Rail roads and their tracks.

[oldtimer 66]

I did some work on one of these switch engines. Someone told be they were US army and built during the war.View attachment 3547311

Yes this appears to be a GE switcher. I remember 85, 110 and 144 ton models. There may have been a another lighter model. I only remember the dual engine design. The trucks were ballasted to maker up the different weights. They had iron brake shoes with clasp brakes and class C wheels with this equalized truck. They had a 36 volt electric system that made them an albatross versus the standard 72 volt loco system. The 144 ton model, if I remember correctly used a GA 72 gear box with a 761 traction motor. If they were shipped dead in tow and the traction motors were de-geared. Then at there destination the pinions were re-installed. My first contact with these locomotives was a India order for 10 loco's with 66" gauge back in the early 80's.

 

[ArlyA]

I sure like having this KCS (ex-Frisco) GP40-2 engine around town to add some nice color. Here the EMD rests at the CPKC Rices Point yard office while the 1000-footer American Century departs with coal for Detroit Edison. Resting at the port terminal is the Presque Isle while workers from Fraser Shipyards repair its hull with the small work boat seen there.. Duluth, MN - June 10, 2025

 

[bcp]

AI doesn't understand railroads and their tracks.

Bruce

 

[BravoXray]

AI doesn't understand railroads and their tracks.

View attachment 3577067


Bruce

There's a lot wrong in that picture!

 

[MossRoad]

There's a lot wrong in that picture!

 

[oldtimer 66]

Yes this appears to be a GE switcher. I remember 85, 110 and 144 ton models. There may have been a another lighter model. I only remember the dual engine design. The trucks were ballasted to maker up the different weights. They had iron brake shoes with clasp brakes and class C wheels with this equalized truck. They had a 36 volt electric system that made them an albatross versus the standard 72 volt loco system. The 144 ton model, if I remember correctly used a GA 72 gear box with a 761 traction motor. If they were shipped dead in tow and the traction motors were de-geared. Then at there destination the pinions were re-installed. My first contact with these locomotives was a India order for 10 loco's with 66" gauge back in the early 80's.

I have to correct myself. I looked at the Google link with the list of industrial GE switcher locomotives and some follow on pictures. I mentioned the equalized truck. Well the India locomotives had primary suspension at the journal boxes no equalized suspension. I did see the Big River switcher listed. My brother-in-law worked for Big River Electric Company/ part of the TVA/ at the time and I visited the power plant and rode that locomotive. The power company had I think, 11 side dump cars that they used to haul the slurry from the scrubbers to a on site land fill. The power plant interchanged with BN at that time. Just some old info.

 

[ArlyA]

I have to correct myself. I looked at the Google link with the list of industrial GE switcher locomotives and some follow on pictures. I mentioned the equalized truck. Well the India locomotives had primary suspension at the journal boxes no equalized suspension. I did see the Big River switcher listed. My brother-in-law worked for Big River Electric Company/ part of the TVA/ at the time and I visited the power plant and rode that locomotive. The power company had I think, 11 side dump cars that they used to haul the slurry from the scrubbers to a on site land fill. The power plant interchanged with BN at that time. Just some old info.

I had friends who worked for the TVA.

 

[ArlyA]

BNSF's impressive office car train crossing Grassy Point today headed for Rices Point in Duluth. Employee family rides between Duluth and Superior will be tomorrow at 1300 and 1800. I hope it is sunny! Duluth, MN - June 16, 2025

 

[ArlyA]

Love this pic, Train derailment Ravenna, Ohio winter 1969

 

[ArlyA]

We stopped in Proctor MN to get a butt break yesterday and took photos of the steam coupler to the front drive truck. Rear drive truck seemed to be attached to the frame while the front swiveled necessitating a flexible stream coupler.
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The Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Yellowstones were built in two classes by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA: eight M3 class in 1941 (#220-227) and ten M4 class in 1943 (#228-237).
This type of locomotive took its name from the "Yellowstone Route", the name of the Northern Pacific line, the railroad which ordered the first
2-8-8-4s from Alco in 1928. No NP Yellowstones have survived, but there are three DM&IR Yellowstones left in the US. As well as M3 #225 on this page, you can see M3 #227 on the Lake Superior Railroad Museum page and M4 #229 on the Two Harbors, Depot Museum page.


#225 is on display just off US Highway 2 in Proctor, MN. I have visited several times and the photos on this page are from various dates.