on a weeded-
over siding of the old Rock Island in Vinton, Iowa. I'd be interested to know
the lineage of #771.

[Anonymous]

Man, nice photos. I need to move. I'm missing out. Everything around here happens at night.

[Anonymous]

Those are really great pictures! Thanks for sharing them with us! I'm from Western Canada, so I've certainly seen my share of elevators! A certain Cargill elevator used to have some switchers that were named, but now they've got rid of the names. One was called Fred Pelhay and I can't rememebr the others.

[UPTRAIN]

GOOD LORD I CAN'T HELP MY SELF.........CF7 means_______________ it is an ex_____. I think the Cargill SD40-2 is an ex mo-pac!!! Damn, they must be pulling alot of cars outta there to need 3,000 horses!!!!!!!!!

[espeefoamer]

[;)]I know the answer to this one ! My silence can be bought![:)]

[edblysard]

Derailed,
took a close look at the yellow one, note the sharp cut in the hood, instead of the more gentle, long slope EMD used later, and the headlight.
Your right it is a old, old NW.

For all of you out there wondering, these things are the railroads version of a mid 60s Chevy pick up truck.

Ugly, beat up, simple to repair and cheap.

Everybody has parts for them, and what you cant buy, you can make.

They get swapped around, sold, re sold, rebult, "kitbashed" and modified, and traded all the time.

On some, the only thing keeping the weather out is the 12 or 13 differen coats of paint they have had.

They are tough little beasties.

And just like most farmers, with a old Chevy work truck out in the barn, about every heavy industry has one or two stashed out back to switch their plant.

Stay Frosty
Ed