movie diesels

[cabforward]

what modifications, if any, are needed for diesels to work in very cold climates? (alaska, minnesota, etc.) do diesels need something beyond engine and oil-warmers?

what type of engine was used in the movie, "runaway train"? this was about 2 prisoners who broke prison, climbed aboard a set of 'light engines' and rode a runaway thru the alaskan wilderness.. were these engines modified for special service?

[foamer4000]

Departing slightly from your question. A gravel company in Rolla Colorado used to use two ex Sp SD-39-2 in rock train service. These units were painted in D&RGW colors and stared in a movie. I belive it was sling blade but I am not certain.

A popular modification in cold climates is a winterization hatch. It recurculates exaust radiator heat and keeps the prime mover warm.

One of the units in "Runaway Train" was a F-7 or a FP-7.

[Anonymous]

I belive the 2 SP SD39's that are painted in DRGW colors were in the movie Switchback with Dennis Quaid and Danny Glover. There is also a jordan spreader in the movie too,anyone know the history of that?

In the movie "Runaway Train" there were 4 locomotives. I think they were all Alaska RR locomotives painted with water based paint so that the ARR paint was not shown. The first one was either a GP38 or GP35 2nd FP7, 3rd and 4th were GP-7's with alco trucks.

Also in that movie was one of alaska's MR-1??? locomotives.
hope this helps.

[eolafan]

Some units in such climates will have deflectors around their radiator intakes to keep blowing snow out of the electrical components to prevent shorting out, but that's about it except for the engine oil and coolant heaters on some roads. The units used in Runaway Train (as I recall without watching my tape of it again) were F-7 (an A unit and a B unit), a GP9 and a GP30.

[dknelson]

The most obvious modification for cold weather climate is a larger and more effective snow plow! And the SP used to equip their engines with a raised bracket I believe to remove icicles. I do not know if that was to protect the rest of the locomotive
Dave Nelson

[adrianspeeder]

I think that the raised braket was used to protect vista dome passenger cars farther back in the train. I guess if you were sitting in the dome and a huge ice chunk hit and broke out all the glass, it would ruin the trip.

The movie with the runaway locos was painful to watch. If i remember, they used a fire extinguisher to break the MU connections to slow down the train. Also only the lead loco would be able to stop the train. Make it stop!

-Adrian

[corwinda]

I think those brackets were added to clear icicles from tunnels. They were only on a few units assigned to snowplow service as far as I know.

[foamer4000]

Michigan railroads often do not use snow plows. It is very cold their in the winter.
The ice breaker bars located on some S.p. units were used to protect vista dome windows.

[Anonymous]

Canadian Pacific diesels had the ice breakers on their passenger units as well. It was primarily to break off icicles so they would not be struck by the domes. (Seems a pity that some VIA Rail F40s are not equipped in a similar way.)

[foamer4000]

One oddety. The D&RGW California Zephyr did not have plows or ice breakers on its locomotives. This vista dome train left Denver to directly conquest the rocky mountains famed tunnel district.