The switcher that could..................

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi !

Had an experience running trains yesterday that I thought I would pass along. It is an unusual post as it is not a question, not a complaint, and does not offer unsolicited advice or opinion… It is just a short anecdote, nothing more.

My layout is a room filling 11x15 two level HO DCC layout, running ATSF trains set in the 1950s. I’m at the point where scenery is in process, and all else is “done”.

While in the process of removing rolling stock from the layout (for easier access to plant trees), I had a 37 car (plus caboose) on the outer loop being pulled by a Stewart F3 ABBA (all powered, NCE decoders). It made it around a couple of times and began stalling. Yikes, I soon realized my track was dirty (haven’t run trains much this summer), and the wheels of the consist needed to be cleaned.

So I removed the F3 locos, and then pulled another ABBA consist out of the terminal - this one being Stewart FTs (all powered w/sound). Well, I hooked that up and it too made a couple loops (LOVE that sound!) and then began to falter.

Expletive deleted, I then removed the consist and thought I’d go to the last remaining loco in the terminal - a Stewart VO-1000 (with added NCE decoder).

I assumed it would have trouble, but was determined to see what it could do. So I backed the loco out of the terminal, around the sub main, on to the inner main, and on to the outer main, where it hooked up with that 38 car freight.

With direction reversed, the loco began to move, pulling out the slack in that long train. Another expletive deleted… the loco pulled out all the slack, and the thing began rolling - without slipping or grinding or stalling!

What a surprise! I ran the train at about 2/3 speed around the main a few times, and it worked beautifully. How could that be? Given that the cars all have IM wheelsets and my trackwo

2

The big locomotive consists had clean wheels, they became dirty and stalled.

By the time you put the little switcher on the tracks were cleaned and it ran and ran and ran.

Or at least thiat is how it could be.

Trains of LION seldom stop all that long, but him nose the tracks knead cleaning. 48 wheel pickup wheely has its advantages.

ROAR

3

When not running a train on the main, I often switch cars around in the coal yard on our club layout with my Stewart Baldwin. Most of the hoppers are well over NMRA weight - but it can pull huge strings of them back and forth and shuffle them around. Those little guys are powerful, much like the prototype.

–Randy

4

I haven’t been any place where I saw SW series and Baldwin switchers side by side. Or model ones for that matter. I’m somewhat familiar with the Baldwins, as the Navy used a bunch in southern Indiana at Crane during much of the Cold War. I get the impression the Baldwin is a bigger, bulkier loco than an SW. That makes for lots of space under the hood for weight, which I think is a big part of the impressive performance.

5

A day in August 1963, Union Yard, Minneapolis:

I photographed GN 24, 137, 161, 151, and 108. They were Baldwin S-12, Baldwin VO1000, and three EMD NW2’s.

Ed

6

Ed,

So did the Baldwins kinda hulk over the wimpey little EMDs or were they actually closer in size than I’m imagining?

Sound like it was a great day of trainwatching, though. I was 6 yo and living in Texas, so missed that one[;)]

7

The Baldwins are generally longer than the original SW/NW. The hoods seem somewhat narrower though. The model ones from Stewart/Bowser aren’t very heavy, and the ones with sound are a bit lighter because of making room for the speaker. They’re geared pretty low, and have top quality Canon can motors so they have lots of torque.

–Randy

8

Comparing my remembrances of various prototype switchers and road engines in regular service, I always thought Baldwins and F-M’s had more drama to them. During the past 25 years or so, I’ve been amused by the affection so many people feel for Alcos. They were interesting, and I certainly enjoyed seeing them work. In fact, my first cab ride was in a B&O Alco S-2. But Alcos couldn’t compare IMHO with a Baldwin or an F-M. A big part of it was sound: An ABBA set of Baldwin sharks rumbled and gurgled with a deep-throated sound that made you think oily bubbles were going to come shooting out of the stacks. A Baldwin switcher was a smaller version of the same. I got very much the same feeling from F-M’s. Unfortunately, I missed seeing and hearing a Lima-Hamilton. EMD’s were capable, but comparatively tame engines.

