Login
or
Register
Home
»
Trains Magazine
»
Forums
»
General Discussion
»
Your Rarest Locomotive Sighting
Your Rarest Locomotive Sighting
8225 views
63 replies
Order Ascending
Order Descending
1
2
3
dldance
Member since
August 2003
From: Near Promentory UT
1,590 posts
Posted by
dldance
on Monday, January 17, 2005 5:09 PM
I don't know the original manufacturer of this locomotive, but I suspect it was a GE 90 tonner. It had been fitted with lead and steel shielding for moving nuclear reactor experiments between "hot" shop facilities at the Idaho National Engineering Labs in the late 1950's when they were working on a nuclear powered airplane. The engineer had a clear view out of the forward set of windows, but the rear facing windows were blanked out by the shielding. The only way that the engineer could see that direction was through a lead and barium glass shielded periscope. The coupler on that end was remotely controlled and they did not bother with brake glad hands.
The experiments were moved on heavy duty flat cars that were double wide. The whole assemblage ran on two parallel sets of standard guage tracks that were set 4' 8.5" apart. The flat cars had two sets of trucks on each end to fit the parallel tracks.
I was not able to photograph it due to security restrictions, nor do I know what the markings were - but knowning the US government - it had a number.
After all of this was built, the airplane program was cancelled - so I don't think the engine and cars ever made more than a few test moves.
dd
Reply
Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Posted by
Anonymous
on Monday, January 17, 2005 6:51 PM
I saw a clean ESPEE locomotive once...
No, sorry, I made that up. It never happened.
Reply
Edit
Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Posted by
Anonymous
on Monday, January 17, 2005 7:20 PM
i havn't seen to many locomotives. my rarest locomotive sighting would be an EMD F9.
Reply
Edit
bnsfkline
Member since
October 2002
From: St. Louis Area, Florrisant to be specific!!!!!!!!!
1,134 posts
Posted by
bnsfkline
on Monday, January 17, 2005 9:09 PM
Mine is no longer the GP40X, but a Ex SP Commute GP40P-2
Jim Tiroch RIP Saveria DiBlasi - My First True Love and a Great Railfanning Companion Saveria Danielle DiBlasi Feb 5th, 1986 - Nov 4th, 2008 Check em out! My photos that is: http://bnsfkline.rrpicturearchives.net and ALS2001 Productions http://www.youtube.com/ALS2001
Reply
1
2
3
Join our Community!
Our community is
FREE
to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Login »
Register »
Search the Community
Newsletter Sign-Up
By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our
privacy policy
More great sites from Kalmbach Media
Terms Of Use
|
Privacy Policy
|
Copyright Policy