EMD F & E Question


NC&StL

NC&StL

Member
Were the grab rails above the windsheilds on E's & F's optional? I see pictures of some with, and some without. Was it an ordering option?
 
I'm no expert, but from what I've read on the subject, they seem to be a more or less "aftermarket" item. It seems that early on, the units were delivered with very minimal grabs on the front end, but after owning them for a while, many railroads started installing grabs in strategic locations to make maintenance easier and safer. The exact style and placement often varies from one rr to another. Not sure if EMD eventually installed grabs at the factory, or if the rr's continued to do their own.
 
They were optional. Some railroads had them installed at the factory, some installed their own because they had a different shape or wanted them in a different location, and some never had any. Same thing with side grabs on the nose. Some railroads didn't want crews up on the nose for any reason and others tried to make it as easy as possible for crews to get up there, mostly to wash the windshields. I'm not aware of any FRA or OSHA rules that required handrails in a certain position
 
The best thing to do is work from photos of your prototype. As a rule the grab and placement was pretty minimal on early/new units and more appeared as the railroads made changes to their fleet. is there a particular project you're doing?

Is that layout still running up there in Gadsden? I saw it once and I seem to remember it being in a courthouse or maybe City Hall? Knew a few guys in the club that built & maintained it.
 
Hey Alan,

Yes, the layout is still going strong. There are some dedicated individuals working on it. Fortunately, one of the members is the resident photo historian of the area, who along with his father before him photographed almost everything in the city and county. They ran a photo shop for 50 years or more, and he has archived the collection for all to enjoy.

It is very detailed and shows the Republic Steel Mill which I have posted a few pictures of on another thread.
 
Glad to hear it. When I lived in Birmingham we used to go up there and to Huntsville every year with the club layout, and those folks used to come down to our NMRA division show. Jim Bertch was (and still is) a friend. Saw him last year at the Smokey City show!
 
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