I am looking for proto info on the B&O street switchers used in Baltimore in the 1940’s. They moved freight cars along city streets at the docks and produce terminals. They had a center cab and wide solid rubber tires. I think they had grooves in the tire centers so that they could run on exposed ties rail to pick up the freight cars. As i recall the were steered with a ship type spoked wheel. They ran on Pratt and Lombard Streets. Thanks in advance …
Shamuga
go to the links section of this website.Go to historical societies.look up B&O. this should help in your search.
Joe
You’re mixing up your street switchers. The PRR had a large number of solid rubber tired tractors with the ship’s helm you describe. The B&O used several small trolley motors over the years; MR had drawings of the last one several years ago. When the lacal streetcar line folded, B&O purchased a four wheel tractor to replace the trolley; it was unlike the PRR machines which were used just a few blocks away. The last B&O trolley motor used and the tractor are both in the B&O Museum collection. I don’t know their status after the infamous roof collapse, and I don’t think the staff there has time to fool with inquiries about them at this time. A copy of Harwood’s “The Impossible Challenge” will show you what the B&O stuff looked like; inquire at one of the PRR historical groups to see what their machines looked like.
…Go to “Google Search Page” and type in: Rubber Tired Street Switcher Photos…You will find on the page that comes up: What’s New…Go down that list to find Rubber Tired Switchers…I did and found beautiful B/W photos of both kinds.
QM
Don’t know about the B&O but rubber-tired switchers were still in use into the 80’s on Conrail in the Fells Point area of Baltimore. I thought the B&O used an SW1 on the “Gutter Job” (Pratt St.).