Southern Pacific GP-9

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

In prototype practice did the Southern Pacific run its GP-9’s with the short hood in the front or vice versa?

2

Short hood in front.

3

Works for me…thank you.

4

By the way, all or nearly all US railroad diesels have an indicator on the side of the locomotive as to which end is nominally the front. This is a small “F” stenciled in paint. So if you can find a prototype photo, it will often reveal which end was nominally the front, as in this photo of an SP GP-9 from this site (note the small white “F” on the side sill)

Nearly all SP locomotives were set up to run short-hood-forward. The only exceptions I can think of were some early Alco and Baldwin Road Switchers, but there may have been a few others.

5

Normal practice was to run short hood first. However, SP did own some passenger GP9’s that were equipped with dual controls and they could be run either way.

One such engine is SP #5623, shown here (still operable and painted in as delivered colors): http://www.ncry.org/roster/d_5623/sp5623.shtml

Here’s a bigger pic of #5623. http://www.trainweb.org/sp5623/5623dm02.jpg

You’ll notice that the orange “wings” are at both ends of the unit whereas freight GP9’s would only have the “wings” on the short hood. Also, this loco does not have dynamic brakes. Some of the SP passenger GP9’s did come with dynamic brakes, but it was found that, given the need for boiler water, the fuel tanks had to be of severely limited capacity. Putting the air tanks on the long hood and forgoing the dynamic brakes allowed sufficient quantities of fuel and water to be carried. #5600-5503 were the first SP GP9;s and were equipped with dynamic brakes, dual controls and train heat boilers, but were found to be a bit problematic when assigned to trains like the Del Monte.

There were also some SD7’s and SD9’s that were boiler equipped, but to the best of my recollection, none were equipped with dual controls.

Andre

6

Perhaps it would be better to say SP designated the short hood as the front. SP used its GP9s for local service (at least later in their careers). If there was one locomotive, generally they would run long hood first traveling either from or back to the yard.