9

I suspect the Navy had kind feelings for those OP engines in F-Ms, based on experience with them in a number of watercraft, but I don’t know they ever bought any F-Ms for shoreside duty. Not sure about the Baldwin or BLH angle (IIRC some of the Navy locos at Crane were late enough to be BLH), but they seemed pretty well regarded, as a few lasted until circa 2000 IIRC before sale for salvage.

I think Alcos hit the mark for the combination of sound and smoke[8D]

10

I spent a fair amount of time at LTV Steel Mining Company in the 90’s, before they shut down. Imagine a crude ore train going up a grade with two Alco RS’s on the point and a Baldwin switcher on the tail pushing. Neither really sounded like it was working hard, not like an EMD. Both were their own version of shaking a bag full of bolts, but they did the job well.

Interesting thing about LTV. When they started out in the 50’s they split their locomotive orders with EMD F9’s for pellet trains, Alco RS 11’s for crude ore trains, and Baldwin switchers for plant site switching. It was a rare collection as it was, but imagine if the order rotation had switched one notch either way?

11

The biggest difference was the prototype Baldwins were equipped with “Big” Westinghouse traction motors, so they pulled until the task was finished or the locomotive “blew up”. The EMDs on the other hand were equipped with overload and wheel slip sensors to protect the locomotive components from damage.

This was my experience at different locations on the PC Chesapeake Division.

In 1972 - 1974, the Baldwins were phased out in favor of the EMDs. A SW1 could not do the same work a Baldwin DS 4-4-600 could do even though both were 600HP locos. Same result across the board at each HP range.

In Baltimore, a tripple unit of Baldwin S12s was replaced with a tripple unit of ALCo RS11s (1800 HP).

Models on the other hand are subjected to other variables, but I prefer my Bowser/Stewart Baldwins and Atlas ALCos to BLI NW2/SW7s.

12

part of the problem with the BLI EMDs is the decoder they use is SO huge they had to chop out way too much weight. In the sound version of the Bowser Baldwins, they use a Loksound Select Micro which is incredibly small and hardly had to change anything. Does help that the current draw is measured in milliamps on those, so the tiny decoder is right at home. They have new sound recordings, too - SMS Rail runs a bunch of old Baldwins still witht he original prime movers. Lots of videos of them at work. All that fancy wheel slip junk on EMDs wasn;t needed on Baldwins because of the way their air throttle worked. Also pretty easy to run - not so much of that fancy throttle work to get the most out of the loco without slipping while starting a train. Neat stuff.

–Randy

13

Hi again,

I’ve got two Stewarts, 1 BLI, and 1 P2K HO switchers, and best I can tell, the Stewarts are geared lower than the others. Sometimes it is a bit frustrating at their slow speed/acceleration, but they can easily outpull the rest.

14

No…The Baldwin was as Randy said but,was powerful brutes that could pull more tonage then the EMD switcher.

The only EMD switcher that out pulled the S12 was EMD’s 1966 SW1500.

15

A shame Baldwin went belly-up. With a lack of available parts, a lot of railroads started making ‘convertibles’ - Reading did this with thei Baldwins. Remotored with an EMD prime mover, which usually necessitated a new long hood to clear the EMD motor. So from the front - an SW1500, from the rear, a Baldwin with their distinctive cab shape. Luckily this happened after my time period, so no kitbashing one of these for me, I can run the Baldwins in their natural state.

–Randy

16

I have 2 of the older QSI-equipped NW-2s. One of the boards went bad, so I stuck a lenz in and hard-wired it. I was able to add 2.5 ounces top of the motor. I could add a bunch more if I modified the area where the speaker was, but I don’t want to over-ax the motor. The die-cast frame, walkways, and steps really help.

I’m just afraid of having to drill holes into die-cast metal to add the side handrails that were added later.