Hello
What’s the difference between a switcher and a road switcher?
Thanks
Switchers have lower overall horsepower and are usually assigned to moving cars around a yard or switching them in industrial areas.
Road Switchers, on the other hand, can be used as road locomotives too. They have a high enough power rating to pull full trains overland and big enough fuel tanks to go the distance, while still retaining the ablities of a switcher.
Switcher series include ALCo S series locomotives (standing for switcher) and the EMD SW seires. GE switchers also are out there, but they are usually defined by their weight such as the 44 Toner, and don’t have an overal series letter designation.
The term road switcher was coined by the first real locomotive of that type, the ALCo RS1 (guess what “RS” stands for) and the class took off from there. Along with the RS series the EMD GP series, and the GE U-boats with a B type truck also genrally fall into the category of road switchers.
~METRO
Metro,
Thanks for the lesson on switcher history and distinctions! [:)] I have one the P2K S1’s. I sorta surmised that the RS in the later switchers stood for “revised switcher” and that they took an old S1 and revamped it for a different use. Were the RS’s a completely new diesel or a revamped one? Thanks!
Tom
A road switcher usually has different trucks than a typical switcher also for better riding characteristics at speed.
A question sort of “on topic” I am modelling GN in 1947/48 and would like to know when EMD started producing the GP7’s and if there were any other versions before the 7’s? I have a couple of analog and if they fit into the period I will convert them to DCC/sound. If not I will donate them to some interested kids.
Info from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Electro-Motive_Division:
The GP7 was introduced in 1949 (just a >little bit< too late). It was the first EMD road switcher.
Brian Pickering
Hi some switchers have been factory made as road switchers as well. In Canada some very lght rail branch lines were a problem in the 50’s so both CN and CP kept some really light mogals and 4-4-0’s running long after they should have retired because no suitable light diesel roadswitchers were available. So MLW (canadian alco) and GMD( EMD Canadian plant) made some interesting light diesel road switchers from existing switcher models. The sw-1200RS was an sw-1200 with a larger fuel tank and flexcoil road trucks instead of standard switcher trucks. MLW took their s-13 switcher and put AAR type B road trucks under it and voila the RS-23 roadswitcher. On the prairies GM made a for canada only model called the GMD1 looks like a sw-1200RS with a short hood but it ran on A1A flexcoil trucks to spread out it’s weight MLD put out a couple of RSD-24’s as well again with A1A trucks(this is a CN only model only 4 built) GM in the us made NW-5’s for the GN for some of the same reasons as well. Rob
If I’m not mistaken, the “immediete” predecessor of the GP7 was the BL-2. BL stood for “Branch Line”. Basically an F unit that was extensively modified so that the crews could look down the walkway. A number of them were purchased by railroads but overall this was not a popular unit. The modified carbody imposed limitations. Mechanics weren’t thrilled to work on BL units. Some BLs survive today in Museums. Last I read, at least one is used on a tourist train somewhere in Georgia or Florida.
The GP7 and GP9s simple body design became an instant hit with many railroads and these units became the “Chevy Pick-Up” –Go Anywhere, Do Any Job, Run Any Time" locomotives for many railroads in North America. Yard Work, Commuter Runs, Transfer Service, and even on road assignments in conjunction with other units. Norfolk & Western utilized them on some of their long distance passenger runs.
These Geeps were so versatile that in the 90s, many were still working as rebuilt units. Many still survive today on shortlines, industrial plants as well as museums.
[;)]
BL2’s were not well sold, nor liked by alot of railroads.
Like Antonio mentioned, they Geeps, were used for Commuter, Passenger, Freight, switching… N&W and IC geared theire GP7/9 high to run at those 70 + MPH speeds
These locos are STILL in operation in 2005 here, we have a SW, Used to have a CF7, all still great runners.
The RS-1 was essentially a stretched S-1 Switcher with road trucks. Most switchers at the time used either the Blunt Truck or the AAR Switcher Truck. The RS-1 had a lengthened frame so they could have a larger fuel tank and the possiblity of a Steam Generator for Passenger Service.
EMD had some weirdo swittchers to compete with the RS-1 these were the NW-3 and NW-5 swithers with short hoods and Blomberg Trucks for use on branchlines. The GN was the largest purchasers of these two units.
The true road switcher as we know it was the Alco RS-2 with a 1500 hp engine versus the 1000 hp in the RS-1. Most Road Switchers after this had at least 1500 hp.
Rick
As Rick said the Alco RS1 was derived from a switcher. Perhaps one reason the EMD Geep was more successful is that it was derived from road power (the EMD F unit)
Geeps were accpected due to the fact that you can run an Funit without another A unit and switching cabs. Geeps, just need to look down the long hood.
The ALCO RS-2 and 3 were introduced and were better sellers before the GP-7 was introduced but ALCO lost a lot of repeat business as the 244 prime mover had a lot of crankshaft failures versus the reliability of the 567 prime mover in the GP-7
Rick
Of course, “road switcher” is a relative term–some small short lines used the diminuitive GE 44 and 70 ton switch engines to carry freight over their entire mainlines.
I know at least one GP-7 that is still hauling freight in West Sacramento–those things never die! And even the new “Green Goat” hybrid switcher is based on a GP-7/9 chassis!
One thing that a road switcher is equipped with that a straight-i.e. yard-switcher
usually is not is a toilet. They are usually located in the short hood of a road switcher
and in most yard engines there’s no room in them. Also, a yard crew has better (if not perfect) access to such facilities, whereas a road crew needs to take one along.
I know this is a minor thing, but it is a fact.
Is a Baldwin VO-1000 a switcher or a road switcher? I think it had 1200 HP.
I believe the VO-1000 was a yard switcher, though it was probably strong enough to do local freight duty.
The VO-1000 was a yard switcher. But many railroads ran short locals with yard switchers where it made sense - lots of switching at the customer sites and high speed over the road not required.
–Randy
Road Switchers have toilets and Switchers dont.
Victor
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
lol true true