I have seen pictures of diesel electric hood units in RR shops with the hoods removed to access the internal componets like the prime mover. I am assuming that this can be done fairly easily without damaging the locomotive for maintance reasons. Has a museum considered taking off the long hoods of a locomotive to have an exhibit of the internals of adiesel electric? I think this would be a cool an unique exhibit that would attract a crowd. The best part is that the hood could be put back on if there is not enough interest. Is this a reasonable idea, or would it be a lot of effort?
Hoods are designed to come off. However it requires a crane to do it, an expense and time that many museums cannot afford. I have been to many museums that open the hood doors. That shows almost as much as removing the hood and does not require any additional expense. Ever been to a car show where all the owners pop open their hoods? With cab units, such as Es and Fs where the bodies do not come off, I have been to museums where people are allowed to walk through the engine compartments. That is a great thing, too.
St. Louis Museum of Transportation has UP #2804 with the hood removed and some engine parts removed for display of internal components. Union Pacific did the "remodeling" for training purposes and gave it to the museum when they were finished with it.
This is the engine at the St Louis Museum with the hood removed (sorry about the pic quality):
This is the Georgia Rail Museum removing the hood of a switcher presumably so they can do some maintenance:
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Here's UP 1861 when I visited the MRPS in October:
Although I'm not sure exactly why the hoods were off. I was leaning against the removed hoods to steady my camera BTW.
When MRPS doesn't use it to pull tour groups around the grounds a bit, they open the hoods of their functional unit and explain how things work.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Becky's last shot reminds me of how the Susquehanna used to run their RS-1's, with the hoods open that is.
Mind you, that wasn't to show off the innards, that was to keep 'em from overheating!
Horizon Rail, who rents one of the stalls at MRPS, is doing work on that UP engine. If I remember correctly, the prime mover and the main generator were supposed to get pulled out and replaced.
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