BTW, just what is the standard fuel these days? I’m presuming #2 diesel (bio-diesel in environmentally hip states).
Except for the bio- component, would it have been #2 or comparable back in the Transition Era? For steamers back then, it seems that I have read that bunker oil was common. But what about now for restored locos?
So many questions, so little time - even in retirement!
John
From what I’ve read, it’s #2, and maybe some type of a seasonal additive, or during cold weather, #1 might be used. On the farm we used the off-road, Ag diesel, it’s got a red dye in it so you can tell it from from other grades.
I know nothing about the tranistion period, as I was transitioning from a baby to a boy. [swg]
Mike.
Mike:
In the province of Ontario, farm fuel is dyed to show that the farmer bought it free of road tax, so should not be using it in non farm vechiles.
Dave
Yea Dave, that’s what meant, just came out different, about the road tax.
We didn’t have any diesel trucks, just tractors, so never a thought of road use, but today it’s much different.
Mike.
I notice you don’t have an engine house but you do have a turntable? In the situation you’re describing, if the railroad was running diesels, it would have removed the turntable, since it would primarily have been used for steam. In fact many early diesels were sold to railroads to work on branch lines specifically so they could eliminate turntables at the end of the branch.
Yes, I know sometimes steam locomotives worked backwards on branchlines, but railroads tried to avoid it. Those that had set up turntables wanted to get rid of them. That’s why one of EMD’s first diesels was the BL-1 / BL-2 - BL for Branch Line. Even before that, railroads like Great Northern had bought diesel switchers to use on branch lines.
I guess different roads did things differently. The New Haven Danbury branch ran all diesel after the wires were pulled down for the electrics and used RS Alcos, or Geeps along with PA’s and FL9’s. the road switchers and Geeps had visibility fore and aft so they could be run long or short hood forward. The others were turned or run around in Danbury where there is a run arond track for the balloon yard. When they were still running passenger service north to Pittsfield, the engines were turned on the “Armstrong” turntable there for the trip home.
Now with the new units on commuter service, there is a control cab built into the last car so there is no need to turn anything. We end up with pullers northbound and pushers southbound. J.R.
The BL1/BL2 was no match for Alcos RS-1 and RS-2. Nobody wanted the BL2 neither the railroads nor EMD’s own sales department.EMD’s first attempt in the road switcher market was a total failure.
Only one BL1 was built while 58 BL2 was built compared to Alco RS-1 and 417 RS-2s. The RS-1 was produced from 1941-1960.
Dick Dilworth’s “ugly duckling” the GP7 would end Alco’s road switcher dominance seeing 2,729 GP7s (including the 5 GP7 B units) was produce between 1949 and 1954.
Don’t forget to fuel your caboose (or you’ll have a cold conductor!)
Actualy the caboose will go to caboose service track to be cleaned and service… A dedicated crew added and removed cabooses from trains and worked the caboose service track…After the caboose was service it was placed on the caboose outbound ready track until needed.
I can understand that, especially if the caboose had holding tank for the privy. Not sure if they did, just kind of speculating.
Mike.
Mike,The older caboose dump on the roadbed much like a passenger car.The more modern cabooses had holding tanks that was supposed to be clean out after every trip.
However…
I would hazard a guess and say the majority of the caboose commodes was used to store extra fusses and some tools.
The reason being you had no privatcy and of course the lingering smell.[xx(]