Greetings All; Speaking of GE switchers and 75 tonners, what ever happened to the manufacturer who was "ready to release" a GE S gauge 70T a few years ago? Ben Perry
Rollain Mercier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: and he notes - GE started early in the locomotive business, (1924 with an unsuccessful demonstrator) but never made much of it until the sixties. They made a number of industrial locos as well as a few box cabs, notably 300 and 600hp versions for IC, Ford, Hoboken Terminal etc. as well as a couple of construction companies. They also supplied generators and traction motors to EMC for their gas electrics. One sidenote - GE solved EMC's cranky mechanical throttle problem with a 14 point electrical throttle that went on to be used in EMD's diesels. As they were also teamed with ALCO, all of their locos used this throttle too and when GE began producing road locos in the sixties - same throttle arrangement. This coincidence allowed all three builders' products to MU, a factor that made BLH and FM locos less desirable in road applications. GE went on to build "2 and 3 power" box cab locos for NYC, Rock Island and D&LW in 1930. They were mostly used in and around terminals where smoke was a problem, although the Central did use them in yard operations in later years.They built their first cab style switchers for Bush Terminal in 1931 and a few 600 hp center-cabs in the early 30s. (Like the earlier 600hp box-cabs, they had two 300hp prime movers). Perhaps the breakthrough locos were the ten 600hp Hew Haven DEY-2 class switchers as they had one single motor-generator. They look a bit like a short RS1 with the same truck used on the 44 tonner. They were very successful and a few lasted well into the sixties on the BAR and a couple of industrial yards. They weighed about 110 tons and would be a match for early ALCO or EMD switchers. They built several 1000hp center-cabs in the late 40s, notably the Ford streamlined versions, (one of which is preserved somewhere) and struck paydirt with the 44 tonner in 1940. Because of the Union fireman rules for locomotives exceeding 90,000 lbs, the locomotive found a niche with 300 or so being constructed as late as the mid 50s. At 380hp they aren't a match for an SW or ALCO but their big brothers would be. Another sidenote: The Springfield Terminal RR in Southeastern Vermont, purchased 44 tonners to replace their steeple-cab electrics and eliminate two (of the four) extra crewmen, (a fireman and a wireman), both required by Union contracts. However the Brotherhood threatened to strike if the jobs were eliminated so for a while they ran with four men - all squeezed into a 44 ton cab! The War restricted GE's locomotive building to supplying electrical equipment to ALCO and strategic marine builders, as well as a few industrial locos for the War Department, but after the war they did build 70 and 95 ton locos for branch lines and industrial applications. They have the 44 Tonner cab and a short ALCO style car body. The only difference between the 70 ton and 95 ton locos is a heavier frame. Both are 500-600hp locos and would compare with early SW's and HH600s. It would appear that they were more for small roads or light branches with traffic too heavy for a 44 tonner. Some of the 70 tonners are still in use here in Maine: http://www.wegoplaces.com/Attraction_829.aspx I'm sure there are a number of others still around too. Here is a link to Northeast Railfan's 70 ton page - plenty of photos to click on for larger images: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/diesel131.html GE did not enter the switcher market like EMD did as they were already in the business with ALCO. By the time they started building their own locomotives, the need for switchers had diminished so they concentrated on road locomotives. With a small market for industrial and export switchers, they did crank out occaisional locos. ALCO's last switchers, the 28 "Century 415" series were built in the 1960s: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/diesel13.html In a few years, EMD had also discontinued switchers in regular production too. You can browse this site for the whole, (I think) line of GE switchers as well as other manufacturers: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/diesel.html Hope this helps, Raleigh At 03:05 PM 11/4/2004, Barry Comer wrote: > What GE switcher would be comparable to the NW's, SW's, and >Alco S's? I think the 44 tonner would be too small. How much could the >70 tonner handle? Did they make an 85 tonner, or other sizes? >Thanks again, Barry. Change your membership, change your message settings, use our CALENDAR, view shared files or photos, view the list archives, GO TO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ Yahoo! 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