I was wondering if anyone had any info on this rebuild. I think the cabs are from GP38’s, either 81" or 88". The original GP9’s are phase III from 1954-1955. If anyone had any info, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
TRAINS ran an article about the GTW GP9 Rebuilds over a decade ago.
They are called Paducah Rebuilds.
Andrew
They were rebuilt in Battle Creek Mi. , Not Paduca Ky. The GTW bought brand new GP-38 cabs and did a very good job extensively going through the locomotives … One of the best rebuilds I’ve seen !!
Do you know what the article was called, or the year it was published?
I might have been a bit sleepy. I think the replacement cabs were from Paducah.
The article was from the middle of the 1990’s.
I need to figure out which issue of TRAINS had that article.
Andrew
The GTW also “turned” the locos when they were rebuilt, as in changed them from long hood to short hood as fwd. Pictured below is a sister to the GP-9r’s that was sold before the rebuild program.
The cabs and short hoods came from Paducah. The cabs are a bit longer than a normal cab, for better esthetics.
September 1994 Trains had the article about them, the recycled GP9s of Battle Creek. Also has insight into other decisions made by the GTW.
Here’s some photos of a former GTW High-Hood GP9 which is now the Diesel motive power for the Prairie Dog Central Vintage Railway in Manitoba,Canada No# 4138
September 1994 :“The recycled Geeps of Battle Creek”.The shop has been shut down now.When they rebuilt them they ordered the short GP-38 cabs from VMW which took over the old IC rebuild shop.The acid from the battery boxes had eaten through the sheet metal and the air brake system was 24-L instead of 26-L like the GP-38’s which were the dominant power on the roster.The GTW backshop at Battle Creek,Michigan handled all of it.It’s right behind the Kellogg’s Cereal Plant.Not bad for diesels bought in 1955.(Last steam run was 1961),they were the last railroad to own steam as a class 1 railroad.Also have steam,Electric,and Diesel used at the St. Clair tunnel under the Detroit river;first in North America.Only one in the British London Subway beat them as first.
A couple of minor nitpicks, the St. Clair Tunnel is under the St. Clair River, not the Detroit River, which is about 50 miles south. Also, all of the electrics were lettered for and operated by the St. Clair Tunnel Company, which was a CN subsidiary and had its own crew roster.
Gp11 cabs not Gp38 cabs…