The future of small scale switching duties

[Murphy_Siding]

A fair question, from another thread:

Snaggletooth mentioned this on another thread, and I found it interesting:

I really need to start another thread, but don’t know how. It seem’s to me the 40 series and even the 50 series are worn out and probbly not up to their full horsepower (just an opinion, and I know what an opinion is worth), but an SD70 on an grain elevater in 2030 is just unrealistic. I’m not talking about now, I’m asking about 20-30-40 years from now. if i should start another thread, please let me know how , I think this is worth a nother disscusion

Around these parts,every small town elevator has an old Geep or SW switcher parked around back. What is the future of small scale switching duties?

[Limitedclear]

A fair question, from another thread:

Snaggletooth mentioned this on another thread, and I found it interesting:

I really need to start another thread, but don’t know how. It seem’s to me the 40 series and even the 50 series are worn out and probbly not up to their full horsepower (just an opinion, and I know what an opinion is worth), but an SD70 on an grain elevater in 2030 is just unrealistic. I’m not talking about now, I’m asking about 20-30-40 years from now. if i should start another thread, please let me know how , I think this is worth a nother disscusion

They will continue to exist as long as the Class 1 railroads or short lines involved don’t want to perform this function.

LC

Around these parts,every small town elevator has an old Geep or SW switcher parked around back. What is the future of small scale switching duties?

[coborn35]

Yea, an SD70 would take all those curves and small clearances greeeeat…

[Murphy_Siding]

A clarification of the question, I guess: will they still be using what are now 40-50 year old geeps and SW’s for power?

[Anonymous]

Sure, just as a few years ago many elevators were using 60-year-old Alcos and SW1s (and some still are). But since the country elevator continues to disappear in the face of shuttle elevators the problem becomes moot.

There’s nothing wrong with using an SD40-2 to switch an elevator except the operating cost can be high if the useage rate is more than infrequent. One of the big problems is power contactors which are not built for rapid duty cycles on a road locomotive. As for clearances and curves, if it will fit a 5161-cube covered hopper it will usually fit an SD40-2 or an SD70MAC (and if it won’t it probably won’t fit any big switch engine), and as for curves, 17 deg. is OK as long as the track has good ties. (The Class I may not let you take its locomotive over it of course.) It isn’t desirable, but it will work. And most grain elevators with that kind of curvature aren’t long for this world.

S. Hadid

[Limitedclear]

A clarification of the question, I guess: will they still be using what are now 40-50 year old geeps and SW’s for power?

They will use whatever makes economic sense. Switchers, GPs, trackmobiles…

LC

[greyhounds]

http://roadrail.brandt.ca/pdfs/brandt_power_unit_main_brochure.pdf

Move the cars around. Serve several industries. Move between industries on the road ILO the rail, keeping the rail line less congested.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I have observed that BP/Amoco purchased (not leased) one of the Green Goats that briefly went to CP for service at the former Arco refinery at Cherry Point, WA. Hybrids would seem to be ideal for in-plant service at small-to-medium-size operations.

[fuzzybroken]

I have observed that BP/Amoco purchased (not leased) one of the Green Goats that briefly went to CP for service at the former Arco refinery at Cherry Point, WA. Hybrids would seem to be ideal for in-plant service at small-to-medium-size operations.

Anybody find any pictures of this one?