Diesels in a consist

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oplholik

oplholik

Member
In a consist with 4 or 5 diesels, would there ever be, say 1 or 2, four axle diesels together with the six axle diesels? Don't believe I've ever noticed any, but just wondering.

Paul
 
Maybe. Sometimes railroads have to move various locomotives from place to place (sending them to/from servicing/overhaul, replacing other locomotives at destination that are bad ordered or some other demand for more power at destination, etc.), and you may see an oddball collection of power.
 
I've seen two or more SD's with some GP's in the consist, and all were working.
I've also seen two SD's with three SW's in the consist, but as Trey said they were in transit.
 


Indeed, it really depends on the railraod. The CSX routinely mixes SD-40's and GP-38's for yard transfer jobs. Shortlines don't have the luxury of deciding which engines to use and will usually lash up whavever power is available. You see this kind of mixture less often on Class 1 mainline freights just because there are so few modern four axle locomotives.
 
In the final years SP would lash up whatever they could find. A mixed power setup was more common than not, and included 6 axle road, 4 axle road and yard switchers and even slugs if they needed the power. The only common factor was the rust......
 
Back in the "good old days", a 4 axle unit was preferred for high-speed, light freights, and the 6 axle units got drag freights, coal trains, steep hills, etc. This because the horsepower per axle was higher on the 4 axle units, they tend to accelerate faster, but have lower short time ratings for climbing hills.
 
We run 4 and 6 axle units together all the time on BNSF. A few years ago when we were doing record volume of trains, anything and everything was being used. Now that business is so slow, all the older stuff has been put in storage and only the newer 6 axle units are being used. The older 4 axle road units (GP60, 60M, 60B, Dash 8-40B, Dash 8-40BW) are being used for switch power in the yard, locals, and road switchers.
 


Laidoffsick said:
We run 4 and 6 axle units together all the time on BNSF. A few years ago when we were doing record volume of trains, anything and everything was being used. Now that business is so slow, all the older stuff has been put in storage and only the newer 6 axle units are being used. The older 4 axle road units (GP60, 60M, 60B, Dash 8-40B, Dash 8-40BW) are being used for switch power in the yard, locals, and road switchers.
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Yes, I remember seeing GP9's lashed up with dash 9's over Cajon. Now, there are a pair of GP60M's working the local switch job. With a caboose.:)
 
The boston and Maine had a diesel doubleheading with a steam loco on a special train. I forget the name of it. It was BM 200, a steamer, some TOFCs, then some passenger cars. Both the GP38-2 and the steamer were running
 
Here on CSX it's usually sets of 6 axle's, due to the need for cab signals...

Out in Amsterdam,NY, where there are no cab signals, i've seen anything and everything all on one train and on-line.
 
diburning said:
The boston and Maine had a diesel doubleheading with a steam loco on a special train. I forget the name of it. It was BM 200, a steamer, some TOFCs, then some passenger cars. Both the GP38-2 and the steamer were running
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Do you know if the steamer has an MU stand, or if the diesel had to be manned?
 
in 1955, EMD was way late delivering new GP-9's to the NKP due to a strike. They had already traded in some Alcos on the Geeps so they were short of power and it was a cold winter. The NKP started bringing in long coal drags using a Berkshire on the point and whatever diesel power they could scrape up as helpers. The Berkshire was manned, as well as the first diesel in the consist. Since the NKP was one of the early users of two way radios, the steam engineer could radio back to the diesel engineer for more or less power depending on the track condition. I guess it was a primitive form of MU control. Only lasted that one winter but it sure was a sight to see.
 
Interesting

Interesting that you mention that business is a bit slow now. Must be one of the reasons that Warren Buffett bought BNSF. Commodities were booming back then; Potash, metal, etc.

Cheers,

BH
 


diburning said:
CSX would occasionally put a GP40-2 behind two ES44AC-CTEs and have it on-line and pulling the train.
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Its usually the crappiest gp-40-2 in the lead and the new evolutions in the rear at least thats how we get the power out of Willard OH, enroute to Cleveland
 
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