Does anybody know of any examples of EMD F units being modified for and used in switching service? I think Hays Railroad had an F7B fitted with footboards and presumably used as a switcher. Thanks Raymondhuon
The Conneaut Dock Company, some sort of division of the Bessemer and Lake Erie used both A and B unit F-7’s for switching operations at the ore docks in Ohio. They were painted yellow and black instead of the black and orange of the b&le. If memory serves me correct, they used them up until a few years ago.
However, I do not think they were modified to any great extent for the use.
I have seen pics of F units fitted with footboards but can no longer recall the RR.
The Aberdeen and Rockfish used an F for local switching some 40 years ago. MR had a “railroad you can model” article about the A&R about that same time with a pic.
Dave Nelson
GM&O had some FA1’s fitted with footboards and a large rear headlight on the roof for local switching.
I believe that Pittsburgh & Conneaut Dock was owned directly by US Steel, same as B&LE.
I once met the videographer that made a short video of f-7 pulling iron ore up to the great lakes the thing that most intrigued me was how they unloaded the ore on each hopper car was a wheel with rubber car tire the wheel engaged a ramp the wooden beam was just long enough so the tire would turn the opening gate and the hopper bottom would open the ore would go down a slide into the ore ship then after the car was empty there would be another ramp on the other side of the hopper car it would roll the hopper door shut >>>fun to watch[:O][8)][:)]…Glennbob
I don’t know if it was equipped with footboards, but in the 1970s the SBC in Benjamin hill,Sonora Mexico,used an FP7as a switcher.
That sounds like the unloading method used by Erie Mining.
I saw a Reading FP-7 switch New Hope PA one day. That is the main reason the railroads were heard and the GP’s were developed. there was no practical way to do it the visiblity was so bad. Had they had radios like today the Geeps might never have occurred (speculation) but it has been done.
Exactly. It was used by the LTV Steel Company on their dock on Lake Superior up until 2001 when they stopped operations. However they will be operating a few tailing trains in 2006.