Can anyone shed light as to MU availibilty from EMC/EMD as an option on the SW1 or NW1, how about roller bearings? The answer will decide if my first diesel purchase goes to EMC/EMD or Baldwin which offered all of the above across the entire switcher line.
Dave
I am not sure if they were factory-equipped that way, but Milwaukee Road SW1’s 860-864 were mu-equipped and were used in lashups of up to 4 of them on some branch lines in southeastern Minnesota that had light rail, sharp curves and weird grades. See pages 122-125 of Robert Ohlmsted’s Milwaukee Rails .
MU or roller bearing are always an option if you want to pay enough money! That said, I am unaware of ‘factory’ installed MU on SW1 engines. The Milwaukee had 5 SW1’s equipped with MU in later years. Usually, a small 600 hp engine would be purchased for use a a ‘house’ engine to work local industries or a small yard. There really would not be a use for MU, and I suspect all of the them left the factory without MU.
As far as roller bearings; friction bearing would be the standard option if not specified. Remember, these are engines that are used at low speed and at idle a lot of the time. As I mentioned, if you wanted to pay for it, the builder can do it. EMD used Hyatt roller bearings as standard roller bearing on their road engines. C&NW specified Tinkim roller bearings and paid extra for them on their E3’s.
The SW1(600 hp, 567 prime mover) has a long production run(Dec 1938 - Dec 1953). 661 units were produced. The NW1 was older(900 hp, Winton 201-A prime mover) and was produced from Nov 1937 through Jan 1939. Only 27 units were built. A pretty ‘rare’ engine. Walther did have an SW1 model available in HO many year ago. NW1 models would be limited to ‘brass’.
Baldwin produced the VO660 from 1939-1946 - 142 were produced. They also offered the later S-8 switcher, that did have MU, and there were even ‘cow & calf’ versions. A total of about 63 of these 800 hp units were built between 1951 and 1953. Stewart has VO660 and S-8 models available in HO.
I hope this information helps…
Jim Bernier
I’m leaning towards the NW1 as I move my time line to 1939 as these are available RTR in S scale. These switchers will be my primary motive power hence the MU and roller bearing questions. Appreciate the responses.
Dave
This was on a line that was originally built as a 3’ narrow gauge line, the Minnesota Midland. The Milwaukee bought it about 1880 and operated it as a narrow gauge line until converting it to standard gauge in 1903. They continued to use the line into the seventies IIRC.
I just discovered that MU was a seldom requested, but available option, one NC model was so equipped by EMC in 1936 and the option was offered on the SC,NW & SW models. For modeling purposes i’ve also determined that no changes were made to the handrails to install the equiptment, yet another mystery solved!
Dave
Railroads often have a chain instead of the handrail in the middle section of the end handrails, to allow movement from one engine to another. AFAIK it’s not required regardless of whether the engine can m.u. or not??
I do have a penchent for the SP style of MU tower and drop step, of which I have detailed photos and drawings.
Dave
I do not think either one would have been factory equipped with either device. I believe the most common form would have been friction beraings without MU capability. Never say never but it would sure be an oddball equipped that way from the factory. Now a modification based on the needs of the railroad in fairly quick order may have occured but not factory equipped in my opinion.
Stix,
The line they normally ran the ‘Donkeys’ on was the old Southern Minnesota line from La Crescent, MN to Austin, MN. This was standard gauge from the beginning. The Minnesota Midland was a 3’ narrow gauge built between Wabasha, MN and Zumbrota, MN. The Milwaukee Road purchased it, converted it to standard gauge and extended it to Faribault, MN. The ‘Donkeys’ did run on the remains of the Faribault, MN to Zumbrota, MN several times before that last piece was removed(late 70’s/early 80’s).
There was another 3’ line from Reno, MN to Preston, MN. The Milwaukee bought this line as well, and standard gauged it. They later removed part of it between Reno, MN and Caledonia, MN and built another branch from the Southern Minnesota line(Isonours Jct) to Preston, MN. This resulted in a switchback arrangement and the SW1’s ran on this line for many years. Usually a single SW1 would be assigned, but it later years a ‘herd’ of ‘Donkeys’ would be seen with a single car and caboose as they ran over the line to Caledonia, MN.
Jim Bernier
The EMD section in the 1947 Locomotive Cyclopedia has a picture of two SW-1s (NYC 947 and NYC 945) equipped for MU. The end rails are set up for walkways between units. They have friction bearings.
Thanks Jim, I knew it was one of the two narrow gauge lines down there. Guess going thru Midland MN (where the Minnesota Midland met the Milwaukee mainline) behind 261 Sunday had me thinking about the wrong line.
[;)]